Yesterday we suggested to take a look at the most intriguing "Euro 2016" debutants and discussed which of them will have the most successful tournament. Today we present ten of the greatest debuts that have already entered football history.
Cristiano Ronaldo - 2004, Portugal.
Three-time world's best footballer made his European Championship debut at the age of nineteen. He rose from the bench in the group stage match against Greece and immediately scored a goal. However, the Portuguese had to admit the opponents' advantage with a 2-1 result. Next time Ronaldo scored in the semifinals, when the tournament hosts defeated the Netherlands. However, in the final, they were once again defeated by the Greeks.
Wayne Rooney - 2004, England.
Ronaldo was not the only nineteen-year-old who captivated European football fans. In the second group match against Switzerland, Rooney scored a brace, and immediately after that, in the meeting with the Croats, the striker repeated his achievement. This debut would have been truly magical, but in the quarterfinals against Portugal, he had to leave the field earlier due to a foot injury, and the opponents advanced to the semifinals after penalties.
Michel Platini - 1984, France.
The championship took place 32 years ago in France, just like it does now. The Golden Ball winner stood out in all five of his national team matches, including scoring two hat-tricks. Platini ended the tournament with 9 goals on his account. This record has not been surpassed by anyone to this day.
David Villa - 2008, Spain.
These championships marked the beginning of Spanish dominance. They became the champions of the Old Continent, and Villa was one of their key players. The striker scored a hat-trick in the first match against Russia, and in the final group stage match, he scored a decisive goal. Despite missing the final, the then Valencia leader became the top scorer of the tournament.
Marcos Senna - 2008, Spain.
At that time, another player shone in the national team led by Luis Aragones - Brazilian-born midfielder Senna. His role was later taken over by Sergio Busquets, but it was he who was the central part of the puzzle without which the Spanish triumph would have been unimaginable.
Milan Baros - 2004, Czech Republic.
In his first match, the Liverpool forward saved the team from defeat against Latvia and later did not stop. Baros scored in the next two group-stage matches, and his brace in the quarterfinals helped defeat Denmark. Only the reigning champions, Greece, managed to stop the most prolific player of "Euro 2004".
Marco van Basten - 1988, Netherlands.
He went to the tournament as the third choice in his position. However, coach Rinus Michels allowed van Basten to start in the second match against England, and he did not disappoint, leaving the field with a hat-trick. In the semifinals, his 88th-minute goal eliminated the hosts, Germany, and in the final, against the USSR, fans saw one of the most beautiful goals in "Euro" history.
Alan Shearer - 1996, England.
That summer, football returned where it was born, but after losing points in the first match against Switzerland, the English seemed disappointing. This was partly demonstrated by the fact that Shearer, who did not shine in the qualifiers, still appeared in the starting eleven. However, he eventually pleasantly surprised the home fans by becoming the top scorer of the tournament, and England had its best performance since 1966.
Thierry Henry - 2000, France.
Already a World Cup winner, the Arsenal striker participated in the tournament as a favorite. The 22-year-old footballer was one of the leaders of the French attacks and made it into the symbolic tournament XI. His work was finally crowned with the first European trophy after the Platini era.
Peter Schmeichel - 1992, Denmark.
Danes were not supposed to be in that championship at all, but they ended up there instead of war-torn Yugoslavia. Peter Schmeichel and his saves were crucial, without which this team's triumph would probably not have happened. In the semifinals, he managed to save Marco van Basten's 11-meter penalty kick. Sounds like the Leicester City story with his son Kasper at the forefront, right?
