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Fantasy Football tips and advice: Euro 2020 best players to select and include
Euro 2020's fantasy football game presents the opportunity for players to create a team of international stars for the summer tournament.
There are 24 countries who will battle it out for continental glory, and UEFA announcing the return of their fantasy football game for the competition creates the chance to put together some of Europe's best players in the hope of securing more points than your rivals.
- EXPLAINED: How does the Euro 2020 fantasy football game work?
- READ: Early transfer and selection advice
Sporting Life will be providing fantasy football tips, insight and advice throughout the tournament - and our early look around squad announcement time picked out some selections to include in any draft teams.
With squads now finalised and prices set on the game, we go through the four positions and pick out players to consider and include in each area of the pitch.
When is Euro 2020?
The tournament gets underway with Turkey v Italy on Friday June 11 and finishes with the final on Sunday July 11.
Where can I watch Euro 2020?
Viewers in the UK will be able to watch all games of Euro 2020. As has been the case in recent years, the coverage will be split between the BBC and ITV.
When are the kick-off times for Euro 2020?
All games take place at a UK-friendly time. In the group stages, games will take place at 14:00, 17:00 and 20:00 (all times BST) on each day.
Is there a Euro 2020 fantasy football game?
The Euro 2020 fantasy football game is a hybrid of the two major fantasy football games here (Fantasy Premier League and Sky Sports Fantasy Football) with points earned in similar ways.
However, there are some key differences in squad selection, captaincy and substitutions, alongside the way points are scored too.
For full details, click here.
Who are the best goalkeepers to select?
Goalkeepers are often reasonably priced and they can provide a good source for points. The most common route for keepers to score is through keeping a clean sheet.
However, saving a penalty in the game is huge, with five points on offer for that, while a busy goalkeeper will add to his tally by making a number of saves.
How can goalkeepers score points?
- Scoring a goal - 6; Long-range goal - 1; Assist - 3
- Saving a penalty - 5; Conceding a penalty - -1
- Clean sheet - 4; Every 3 saves - 1; Every 2 goals conceded - -1
- Appearance - 1; 60 mins on pitch - 2
- Yellow card - -1; Red card - -3; Own goal - -2
For full points scoring, click here, but here are three options for starting goalkeeper in any Euro 2020 fantasy football team.
Hugo Lloris
- Nation: France
- Price: €6m
A good option to go for if the budget allows as Hugo Lloris sits among the group of goalkeepers commanding a €6m price tag for the tournament. His France team should go far and we could expect some clean sheets along the way.
He sat sixth for total saves made in the Premier League this season while his 12 clean sheets put him fourth in those standings. The positive for points with Lloris is that he's only conceded two goals in one of his last eight games for France.
Five of those games also saw a clean sheet with two coming against Portugal, a team they face in the group stages. Lloris could be an early points leader among goalkeepers going into the knockout stages.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
- Nation: Italy
- Price: €5.5m
Italy's starting goalkeeper in every competitive game, and one who is usually given friendlies off, Gianluigi Donnarumma should feature regularly throughout the tournament and he will rack up points if Italy progress to the latter stages.
We're banking on clean sheets slightly here, with games against Switzerland and Wales in the group stage, but Turkey's attacking power could mean he is forced into a few saves when they meet on opening night.
At worst, we wouldn't expect Italy to concede many, so it could be a confident two points in the bank if they do concede at some stage. At a price of €5.5m, he isn't even among the most expensive group of goalkeepers on the game.
Ugurcan Cakir
- Nation: Turkey
- Price: €4.5m
A player to keep an eye on after this tournament has finished, Ugurcan Cakir has been linked with a move away from Trabzonspor and Liverpool are one of those clubs who have been credited with interest. A strong tournament will boost those chances of a switch elsewhere in Europe.
Mert Gunok was Turkey's starting goalkeeper but Cakir took the spot in the three World Cup qualification games in 2021 and started their last friendly - a 2-0 win over Moldova where he got an assist from a goal kick on Cengiz Under's goal.
Who are the best defenders to select?
Defenders in fantasy football are often split into two categories - centre-backs who can command, keep clean sheets and provide a set-piece threat, and full-backs whose attacking contribution is seen as equal to their defensive output.
Full-backs are arguably more important though. Eight of the top ten scoring defenders on Fantasy Premier League this season played at eight right-back or left-back, and it could be a profitable route to follow in the Euro 2020 game given the similar style of points scoring.
How can defenders score points?
- Scoring a goal - 6; Long-range goal - 1; Assist - 3
- Appearance - 1; 60 mins on pitch - 2
- Yellow card - -1; Red card - -3; Own goal - -2
- Clean sheet - 4
- Winning a penalty - 2; Conceding a penalty - -1; Missing a penalty - -2
For full points scoring, click here, but here are the options for defenders to include in any Euro 2020 fantasy football team.
Benjamin Pavard
- Nation: France
- Price: €6m
Benjamin Pavard is an expensive option, with his €6m price tag putting him among the second-most expensive batch of defenders, but it does feel like a missed opportunity not to have a France defender in the starting line-up. They can go all the way.
Pavard seems the best option out of the four likely starters as he will probably provide the biggest attacking threat. He recorded a couple of assists for Bayern Munich in the Champions League this season and scored for France in their win over Sweden in the last round of Nations League fixtures.
It also feels like the right-back position is more 'settled' in this side, with Lucas Hernandez having Lucas Digne for competition on the left side. It's a bit more use of the budget for the defence, but Pavard looks a solid selection.
Leonardo Spinazzola
- Nation: Italy
- Price: €5.5m
This feels like a risky selection but one that can pay off in a big way if he can stay fit. Leonardo Spinazzola should be Italy's starting left-back at the tournament but he's endured such an injury hit campaign - it will be interesting to see what role he plays.
The bonus here is that Italy are the first game of the tournament, so you do have until the deadline to see if it's Spinazzola or Emerson in the back-four. If it's Spinazzola, he could contribute assists throughout the tournament alongside keeping clean sheets.
The 28-year-old finished the season with two goals and eight assists for Roma in all competitions.
Robin Gosens
- Nation: Germany
- Price: €5m
A selection that will become clearer when Germany play Latvia on Monday night, but Robin Gosens may prove to be a value pick if Die Mannschaft opt to stick with a back-three. He is best suited to a LWB or LM role out of the defenders in their squad.
Gosens has played fairly regularly when available since coming into the set-up in September 2020, and he can provide an attacking threat down that flank.
Playing in a three at the back system with Atalanta, Gosens finished the 2020/21 season with 12 goals and eight assists across all competitions. Even if Germany struggle in the 'Group of Death', he can play his part with a few points from an attacking output.
Jason Denayer
- Nation: Belgium
- Price: €4.5m
Belgium are fancied by some to go all the way and lift the trophy in July. It's not difficult to see why. They have some of Europe's best players in their ranks and they will view this tournament as one that they can win.
They'll go into the tournament with their back-three and wing-backs approach, which should mean regular minutes for centre-back Jason Denayer. We're likely to be relying mainly on appearance and clean sheet points with this inclusion.
However, at €4.5m, he's a bargain price for a player who does feature in a very good team. It puts him among the second cheapest batch of defenders, with others just squad players or involved with nations who probably won't get beyond the group stages.
Kyle Walker
- Nation: England
- Price: €5.5m
We can be confident in the fact that, as long as he stays fit, Kyle Walker will be a regular for England. He will be the preferred choice at right-back or step into the right side of a back-three, and it's clear that Gareth Southgate rates the Manchester City full-back.
It's a surprise to see his €5.5m price considering Trent Alexander-Arnold, who now misses out through injury, is a whole €1m more expensive. There wasn't a guarantee that he would even play, but it drove Walker's price down, and he looks a value pick in a team that could go far.
He did get a couple of goals across the course of the season, but it seems like his position is likely to be rotated less than the Ben Chilwell/Luke Shaw dilemma on the other side of defence.
Who are the best midfielders to select?
This is arguably the area of the pitch where mini-leagues can be won or lost. It's also the area with the most contrast in players. The way points are earned means that most midfielders won't justify their price tag - it's about selecting the right players for fantasy football and not based on their actual performances.
The perfect example is N'Golo Kante. He could easily win Player of the Tournament with his contributions for France but he won't do much for fantasy football players due to his low number of goals and assists. His price reflects this and it's one thing to really remember when making selections.
There are a number of midfielders who can contribute points though. That can be through being an attacking midfield, a set-piece taker or even the dream fantasy football combination of a midfielder on the game actually operating as a centre forward or striker.
How can midfielders score points?
- Scoring a goal - 5; Long-range goal - 1; Assist - 3
- Appearance - 1; 60 mins on pitch - 2
- Yellow card - -1; Red card - -3; Own goal - -2
- Clean sheet - 1
- Winning a penalty - 2; Conceding a penalty - -1; Missing a penalty - -2
For full points scoring, click here, but here are the options for midfielders to include in any Euro 2020 fantasy football team.
Bruno Fernandes
- Nation: Portugal
- Price: €10.5m
One of the most expensive players on the game and with good reason. Bruno Fernandes' 244 points haul was the highest of any FPL player during the 2020/21 campaign, while he came second with 268 points on the Sky Sports Fantasy Football game.
The Manchester United man also topped Fantasy Football Fix's expected FPL points (xFPL) charts - that's using data to highlight how many points a player should have compared with their actual tally.
Fernandes' 233.04 was the highest of any player - almost three points clear of Mohamed Salah's 230.36 - and he has every chance of being one of the top points scorers at this summer's tournament. A must-have.
Ilkay Gundogan
- Nation: Germany
- Price: €7.5m
Despite a prolific season for a midfielder at Manchester City, Ilkay Gundogan's price on the Euro 2020 fantasy football game is far too low. His €7.5m tag means that over 30 other midfielders are more expensive and he could quickly score more points than them with a few goals.
With 17 goals across all competitions, Germany will also look to him to provide an attacking threat and the mixed form of some of their other big hitters - mainly Timo Werner - will place extra emphasis on goals coming from elsewhere. Gundogan firmly falls into the 'elsewhere' category.
The bonus here is that Gundogan should be on penalty duty for his country, and spot kick takers are always good to have on any fantasy football game.
Mason Mount
- Nation: England
- Price: €7m
Phil Foden will be a popular choice on this game, and while he remains a solid pick, Mason Mount can make an impact for a whole €1m less. It's a significant saving that can be invested elsewhere in your squad, and Mount should be a regular starter throughout the tournament.
Mount finished as the 11th-highest points scorer among midfielders on FPL this season. However, his xA figure of 10.04 has influenced Fantasy Football Fix's xFPL number. If Chelsea had converted the chances Mount had created, he would have finished in 5th with 155 points.
He's actually a bargain price, too, when we consider the most expensive midfielders on the game are Kevin De Bruyne and Fernandes at €10.5m. They justify that price tag, but Mount should be priced around the same mark as Foden - he's firmly one of the value picks of the tournament.
Dani Olmo
- Nation: Spain
- Price: €7m
There is more competition for Dani Olmo's position in the Spain side, with Mikel Oyarzabal also pushing for a start, but Olmo has played a part in Spain's last ten matches - with a record of three goals in 11 appearances since his debut in November 2019.
The likelihood in the tournament is that we'll see Olmo lining up on the left side of a front three - whereas he has often been playing as an attacking midfielder for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.
Olmo goes into the summer on the back of a good season for the German club. He scored seven goals and assisted a further 12 across all competitions and there's every chance he will have goal involvement throughout the Euros. We can expect Spain to go far given their squad.
Hakan Calhanoglu
- Nation: Turkey
- Price: €8.5m
A player who commands a slightly higher transfer fee, but Hakan Calhanoglu could prove to be decent value if Turkey can progress to the latter stages. Even then, he may gain enough points in the group stages to justify selection given his goals and assists output this season.
He finished the 2020/21 campaign with nine goals and 12 assists across all competitions for AC Milan, and he's been in fine form for his country. Calhanoglu has scored two and assisted a further four in his last four appearances for Turkey - that includes a helper in the recent friendly win over Moldova.
The €8.5m price tag is a fairly big commitment for midfield, particularly when he isn't playing for a country considered a favourite, but he does provide more appeal than some of the others priced the same or even slightly more expensive - he has the potential to reward the commitment made here.
Who are the best forwards to select?
This is the area of the pitch where it's important to get it right. Attackers are the main source of goals for any fantasy football player - it's where the majority of their points scoring will come from.
Four points are on offer for an attacker who scores, with three also up for grabs on assists. Having an attacker who can contribute both is the perfect combinatio,n but adding numbers to the goals tally seems the most important of the two - the midfield can make up the assist points.
It's also the part of the team which commands the biggest part of the budget, and savings made in the goalkeepers and defenders can be utilised here. Depending on current team structure, it is more than realistic to have two 'big hitters' lining up alongside a cheaper option.
How can attackers score points?
- Scoring a goal - 4; Long-range goal - 1; Assist - 3
- Appearance - 1; 60 mins on pitch - 2
- Yellow card - -1; Red card - -3; Own goal - -2
- Winning a penalty - 2; Conceding a penalty - -1; Missing a penalty - -2
For full points scoring, click here, but here are the options for forwards to include in any Euro 2020 fantasy football team.
Harry Kane
- Nation: England
- Price: €11.5m
He finished as the Premier League's Golden Boot winner with his 14 assists also being a league high, yet Harry Kane isn't the most expensive forward on the Euro 2020 game. Both Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo carry a higher price tag.
Kane has already established himself as one of the best strikers in the game, and secured the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup. He finished second to Fernandes with 242 points on FPL but he did play two games less - two more outings would have surely seen him claim top spot.
Being the favourite to secure the Golden Boot this time around will make him a very popular pick among Euro 2020 fantasy football players and, like the domestic season, he is a must-have asset who should justify his bigger price tag with goals for the Three Lions.
Burak Yilmaz
- Nation: Turkey
- Price: €8m
A bargain forward that frees up some budget for 'big hitters' to come in. Burak Yilmaz has every chance of being involved in the Golden Boot race - particularly if Turkey can continue their good recent form and go far in the tournament.
Yilmaz will go into the summer on the back of a prolific season with Ligue 1 champions Lille, averaging better than a goal every two games, and that also resulted in four goals across three World Cup qualification games back in March.
The fact that he is only €8m in the game suggests that he may go under the radar to begin with. He's the same price as the Czech Republic's Patrik Schick, Denmark's Yussuf Poulsen and France's Olivier Giroud - the latter may struggle to get any minutes due to other options.
Romelu Lukaku
- Nation: Belgium
- Price: €11m
Even though €11m is big, Romelu Lukaku's price tag is the one that's surprised me the most. I fully expected the Belgium striker to be the most expensive player on the game but he could actually become a value pick when we think of possible points returns.
Lukaku starts for his nation and has a remarkable record with the Red Devils, recently becoming their all-time leading goalscorer. He comes into the tournament on the back of a prolific campaign with Serie A champions Inter, so confidence will also be high.
The Infogol Expected Goals (xG) model gives Lukaku a 16.6% chance of sole ownership of the Golden Boot, and a 26.4% chance of tying with someone else. They are the highest figures of anyone expected to be involved, and Belgium's chances of success help this.
Gerard Moreno
- Nation: Spain
- Price: €6.5m
It'll be interesting to see how much game time Gerard Moreno gets in the tournament, but he has proven that he can score with reduced minutes. The striker has struck five times in ten appearances for Spain since making his debut in October 2019.
His form throughout the 20/21 season should see him really force his way into the picture though with a remarkable return in all competitions. Moreno scored 30 and assisted a further 11 for Villarreal in a campaign that saw them lift the Europa League.
Moreno is an absolute bargain at €6.5m. If budget is tight, he provides the value selection that should return points throughout the tournament. Even if he doesn't start every game, we would back the Spain forward to tally a few goals and assists.
What is the best starting XI on Euro 2020 fantasy football?
The Euro 2020 fantasy football game is a lot like Fantasy Premier League in that you will need to select a squad of 15 players. That means that you can't use the entire €100m budget on the starting XI.
You will have to leave, as the very minimum, €16m for bench players. This is the fewest amount you can spend on substitutes depending on the formation. If you opt to put all three forwards in your starting XI, you will need to select goalkeepers, defenders and midfielders for the bench.
However, using just two forwards in your starting XI raises that bench minimum to €17m. Given the expensive nature of forwards, the best formation would involve having all three forwards on the pitch - expect 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 to be the two most popular formations throughout the tournament.
- Starting XI - 1: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Benjamin Pavard, Robin Gosens, Jason Denayer; Bruno Fernandes, Ilkay Gundogan, Mason Mount, Dani Olmo; Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku, Burak Yilmaz - STARTING XI COST: €83.5m
- Starting XI - 2: Hugo Lloris; Leonardo Spinazzola, Kyle Walker, Benjamin Pavard; Ilkay Gundogan, Mason Mount, Dani Olmo, Hakan Calhanoglu; Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku, Burak Yilmaz - STARTING XI COST: €83.5m
- Starting XI - 3: Ugurcan Cakir; Robin Gosens, Kyle Walker, Jason Denayer; Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, Ilkay Gundogan, Hakan Calhanoglu; Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku, Gerard Moreno - STARTING XI COST: €82m