Euro 2016: Best XI from the quarter-finals
The quarter-finals stage at UEFA Euro 2016 was action-packed and full of twists and turns. The quarter-finals saw some pulsating clashes and dramatic finishes. Portugal secured a place in the last 4 thanks to a hard-fought victory over Poland while Germany overcame old foes Italy in a tense penalty shootout.
France completely outclassed minnows Iceland while Wales arguably put in the performance of the tournament when they beat Belgium 3-1. There were a number of standout performers from each team and now that the dust has settled, let us pick the best XI from the Euro 2016 quarter-final stage.
Formation: 4-3-1-2
Goalkeeper
The Germany vs Italy quarter-final was arguably the most high-profile match of this stage. The game featured the two best goalkeepers in the world right now – Manuel Neuer and Gianluigi Buffon. Although Buffon ended up on the losing side, he showed more than glimpses of his class throughout the game and was a major reason for Italy restricting Germany to only 1 goal.
Buffon commanded his box with authority and pulled off a couple of stunning saves to deny Mario Gomez. He did his best in the penalties as well, but some woeful penalty shooting by the Italians meant that the former World Cup winner had to head home.
With this performance however, Buffon proved that he has just got better with age and the Azzurri fans will be hoping that Buffon comes back for one last tournament in 2018.