The European Championship (EURO) is the second-grandest international cup competition, second only to the FIFA World Cup. Thriving in this quadrennial competition is a surefire way of becoming a European legend. This is why every player worth their salt pushes as hard as possible to leave a mark.
As we await to congratulate the winning team, top scorer, and the Player of the Tournament of EURO 2024, let’s take a stroll down memory lane and honor a handful of forwards who have left an ever-lasting footprint in the competition’s history. Continue reading to meet the five players with the most goals + assists in EURO history.
#5 Marco Van Basten (EURO 1988): 6 Goal Contributions
Leading with poise and grace, Netherlands icon Marco Van Basten led his country to European Championship glory in 1988. The legendary center-forward scored five times and provided an assist in five games, finishing as not only the competition’s highest scorer but also its best player.
The three-time Ballon d’Or winner scored a superb hat-trick against England in a Group 2 clash, propelling the Netherlands to a 3-1 win. He then scored the winning goal against Germany in the semi-final and a thunderous volley in a 2-0 win over the Soviet Union in the final. He also assisted Ruud Gullit for Holland’s opening goal.
#4 Milan Baros (EURO 2004): 6 Goal Contributions
Czechia legend Milan Baros made his European Championship debut in 2004. The formidable striker proved to be a menace inside the opposition area, scoring a tournament-high five times and providing an assist. Baros’ best performance came in the quarter-final clash with Denmark. He scored an excellent brace to guide Czechia to a 3-0 victory. Unfortunately, Baros fired a blank in the semi-final meeting with Greece and his country crashed out after suffering a 1-0 defeat.
The former Liverpool striker also featured in EURO 2008 and 2012. However, he could not replicate his 2004 heroics, failing to score even once in either tournament.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo (EURO 2020): 6 Goal Contributions
Cristiano Ronaldo — the leading scorer in European Championship history with 14 goals — was at his blistering best in EURO 2020. Despite playing only four games before Portugal’s Round-of-16 exit, Ronaldo scored five times and provided an assist, emerging as the competition’s joint-leading scorer alongside Patrick Schick.
Ronaldo, 39, made history in EURO 2024, becoming the first player in history to play in six iterations of the competition. Unfortunately, the Al-Nassr superstar could not extend his record of scoring in every EURO campaign, bowing out in the quarter-finals without scoring despite attempting a competition-high 23 shots.
#2 Antoine Griezmann (EURO 2016): 8 Goal Contributions
Antoine Griezmann was the Player of the Tournament as France reached the European Championship final in 2016. The Atletico Madrid attacker chipped in with six goals and two assists over the course of the campaign. Griezmann was at his sensational best in the semi-final clash with Germany, scoring both goals in France’s 2-0 victory.
The following two EURO campaigns have been disappointing for Griezmann. In EURO 2020, he only scored once in four games as Les Bleus exited the competition in the Round of 16. In 2024, he neither scored nor assisted in six matches, cutting a frustrated figure as his team crashed out after a 2-1 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals.
#1 Michel Platini (EURO 1984): 10 Goal Contributions
One of the greatest European players in history, Michel Platini was by far the most impactful player in EURO 1984. In his first and only European Championship campaign, Platini scored a staggering nine times and provided an assist.
The three-time Ballon d’Or winner scored in each of the five games in EURO 1984, including two hat-tricks in Group 1 wins over Belgium (5-0) and Yugoslavia (3-2). Platini scored the opening goal for France from a direct free-kick in a 2-0 win over Spain in the EURO 1984 final.
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