Dimitri Payet has been named as top plyer Player of the Euro 2016 Tournament.
A statement on the official Uefa website read: “Dimitri Payet ended Uefa Euro 2016 where he started it, on top of the Player Barometer ahead of Antoine Griezmann and Gareth Bale, while Rui Patrício overtook Manuel Neuer as top goalkeeper.”
Payet’s moment of the tournament came in France’s opening match, where he scored a dramatic late winner in their opening game against Romania.
His second goal came in the 2-0 victory over Albania, before the West Ham star scored his third in the quarter-final victory over Iceland.
I am really happy for him, I am not sure yesterday what happened to Deschamp but as soon as he took Dimi off the shape of the team fell apart, the only players on that team causing problems were Dimi, Sissoko who was outstanding and also oddly substituted and to a lesser extent Griezman. He has got a lot right but yesterday Deschamp got it all wrong in my opinion, Pogba looked only interested in playing for himself and trying to make his own history, Giroud had an awful game, Matuidi ran around a lot but did nothing effective, they should have subbed Giroud put Dimi through the middle and Martial out wide then they probably would have won.
Have to say I’m a bit surprised by this. Griezmann was clearly the player of the tournament – Dimis best work came in the group stages then I thought he faded a bit while Griezmann pretty much single handedly took them past Rep of Eire and Germany to the final.
Griezmann did win the player of the Euro’s 2016. Confirmed.
Correct decision. Payet ran him bloody close though.
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/news/newsid=2389936.html
I have no doubts whatsoever that had Payet been left on France would have won the game. He may not have had his best game but he was still creating chances with his spot on crosses and free-kicks.
Taking him off was an awful tactical mistake. A player like him is ideal to have on in the latter stages as the other team is getting more and more tired. He would have found more space and would have carried on putting even better crosses in.
Of course a player like him could also score a goal out of nothing just like he did in the first game of the Euro’s.
Deschamps imho cost France the final.
I wrote this yesterday. Nice to know others believe it too.