Captaincy options for Matchday 5 – Kylian Mbappe most-popular skipper ahead of quarter-finals
DREAM TEAM EUROS managers have to decide their captain for Matchday 5 before today’s 4pm deadline.
Due to the unpredictable nature of the quarter-final match-ups, there is no obvious player to strap the armband on so let’s run through a few candidates.
Kylian Mbappe (£7.5m)
France’s No10 is the most-popular captain at the time of writing despite his side’s problems in front of goal.
Les Bleus have squandered more than their fair share of chances, relying on two own goals and a penalty to make the last eight.
That being said, Mbappe has racked up 31 points at an average of 10.3 per game (he missed one fixture through injury) thanks in no small part to his unmatched haul of 11 bonus points.
Among the players still active in Germany, only Dani Olmo (£4m) averages more shots per 90 minutes than Mbappe at the tournament – he is a persistent threat.
Granted, he faces a relatively tight Portuguese defence this evening but the rapid 25-year-old will fancy his chances against a back line that is likely to include Joao Cancelo (£4.5m), a relatively vulnerable one-on-one defender, and Pepe (£3.5m), who is 41 years old.
Roberto Martinez’s side head into tonight’s game having lost to Georgia and drawn 0-0 with Slovenia (before progressing on penalties) in their last two outings.
Gaffers seeking the safest captaincy option need look to further, Mbappe is always a justifiable choice when fit.
Cody Gakpo (£4m)
There are two compelling reasons to captain Netherlands’ main man.
Firstly, he is the outright top performer in Dream Team Euros after the first four Matchdays having racked up 48 points via three goals and an assist.
Secondly, he is due to face Turkey on Saturday night and while Vincenzo Montella’s side pack a punch going forward, their defence is comfortably the worst among the eight quarter-finalists.
In terms of shots faced and xG conceded, there is statistical chasm between Turkey and the other seven teams, which suggests opting to double Gakpo’s points might be a smart strategy.
The Liverpool forward has looked lively on the left flank and also leads the way for tackles among assets in his position – he has multiple routes to points.
Fabian Ruiz (£3.5m)
Spain v Germany is a match-up worthy of the final given what we’ve seen from both teams so far and many gaffers will be hesitant to select a captain up against a such a strong opponent.
However, La Roja’s No8 simply has to be considered a viable skipper as he averages 12.7 points-per-game this summer!
Ruiz has two goals and two assists to his name from just three outings as he was rested by Luis de la Fuente in Matchday 3.
The PSG playmaker has been a key contributor to Spain’s smooth and dynamic build-up play that has arguably made them favourites to lift the trophy on July 14th.
Some Dream Team Euros bosses may feel that the first fixture of Matchday 5 has the potential to be a high-scoring thriller.
In which case, the likes of Ruiz and Jamal Musiala (£4.5m) could continue their fine form at the expense of defenders on both sides.
Exciting wingers Lamine Yamal (£4m) and Nico Williams (£4m) are also in the conversation.
Harry Kane (£7.5m) or Jude Bellingham (£6m)
Many gaffers wouldn’t dream of captaining an England player based on their performances at the tournament to date but Kane and Bellingham have somehow managed 58 points between.
The former is currently the second most-selected captain for Matchday 5 with the Three Lions set to play Switzerland on Saturday.
The Bayern Munich striker has looked rather sluggish but opportunistic finishes against Denmark and Slovakia served as reminders of his goalscoring pedigree – plus, he’s on penalties.
As for Real Madrid’s superstar, he’s also scored two goals – the latest being an inspired stoppage-time overhead kick – and earned bonus points in every outing.
Granit Xhaka (£3m), Manuel Akanji (£3.5m) and company should not be underestimated but it’s simply true that both Kane and Bellingham have found ways to earn points at this tournament despite not being at their best.
Confirm your captain (and vice captain) before 4pm today!