The Team of Death - the best XI from Group B rivals Germany, Netherlands, Portugal & Denmark

Following Friday's draw for the finals of Euro 2012, Goal.com looks at the key players in Group B, selecting an all-star team from the toughest-looking first stage

3 Dec 2011 10:24:00

More On :  Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Nani, Daniel Agger, Robin van Persie, Philipp Lahm, Arjen Robben, Mesut Özil, Fabio Coentrao, Pepe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Manuel Neuer
Germany vs Netherlands, Mark Van Bommel & Mesut Özil
Bongarts
After weeks of anticipation, the final draw for the Euro 2012 group stage has been completed. In Group B, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and Denmark were placed together, setting the stage for a mouth-watering competition.

Between the four contesting nations are many high-profile stars of today's game - from Daniel Agger to Cristiano Ronaldo, from Arjen Robben to Bastian Schweinsteiger - so Goal.com has selected a best XI from arguably the tournament's most star-studded group.
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The players below have been chosen based on their performances for their countries only.

Formation: 4-4-2


 Manuel Neuer (Germany)

Regarded by many - including the great Gianluigi Buffon - as the best shot-stopper in the world, Neuer's reputation will be put to the test in Group B as he faces off against the likes of Robin van Persie, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Nicklas Bendtner. He is one of the least-experienced players in Joachim Low's squad, having only gained No. 1 status weeks before the 2010 World Cup. However, the Gelsenkirchen native's performance in his only international tournament so far was exemplary, and he has since affirmed again and again his class both at club and international level.


Philipp Lahm (Germany)

When Michael Ballack was ruled out of the 2010 World Cup, there were many qualified candidates to take over the role of Germany captain, but Lahm was entrusted with the armband, a testament to his leadership ability. He is rather soft-spoken by nature, but lets his play do the talking. He has proven to be a big-game performer and, like Neuer, Lahm will have plenty of difficult opponents, including Arjen Robben, Nani and, occasionally, Cristiano Ronaldo. Turkey fans are well aware of his quality under pressure, having seen their side downed by his late winner in the Euro 2008 semi-finals.


Pepe (Portugal)

With Ricardo Carvalho having retired from international football, the pressure will be on Pepe to step up as Portugal's defensive leader. At Euro 2008, the Real Madrid man was superb against Turkey, but struggled on the whole as his side conceded six goals in four games. After being deployed in midfield at the 2010 World Cup, he will hope to return to defence, where his strengths are best found. If Portugal are to make it to the next round, Pepe will have to keep the goals-against tally at a minimum, a tall task given the likes of Miroslav Klose and Robin van Persie as his adversaries.


Daniel Agger (Denmark)

A Denmark international since 2005, the 26-year-old Agger is already a veteran, having appeared 43 times. He only made his tournament debut in 2010, however, and briefly, as his side fell at the first hurdle with him having conceded an own goal in the opener against the Netherlands. With the Liverpool man at the back, the Danes have twice consecutively qualified for tournaments ahead of Portugal, though, and Agger must be considered one of the best centre-backs Group B has to offer. He will be especially motivated to improve upon his World Cup performance.


Fabio Coentrao (Portugal)

As a player in the Portuguese second division as recently as 2007, Coentrao's talent went largely ignored for too long. He made a name for himself at the 2010 World Cup, and has since seen his stock skyrocket: in the summer, he earned a move to Real Madrid in exchange for a €30 million release fee. The versatile Coentrao has always performed at his best for country, and nothing short of spectacular from the 23-year-old will be necessary if Portugal are to advance. With the likes of Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller as his opponents, the pressure will be on.


Nani (Portugal)

The quieter of Portugal's wingers, but nonetheless a rather flamboyant figure, Nani has arguably become as influential a player for Portugal as his left-sided opposite, Cristiano Ronaldo. He missed the 2010 World Cup with a shoulder injury, but played a key role in his side's qualification for Euro 2012: he scored twice and assisted another in a 3-1 win over eventual group winners Denmark, and netted in the play-off second-leg win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Having been only a substitute at Euro 2008, he will be looking to make an impression in his first real senior tournament.


Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany)

Though his form took a dive last season, Schweinsteiger is back at his best in 2011-12, and can be expected to be one of the star players at Euro 2012. Like Lahm, he is a leader, whose best performances have been for his country, the most memorable of which was his masterclass in Germany's 4-0 win over Argentina at the 2010 World Cup. At 27 years of age, Schweinsteiger has already led his team to third place in consecutive World Cups as well as a second-placed finish at Euro 2008. All that is missing now is a trophy for the cabinet.


Mesut Ozil (Germany)

One of the top performers at the 2010 World Cup, and the cornerstone of his country's attack, Ozil has been a regular performer for Joachim Low's side, even when his form for Real Madrid has been less than stellar. He struggled with fatigue in his first tournament two summers ago but, with added maturity, the benefit of a shorter road to the final, and new potential back-ups, may not have the same difficulty in Poland and Ukraine. Expectations for Germany are high, and the weight of a nation will be on his shoulders.


Arjen Robben (Netherlands)

By June, Robben will have waited nearly a full two years for his chance to atone for his tragic miss of a one-on-one chance in the 2010 World Cup final. At his best, he is one of the finest attackers on the planet, but the Bayern Munich man is now a real question mark: due to repeated injuries, he has barely featured for his country since his side's fateful loss to Spain. When fit, his starting spot is guaranteed, and when in form, he is a true nightmare for any defender. The question now is whether he will be at his best heading into Euro 2012.


Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

For several years now, Ronaldo has been considered one of the top two attacking players in the world, and quite comfortably so. But, like Lionel Messi, the Real Madrid man has been unable to give his best performances for country. Portugal nearly missed out on qualifcation for Euro 2012, as they had for the 2010 World Cup, and the captain must bear some responsibility for his team's shortcomings. Next summer offers a clean sheet for the talented attacker, who will look to raise his level from his previous four tournaments, in which he has found the net just five times.


Robin van Persie (Netherlands)

The Arsenal man's class has always been known, but in his first extended spell without injury in several years, he has taken his game to the next level. This form has not entirely been reflected on the international stage, as he has failed to score in his last four appearances, perhaps due to being deployed wide. He has scored a combined three goals in his last two major international tournaments and, like so many others in his group, enters Euro 2012 with something to prove. If he can maintain his level all season, though, he will have a hefty headwind behind him this summer.

Breakdown In Numbers

4 - Representatives from Germany and Portugal
4 - Players who play their club football at each of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid
26 - Average age of the XI
127 - International goals to have been scored by the team
21 - The total number of these goals scored at major international tournaments
581 - Caps among team, 175 of which have been earned by Schweinsteiger and Lahm
0 - International trophies won by any member of the XI


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