A gripping Euro 2020 has reached the quarter-final stage with no shortage of thrills and spills along the way.
Not every major tournament sparks into life in such fashion and it’s been a competition to savour as the final eight prepare to serve up another weekend of unmissable action.
Possessing a deep squad to choose from becomes invaluable, with an already gruelling season for these players culminating in the non-stop grind of tournament football.
But with heavyweights and unlikely challengers set to collide this weekend, who has the most expensive contingent to choose from and who is punching well above their weight?
For reference, Scotland’s squad is valued at £243m, which is still higher than some of the nations who remain in the tournament.
As per transfermarkt.co.uk, Record Sport Online reveals the remaining squad values.
Czech Republic – £167.40m
The Czechs are among a select few surprise packages who have ploughed a furrow into the latter stages but can stake a claim as being the biggest underdogs.
Jaroslav Silhavy’s side have the lowest calculated value of all remaining eight sides but seem completely as ease with their dark horse status as Frank de Boer’s Netherlands well know.
West Ham’s Tomas Soucek is their highest valued player at £36m, with tournament top scorer Patrik Schick coming in at just over £20m – but would be surprised to see that skyrocket in the coming weeks?
Ukraine – £177.48m
Ukraine can stake a claim as the most under the radar outfit in the last eight, having managed to reach the quarter finals despite only beating debutants North Macedonia and 10-man Sweden.
They now face a buoyant England on Saturday already billed as rank outsiders, with Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko the most high profile in a squad with few household names.
But at £22.5m, he’s their second highest valued player behind Atalanta attacking midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi.
Switzerland – £259.65m
The Swiss pulled off the biggest shock of the tournament so far in dumping out favourites France in one of the most enthralling international contests in living memory.
They did so with a squad valued at less than three times that of Didier Deschamps’ fallen idols and a crack at the last four against Spain now awaits a side that have come life since the group stage.
Borussia Dortmund centre-back Manuel Akanji and Borussia Moenchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria are ranked as their most expensive players – although the latter is yet to start a game with Granit Xhaka and Remo Freuler.
Denmark – £279.63m
The Danes’ tournament kicked off in the most horrific circumstances with Christian Eriksen’s on-pitch cardiac arrest but they have rallied incredibly to push on into the latter stages.
A 4-0 drubbing of Wales suggested they could now be serious contenders despite sitting middle of the pack in terms of transfer values.
At £36m, captain Eriksen is their top man, making it all the more impressive they’ve managed to power into the last eight without his talismanic influence.
Belgium – £597.96m
The world’s number one ranked side but they sit as just the fourth highest valued.
Roberto Martinez’ side is littered with superstars from Romelu Lukaku and Kevin de Bruyne to Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois, a real golden generation in a population of just over 11m people who need to capitalise sooner rather than later if they are to win a major tournament for the first time.
De Bruyne and Lukaku, unsurprisingly, are top assets at £90m each with Leicester rising star also fourth behind Courtois at £49m. Too much for Italy? Something’s got to give this weekend.
Italy – £675.90m
From the moment they dismantled supposed dark horses Turkey on opening night Roberto Mancini’s side have lit up Euro 2020 with a slick and exciting brand of football.
The Italy squad is packed with rising Serie A talent mixed with established campaigners Marco Verrati, Jorginho and Ciro Immobile.
Classy Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella is their highest valued player at £58.5m, ahead of his £54m-rated San Siro team-mate Alessandro Bastoni, who has largely played second fiddle to veteran duo Leonardo Bonucci and Giogio Chiellini so far.
Spain – £823.50m
Spain huffed and puffed their way through the group stage but have now scored 10 in their last two matches as their impressive attacking firepower exploded to the fore.
They did ship three against Croatia, mind you, but at least they’re now delivering the blockbuster entertainment you’d expect of a squad valued at over £800m.
Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente is their highest-valued star at a whopping £72m, although his involvement so far has been limited to two appearances in an unfamiliar right-back role.
England – £1.14bn
The highest-valued squad in the tournament, Gareth Southgate’s England have now been named favourites with several bookies as well.
The manager has taken flak for his conservative team selections thus far but his side have yet to concede a goal in a pragmatic if unexciting run to the last eight.
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Harry Kane is rated highest at £108m, but £90m Jadon Sancho is yet to get on the pitch while £72m Phil Foden and £58m Jack Grealish have both been dropped.
An embarrassment of riches, it must be said, and a clear example of how a depth of selection is so important on this biggest of stages.
