Cristiano Ronaldo stars as Portugal dominate Euro 2024 qualification Team of the Round
With October’s second round of European Championship qualifiers now complete, we’ve taken a look at the continent’s standout performers. With three representatives, Portugal lead the way after their 5-0 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina, while players from Greece, Ireland, Turkiye, Serbia, Switzerland and Romania are also included.
Odysseas Vlachodimos (Greece) - 7.93
With a WhoScored rating of 7.93, Benfica stopper Odysseas Vlachodimos is the highest rated goalkeeper in the latest round of European Championship qualifiers. Vlachodimos saved Wout Weghorst’s first half penalty and made four other stops against the Netherlands, but was unable to prevent Virgil van Dijk from converting a winning spot kick in second half stoppage time.
Former Tottenham full-back Matt Doherty is the first of two Ireland representatives in the XI, after their 4-0 thrashing of Gibraltar on Monday evening. Doherty provided the assist for Evan Ferguson’s 8th minute opener, before finding the net himself in the second half. The Wolves man also made three key passes and maintained a pass success rate of 94.4%.
Samet Akaydin (Turkiye) - 8.09
Fenerbahce centre-back Samet Akaydin kept a clean sheet and registered an assist in his nation’s 4-0 win over Latvia in Group D. The 29-year-old made three clearances and two key passes, provided the assist for Cenk Tosun to double Turkiye’s lead in the 83rd minute and won four aerial duels, to earn a WhoScored rating of 8.09.
Strahinja Pavlovic (Serbia) - 7.86
RB Salzburg defender Strahinja Pavlovic made a total of seven tackles and interceptions in Serbia’s 3-1 victory over Montenegro on Tuesday evening. Pavlovic also contributed with seven clearances, one successful dribble and a pass success rate of 84.1%, to land a WhoScored rating of 7.86.
Joao Cancelo (Portugal) - 8.14
On-loan Barcelona full-back Joao Cancelo put in his second-highest rated performance in Euro 2024 qualifying so far against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday evening. The 29-year-old returned a WhoScored rating of 8.14, after netting his country’s fourth goal of the evening in the first half, while also making two interceptions and 13 accurate long balls.
Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland) - 9.43
Chicago Fire’s Xherdan Shaqiri continued his fine form in European qualifying with a goal and an assist in Switzerland’s 3-3 draw at home to Belarus on Sunday. The 32-year-old also made an impressive nine key passes to land a WhoScored rating of 9.43, his highest in any competition in 2023 so far.
Jamie McGrath (Ireland) - 9.48
With a WhoScored rating of 9.48, Aberdeen midfielder Jamie McGrath is the second-highest rated player in October’s second round of Euro qualifiers. The 27-year-old registered two assists in Ireland’s 4-0 win away to Gibraltar, while also making four key passes and two successful dribbles.
Rangers loanee Ianis Hagi registered a goal and an assist in Romania’s 4-0 home win over Andorra on Sunday, scoring from one of five shots and making two key passes in just 65 minutes, to earn a WhoScored rating of 9.08.
With a goal and an assist against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday evening, Barcelona’s Joao Felix is the highest rated Portugal representative in our team of the round. Felix scored from one of three shots on goal, made one key pass and one accurate through ball, to return a WhoScored rating of 8.72.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) - 8.69
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to set records at the age of 38, and added to his international scoring tally with two goals on Monday. Ronaldo put Portugal ahead from the spot after just five minutes, before doubling his nation’s lead 15 minutes later. The Al Nassr man then turned provider for Joao Cancelo’s strike shortly before half time.
Aleksandar Mitrovic (Serbia) - 10.0
With a perfect WhoScored rating of 10.0, Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is the European Championship qualifying player of the round. The former Fulham star had a direct hand in each of Serbia’s three goals against Montenegro on Tuesday, scoring twice before setting up Dusan Tadic for the home side’s third of the evening.
