Ronaldo F, Laporte A: Grading every Saudi Pro League player at Euro 2024

Bence Bocsák
Bence Bocsák
  • Updated: 15 Jul 2024 16:18 BST
  • 5 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, crying, Euro 2024, Al-Nassr, 2023/24
© IMAGO

The Saudi Pro League announced itself as the world's richest football division last summer as they poached some of Europe's best players by offering them huge wages.

Article continues under the video

The competition is, however, a few levels below the elite standard of football played in Europe's biggest leagues. As a result, some of the Saudi Pro League biggest stars struggled at Euro 2024.

Below, FootballTransfers rates every player from the Saudi Pro League who competed at the 2024 European Championship from best to worst.

READ MORE:

Aymeric Laporte - Grade A

Aymeric Laporte was by far the best performer out of the Saudi Pro League players at the tournament. He showed his class leading a solid Spanish defence all the way to glory.

He featured in all but one game during the tournament and played the full ninety minutes in both the final and the semi-final against England and France respectively.

Which is why an A grade is well deserved.

N'Gole Kante - Grade B

N'Golo Kante was probably the only positive spark in an otherwise less than impressive French team, who despite being less than impressive managed to reach the semi-final of the competition.

Much of that was thanks to Kante's determined style of play. He kept the rhythm in the French midfield and showed he could still be one of the best ball-winning midfielders in European football.

N'Golo Kante had a good Euro 2024.
© IMAGO - N'Golo Kante had a good Euro 2024.

Merih Demiral - Grade B

Turkey had a fantastic tournament and so did their centre-back, Merih Demiral. The former Juventus defender provided much needed experience at the back and even popped up with two goals in Turkey's 2-1 victory over Austria.

If he hadn't have gotten suspended for a gesture he made after that game, Turkey may have gone even further. But based on his performances on the pitch there is no denying he was one of the best performers from the Saudi Pro League.

Nicolae Stanciu - Grade C

Nicolae Stanciu scored one of the best goals of the tournament and led Romania to the knock-out stages - something few would have expected at the start of Euro 2024.

To do that as captain took a few special performances and therefore he deserves a C grade. Had Romania gotten further, he might have been able to work that up to a B.

Current ETV
Player image Nicolae Stanciu
Nicolae Stanciu

M (C)

Dhamk logo

Dhamk

Nicolae Stanciu
Nicolae Stanciu

M (C)

Dhamk

Dhamk

€3.6M

ETV Range

€2.7M - €4.6M

Ruben Neves - Grade D

Ruben Neves did okay without ever really catching the eye. He did prove to be an excellent squad player though helping Roberto Martinez's side more than once to refresh the squad.

Georginio Wijnaldum - Grade E

The Netherlands made it to the semi-final stage, but Georginio Wijnaldum played virtually no role as he hardly got off the bench. It was a frustrating time for the former Liverpool man.

Jack Hendry - Grade E

Conceded five goals in the opening game of the tournament and it only got worse for Scotland from there.

In the end, Jack Hendry's side conceded a 99th minute winner to Hungary in their final group-game which doomed them to being one of the first teams to be eliminated from the tournament.

Marcelo Brozovic - Grade E

There were a lot of expectations on Croatia at the start of this tournament. This was supposed to be a golden generation's last dance.

But in the end it turned out to be just one disappointing performance after another. Ultimately, Marcelo Brozovic and his team were eliminated by a very late Italy equaliser - just seconds away from going through.

Aleksandar Mitrovic - Grade E

He could not find the back of the net in three games. There might have been the odd occasion where he caused an opponent problems physically, but it was not enough.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic - Grade E

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic started Serbia's opening game against England but then found himself demoted to the bench, and his nation were duly eliminated from the tournament in the subsequent matches.

Yannick Carrasco - Grade E

He was reduced to playing a squad role in this Belgian side who did little to excite their opponents.

It was pretty much set in stone that he would struggle at this tournament and there is no denying he did.

READ MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo to deliver in what was likely his last European Championships for Portugal.

However, he was disappointing to say the least. From missing key penalties to squandering chances and not being able to make an impact at all.

It was a very disappointing tournament from the veteran attacker.

Never miss the next big transfer!

Get the latest transfer insights and analyses directly in your mailbox.