Kluivert still tops Euro 2000 goal chart

First Published: Jun 26, 2000

Patrick Kluivert remains at the top of the Euro 2000 scoring chart despite the loss of his record breaking four goal effort against Yugoslavia.

The Dutch star admitted to reporters last night that he did not hit the ball into the net for Holland's third goal on a 6-1 destruction of Yugoslavia in Rotterdam and UEFA have rubbed out his record breaking effort in the quarter final.

Kluivert appeared to sweep a Paul Bosvelt cross to the near post into the roof of the net but Dejan Govedarica has now been credited - if that is the word - with an own goal.

Referee Jose Maria Garcia Aranda awarded the goal to Kluivert and the Dutchman was thought to be the first man to score four goals in a European Championship finals but he has now lost that record. Holland's demolition of Yugoslavia makes them the team to beat over the next week. as new European champions are found.

Kluivert is well on course to be the top scorer at the Euro finals with arguably only Nuno Gomes of Portugal in a position to threaten the new king of Dutch football.

FIVE GOALS

PATRICK KLUIVERT of HOLLAND

A large forward who can hold the ball up and is fast enough to finish in tight situations, Kluivert has seen his career at FC Barcelona hit peaks and troughs. He has helped the club to two Spanish championships but seen his team fail in Europe and last season saw him banned for abusing a referee and linesman.

A target man for the Dutch who can also score from close range, Kluivert produced a good finish to help the co hosts defeat Denmark. Kluivert would have reached six goals but his third against Yugoslavia in the quarter final was ruled an own goal by Dejan Govedarica. He is the striker in the best form at Euro 2000 and already looks to be the best bet to win the top scorer award.

THREE GOALS

SERGIO CONCEICAO of PORTUGAL

An SS Lazio squad player who drifts in and out of the Rome side's first team. Usually found on the right side of midfield, Conceicao is a good and stiff tackler who can get into disciplinary problems. He was a star for FC Porto in two seasons there and has played a part in Lazio's championship season but many observers expect his talents to control the play more and make more of an impression but he is a good crosser.

Three goals against a weak Germany side were all good finishes but he did not get near to scoring against Turkey.

NUNO GOMES of PORTUGAL

In 18 full matches in the 1998-99 season Gomes scored 24 goals for Benfica but never had a good relationship with manager Graeme Souness who believed he drifted from games and was a poor team player. Arguably the top Portuguese-born striker in their league - he trails Brazilian star Jardel in the scoring charts - Gomes is not a certain starter for the national team There is constant interest in Gomes from Spanish and Italian clubs but he may not play enough games in the Euro finals to secure a big money move. Quick but can be roughed up and marked out of a game, Gomes has shown good finishing ability mainly because he reads the exceptional attacking play of Luis Figo so well. Figo now looks for Gomes in the penalty area so more goals could come from this young star.

TWO GOALS

YOURI DJORKAEFF of FRANCE

A midfielder or forward whose father Jean played full back for France in the 1966 World Cup finals. Quick and inventive with excellent technique and a devastating shot. He should perhaps score more goals but does lots of unheralded chasing and tackling for his side and is well aware of his defensive responsibilities.

Part of the squad rather than a glory hunter, he represents a potent weapon in the armoury of the French. Now playing in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen and has adapted well to life after Inter Milan.

Exceptional finish against Spain won the match but his goals tend more towards quality than qunatity.

BOUDEWIJN ZENDEN of HOLLAND

Boudewijn Zenden is a fast attacking wide striker who is an average finisher. When on good form he can be very productive for his side as he can carry the ball well and has excellent control and balance. Zenden can be selfish and a bad crosser who is not strong in the air but his runs can easily confuse defenders and he has a hard shot. He has experience this season of playing left back for Barca.

MARC OVERMARS of HOLLAND

Regarded as one of the fastest players in Europe his career was threatened for over a year by a serious knee injury but he has returned to fitness to develope into an excellent attacking option for the national side who missed his wing play. Overmars is a good finisher and his devotion to flank play and success at it means he has no real equivalent in the Dutch squad or perhaps Euro 2000. A medium to poor season for Arsenal again disrupted by injuries has seen a move to Barcelona collapse and Lazio emerge as summer suitors.

Two strikes against a beaten Yugoslavia team mean he is coming into scoring form.

FRANK DE BOER of HOLLAND

One half of the only twins who have played in a World Cup finals, Frank is the heir to Danny Blind at the heart of the Dutch defence. Good in the air and a fine passer he holds the centre of the defence together with his commanding presence. Very fast on the turn and across the penalty area, his interceptions are a feature of the Dutch defensive play. Recent loss of form with Barca could knock his fitness and attitude this month.

A penalty for his first goal against the Czechs and he may get one more of those at least but he is unlikely to hit a great free kick again to beat his stunning effort against Denmark.

THIERRY HENRY of FRANCE

Henry is not a regular scorer at international level but has found great attacking form this season for Arsenal with 26 goals and helped the London club recover from the loss of Nicolas Anelka last August. Henry is a talented and quick player whose shooting and dribbling are simply amazing but he really does need to translate his new found confidence into goals at international level. Lemerre may play him wide in midfield rather than place him at the front of attacking moves.

Definitely worth the money of a bet. Great form and intense speed and he plays for arguably the best team in the tournament.

FRANCESCO TOTTI of ITALY

A super star for AS Roma and symbol of the club, Totti has spent six years in the Roma first team squad after progressing from watching his heroes as a boy on the Curva Sud. An old fashioned play maker behind the strikers Totti could well have a great influence on events at Euro 2000 if Italy are to go a long way.

In much better form than Del Piero, Totti's constructive passing and crossing are real meat for the strikers to feed off and he can also get stuck into any midfield battle with courage. He has emerged to carry the burden of Roma fans' desperate desire for success and has handled all the attention and drama very well in that intense football city. Now he bears the hopes of Italy's expectations too.

Worthy contender to be top scorer now coach Zoff has pushed him into the attack full time.

FILIPPO INZAGHI of ITALY

Inzaghi is a natural goal poacher whose game is based on penalty area activity. With the injury to Christian Vieri Inzaghi is now the principle forward for Zoff unless the coach decides to revise his plans for attack completely after several poor games in the run up to the Euro finals.

While Italy do not concede many goals it is up to Inzaghi to make the few chances that arise at this level count and doubts remain about his ability to carry a team through a tournament. His five goals in 20 appearances is an average return and without Vieri to help him the flaws in his play - a hurried finish and the tendency to drift from the game - may be exposed unless Zoff reconsiders the players to field alongside the Juventus forward. His last game at the Turin club saw him fluff several great chances to win Juve the championship and his confidence may not be good.

Juventus are to sign David Trezeguet who could replace Inzaghi and he has fluffed several chances in his first two matches

ONE GOAL

SYLVAIN WILTORD of FRANCE

The top scorer in France last season he has the appetite for moody disputes with his club and should soon be causing trouble in 'contract' arguments with Paris Saint Germain if a transfer to the capital works out. Worth his place in the squad for good control and speed, he hits good clean shots with either foot. He plays well for the team when he gets the chance and is more direct and powerful than most French strikers. Given the choice he likes to attack from wide positions.

Unlikely to start many matches so a real gamble to be top scorer.

LAURENT BLANC of FRANCE

One of the players who flourished under previous coach Aime Jacquet, Internazionale defender Blanc is a player of gritty determination and a lot of skill. Excellent at bringing the ball forward and a great positional player, Blanc is a natural leader in the centre of the defence and has the capacity to control the game from this position. Blanc is obviously starting to feel his age but has more than enough intelligence to carry him through Euro 2000 and beyond.

Essentially a defender so out of the running to be top scorer unless Euro 2000 turns suddenly bizarre.

STEFANO FIORE of ITALY

The subject of intense press speculation over his future at Udinese this summer with several big city outfits close to bidding for the 25 year old. All the attention is focussed on a ball playing midfielder whose form and hard work have seen Udinese produce a good season in Serie A. He has emerged as a top prospect if not for Euro 2000 then for the World Cup matches to come. Zoff has been persuaded by his late season flourish but only an international contender since February.

JOAO PINTO of PORTUGAL

Joao Pinto is by no means a certain finisher in the international arena. Clever on the ball and a neat runner, his final shot or pas can sometimes lack conviction and he seems to want to pas the ball into the net and can encourage that infamous Portuguese vice of overplaying the ball. His real strength to the national side is in supporting the play and he can bring other players into the action with his excellent passing. He will leave Lisbon's Benfica in the summer after eight years with the club.

Pinto will sign for Fiorentina and could score more with Figo and Rui Costa creating chances for him.

LUIS FIGO of PORTUGAL

The strongest influence on Portuguese play and a survivor of the Dutch revolution at FC Barcelona in recent years. Regarded by many as the best midfielder in Europe, Figo runs hard and works all the time to gain any advantage he can but allies this spirit to excellent skill and technique. He dictates the play in midfield but Portugal must wish that he asserted his talent and authority further up the pitch more often. At his best he can dominate matches and still looks great when compared to world number one Rivaldo. Portuguese player of the year seven times in a row, look for his runs on the right hand side of midfield and accurate shooting.

Nothing is beyond Figo's talent including top scorer status at Euro 2000. He has ended talks to sign for SS Lazio in a £30 million transfer and could be at his peak right now.

FRANCISCO COSTA of PORTUGAL

Influential in the AS Monaco midfield, 'Costinha' has won the French league title this season and could be ready to force his way into Euro 2000 contention. Good passing ability and a few tricks add the gloss to a mobile midfield package.

RONALD DE BOER of HOLLAND

The creative centre of the Dutch midfield who will dictate the pace of their attacking play after he has collected the ball from the defenders. De Boer has outstanding ability from dead ball situations. Relied upon by the side to deliver the crucial pass to the defenders he has seen a move to Barcelona go bad after a foolish and arrogant strike to end his Ajax contract at the end of 1998 with his equally wrong headed brother. Injury problems mean his form this month could be patchy and he is not a better pick for coach Rijkaard than Van Bronckhorst.

ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO of ITALY

Two good feet and unerring accuracy of shot used to see him score consistently for Juventus in Serie A. This is no longer the case and there are serious doubts about his ability to establish himself in the international side.

A November 1998 knee injury seriously disrupted his career but he came back from surgery to be made the best paid footballer in the world by Juve with a new five year contract which will see his wages rise to top £10 million a season by the end of the contract. On the back of this new deal he has scored one league goal from open play for the Turin club in eighteen months and he is getting by at the moment on a stellar reputation that may not last much longer. He was supposed to be Italy's star at France 98 but patchy form and injuries saw him look ordinary.

He is anything but an ordinary player but needs to put two grim years behind him for club and country to find the skills that thrilled the world four years ago. A player who should be a great talent too often gets lost in pointless wing play that ends up conceding the ball. Del Piero is in a bad rut and needs to get out of it quickly. Time is running out with Totti regarded by many as the surer bet to help the team.

LUIGI DI BIAGIO of ITALY

Understudy to Albertini in the heart of the Italian midfield, Di Biagio is a mobile defensive midfielder who can contribute to the attack with some sharp shooting but whose main role is to link the play and protect the defensive at its centre. One of the fittest and hardest runners in Italian football, the Inter midfielder has stayed with the Italian squad after a late arrival in Cesare Maldini's plans before the last World Cup. The Milan club bought him from AS Roma last year.

ZINEDINE ZIDANE of FRANCE

A regular answer to the critics of this sublime player is to point to his exceptional control and balance, respectable finishing ability and mazy runs. Uses his talent to allow others to score and is the key creative influence for club and country.

An unexpressive and quite introspective player who just gets on with his game and lets his football do the talking. Will be extremely disappointed at losing the Serie A title to Lazio and will hope to make up for it with the Euro 2000 trophy. He pledges his future to Juve last month and was recently identified by Michel Platini as the last truly creative player left at his level.

DAVID TREZEGUET of FRANCE

He was born in France but moved to Argentina when was a boy where he learned to play football. A star for AS Monaco in their championship season this year he is regularly linked with moves away from the principality. Fiorentina, AC Milan and Manchester United are all sometime suitors of this tall and elegant striker who shows some of the talent which Andriy Shevchenko is turning into goals at Milan. He is a super player and non-stop runner. He can work with both feet and his dribbling his amazing but he is not a top scorer at international having only scored 3 goals in 15 appearances for France.

CHRISTOPHE DUGARRY of FRANCE

Sad to see this clogger again at international level. After a fluke season for Bordeaux in 1996 has been wandering around Europe without any kind of success. OM, Milan and Barca fans all have tales to tell of horror misses by this scruffy forward who failed a dope test for steroids last year. Now he is back in Bordeaux and has been working hard for the last few months to keep his place in the first team. He is a talentless player, not too fast and can only shoot with one foot and his heading ability is the best part of an average game.