GK: Peter Schmeichel (Denmark)
For much of his career, Schmeichel was considered by many to be the world's best goalkeeper, but the match that made him was the EURO '92 final. He played in countless big games, including the 1999 UEFA Champions League final, but the 1992 showdown with Germany in Gothenburg was arguably the match of Schmeichel's life. Impressive en route to the final, notably saving Marco van Basten's penalty in the semi-final shoot-out, here he surpassed himself with three world-class stops, two from Jürgen Klinsmann, in a fairytale triumph over the world champions. EURO '92 was one of four UEFA European Championships Schmeichel attended. He also played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup before quitting international football with a record 129 Denmark caps.

DF: Jocelyn Angloma (France)
It was UEFA president Michel Platini who handed the Guadeloupe-born Angloma his first cap in a EURO '92 qualifier in October 1990 and the former Paris Saint-Germain FC full-back helped Les Bleus qualify with 24 points from eight games. Although France were surprisingly eliminated in the group stage, Angloma was voted into the UEFA All-Star Squad – one of only two Frenchman to gain that recognition. A UEFA Champions League winner with Olympique de Marseille a year later, Angloma left in 1994 for Italy. Following a fabulous debut season with Torino FC, he went on to play for FC Internazionale Milano and Valencia CF before ending his international career with France (he later represented Guadeloupe) at EURO '96 on 37 caps.

DF: Laurent Blanc (France)
Blanc was voted into UEFA's Team of the Tournament in three successive UEFA European Championships, making the grade in 1992, 1996 and UEFA EURO 2000, where he bowed out with victory in the final – an honour cruelly denied him through suspension at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Nicknamed Le Président on account of his authority, elegance and leadership, Blanc bowed out from the international scene with 97 caps. He began his career at Montpellier Hérault SC as a midfielder, before representing nine different clubs, including FC Barcelona, FC Internazionale Milano and Manchester United FC, as an elegant centre-half, winning myriad honours. He later became coach of FC Girondins de Bordeaux and is now in charge of Les Bleus.

DF: Jürgen Kohler (Germany)
One of the most effective man-marking defenders ever to have played the game, Kohler won the 1990 FIFA World Cup with West Germany and the UEFA Champions League with Borussia Dortmund in 1997. He also added a collection of domestic honours, including three Bundesliga titles and the Serie A and Italian Cup double with Juventus. The former FC Bayern München defender, who closed his career on 105 caps after the 1998 World Cup, had intended to bow out after EURO '96, but although Germany became European champions, was injured just 14 minutes into the opening game against the Czech Republic and missed the rest of the tournament. He made a much greater impact in the previous two UEFA European Championships.

DF: Andreas Brehme (Germany)
Brehme scored the winning goal at the 1990 FIFA World Cup, burying the late penalty that gave West Germany victory against Argentina. Brehme, who took that spot kick with his right foot and yet scored a free-kick in the semi-final against England with his left, was one of the best wing backs ever to have graced the game, his 86 international caps (and eight goals) testifying to the legend. His career began and ended at 1. FC Kaiserslautern, sandwiching spells at FC Bayern München and FC Internazionale Milano, where he spent his peak years. Brehme was ever-present in three successive UEFA European Championships, playing 12 games and making the Team of the Tournament in 1984 and 1992, and resurfaced from international retirement for his swansong at the 1994 World Cup.

MF: Ruud Gullit (Netherlands)
Gullit was one of the continent's most illustrious players. European Footballer of the Year in 1987, the tall, dreadlocked total-footballer inspired AC Milan to their first league title in nine years and captained the Netherlands to their first major international trophy at the 1988 UEFA European Championship, when scoring the opening goal in the final against the Soviet Union with a powerful header. After a disappointing 1990 FIFA World Cup, Gullit was back to his commanding best at EURO '92, after having won the Scudetto with Milan in record-breaking style. He ended his international career with 66 caps and 17 goals in 1994. His has since coached Chelsea FC, Newcastle United FC, Feyenoord, LA Galaxy and FC Terek Grozny.

MF: Stefan Effenberg (Germany)
FC Bayern München's 2000/01 UEFA Champions League-winning captain, Effenberg had long since abandoned the international scene by the time of that penalty shoot-out victory against Valencia CF. His career as a German international effectively ended at the 1994 FIFA World Cup when he was sent home. Though he returned briefly four years later, the outspoken playmaker, who won three successive Bundesliga titles in his second spell at Bayern, retired with just 35 caps to his name. Five of those appearances came at EURO '92, where he scored his first international goal (of five) in the 2-0 win against Scotland. After the final defeat by Denmark he played for ACF Fiorentina and VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach before hitting the heights with Bayern.

MF: Thomas Hässler (Germany)
Twice voted (West) German Footballer of the Year, Hässler collected the second of those awards on the back of his performances at EURO '92, where he was the outstanding player. Not at his best two years earlier at the FIFA World Cup in Italy, which West Germany won, the diminutive playmaker hit peak form in Sweden, propelling the team to the final with a succession of skilful displays, including two fabulous free-kicks against the CIS and the hosts. Hässler won no silverware with Juventus, AS Roma nor the four Bundesliga clubs he represented, but tasted more international glory at EURO '96 before ending his international career at UEFA EURO 2000 becoming only the fifth German to reach 100 caps.

MF: Brian Laudrup (Denmark)
Both Laudrup and brother had refused selection after falling out with coach Richard Møller-Nielsen but, unlike Michael, Brian returned in spring 1992 and was rewarded when Denmark belatedly gained access to the finals. He did not score in Sweden but was the most eye-catching Dane on show. Four years later, alongside his brother, he had another strong UEFA European Championship, scoring three goals, but Denmark exited in the group stage. He also excelled at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, as Denmark reached the quarter-finals, but announced his international retirement aged 29, having scored 21 goals in 82 appearances. Rangers FC was his most successful spell at a string of European clubs, including his last, AFC Ajax.

FW: Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands)
It was at EURO '92 where Bergkamp rose to international prominence. Already a winner of two European club trophies with AFC Ajax, he scored four Oranje goals in qualifying for 1992 and added three more at the finals – including the semi-final defeat by Denmark – to finish as the tournament's joint-top marksman. The skilful striker would appear in two further UEFA European Championships and two World Cups, scoring 37 goals in 79 games, and might have played in the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan but for his fear of flying. He became an Arsenal FC legend following a move from FC Internazionale Milano in 1995, and won numerous trophies, including two Premier League and FA Cup doubles, before retiring in 2006.

FW: Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
Van Basten will always be remembered for his volley against the USSR in the EURO '88 final. It was his fifth goal of the tournament, following a hat-trick against England and a late winner in the semi-final against West Germany. The Dutch marksman scooped the Golden Boot and would win the first of his three Ballon d'Or awards that year. Though he did not score at EURO '92 and Peter Schmeichel saved his penalty in the semi-final, he remained a sublime striker. A two-time European Champion Clubs' Cup winner with AC Milan, ankle injury forced his premature retirement after 24 goals from 58 caps. Van Basten subsequently coached his former club AFC Ajax, after four years at the Oranje helm.