Liverpool’s 4 biggest winners and losers of Euro 2024 so far

Every team has played at least one fixture at Euro 2024 so far, and the tournament looks like it could be the best in ages, based on how things went in the first round of group stage matches.

Liverpool have a handful of stars represented at Euro 2024, so let’s take stock of their biggest winners and losers at an individual level from the tournament thus far.

Winner: LW Cody Gakpo

By far the biggest winner of any Liverpool player so far at Euro 2024, there’s a case to be made that Cody Gakpo was the best player of the opening fixtures in the group stages.

Gakpo picked up where he left off from a strong close to the 2023/24 Premier League season, scoring a goal for the Netherlands in their 2-1 win over Poland while standing out alongside Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk.

The versatile 25-year-old attacker was brilliant beyond the goal he scored, creating chances and even dazzling with his underrated dribbling skills.

In total, the former PSV star finished the match against Poland with three key passes, five dribbles completed, four fouls drawn, four aerial duels, and two tackles in a stunning all-around performance.

Gakpo is seriously underrated, and he is making a strong case for getting minutes over even Luis Diaz on the left wing as the Reds consider an alternative at the position if they sell the Colombian this summer.

Perhaps Gakpo is the alternative. He is showing exactly why Liverpool signed him from PSV last winter.

Loser: Andrew Robertson

Andrew Robertson’s Scotland didn’t stand much of chance in the opener against hosts Germany, but you would have expected the underdogs to at least defend considerably better than they did in a 5-1 loss.

Germany ran rampant, as Julian Nagelsmann’s men made a statement of intent with a thorough attacking demolition of a Scotland side that could not even regroup.

Robertson wasn’t helped by a laughable red card from Ryan Porteous that doomed Scotland further, but the Liverpool veteran left back was a major disappointment himself.

The 30-year-old is one of the best left backs in the world, but Germany made him look less than ordinary. He fought his hardest to salvage something for Scotland by getting forward and working in defense, but he was largely left chasing shadows.

Robertson’s reputation in the discussion for best left back in the world has faded over the last couple of years, and, so far, he hasn’t helped his case against France’s Theo Hernandez.

Winner: CB Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk fared out much better than his defensive partner at Liverpool, putting in a clean display as a central defender and leader for the Oranje in a 2-1 win over Poland.

The Netherlands didn’t always have it easy in their opening Euro 2024 fixture, but van Dijk stayed calm, as ever, and was nearly flawless with his passing.

Poland could not get past the Liverpool star, as van Dijk has continued his rebound in 2023/24 with a cool display at the Euros, showing the sort of no-nonsense defending that has made him a living legend of the Premier League.

Loser: RB Trent Alexander-Arnold

Another one of the Premier League’s elite, Trent Alexnder-Arnold looked out of sorts playing in midfield for Gareth Southgate, which is actually a position he has played favorably for Liverpool in the past.

TAA made more headlines for getting barked at by Declan Rice for poor positioning than for springing England attacks with his passing, which is why Southgate entrusts him with a starting spot in midfield.

England may have to move to a different option in the middle of the park. It is hard to judge Alexander-Arnold too harshly for playing out of position in a major tournament, but you’d still expect a player of his technical quality to at least make up for those mishaps with positive plays of his own.

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