With the second round of group games well under way at Euro 2008, here is the most impressive starting XI so far in Austria-Switzerland.

Goalkeeper: Edwin van der Sar (Holland) They say goalkeepers, like wine, get better with age, and Van der Sar is proving that maxim. After a long season with Manchester United, the Dutchman was at the top of his game against world champions Italy. His finest moment was a wonderful save from Alessandro Del Piero’s free-kick, from which the Oranje broke with lightning speed, ending in Gio van Bronckhorst’s killer third goal.

Right-back: Philip Lahm (Germany) Lahm was responsible for one of the highlights of World Cup 2006, scoring the opening goal of the tournament with a fabulous curling shot which ripped into the top corner. Throughout that tournament, Lahm was deployed as Germany’s left-back, compensating for a lack of cover in that position. The versatile Bayern Munich defender now finds himself playing on the opposite side and it feels like he has been occupying that position all his life. Cool on the ball, defensively sound and capable of providing an attacking option, Lahm has started Euro 2008 impressively. 

'He's scored 26 goals in 50-plus games for Germany, but Podolski still can't hold down a starting place at Bayern Munich'


Left-back: Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Holland) Many were calling for Tim de Cler to start at left-back for the Dutch. Thankfully, as it turned out, Marco van Basten opted for the 33-year-old Van Bronckhorst and the Feyernood full-back didn’t let his country down. Not only did he make a vital goal-line clearance against Italy, but showed he still has the legs to bomb up and down the left. He provided the raking pass which picked out Kuyt to head on for Wesley Sneijder to score Holland's second goal against the Italians and he began and finished the third  in breath-taking style.

Centre-backs: Pepe (Portugal) and Philip Senderos (Switzerland) Pepe produced a moment straight out of the Lucio handbook, taking offensive matters into his own hands to carry the ball upfield before continuing his run and scoring the opening goal of the competition for Scolari’s men. In truth, Pepe had signaled his intent early on, seeing his towering header ruled out for offside after only 17 minutes.

Selecting the other best centre-half in the opening round of games was not easy, particularly as no-one stood out from the crowd. For this reason attention should be turned to the unsung heroes, and Senderos did not put a foot wrong in Switzerland’s defeat to Croatia. Granted, the Croatians gave the Arsenal defender an easy ride on the day, shutting up shop early on, but nevertheless, Senderos maintained composure and played without fault. 

Right-midfield: Cesc Fabregas (Spain) Claiming Fabregas is a right winger would be fudging the truth somewhat. However with Aragones lining up with just central midfielders across the middle, the Arsenal star often found himself forced out wide right to pick up the ball once he was introduced from the bench after half time. In a short but impressive appearance, Cesc played a delicious through-ball in to David Villa for the striker’s hat-trick goal, before popping up with the fourth (and we’ll forgive him that he was blatantly offside). 

Central-midfield: Mirel Radoi (Romania) and Wesley Sneijder (Holland) Many have reacted with derision to Romania’s show of anti-football against France, but the work invested by Radoi in protecting his backline was exemplary. Always with defensive duties at the forefront of his thinking, the Romanian No.6 scurried around the pitch making a host of vital interceptions which frustrated Les Bleus. 

Sneijder seems to have translated his excellent La Liga form at Real Madrid into the international arena with a stellar performance in the opener against the Azzurri. He was in the right place at the right time to fire in the ball which resulted in THAT goal for Ruud van Nistelrooy. And the pint-sized midfielder was clinically finished the Dutch’s beautiful second goal, leaving him with all the plaudits. 

Left-midfield: Lucas Podolski (Germany) He's scored 26 goals in 50-plus games for Germany, but Podolski still can't hold down a starting place at Bayern Munich. The left-footed forward was the beneficiary of unselfish play from Miroslav Klose for the opening goal, before sparing his fellow club striker’s blushes by smashing home the German second once Klose had misdirected his shot skywards.  

Strikers: David Villa and Fernando Torres (Spain) One of the greatest disappointments of the opening round of matches was the lack of forwards who looked capable of scoring goals. Thankfully, the Spanish turned that perception on its head, with Villa and Torres (who have only limited experience playing together under Aragones) working in perfect tandem to devastating effect.

One-on-one, both strikers had the Russia defenders in their back pockets, combining time after time to connect diagonal runs with straight passes, or diagonal passes with straight runs. If they continue in this vein, then maybe all those people who believed Spain could finally achieve something at Euro 2008 will have some justification for their blind faith.