With the group stage done and dusted, eight out of the 24 teams that initially came into the competition will be heading home as we’re set to move into the Round of 16 which will see Europe’s biggest names go up against each other.
The European Championship has certainly proven to be an emphatic spectacle, but it’s had its ups and downs in the form of abysmal performances from some big name players who were expected to light up the stage in an exquisite manner.
It’s been quite intriguing to see how the world-class players adapt to playing alongside their international teammates who may be lacking the quality that is present in abundance at club level.
Quite a number of underperformers still have a clear-cut chance to redeem their below-par Euro 2016 showings once the knockout stage begins, but some players aren’t lucky enough to have that luxury as their sides have already faced elimination from the group stage.
The likes of Luka Modric, Ivan Persic, Alvaro Morata and Gareth Bale, who were dubbed as key players going into the competition have duly delivered for their nations, so without further ado let’s have a look at top five underperformers in Euro 2016 so far;
Arda Turan
Arda Turan’s ignominious showings for Turkey did nothing to help the team qualify for the knockout stages rather he proved to be a weak link for the Turkish National team side.
After failing to register a goal or an assist in three appearances, the Barcelona fringe-player received a barrage of criticism from fans.
The idyllic European Championship campaign eluded Turkey by a fine margin, and it’s fair to say that Turan’s abysmal performances are partly to blame for the team’s lack of cutting-edge pizzazz in and around the 18-yard-area.
Turkey finished 3rd in Group D with a total of three points and were unable to secure qualification into the knockout stages.
