Goalkeeper: Bente Nordby (Norway)

Finished on the losing side in the final but, apart from perhaps in Norway’s 5-3 win against Italy, produced a near-faultless tournament performance and even out-keepered the world number one Silke Rottenberg. And then, of course, Nordby also inspired the formation of an unofficial but highly vocal fan club behind the goals at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium, where the Norwegians played three of their five matches.

Right Back: Marianne Paulsen (Norway)

Full back is not the most glamorous of positions and Paulsen is not the most glamorous (in footballing terms) of players, but she was the steadiest right back on show and in the final kept quiet Germany’s left winger Conny Pohlers, one of the tournament’s liveliest performers.

Centre Back: Stephie Jones (Germany)

The world’s top central defender lived up to her billing throughout the tournament, showing consummate composure, off as well as on the ball, and an ability to read the game that made each match look like a stroll in the park.

Centre Back: Sanna Valkonen (Finland)

The Finns were rank outsiders coming into the tournament and lost their first group game to England, but with captain Valkonen’s performances their inspiration they battled deservedly through to the semi-finals before being comprehensively finished off by Germany.

Left Back: Sandra Minnert (Germany)

The tournament’s outstanding full back, Minnert showed herself to be the perfect combination of solid defender and robust attacker. She spent more time going forward than working in the back line but hey, this is Germany….

Right midfield: Solveig Gulbrandsen (Norway)

The best midfielder in the tournament until the final, when she was outshone by Germany’s Renate Lingor. Until then Gulbrandsen’s powerful running, expert passing and superb finishing provided some of the true highlights of the Women’s Euro 2005.

Centre Midfield: Sandrine Soubeyrand (France)

An imposing figure in the centre of the park, the neat-passing and powerful-shooting Soubeyrand was the heartbeat of a French team which should perhaps have qualified for the semi-finals but ran out of steam in their last group match against Germany.

Left midfield: Renate Lingor (Germany)

An exemplary performer throughout the tournament, Lingor impressed with her positional sense as much as her passing skills and capped a fine fortnight with a fantastic, perfectly timed off-the-ball run and lobbed finish to score Germany’s second goal in their 3-1 final victory over Norway.

Right Side Attack: Karen Carney (England)

As an England fan this selection might be deemed self-indulgent, but 17 year-old Carney’s winner against Finland was one of the tournament’s defining moments and her eye-opening displays caught the attention of not only England supporters but opponents too. England may have gone out at the group stage, but right through to the end of the 15-day event top coaches like Germany’s Tina Theune-Meyer and Sweden’s Marika Domanski-Lyfors were singing the praises of the Birmingham City youngster. Not such a self-indulgent selection, then!

Centre Forward: Hanna Ljungberg (Sweden)

The Swedes were never at their best during the tournament but Ljungberg, recovered from a dreadful ACL injury, sparkled throughout and showed she was back not just to full fitness but also to total sharpness with her two goals – particularly the first, a superb diving header - in the 3-2 semi-final defeat by Norway.

Left Side Attack: Inka Grings (Germany)

A fifth German in my team but let’s face it, there could have been 11 and Grings was without doubt their most consistent attacker during the tournament. Like Ljungberg she has come back from a career-threatening injury so, at the end of the Women’s Euro 2005, it was nice to see her collect the Golden Boot award for her four-goal tally.