Euro 2024 Captains – What are their Leadership Styles?

As an England fan, I’m going to have to start with our captain, Harry Kane. His goal scoring ability is indisputable, scoring 44 goals in 45 games in his first season at Bayern Munich. His awareness and competitiveness as a player suggest his leadership style is likely to relate to being a Strategic Opportunist. He’s also shown that he’s a team player, which suggests he also prioritizes being a Collaborator (his player role aligned with the Supporter role in our Work Roles model). He’s willing to do whatever the manager asks of him, even if this means taking corners like under Roy Hodgson’s management. This may lead to a risk of being too Obliging, in this case, not challenging the manager on this questionable tactical decision. This is something that can be seen on the pitch as well, where he has tended to be less willing to challenge the referee in the early games of the tournament – this could be even more critical in this Euros where only the captain is allowed to approach the referee.

The hosts, Germany, have not been at their best over the last few years, but playing at home is likely to give them a boost. Their captain, Ilkay Gündogan, has had a very successful club career, and while he has not replicated this level of success at international level, he was named captain in September last year. Like Kane, his focus seems to be more on the team than asserting himself as the leader, suggesting he is another Collaborator – “I rarely shine myself – the goals are usually scored by others. For me, the best thing is when the ball circulates smoothly in the team.” He also gives the team order and balance, and is responsible for risk management, demonstrating the Regulator leadership style. This style could have unintended consequences in terms of a risk of being Procedural – he may find it more difficult to play in formations that are not system-based with disciplined positioning (like he was used to at Manchester City).

Álvaro Morata is captaining Spain and is seen as a surprising choice by some. He has had an extensive club career and demonstrated the attributes of a Crisis Handler, scoring goals in crucial matches and demonstrating leadership qualities following Spain’s exit from the 2022 World Cup. He has also demonstrated versatility, adapting to different tactical formations, suggesting he could act as a Change Agent in the squad. The risk for Morata is that he is Unpredictable, as his form can fluctuate.

Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modrić is synonymous with Croatian football and has been captain since 2016, leading them to the final of the 2018 World Cup and semi-finals in 2022. They haven’t had quite as much luck at the Euros and this isn’t going to be their year either. Modrić’s initial development was self-lead, practicing for hours at a refugee hotel rather than being taught at an academy. This indicates a strong motivation for learning and development, linked to the Intellectual leadership style. He has been described as a silent leader whose leadership comes from within, suggesting an Expert Advisor style who leads by example with self-assurance.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma captains Italy. His ability to keep his cool in goal, particularly during penalty shootouts (unfortunately for England) indicates a Crisis Handler leadership style. The Crisis Handler style is also demonstrated by Virgil Van Dijk, the Netherlands captain, who is reported as saying “You have to step on to the pitch without fear”. He has also been a Growth Seeker, overcoming setbacks in his career and being willing to challenge others – “You cannot always be nice if you want to achieve everything with a team”.

France’s superstar Kylian Mbappé has recently picked up the captaining reins from Hugo Lloris. He has shown that he can be a Catalyst by being the player that makes the difference and Crisis Handler, shouldering the burden of being decisive and now of playing with a broken nose.

Kevin De Bruyne recently became captain of a Belgium team which has fallen short of expectations over the last few years. He leads the team as an Innovator, finding spaces behind defences with his crosses. He generally remains decisive and composed, indicating the Crisis Handler style. This was evident when the pressure was on after they lost the first game of the Euros, as he convincingly led his team to victory in their second game against Romania. He has, however, previously shown a risk of becoming Unpredictable at times when his composure drops and he becomes openly irritated.

Cristiano Ronaldo captains Portugal in his record sixth Euros tournament. His determination to work the hardest and drive to be the best identify him as a Growth Seeker. He is also often a Catalyst on the pitch, due to his ability to create chances and be at the centre of things. There are certainly times when he can overplay these strengths though, so there are a couple of risks that come to mind when thinking about Ronaldo. He does not conform and usually does what he thinks is best for him, which can be Disruptive and contributed to his early exit from his second stint at Manchester United. There is also the risk of being overly Expressive if he is commanding all of the attention and making things about his own contributions and achievements. While this can help take the heat off others when things are not going so well, it can more generally make the rest of the team feel forgotten and like their efforts are not noticed or appreciated.