KIEV – Andres Iniesta, who helped Spain to a second successive European Championship triumph in Poland and Ukraine, was named the best player at the tournament by UEFA Monday. Iniesta played a central role for Spain in Sunday's 4-0 win over Italy as it became the first country to retain the title. Andy Roxburgh, the head of UEFA's technical group, told reporters: “Andrea Pirlo was magnificent for Italy, Xavi won it last time and could have won it again. Xabi Alonso was magnificent but Iniesta sends a message about creative and incisive football and was superb throughout.” The UEFA squad of Euro 2012: Goalkeepers; Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Manuel Neuer (Germany). Defenders: Gerard Pique (Spain), Fabio Coentrao (Portugal), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Pepe (Portugal), Sergio Ramos (Spain), Jordi Alba (Spain). Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (Italy), Steven Gerrard (England), Xavi (Spain), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Sami Khedira (Germany), Sergio Busquets (Spain), Mesut Ozil (Germany), Andrea Pirlo (Italy), Xabi Alonso (Spain). Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Italy), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Zlatan Ibrahimovoic (Sweden), David Silva (Spain). Torres top scorer Spanish striker Fernando Torres won the Golden Boot award for top scorer at Euro 2012 edging out Germany's Mario Gomez. The 28-year-old – whose goal in the 4-0 win over Italy in the final made him the only player to score in two Euro Finals – like Gomez scored three goals and provided one assist during the tournament. However, UEFA gave it to him on the tiebreak of having had less game time during the finals, the Spaniard having had 189 minutes on the pitch compared to Gomez's 280. Four other players also ended up with three goals, Italian striker Mario Balotelli, Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo, rising Russian star Alan Dzagoev and one of the revelations of the tournament, Croatia's Mario Mandzukic. Players honor the deceased Spain's players paid tribute to deceased former teammates and a coach following their 4-0 European Championship victory over Italy Sunday. Spain defender Sergio Ramos again wore the white T-shirt in honor of former Sevilla teammate Antonio Puerta, which he had donned after Spain's Euro 2008 victory. Puerta was among the four names remembered on a shirt worn by Cesc Fabregas, who also paid tribute to former players Daniel Jarque and Miki Roque, and Spanish coach Manolo Preciado. Puerta died from cardiac arrest at age 23 in 2007, while Jarque died at age 26 in 2009, one month after being named captain of Espanyol. Roque died of cancer at 23 last month, soon after Preciado died from a heart attack at age 54. — Agencies
