Euro 2024 so far:
All the drama, surprise and entertainment.
Euros 2024 has been filled with so much drama, upset and surprises, from the opening match day 5-1 thrashing of Scotland by the host nation Germany, to the last minute exit of Croatia, and the emergence of Turkey as the Dark Horses. Here’s everything you need to know about the Euros.
Unsurprisingly we’ve seen a mix of fast paced tiki-taka possession based attacking football from the likes of Spain, we’ve also seen teams sitting back and defending to superior opponents, it’s been classic European football. Match day 1 saw goals galore, as every team wanted to hit the ground running and kind of get a good momentum for the rest of the tournament, 2 or more goals were scored in more than 80 percent of matches played, the second match day saw more of conservative football as teams who won their first games wanted to hang on to get a point, final match day had every team giving it all, these led to a series of events, that would be discussed below.
Major talking points
Disparity: That's a fascinating aspect of the game, isn't it? The mix of young talents like Jamal Musiala, Jude Bellingham, and Lamine Yamal showcasing their skills alongside seasoned veterans like Cristiano Ronaldo, Toni Kroos, and Luka Modric adds a unique dynamic to the tournament. It's truly captivating to witness the different stages of players' careers unfold on the pitch.
The English team: As always, the English team have been getting lots of media attention. The heavy media criticism surrounding them has been quite noticeable. Gareth Southgate's handling of the star-studded team has indeed been under scrutiny. The team's performance has been lackluster, with concerns about their general play being justified. It's disappointing to see star players like Phil Foden, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka struggling to shine. Hopefully, with the new players like Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon, and Kobbie Mainoo getting more opportunities, they can turn things around in the upcoming knockout stages.
Mbappe Injury: It was a nasty looking one, as Kylian went down after contesting for a header in the latter stages of the opening group game against Austria. The France and former PSG star man broke his nose and was ruled out of the group stages, but surprisingly, he made a comeback in the final group day, netting the opening goal from the spot against Poland.
Highest Goalscorer: Wow, that's quite unexpected! Own goals leading the way in goal-scoring is definitely a surprise twist in the Euros tournament. It's amusing how the unexpected can sometimes take the spotlight. Georgia's Georges Mikautadze seems to have his scoring boots on as he leads the chart with 3 goals in 3 matches. With players like Ivan Schranz, Jamal Musiala, and Niclas Füllkrug closely following with two goals apiece, the competition is definitely heating up. It'll be exciting to see how the rest of the tournament plays out.
Major surprises: In a tournament full of drama, the unexpected turns of events have truly kept us all on our toes. From Turkey's impressive wins to Ukraine's unexpected 3nil loss to Romania, and even Georgia's surprising qualification, having achieved that by beating Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, the Euro has been full of twists and turns. The most shocking moment, undoubtedly, was Croatia's early exit, despite having one foot in the knockouts, up until the last minute of extra time in what was the last kick of the game. It's been a thrilling Euro so far, and I'm excited to catch up on your next article to see what other surprises await us!
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