And so begins the business end of Euro 2020. This strange, more than a little bonkers tournament of everywhere and also nowhere is reaching its climax. COVID aside, it’s in the knockout stages, those tense, gloriously unpredictable one-off contests where even the impossible isn’t entirely out of the question, where we’ll know for sure if this summer’s festival of football will go down as one of the most memorable. But first, a period of reflection – a moment to take stock and compose the thoughts of the armchair manager we’ve all almost certainly become over the last fortnight. Who has been good? Who has been less good? Who do we like? And who will we now forever curse because we drew them in the office sweepstake?
Who Has Impressed in Euro 2020?
Italy
To say a team ‘looks the part’ feels like a rather exhausted cliché in football. But in the case of the Azzurri at Euro 2020, it’s a description entirely befitting Roberto Mancini’s men. On the pitch, they have been fluid and tactically astute – perhaps the closest thing to a club side we’ve seen so far in this tournament. Off it, they look equally polished, with a manager and backroom staff groomed to near-implausible levels of suave. Impeccable haircuts, envious tans, and a wonderful array of tailored Armani suits – Italy are a feast for the eyes in more ways than one.
Wales
In a tournament made memorable for its strangeness – capped crowd numbers; COVID protocols; ball-carrying remote control cars – what was most surprising was just how many had written off Wales before the thing had even started. Here was a nation that reached the semi-finals five years ago: a set of fiercely proud players who, in beating Belgium, had put to the sword one of the continents powerhouses with a Cruyff turn that has become almost as iconic as the man himself.
Their victory against Turkey was indicative of the underdog spirit that underpins everything this Welsh side do, and do so well. Passion, fearlessness, and a sprinkling of genius – only the most cynical wouldn’t want to see them reach the same dizzying heights again.
Netherlands
Wout Weghorst. Memphis Depay. Jurrien Timber. In a parallel universe these could easily be the names of the European Union’s answer to the A-Team. As it is, in this universe, they are names on the teamsheet of the Dutch football team: a country unfairly blessed not only with good players, but good players with even better names.
Perhaps the only thing more enjoyable than imagining Denzel Dumfries throwing shade at Vin Diesel in Fast and Furious 12: Enter Eindhoven, has been watching him charge up and down the right flank of Frank de Boer’s spirited, expressive Oranje. They may not have come up against truly stern opposition yet, but the early signs all point to the Netherlands going far.
Denmark
Life can be tough. And in the case of Denmark at Euro 2020, things could hardly have been tougher. After witnessing their talismanic playmaker Christian Eriksen fighting for his life in their opening game against Finland, the Danes’ chances of progression, after two losses, felt as slim as they did meaningless. Thankfully, life can also be beautiful. And in the case of Denmark at Euro 2020, things could hardly have been more beautiful. Eriksen is alive and stable. A nation came together to celebrate not only their iconic No.10 but those players and staff who acted so nobly to protect him. And, fittingly, after a 4-1 dismantling of Russia, the Copenhagen stadium that was plunged into terrifying silence two weeks ago reverberated in rapturous applause as their team of heroes set up a tantalising Round of 16 showdown against Wales.
Hungary
No one gave a Hungary much of a chance when they were drawn alongside the world champions, tournament holders and the continent’s most successful ever nation in Euro 2020’s proverbial group of death. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they finished bottom of the pile, but for 16 wonderfully chaotic minutes on Wednesday, the script was well and truly shredded. Leading Die Mannschaft up until the 84th minute in Munich, it looked like Marco Rossi’s team were about to do the unthinkable.
In the end, their fearless performances weren’t quite enough. But two draws and a loss in games against Portugal, France and Germany tells of the quality present in a side ranked the fifth lowest in the competition. Their prime minister’s alarmingly regressive attitudes to diversity and LGBTQ+ representation will render the country much lower down in the popularity stakes, but the people of Hungary can be proud of the achievements of their football team. They went toe to toe with the heavyweights and so nearly came out on top.
The Officials Deserve Credit at Euro 2020
Referees have it tough, don’t they? In fact, is there a profession that makes more people ask the question: ‘Why the hell would you want to do that?’
A lion tamer maybe? A free solo climber perhaps?
But without them, of course, there would be no football at all. So to see them finally get the widespread recognition for a job well done is as pleasing as it is overdue. And it’s praise that’s hardly misplaced: across the 36 matches so far at Euro 2020, the standard of refereeing has been universally excellent.
Games have been allowed to flow, while the majority of key decisions have been the correct ones. VAR has, naturally, helped eradicate errors in judgement, but in an environment where players will try almost anything to give their team, their nation, even the most marginal advantage, the officials’ ability to distinguish between what is allowed and what isn’t – between foul and fiction – has been second to none.
Who Has Disappointed in Euro 2020?
Turkey
A team with an impressive backbone of players like Caglar Soyuncu, Hakan Calhanoglu and Burak Yilmaz, in the end, proved rather spineless. Whether it was misjudged hype or the weight of expectation, the Turks never really got going in Group A, scoring just once in three games and shipping eight goals in the process.
Manager Senol Gunes will have done little to dent his legendary status in Turkey after guiding them to a third place finish at the 2002 World Cup, but his team never even looked like emulating that feat 19 years later. The much-fancied dark horses fell, and fell rather spectacularly, at the first hurdle.
Spain
As hard as it might be to accept, Spain are not the side they were a decade ago. The much-lauded ‘tiki-taka’ philosophy – as mesmerising as the most artsy of art-house movies and as potent as the most dubious Wetherspoons cocktail – is now a thing of the past: living only in the memories of nostalgic pundits and the YouTube pages of Fort Minor-soundtracked compilation videos.
It’s a strange feeling to watch Spain now and not immediately think they’re going to win absolutely everything, but Luis Enrique’s side have been less than convincing this time around – a largely ineffective all-style-but-very-little-substance approach that has convinced few people that La Roja are genuine contenders this year. They might have put five past a helpless Slovakia and, in Pedri, have a talent akin to that of Andres Iniesta, but at present, this is a team excelling only in possession stats and how not to take a penalty. And, as many of the world’s best sides have discovered over the years, squandered spot kicks and possession alone rarely leads to success.
Germany
For 90 minutes against Portugal they were exceptional. For the rest of it, they’ve been pretty substandard. It would be a shame for Joachim Low’s impressive tenure as manager – one that includes one World Cup, one Confederations Cup, a European final, and three semi-final appearances in 15 years – to end in disappointment. But Germany have so nearly been the architects of their own downfall this time around.
Coming from behind twice in their thrilling draw with Hungary in Munich was telling of the imbalance in Low’s squad. They have genuine class in their ranks – Ilkay Gundogan, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Joshua Kimmich – but this is a team of ageing mainstays currently in the midst of transition. Still, as they head to Wembley for a mouth-watering encounter with England, only a fool would write them off entirely.
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