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 \u2013 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?<\/p>\n
To say a team \u2018looks the part\u2019 feels like a rather exhausted clich\u00e9 in football. But in the case of the\u00a0Azzurri\u00a0<\/em>at Euro 2020, it\u2019s a description entirely befitting Roberto Mancini\u2019s men<\/a>. On the pitch, they have been fluid and tactically astute \u2013 perhaps the closest thing to a club side we\u2019ve 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 \u2013 Italy are a feast for the eyes in more ways than one.<\/p>\n In a tournament made memorable for its strangeness \u2013 capped crowd numbers; COVID protocols; ball-carrying remote control cars \u2013 what was most surprising was just how many had written off Wales<\/a> 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<\/a>, had put to the sword one of the continents powerhouses with a Cruyff turn that has become almost as iconic as the man himself.<\/p>\n Their victory against Turkey<\/a> was indicative of the underdog spirit that underpins everything this Welsh side do, and do so well. Passion, fearlessness, and a sprinkling of genius \u2013 only the most cynical wouldn\u2019t want to see them reach the same dizzying heights again.<\/p>\n Wout Weghorst. Memphis Depay. Jurrien Timber. In a parallel universe these could easily be the names of the European Union\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Perhaps the only thing more enjoyable than imagining Denzel Dumfries throwing shade at Vin Diesel in Fast and Furious 12: Enter Eindhoven,<\/em> has been watching him charge up and down the right flank of Frank de Boer\u2019s spirited, expressive\u00a0Oranje<\/em>. They may not have come up against truly stern opposition yet, but the early signs all point to the Netherlands going far.<\/p>\n 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\u2019 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.<\/p>\n No one gave a Hungary much of a chance when they were drawn alongside the world champions, tournament holders and the continent\u2019s most successful ever nation in Euro 2020\u2019s 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\u00a0Die Mannschaft\u00a0<\/em>up until the 84th<\/sup>\u00a0minute in Munich, it looked like Marco Rossi\u2019s team were about to do the unthinkable.<\/p>\n In the end, their fearless performances weren\u2019t 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\u2019s alarmingly regressive attitudes to diversity and LGBTQ+ representation<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Referees have it tough, don\u2019t they? In fact, is there a profession that makes more people ask the question: \u2018Why the hell would you want to do that?\u2019<\/p>\n A lion tamer maybe? A free solo climber perhaps?<\/p>\n 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\u2019s praise that\u2019s hardly misplaced: across the 36 matches so far at Euro 2020, the standard of refereeing has been universally excellent.<\/p>\n 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\u2019 ability to distinguish between what is allowed and what isn\u2019t \u2013 between foul and fiction \u2013 has been second to none.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n As hard as it might be to accept, Spain are not the side they were a decade ago. The much-lauded \u2018tiki-taka\u2019 philosophy \u2013 as mesmerising as the most artsy of art-house movies and as potent as the most dubious Wetherspoons cocktail \u2013 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.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a strange feeling to watch Spain now and not immediately think they\u2019re going to win absolutely everything, but Luis Enrique\u2019s side have been less than convincing this time around \u2013 a largely ineffective all-style-but-very-little-substance approach that has convinced few people that\u00a0La Roja<\/em>\u00a0are 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\u2019s best sides have discovered over the years, squandered spot kicks and possession alone rarely leads to success.<\/p>\n For 90 minutes against Portugal they were exceptional. For the rest of it, they\u2019ve been pretty substandard. It would be a shame for Joachim Low\u2019s impressive tenure as manager \u2013 one that includes one World Cup, one Confederations Cup, a European final, and three semi-final appearances in 15 years \u2013 to end in disappointment. But Germany have so nearly been the architects of their own downfall this time around.<\/p>\n Coming from behind twice in their thrilling draw with Hungary in Munich was telling of the imbalance in Low\u2019s squad. They have genuine class in their ranks \u2013 Ilkay Gundogan, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Joshua Kimmich \u2013 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.<\/p>\n Main PhotoWales<\/h3>\n
Netherlands<\/h3>\n
Denmark<\/h3>\n
Hungary<\/h3>\n
The Officials Deserve Credit at Euro 2020<\/h3>\n
Who Has Disappointed in Euro 2020?<\/h2>\n
Turkey<\/h3>\n
Spain<\/h3>\n
Germany<\/h3>\n
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>