Soccer has gone through a tumultuous time over the last few years, both on the club and international level. Amidst the infamous Super League, the contentious Nations League, and the pandemic, international football has taken a backseat in most people’s minds. Thank god for the Euros. Postponed due to Covid, the 2020 European Championships are being played this summer and so far have been worth the yearlong wait. Taking a page from the popular website Onefootball, here are my three takeaways as we move into the semi-finals taking place later this week.
What a Special Tournament
Perhaps it is because most games are now being played with over half capacity crowds or maybe it’s because it has been delayed an extra year. Whatever the case, this tournament has been a joy to watch. The group stage provided us with mouthwatering clashes between France, Germany, and Portugal in the group of death that did not disappoint. While France vs Germany ended 1-0 to France, the quality of the game was breathtaking. Germany vs Portugal and France vs Portugal gave us goals, ending 4-2 to Germany and 2-2 respectively. There were thrillers coming out of other groups as well, notably Ukraine vs Netherlands ending 2-3 with a last-minute winner for the Oranje. Denmark captured the hearts of the entire footballing world after their star man Christian Eriksen suffered cardiac arrest in the middle of their opener against Finland, and the nation rallied to fight their way to a semi-final berth against England. Denmark was not the only surprise story of the tournament. The Czech Republic stunned the Netherlands in the Round of 16, and Switzerland did the same to France after Mbappe missed his penalty to end the shootout in brutal fashion. Croatia took Spain to extra time with two goals in the last ten minutes to give us an eight goal thriller for the ages, while Ukraine battled their way to a first ever quarter-final spot. Technical quality was not missing from the knockout rounds either, with the first half of Italy vs Belgium in the quarterfinals providing a stunning goal from Insigne and a telepathic link-up between DeBruyne and Lukaku. Paul Pogba has lit up the tournament so far for France with breathtaking passes and finally got his goal with a screamer against Switzerland. With a ridiculous number of own goals and missed penalties to cap it all off, the Euros has given something for everyone to enjoy, from the football purists to the casual fans.
The Curious Case of Paul Pogba
It may seem overkill to dedicate an entire point to the French maestro. The difference in level between Paul Pogba at Manchester United and Paul Pogba with France has long been understood. But the way that he has played this tournament is astounding. He takes over games and does it consistently. Pogba has been whole-heartedly the best player of the Euros, and it’s hard to imagine anyone coming up in these final games that will dethrone him. His technical ability has been unmatched, whether he has been ghosting past players in the midfield, being physical and dominating games, or taking out entire teams with balls played from inside his own half. But most of all he has delivered. He’s involved in everything good for France. Even if not directly credited with the assist, it is his passing and dribbling that allows other players to get into good positions. Despite being heavily criticized for his mistake in the dying moments of France vs Switzerland that let the Swiss take the game to extra time, Paul Pogba at France is undoubtedly the best midfielder in the world. The question is, why is there such a big difference between his performances for club and for country? Maybe it’s the players he’s surrounded with at France who admittedly are among the best in the world and arguably well above his United teammates. But even among the illustrious French ranks, Paul Pogba shines through. Perhaps it is his passion for his country that drives his performances. Whatever the case, he is a gem, and it is a shame the world only experiences his greatness every two years. Even more of a disappointment is that we don’t get to see more of him due to France’s early exit in the first knockout round. Again, maybe it’s silly to put so much emphasis on him, but his performances in this tournament should not be forgotten in a hurry.
Will There be a Grandstand Finish?
Can the semi-finals and finals live up to the bar the rest of the tournament has set? I hate to end on a negative note, but this point has to be discussed as the tournament comes down to a close. The semi-finals are as follows: Italy vs Spain on Tuesday and England vs Denmark on Wednesday. Italy and Spain should be a blockbuster clash with two very talented teams both going into this game with something to prove. Italy has beat every team they have played so far and only conceded two goals the entire tournament. They want to put a stamp on this tournament after shockingly failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Spain have been shaky but remain unbeaten and have the quality that can match up to Italy’s well oiled machine. They want to regain the glory of their 2010 World Cup win and cleanse the memories of their horrible 2014 and 2018 World Cups. England and Denmark on the other hand are, to put it bluntly, boring. England, apart from their quarterfinal victory against a mentally fatigued Ukraine side, have played pedantic, slow football. They have quality players yet somehow have still not shown that those players can play a cohesively good and entertaining game. For years, England fans have cried that football is coming home, yet they always fall just short. Denmark are a team with a great story should they progress and even win the tournament but lack the quality players that can match up to the level anticipated for a final, particularly in this tournament. The question has to be asked, why haven’t the international giants made it far in the tournament? France, Germany, and Portugal all survived the group of death and were favorites to win, yet they didn’t make it out of the round of 16. The “golden generation” of #1 ranked Belgium was unlucky to come up against Italy in the quarterfinals yet underwhelmed again in a major international tournament. Entertaining underdogs like Ukraine, Switzerland, and Croatia put up great fights, yet it is Denmark, Italy, England, and Spain that bring the tournament into its last legs. On one hand, it’s great that the same teams don’t win every year. On the other hand, it’s those teams with the great players that produce the truly great games, the games that should be the final of the great tournament we have been blessed with so far. By no means am I saying England or Denmark can’t deliver, but it is not likely based on the way they have played this tournament. At the moment, Italy and Spain are leagues ahead, and it appears that whoever progresses from that game will win the tournament, which is somewhat underwhelming. But, this tournament has been full of surprises and hasn’t disappointed so far. I really hope I eat my words.
