Euro Cup 2024 has been one for the books. There were so many expectations regarding teams and players that did not work out. Alternatively, some players showed unexpected results that no one anticipated. Let’s review the most discussed teams and players.
Top Contenders: Teams Expected to Shine
Whatever was expected from the teams, the result of the tournament is as follows: Spain won the final match of Euro Cup 2024 versus England with the score of 2-1. Though the main tournament of the season is over, you can still place soccer bets on other events. For example, one of the most popular bookies ever, 1xBet, offers football betting odds today that can beat odds offered by other betting platforms.
(Source: https://apnews.com/article/euro-2024-hightech-ball-adidas-5f647b9002d9e401d16570b0f9705c18)
Spain
After defeating England in the finals, Spain assembled seven wins to wrap up the Euro 2024 title and secure an unprecedented fourth European Championship. The Spanish squad already won the competition in 1964, 2008, and 2012. And now they are on the roll again. Way to go, Spain!
France
France is generally one of the most successful squads in the European Championship, having placed second in 2016 and taking home two titles in 1984 and 2000, on home soil and in Belgium, respectively. The team is level with Italy, just behind Spain and Germany.
Germany
On the one hand, the German squad had the advantage of playing on their home soil. On the other hand, they were under huge pressure, of course, due to the same fact. The squad opened their Euro 2024 campaign against Scotland at the Allianz Arena and showed a powerful 5-1 performance. They confirmed their place in the round of 16 with a convincing 2-0 victory over Hungary but were out of the tournament in the quarterfinals against Spain.
Italy
In a totally unexpected sequence of events, Italy, the defending champion, lost 2-0 to Switzerland in the round of 16 due to a hasty and unfocused performance of the Italian squad. The Swiss did really well, but the Italians made their task easier by making careless passes and poor decisions. Sadly to say Euro 2024 did not go too well for the Italian squad.
Dark Horses: Unexpected Teams to Watch
There are always teams who will perform in a 100% unexpected manner. So, let’s explore them one by one.
Belgium
Belgium’s standing in international football has significantly increased over the past 14 years, but despite frequently being tagged as favorites and dark horses, the team has never been able to win a major trophy. Euro 2024 did not go well for the team; France beat Belgium with a score of 1-0 on the third day of the round-of-16 matches.
Portugal
Let us start with the fact that Portugal totally loves football. They hosted the UEFA tournament back in 2004 and reached the finals. Alas, Greece won the race at the time. In 2016, Portugal took over and won their first international tournament in a match with France. That was one historic achievement for Portuguese football.
(Source: https://portuguesewithcarla.com/portugal-euro-2024/)
Listening to local podcasts of football matches is one way to get a sense of how much the Portuguese love the game. They made headlines for their lively podcasts with a great deal of passion and emotion. In terms of Euro 2024, Portugal was a heavy favorite. They have already once won the title plus they boast strong players in the squad. Unfortunately, they were defeated by France in the quarterfinals.
Netherlands
The squad was never a strong favorite in terms of Euro Cup 2024. The team started with a kinda lame performance and a defeat against Austria in the final group game. Luckily, they made up for it. The squad put on the kind of show their fans had been hoping for against a brave and determined Romania, winning 3-0 to advance to the quarterfinals. They played fast-paced and high-tempo attacking football that kept their fans totally happy and hopeful. The team reached the semi-finals but lost to England. The Euro 2024 journey was over for the team.
Players to Keep an Eye On
The tournament is over. No rest for the wicked though, as the teams are getting ready for new competitions. Below are some of the football stars all eyes were fixed upon during the comp. Let’s see how they worked their way through Euro 2024.
Kylian Mbappé (France)
One of the greatest players in the world, Kylian has already won more trophies in his relatively short career than most players do in a lifetime. He became Monaco’s youngest player ever in the season of 2015-16, and shortly after that, their youngest goalscorer. Mbappe signed a EUR 180 million transfer to Paris Saint-Germain when he was only eighteen. In his first three years in the team, he won three more league titles and a World Cup award. Euro Cup 2024 turned out to be a tough experience for Mbappe. During the first game of the tournament, he broke his nose and seemed limited and frustrated during the upcoming games. For starters, he had to wear a mask to protect his broken nose. Plus, he obviously felt blue and not motivated to move on. In his interviews after the tournament, he shared his chagrin, claiming that he wanted to become European champion and — alas!— this goal did not push through.
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
A Belgian football starlet, Kevin De Bruyne, is totally facing a hazy future in the international arena after Belgium was defeated by France in the round of 16 at Euro 2024. The 19-year-old midfielder made his cool debut in a friendly match against Finland in 2010 and managed to earn his first cap for the team. He is currently a midfield player for both the Belgian national team and Manchester City of the Premier League. Most football aficionados consider him to be among the bestest-best midfield players of his generation.
Pedri (Spain)
(Source: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240611-our-strength-is-unity-not-one-leader-spain-s-pedri)
Pedri, a midfield playmaker for the Spanish squad took part in all but one of Spain’s games at Euro 2024. The 21-year-old was fouled by a German player, Toni Kroos, only six minutes into Spain’s quarterfinal match against Germany and was thus out of the competition for the rest of the game. However, in extra time, Spain won 2-1 as Dani Olmo, Pedri’s replacement, scored the goal. Later on, Pedri was diagnosed with an internal lateral sprain and was unable to continue playing due to the injury.
Fun fact: Pedri promised he would grow a mustache if his squad lifts the Euro trophy in Germany. And he kept his promise all right!
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Ronaldo, one of the most well-known football players worldwide, of course, was part of the national squad during Euro 2024. His name is already a brand; therefore, he couldn’t have been eliminated. However, he did not score any goals during the tournament and didn’t contribute to the team’s progress. Portugal lost to France in the quarterfinals. Controversies started to arise due to the hoax that Ronaldo was chosen as part of the team because Martinez, the coach of the team, was simply scared to leave him out. Rumor has it the 39-year-old top-scorer is not that big of a soccer star as he used to be. Oh well. After the tournament, Ronaldo announced that Euro Cup 2024 was the last one in his career and he will not take part in these competitions anymore.
Conclusion
The UEFA Championship 2024 ended with Spain as its winner. It was foreseeable as Spain was one of the main favorites for the tournament. Hosted by Germany, the competition turned out to be a disappointment for many football fans who commuted to the country following their pet squads. However, the final match was a total blast for the Spanish fans. With some physical injuries caused and some soul wounds stabbed, we will see how the European football community will move from there.
