On Saturday afternoon, millions of football fans the world over will turn on their TV screens in anticipation of a special and intriguing football tournament. That any one of perhaps 10 footballing nations could be celebrating winning this coveted trophy is one of many reasons for the fervour that is building up ahead of this weekend's opening ceremony and matches in Austria and Switzerland.
Perhaps the only disappointment for many is that even the most optimistic Swiss or Austrian football fans hold out little hope that their national sides will progress past the group stages. Home advantage must not, however, be forgotten or under-estimated and it it would not be wise to write off these lesser fancied sides just yet. An inexperienced Jurgen Klinsmann did, after all, lead a Germany squad that looked short on depth and defensively frail to third place in the more prestigious but perhaps less competitive 2006 Football World Cup.
There has been much talk of dark horses and of possible under-achievers and over-achievers. Can Spain, boasting an ever-formidable wealth of youthful talent and proven club performers, finally live up to their hype and reach the final? Can Raymond Domenech gel young stars like Nasri and Benzema with the Henrys, Trezuguets and Vieiras of the footballing world? Will Germany again prove their doubters wrong and continue to 'exceed expectations'? Will there be a team that 'do a Greece' and defy all odds to make it to the last stages? Russia perhaps, the Czech Republic or, dare I say it as an Englishman, Slaven Bilic's Croatia? Who will wilt in the midsummer heat, who will stand up and be counted when it matters most?
- B/R Ticket Guide
After a club season which saw three super-wealthy English members of the G8, ahem, dominate the Champions League and during which the usual footballing giants of the European scene dominated the domestic leagues, this is a chance to show that whilst money can seemingly buy success, football still has the capacity to shock, surprise and captivate. This must be partially true in the light of the claim by many English bookmakers that more money will be bet on the outcomes of the 31 matches that will take place over the coming weeks than on any previous such occasion.
Who will succeed and fail, who will entertain and which players will shine through and which will flatter to deceive are not by any means the only foci of the tournament. There are many issues at stake here and many questions to be answered, problems to be resolved. Will the tournament be remembered for the events on the pitch or for numerous off-field dramas that have plagued football for years? Will respect and love for the game stand up against the outbreaks of hooliganism that have spontaneously and intermittently broken out in the stands and on the streets between rival football thugs? Will many overpaid and often mercenary players finally set an example to young aspirers in sportsmanship and respect for officials and each other? Only time will tell. Until then, all we as fans of all shapes, sizes and followings need to do is tune in and enjoy the drama that will unfold before our eyes. Enjoy!
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6 months ago
`more prestigious but perhaps less competitive 2006 Football World Cup.`
I disagree with this characterization of the World Cup in comparison to the often dull Eurocup but hey that`s just me and a few billion others talking. The mighty Greece are your current champs are they?
Force to recon with no doubt.
Germany should win this. The rest is just media bla bla.
See you in a few weeks to see if I was right.
6 months ago
Greece won the Euro 2004 championship indeed. It is not a characterization of the European Championship or the World Cup in any way. I am merely suggesting that this one may be harder to win because it is more difficult to get out of the group stages as the groups are stronger. There are only 4 or 5 teams in this championship that could be classed as outsiders, and maybe 2 or 3 at the most as rank outsiders. If I stuck my neck on the line, I would go for Italy beating Holland in the final, with France disappointing and Russia the surprise package. Let's be honest though - nobody has any idea what will happen and that's what the best part of it all is.
6 months ago
The fact that Greece managed to win the thing last time just proves how much depth there is in Europe.
The Euro's started in 1960 and their have been 9 different winners in 12 tournaments, highlighting its unpredictability, it is far from dull. Only France and Germany have managed 2 victories.
Compare this to the Copa America, where the last 12 tournaments have produced just 5 different winners : 5 Brazil, 3 Uruguay, 2 Argentina, 1 each Colombia and Paraguay. There have been 8 different finalists in those 12 tournaments compared to 13 different finalists in the European Championships.
In the last 12 World Cups there has been only 9 different finalists, and 6 different winners.
The Euro's is therefore the most unpredictable International tournament around, and its strength is shown in the fact that of those 9 World Cup finalists in that period, 7 of them are European, while those 7 only make up 5 of the 13 different European finalists, England and Sweden having made World Cup finals but not European Championship finals.
Brazil and Argentina are historically massive countries and multiple winners that are always rightly feared, but for depth of teams, Europe beats South America, and the stats prove it.
from 6 months ago
Well when you look at those stats all you said is certainly true.
Worth mentioning that there simply aren`t that many countries in South America.
It`s a geography thing.
You ride a bike in tiny Europe for ten minutes you`re in another country.
The Amazon State in Brazil is bigger than Western Europe. I think you get the picture.
Hence a zillion so called countries.
Fact is only Italy, Germany and recently France are viewed as football entities of quality.....England, Holland too ...but more for their tradition than actual worth or achievement.
This was not about Copa America and Euro Cup though .
The debate is about the World Cup where you can no longer discount the African teams and where countries like Korea have knocked countries like Italy out. Plus of course the South Americans.
Euro Cup only gets good when down to the final four. The earlier stages are yawn.
On a personal note I will be watching the earlier stages this year though eager to see Cristiano perform........or not. Keyboard in hand......
from 6 months ago
Sorry S but if you see the early stages as a 'yawn' I can only assume you have not seen many matches.
In Euro 2004 there were thrilling games between England and France, England and Croatia, Holland and Czech Republic, Croatia and France, Denmark and Sweden to name but a few, all in the group stage.
I am well aware that there are not as many countries in South America, but 12 teams still line up every time, with 16 in the Euro's, so the fact that Europe has many other smaller countries really makes no difference in this debate.
Which countries you in your small-minded world see as 'football entities of quality' is irrelevant. The proof is in the results, and the European Championships consistently produces results than confound out-dated assumptions of who are the best teams, proving the depth of quality.
My stats regarding the World Cup are also clear, yes South Korea knocked out Italy, but we all know that was something of a one off, helped by some phenomenally bad refereeing, and a partisan home crowd (even England can win at home remember!). Generally the World Cup is pretty predictable, hence the fact that we have had only 9 different finalists in the last 12 tournaments, and all 9 from Europe or South America.
The African and Asian teams are improving all the time, but they are not at the level of the Europeans and South Americans in the majority of cases, so a tournament with the 16 of the best European teams will always be more difficult to win than a tournament where you start with potentially inferior nations in your opening group, or at least more difficult in the group stage alone. In the knock-out stage, there are no easy matches at any level.
I have facts, proven over time, to back up my arguments, what have you got to back up yours?
from 6 months ago
Yes. Now that you put it that way I am inclined to concede as to the fact that a certain level of quality does exist even in the earlier stages of the Euro Cup.
Although Denmark vs Sweden is nothing but long ball, cross, a zillion times over...yawn indeed for that one.
Also the other teams you mention like the Eastern Euro ones and France
etc. are in the World Cup plus much more........Senegal beat France for example....or is that another one off? Cameroon beat Argentina (with Maradona) little too many one offs huh?
The World Cup is much more diversity of style, quality, excitement than the Euro cup.
Much more competitive in my opinion. Me and lots of people and sponsors out there.
from 6 months ago
Those individual matches you mention, where did Cameroon get to in 1990, and where did Argentina get to? I believe an ordinary Argentina team made it all the way to the final, so it shows that a distinction still exists between the old guard and the rest to some extent.
Denmark long ball? Again, I have to ask, have you ever even seen them play? I would hardly call a country that has produced the likes of the Laudrups, Molby, Elkjaer etc etc a long ball nation. They are well known as one of the most attack-minded teams in Europe over time.
I agree the World Cup is more diverse (that goes without saying though doesn't it? It is the WORLD cup after-all) but at the group stage at least, the Euro's beats it for competitiveness and difficulty.
Sponsors as an argument? Come on S, I would have thought a man so anti-globalisation like yourself would not lower yourself to that kind of argument. They are only interested because the World Cup has an automatic global audience (that World thing again), nothing to do with the quality of depth of the football.
6 months ago
That's what makes it so exciting Simon. I am just as excited as I would if England were participating. This year, thankfully, I won't have to watch the inevitable ko on penalties that is becoming so predictable and all of the 'we weren't quite good enough but just wait until next year'...
6 months ago
Surely the group stages will be just as exciting as the latter stages. In each group, there could be big 'surprises' and NOT ONE country is guaranteed qualification.
6 months ago
Well I'll be cheering Spain for two simple reasons:
1. They've never won the damn thing (Not too keen on Holland, although they could win it too)
2. My beloved Denmark missed out..
S. The EuroCup is not on the same level as the World Cup but no-one can say it isnt prestigues and exciting. Thats just ridiculous. The very fact that Greece won it last time around, just proves the fact that its exciting and fun to watch..
I for one will be ready and rearing to go...
Bring on Saturday...
6 months ago
Who would be your players to watch out for? I think Ibrahimovic, Modric, Arshavin, DeRossi, Torres, Ronaldo and Dica will all shine. I'm sure that there'll be many players who will have a breakout tournament also and get snapped up for a ridiculously high fee as a result.
Any hope for Austria or Switzerland? I think the Swiss have some good players and could progress but can't see Austria winning a game!
from 6 months ago
For Sweeden's sake they better hope Ibrahimovic breaks out of the funk that he is in. As for the others I am starting to think that Ronaldo will not be the star we expect in this tournament. Part of it may be just exhaustion. He is only human and he just fought through an incredibly intense season in both the ELP and Champions League. I dont know how much he has left in the tank. And now throw all the talk of a transfer to Real Madrid and I dont blame the guy for being less than himself.
As for the Swiss and Austria I dont see either of them getting out of their groups.
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