Biggest Surprises on Groups Stage in Euro: Good and Bad
The European Championship group stage has concluded, and it’s time to reflect on the unexpected outcomes.
Notably, Hungary, Scotland, Croatia, Albania, Serbia, Poland, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic did not make it to the tournament in Germany, a surprising turn of events. Among those selections, one should look for the most unpleasant surprise of the championship so far, and objectively speaking, that could be Croatia.
Luka Modric and his team achieved two draws, both of which were within reach of triumph, but goals in the last moments of the games marked the return home earlier than expected.
Georgia avoided such a scenario, which was the most positive surprise of the first phase of the European Championship. William Sagnjol’s men could feel the sweetness of victory already in the second round, but they were unlucky in the end.
However, it came back to them in the last round against the former champion Portugal, which they defeated 2:0 and thus made the biggest result in their history. They will play Spain in the round of 16, and it will be another opportunity for this team to create a new sensation.
Still, they will have a practically impossible mission against the three-time champion of the Old Continent.
Spain is the only national team with a maximum of nine points.
They achieved the last victory with ten players changed compared to the last game; only Laport remained the starter.
De La Fuente was a selector and winner of numerous medals for Spain’s youth selections, and his work confirms the system’s existence.
A system that works. Spain doesn’t die in beauty as it used to; they don’t play “tiki-taka”; they attack more directly and faster and are a joy to watch. It’s a shame that the draw has projected that the Spaniards and the Germans, as the two strongest teams so far, will potentially meet in the quarter-finals because, objectively, it is the final according to everything we’ve seen.
When France reached the finals, they seemed a little spent and lacking the energy from the world championships. They were also disappointed at the last Euro when they were eliminated by Switzerland, and now they are ripe for elimination again before the finals.
Somehow, Deschamps doesn’t take risks like before, nor are the French as deadly as they used to be.
Each of the managers of the national teams that continued the competition played a significant role in shaping the tournament.
Among them, Ralf Rangnik stands out.
The Austrian strategist, who has been under scrutiny since leaving Manchester United, has shown his worth at the EURO. His team’s excellent game, clear ideas, and tactical discipline led to their first-place finish in the group, a testament to his skill and experience.
The end of the group stage also serves as a warning to the favourites.
Teams like Romania, Slovakia, Georgia, Turkey, Slovenia, and Austria have shown that they are worthy of recognition and can pose serious challenges to stronger opponents.
