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The new kings of Europe, with four titles, leaving Germany behind. The day started well for ‘our brothers’, and Alcaráz won Wimbledon, and finished even better
In 17 European Championships, Spain won four (a new record, leaving behind Germany, which has three victories), and only one, the first, was played on home soil. In 1964, when he defeated the USSR in the final in Madrid, he made Generalissimo Franco happy; the second round of success was already evident in democracy, during the reign of Juan Carlos I, his European celebrations of Switzerland/Austria, in 2008, and Poland/Ukraine, in 2012. Now it was the turn of Philip VI, who present in the box of honor at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, roughly where Hitler swallowed the humiliating Jesse Owens in 1936, celebrating and singing and long live Spainwith the goal of the Basques Mikel Oyarzabal, when another extra time was already being considered.
When two great teams fight and give everything they’ve got and one falls on the edge, there’s usually a sense of pity in the air towards the other, even knowing it’s only one Cup. This time, that didn’t happen. No matter how much England gave themselves to the game, the truth is that Spanish football was always brighter, and it was Jordan Pickford who went through the most trouble, facing indifference on brothersmade in Germany with a very interesting combination of veteranship, experience and youth.
If, by fate, Gary Southgate’s team had won the final, he would have been wont to say that it was eleven to eleven and in the end the English won, because the smell of football came above all else from the Spanish boots.
A star was born
Lamine Yamal, 17 years old on Saturday, was the star of the competition. He scored a stellar goal against France, he made fools of very good people, he was never distracted from work, with a mixture of unconsciousness and humility that could be seen in Pelé in 1958, when Feola wanted to play in Europe and the a house apostava na swing, and he revealed an ease and restraint that would make him a big star in the next decade and a half. Messi probably washed it in holy water, because he was touched by a heavenly inspiration for which football and those who love it are grateful. But Spain was only Yamal. Nico Williams, hidden who faces her opponents with a wild joy that intimidates them, is the perfect counterpoint, supported by the geometry of Fabián Ruíz, the finesse by Dani Olmo and commuting Rodri. Perhaps, when compared to other quality teams, for example France, England or Portugal, Spain was more famous for the joy they had approaching the games, not as an obligation, always as godliness That’s why, above all, this title fits him, even though he didn’t take the artistic rating in 2012 – the best of all in Spain – like a glove.
The day started well for the Spaniards, in England, with Carlos Alcaráz crushing Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon 3-0, and it ended even better, with The Red take berlin («first we take Wimbledon, then we take Berlin »as Leonard Cohen would say) while bringing the Celtic party to Diagonal.
Portugal and the details
The National Team was in the group of possible winners and, not magically, it was only due to data that it reached the quarter finals and in the end it was due to other data that did not. Can we talk about failure? Probably not, but I discovered recently, even in terms of displays, which left the feeling that the group of players at the disposal of Roberto Martínez was not being used properly.
This European Championship resulted in issues that must be discussed in a grown-up and serious way, because the future of a team that must compete with the best in the world depends on it and, to do so, its assets are best presented depending on them. Currently, Portugal went to Germany and back with a Enoughwhen the group justified its players with a better grade.
A good European
There are those who argue that so many teams should not have qualified at the final stage of the European Championship, and that this degrades quality. This criticism also carries over to the final stage of the World Cup, which will have 48 participants from 2026 onwards. The truth is that, apart from one or two exceptions, which did nothing more than confirm the rule, the teams present at Euro-24 seemed organized and well prepared, providing balanced and difficult duels , with some surprises in between, that is the Portuguese victory. against Georgia.
With globalization based on Bosman’s law, the leveling of selection has become much greater and the trend continues to grow. It is good to remember the discussion that took place when the first African and Central American teams began to take part in the World Championships and what has evolved since then.
Another question, of a different order, is the number of football matches in which footballers from the main clubs present themselves to compete in the final stage of the European Championship. The Berlin final featured Carvajal and Bellingham (as well as Nacho and Joselu, on the bench) who played in the Champions League final, which should have merited serious debate, especially when talking about the possibility that the Club World Cup will be held, in 2025, under the auspices of FIFA, in the United States.