Follow-up – WAA
The European Nations Cup (Euro 2024) will witness an exceptional challenge today, Tuesday, when the Spanish national team meets its French counterpart in the semi-finals at the “Allianz Arena” stadium in the first semi-final matches of the competition held in Germany.
Spain beat Germany 2-1 in the quarter-finals, evaporating their hopes of winning the title on home soil, while France eliminated Portugal, breaking an 18-year jinx in major tournaments after losing the 2006 World Cup final in Germany, then to Switzerland in the round of 16 of the last edition of the European Cup in the summer of 2021, and then the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar against Argentina.
The Spanish national team hopes to put an end to its series of disappointments in major tournaments over the past years, and it now has the opportunity to monopolize the record for the number of tournament titles, which it currently shares with Germany itself with three cups.
With a well-rounded squad that combines promising youngsters with experienced players, Spain are the favourites to go through and win the title. With talented wingers Lamine Jamal, the youngest player to appear at a European Championship at 16, and Neco Williams (21), who have formed a formidable duo that has terrorised defences with their speed and skill, along with Pedri (21), midfield maestro Rodri (28), and Fabian Ruiz, Spain are confident that these players can go all the way to the podium.
In contrast, France will have to show a different face against Spain to keep their hopes of competing for the title alive. The French team has not managed to score goals from open play in eight hours of the tournament so far, but that did not prevent them from qualifying for the semi-finals, because they did not concede any goals from open play either.
Source: Kora