The Euro 2024 “is a marathon”, said Didier Deschamps before the start of the competition in Germany, on June 14. It was still necessary not to miss his departure to be able to exit the group phase, which ended this Wednesday, June 26 with the last meetings of groups E and F.
Between the boredom of the game proposed by certain nations, the sensation caused by Georgia… What should we remember from this first part of the Euro?
Spain, change is good for it
This is undoubtedly the most impressive team since the start of this Euro 2024. Spain is the only team to have achieved a clean sweep with nine points. A demonstration against Croatia (3-0), a controlled match against Italy (1-0) and a victory against Albania with a B team (1-0). La Roja is the only one not to have conceded a goal. Usually uncompromising with possession of the ball, Spain has started a surprising transformation by letting the opponent make the game.
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With the victory against Croatia, we had to go back to the Euro 2008 final to see a Spain dominated in possession. Luis de la Fuente succeeded in his first mission, that of changing a DNA that had not worked in recent years. Today, this Spain is more vertical, thanks to the contributions of Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal on the wings, which allows it to create danger. For its own good, it has changed. For the best, it will be necessary to be able to maintain this principle in a knockout match.
Croatia, new failure
In this same group, this Euro 2024 probably marks a turning point in the history of Croatia. This elimination in the first round (3e, 2 points) looks like a twilight for the generation of Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic. The meetings of Zlatko Dalic’s men only reinforced this impression of slowness.
Brozovic (31) and Kovacic (30) may still have a competition in their legs. It remains to be seen what Luka Modric (38 years old) is preparing to do. Despite all his talent, the Real Madrid midfielder, where he became a substitute, no longer has the same legs. Other historic players in this selection, Kramaric (33 years old), Perisic (35 years old), Budomir (32 years old) and Vida (35 years old) could also have the same thoughts.
Certainly, Croatia pays dearly for this goal conceded in the last moments against Italy, but the Croatians will have to ask themselves the right questions before the 2026 World Cup.
For its part, Italy, the reigning European champion, was no longer extraordinary either. The Italian press was nevertheless pleased to find itself in the part of the table where Germany, Spain, Portugal and France are not.
France and England, qualification and boredom
These are the two most anticipated selections in this Euro 2024. France, finalist of the 2022 World Cup, and England, finalist of Euro 2021, have a lot in common. An exceptional talent pool, extremely high expectations but a lot of questions surrounding their performance.
READ ALSO. “Still rubbish”, “too soft”… The Blues of Euro 2024 under the critical eye of the French press
The French lacked success in the last move, which cost them first place in the group. A bad move which places the Blues in a very difficult part of the table which includes Germany, Spain and Portugal. From the round of 16, Didier Deschamps’ players will return to Belgium.
For its part, England succeeded in its mission: first place in the group. That’s about all there is to remember from this selection. Because Gareth Southgate’s gang displayed a very poor level of play, culminating in this soporific 0-0 against Slovenia. Soporific but historic.
This Slovenia showed itself courageous to maintain the draw against England. Certainly, Jude Bellingham and his partners will not have done much to worry Jan Oblak and his team who will taste the excitement of a knockout match for the first time in their history. A real feat for this small country of only 2 million inhabitants.
Germany needs confirmation
At home, Germany will not have trembled at all to climb into 8es final. A first victory against a very weak Scottish team, another against Hungary, which allowed it to be the first nation to qualify. The draw against Switzerland, where Germany equalized at the end of the match, was experienced as a small setback.
It will take more to sabotage the confidence gained, it will also take more against Denmark to reach the quarter-final. Without shining but with a higher average level than in recent years, the Germans can count on the duo Jamal Musiala – Florian Wirtz, but also on their metronome Toni Kroos, to carry the hopes of a nation accustomed to gorging itself on international trophies .
Georgia, the sensation
This is the feeling of this Euro in Germany. With a surprise victory against the Portuguese on the last day of group F (2-0), the Georgians led by Frenchman Willy Sagnol qualified for the final phase.
READ ALSO. Euro 2024. Qualified for the first time, Georgia can thank its new hero Willy Sagnol
As a reminder, this selection is playing its very first European competition and was far from imagining such a feat from its first participation. But led by its stars like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze, the players won this ticket at the end of a good run, with a draw and a victory, despite an inaugural defeat against Turkey (1-3).
