It is still early days but Euro 2024 in Germany has yet to take off as a tournament. It is hard to say why exactly. It has not been uniformly dull – England’s failings have generated interest aplenty. The opening match between Germany and Scotland was a goal-fest, ending in a 5-1 win for Germany. In fact, there have been some brilliant goals in the tournament so far – Mert Muldur scored a spectacular volley for Turkey against Georgia on Tuesday night.
There is a limited number of genuine superstars
Great goals can go a long way towards making a tournament look and feel good but far too many of the games so far have been a bit hit and miss. Thursday evening’s clash between Spain and Italy is a case in point. It ended in a 1-0 victory to Spain, with the Spaniards in total control and playing sumptuously. It was all fascinating enough in its own way but the one-sidedness made for a less than compelling spectacle. Similarly, who can remember the scoreline from Serbia versus Slovenia earlier in the week (a 1-1 draw as it happens)? The Scots, after their mauling from Germany, earned a 1-1 draw with Switzerland. None are games destined to linger long in the memory. As for England’s two matches, the less said the better – beyond how bad and boring they have been. What is going on?
Part of the problem is that the group stages are rather like the group matches in the Champions League, in which the bigger teams do just enough to go through. Excitement is usually in low supply. Italy, despite being lacklustre against Spain, only need a draw against Croatia to go through to the next stage. Talk about rewarding a lack of ambition. England are another case in point. They’ve been simply awful in their two opening matches, earning a narrow win and a draw, yet England sit on top of the group, all but certain to qualify. It is all a touch underwhelming.
Things other than the games themselves are making the headlines. The France match in which Kylian Mbappe broke his nose was largely forgettable but worries about the effect his injury might have on France was a talking point everywhere. The most interesting thing about Portugal’s matches so far is the sight of 39-year old Cristiano Ronaldo, still turning out for the national team and now so reliant on others to do the hard yards that he is altogether more of a team player.
Talking of ageing players, Pepe, at 41, is still taking the field for Portugal. Luka Modric is 38 years old and is still turning out for Croatia. How can so many players in their dotage still be featuring for their national teams? If international football increasingly resembles a travelling circus of endless friendlies, qualifiers and tournaments, it is also now a last-chance saloon for ageing performers and tired acts.
Worries over Mbappe highlight another facet of Euro 2024: the limited number of genuine superstars. Mbappe is the most high-profile player at this tournament. Seeing Ronaldo take to the field was a reminder of a bygone era and his protracted tussle with Lionel Messi for the title of world’s best footballer. Who in Euro 2024 comes close to the stellar skills and profiles of these two footballing giants in their prime? Harry Kane is probably the biggest star after Mbappe, and Kane is having a miserable tournament so far.
It is the same somewhat underwhelming story with the managers of the national teams, many of whom seem to lack the personality or high profile of those in charge of elite club teams. Gareth Southgate is pretty much a household name but, I would suggest, for all the wrong reasons. It would make a good pub quiz question to name some of the other managers at this year’s Euros. In the build-up to the tournament opener between Germany and Scotland, the TV cameras panned to a shot of Sir Alex Ferguson sitting alongside Jose Mourinho: which current manager of any national side has the aura of these two greats? The good news is that the tournament will get more exciting in the knockout stages and the quality of the matches is bound to pick up. International tournaments like Euro 2024 attract global audiences in the millions, hungry to see their national team win the big prize. Please, football gods, deliver us some heart-pumping games full of goals and genuine end-to-end thrills, and preferably soon. Oh, and a special prayer that England somehow win the competition.
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