Euro 2020: Football is an emotion
Sports
With the European tournament starting with a heart-wrenching incident of Danish footballer Christian Eriksen collapsing mid-game, it was only fitting to see not just the football community but the complete sports community coming together in prayers. The next day, Belgian footballer Romelu Lukaku dedicated his goal to his club teammate, Eriksen, and has been joined by other players including the Danish who dedicated their heroic performance enabling qualification to him.
While the hyped Euros don’t fail to amaze, on another continent, the Copa America poses questions such as: “Will this be Messi’s first major tournament win with his national team?”
The fans are back where they belong
Home advantage is back. After over a season with fake crowd noises and controlled crowds, having physical fans in the stadium is an absolute delight, for the fans and the players alike.
Germany playing Hungary at home in a nail-biter to avoid elimination would vouches for this advantage. Hungarian fans cheering on Budapest for their team playing in Munich, while watching France take on Portugal live, epitomises the love for the sport and the emotion/pride for their national teams at the same time.
The Copa America, however, is still being played behind closed doors. But, with the COVID situation in South America, we’re fortunate (debatable from the Brasilian public PoV) that the tournament is even being played.
The dark side of fans
While some fans are simply enjoying the privilege of witnessing two continental tournaments, some have ventured on to the dark side.
Spain striker Alvaro Morata received death threats against his family after Spain drew with Poland in Euro 2020 after a string of underwhelming performances, including a miss on an open goal rebounding from teammate Gerard Moreno’s missed penalty.
Incidentally, Morata missed a penalty of his own in the very next game against Slovakia, making it the 5th penalty miss in a row for Spain. However, this doesn’t warrant hate for anyone, let alone players who are amongst the top 11 in what they do for the nation. Maybe he answered his critics last night with a beautiful goal to take Spain through to the quarters.
Pride is not political, pride is pride, love is love
The Mayor of Munich had requested the Allianz Arenato be lit in rainbow colours for the game against Hungary in protest of Hungarian anti-LGBTQ legislation. UEFA declined this request, stating it was a politically and religiously neutral organisation.
Earlier, UEFA had launched an investigation against the German Football Association (DFB) for Manuel Neuer's rainbow captain armband. UEFA considered it a political sign during the game. They however, dropped the charges later, assessing it as a team symbol for diversity and thus for a 'good cause’.
Underdogs and ‘almost’ upsets
Doesn’t everyone love the underdog? Well, what if the underdog is placed in the ‘Group of Death’ with three giants already battling it out for the top two slots
Hungary, you beauty! This might as well have been a Hungary National Team appreciation article. With a goal scored straight from the kick-off after an equaliser from Germany, Hungary teaches all of us football fans to keep believing in the magic of football.
Fun fact about the final night of football in the league stage: Portugal was in every position in the group over the course of the evening. With multiple instances where Portugal or Germany were set to crash out of the tournament - and Hungary set to qualify - the Germans equalised 6 minutes before the end of regulation time to end the drama.
Up next: England vs Germany
England fans have been told that they will face a one-match ban if they sing the 10 German Bombers song at Wembley - a World War II song that mocks German casualties in the war.
England will face old foe Germany in the Round of 16. Despite England’s history of major tournament exits to their long time rivals, their head-to-head record is remarkably equal. 32 previous meetings (including friendlies) have brought 13 wins apiece with 6 draws.
The two countries have a long rivalry peaking in 1966 when England beat West Germany in the World Cup Final at Wembley. A controversial goal being awarded - despite widely considered to have not crossed the goal line - sealed the Three Lions winning their first (and only, to date) World Cup.
Interestingly, that’s not the only piece of Wembley fun fact before the game. Die Mannschaft got the best of the English in the Euro ‘96 Semi-Finals, when Gareth Southgate, then England player, now England manager, missed the decider penalty after 11 successful penalties in a row by the 2 teams.
So, while Gareth Southgate would hope to exorcise past demons, German coach Joachim Low would try to make sure he’s not managing his final game for Germany, after 15 years of managing the Die Mannschaft.
You couldn’t write a script for this, could you?
Today’s Cartoon
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