EURO 2017 Winners: NETHERLANDS Runners-up: DENMARK
EURO 2017 ALBUM FACTS PAGES: 40 ALBUM PRICE: £1.50 NUMBER OF STICKERS: 334 PACKET COST: 60P FOR FIVE STICKERS
EURO 2017 The Netherlands came out on top in Euro 2017 on their home turf, as Panini releases its firstever Women’s Euro album. The cover for Panini’s debut Women’s Euro album said it all: ‘The continued rise of women’s football’. With the number of teams in the finals increasing from 12 in Euro 2013 to 16 for this Netherlands-hosted tournament, lots of nations were able to make their first appearance in sticker form. As well as Euro 2017 tournament branding, the album was kick-started by eight action shots from the qualifying stage, featuring star players such as Norway’s Ada Stolsmo Hegerberg, Germany’s Anja Mittag and England’s Karen Carney. Each qualifier was then illustrated by a shiny badge, a team group and 18 player stickers.
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With Scotland joining England in the finals as first-timers, UK collectors could get going with a starter pack consisting of an album and 26 stickers for £2.99. There was another first for the women’s game as a Digital Trading Card Collection called ‘UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 Adrenalyn XL Digital Trading Cards’ further brought players into the spotlight. Germany had carried off the six previous Euro tournaments and had also won the 2016 Olympic title. But they faced growing competition as Sweden had pushed them close in the Olympic final and England had beaten them in the 2015 World Cup thirdplace play-off. France were also looking strong, ranked third in the
Third: AUSTRIA AND ENGLAND (NO THIRD-PLACE PLAY-OFF) world going into the tournament. Hosts Netherlands were another team on the up, winning all of their Group A matches. Denmark joined the Dutch in the quarter-finals while the traditionally strong Norwegians flopped, losing all three games. Germany and Sweden progressed from Group B as expected, while Austria topped Group C thanks to crucial strikes from Nina Burger in wins over Switzerland and Iceland. France made it through as runners-up but were lacklustre – their only win coming via a late Eugénie Le Sommer penalty against Iceland. Scotland’s Euro debut was the stuff of nightmares as England beat them 6–0 in Utrecht – Jodie Taylor hitting a hat-trick. England went on to achieve maximum points, but the battle for second spot went to the last seconds, Caroline Weir’s goal not quite enough for Scotland to overtake Spain. Theresa Eslund’s late goal caused the shock of the quarterfinals as Denmark beat serial winners Germany 2–1. The Netherlands displayed the best of their attacking talents in a
2–0 win over Sweden, the goals coming from Lieke Martens and Vivianne Miedema. Austria beat Spain on penalties, while Jodie Taylor’s fifth goal of the tournament was enough for England to overcome France. Stina Lykke Borg was Denmark’s penalty-saving heroine in their semi-final shoot-out win against Austria, following a goalless draw. The Netherlands were far more decisive in their last four game against England and an early goal from Miedema, who had just agreed a move to Arsenal, set them on their way. Daniëlle van de Donk – who was already at Arsenal – made it 2–0. Millie Bright’s own goal capped England’s misery. Nadia Nadim gave Denmark an early advantage from the penalty spot in the final, which was played in Enschede. Miedema quickly replied and then Martens added a second for the Dutch. Pernille Harder than made it 2–2 to bring a breathless first half to a close. Sherida Spitse restored the Netherlands’ lead and Miedema’s late second made sure of their first major trophy.
Top scorer: JODIE TAYLOR (5)
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