44 SPORT
10 JUNE 2021
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SPORTS WEEKLY SPECIAL
EURO 2020
Can Kane lead England to Euro glory? BY DAVID SAFFER The waiting is almost over for the Euro 2020 finals. A total of 47 games culminates in the final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, July 11. England, Scotland and Wales are among 24 teams embarking on a fiesta of football across 11 cities which kicks off tomorrow. Matches take place in Baku, Rome, London, Amsterdam, Munich, Copenhagen, St Petersburg, Glasgow, Seville, Bucharest and Budapest. France are the bookies favourites to lift the coveted crown, but only just ahead of England, Belgium, Germany, defending champions Portugal, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. The pressure is on for Gareth Southgate’s team who certainly have a shot at the title especially as they could play six of seven games possible at Wembley. They warmed up for the finals with laboured victories over Austria and Rumania, however none of the Champions League final players were on display so the line-up when England face Croatia will be vastly different. But what of other British interests, Wales and Scotland. The Welsh come in at anywhere between 125/1 and 200/1 with the Scots 250/1 outsiders. Only Finland and
North Macedonia have higher odds! But football is a funny old game, who would have bet on Wales inspired run to the 2016 semi-finals as England crashed out to Iceland. Only time will tell but the cream of European talent is ready to take centre stage. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Kylian Mbappe (France), Harry Kane (England), Robert Lewandowski (Poland), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium), Mephis Depay (Netherlands), Lorenzo Insigne (Italy) Gareth Bale (Wales) and Thomas Muller (Germany) are among the many stars on display but there are plenty of youngsters expected to shine. So, watch for Joao Felix (Portugal), Jamal Musiala (Germany), Pedri (Spain), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy), Ryan Gravenberch (Netherlands), Dejan Kulusevski (Sweden) and Jude Bellingham (England).
The top two teams plus four best third placed teams advance from the groups. Group F looks to be the toughest of the six with a trio of big hitters involved. Every tournament has a ‘Group of Death’ and this is it with former winners Portugal, France and Germany battling it out for two spots in the last-16 of the competition. Joachim Low is stepping down after this tournament and whilst you can never rule out the Germans who traditionally get to the latter stages they have struggled for form and may be the ones to miss out.
The draw for the finals has a plethora of eye-catching encounters. Group A: Turkey, Italy, Wales, Switzerland Group B: Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Russia Group C: Netherlands, Ukraine, Austria, North Macedonia Group D: England, Croatia, Scotland, Czech Republic Group E: Spain, Sweden, Poland, Slovakia Group F: Hungary, Portugal, France, Germany
Harry Kane
With the greatest respect to Hungary, it would be a seismic shock if they make the next stage. Group E also looks an intriguing group which could be a tight affair between Spain, Sweden and Poland to qualify. The same could occur in Group B with Denmark, Belgium and Russia. Italy, Netherlands and England are favourites to top Groups A, C and D respectively but it’s not a given. Scotland may be among the also rans with bookmakers but their clash against England at Wembley will be a battle. However, I expect Southgate’s side to make the last 16. So, who will prevail at the end of the football marathon. The smart money is the French and Portuguese as they have been here before. Belgium also look ready to finally land a major honour. Naturally though, I’d like to see England finally break through at the top table after so long and they have a great chance if Kane et al can finally hold their nerve. Expectations are high and a good start to the group stage should see Southgate and co on the road to a first major title since the Boys of 66. The past decades have seen England go close on a handful of occasions to lifting a major championship, most recently the 2018 World Cup when they unexpectedly reached the semi-finals. Fans will also recall Euro 96 when Southgate missed the crucial penalty against Germany at the old Twin Towers at the last four stage. Victory 25 years on will be particularly sweet for the England boss.
PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK
Ronaldo to aim for new EURO records
Cristiano Ronaldo
PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to break a number of records at EURO 2020. When Ronaldo plays his first match of the tournament it will be a record fifth appearance at a finals. Seventeen players have made four tournaments but bar injury Ronaldo will set a new benchmark. Whilst France’s Michel Platini has the record for a single tournament of nine goals when he led his country to the 1984 title, Ronaldo has the same total from his record 21 finals appearances. One more strike will set a new goals mark and he is odds on to do so.
Ronaldo will also pass Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon’s all-time 58 appearances in EURO competition, qualifying and finals, if he plays in three matches. His 56 games to date have included 36 wins, 12 draws and eight defeats. Whilst, somewhat surprisingly, Ronaldo has to bag a EURO hat-trick, he would comfortably be the oldest to score in a final if Portugal go all the way. Only one player over 30 has scored, Bernd Holzenbein for West Germany against Czechoslovakia in 1976. Antonin Panenka’s famously won the final with a penalty. Ronaldo will be
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36 years and 156 days on 11 July when this years’ final takes place. Should Ronaldo lift the trophy again he will join Spain’s Iker Casillas (2008 and 2012) as the only players to have captained sides in two triumphs. One record that won’t go is his own of 40 goals including qualifying. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (25) and Robbie Keane (23) are a mighty chasm away. He is also the only player to score in four tournaments. Ronaldo bagged a brace in EURO 2004, one in 2008 along with three at 2012 and 2016.
