Ten reasons to fall in love with this European Championship

ANDIt is a runrún that has begun to settle in the sports gatherings of the last days. We are living one of the funniest and most exciting Euro Cups ever. Yes, football is once again interesting and it is a spectacle that entertains, although perhaps it is a sport that never stopped doing it, no matter how much some insist on believing otherwise.

We still have the quarterfinals, semifinals and final ahead and the European national team tournament has left us great moments to remember. We have seen impossible comebacks, surprising eliminations and goals of a beautiful invoice. This European Championship has also made us hold our breath for a few minutes that seemed like hours while Christian eriksen was conducting a survival exercise unprecedented in the world of soccer. Even in a moment of misfortune this Euro Cup was victorious.

Ten reasons to fall in love with this European Championship

A thousand and one details could be highlighted, but here are ten. A good handful of reasons to put this Eurocup among the best national team tournaments in history.

With the champion label you don’t win

Portugal Y France They are two of the great defeated in this European Championship. Both came from the same group and both fell in the second round. In a different way, yes. The Portuguese team could not beat Belgium although they tried to exhaustion. His illusion to revalidate the title was shattered by Thorgan Hazard with a real goal. France, even more disappointing, sank with a crash to Switzerland after going 1-3 with just minutes to go.

1625086433 73 Ten reasons to fall in love with this European Championship

Spain is excited again

The transition from Spain After winning the last European Championship in 2012 and closing a historic cycle, it has been a journey through the desert that has lasted nine years. The World Cup disappointments in Brazil and Russia and the elimination in the last Euro at the hands of Italy caused the future of the national team to be viewed with pessimism. After a difficult start, the defeated Slovakia and Croatia and the game played out in this Euro, with the irruption of several young people in the Luis Enrique type eleven, has recovered the illusion lost by an illusion that, why not, dreams of adding his fourth Euro Cup.

1625086433 163 Ten reasons to fall in love with this European Championship

The furthest goal of a European Championship

Patrik schick He is one of those unexpected heroes, almost anonymous players who become superstars in these types of tournaments. Cracks for a month, protagonists almost by accident. The Czech has four goals and threatens to be the surprising scorer of this Euro. Furthermore, the Bayer Leverkusen forward started the tournament by scoring the furthest goal in the history of the Eurocup. His hit against Scotland, from 45 meters and 44 centimeters, is already part of the Guinness book of records for this competition.

1625086433 87 Ten reasons to fall in love with this European Championship

The return of the public

After a year of empty stadiums and canned ambient sound, soccer is back to the fans. Pictures like the views in the Copenhagen Parken or the Puskas ArenaTo give two examples, they are the images of hope, of a return to normalcy, of football in its purest form. The ball missed them. Soccer is something else with full stands.

1625086434 774 Ten reasons to fall in love with this European Championship

Goals guarantee

Of the three days that historically have scored the most goals in a European Championship, two belong to this edition. The 14 of this Monday are the most recent example. In fact, more goals have already been scored in this edition than in all the previous games. Total, 118 goals in 42 games and only two 0-0 in the entire tournament, the one signed by Spain and Sweden and in England-Scotland.

Friendly fire, more protagonist than ever

Bad fortune has also added spice to this Euro Cup. In fact, the tournament began for the first time with an own goal with both Demiral against Italy. The ‘friendly fire’ has appeared in this edition up to nine times. Exactly the same number of goals in this guise that were cooked among all the European Cups in history. The enemy, more than ever. he’s at home.

Cristiano, scorer of scorers

This European Championship will also be remembered for the one that led to Cristiano Ronaldo to add a new record. The Portuguese said goodbye to the tournament with five targets, which made him the player with the most goals in the history of the European Championships with 14 targets. It also made him surpass Klose as the player with the most goals between World Cups and Euro Cups (20) and allowed him to equal Ali daei, with 109 goals, as the player in history with the most official goals for his team.

Everything stays in the family

Federico and Enrico Chiesa they can boast of being the only father and son – of any nationality – who have scored in the history of the European Championship. From 1996 to 2021. 25 years of difference and a surname that is already part of the history of this Euro. It is also all in the family in Belgium, where the Hazard They are already joining the list of mythical brothers who shared the national team, such as the Laudrups or the De Boer.

The rebellion of the modest

If this tournament is being characterized by something, it is by surprises. Hungary he shook the group of death to the limit and skimmed the feat. Swiss is already the revelation when charging the world champion, the Czech Republic He dispatched the Netherlands against all odds … and the many times reviled secondary are the great culprits that in this European Championship we are having fun in every game. Football is also one of the modest ones.

The arbitration level

After 44 matches, there has not been a single match with a major refereeing scandal. Only the France-Portugal whistled by the Spanish Mateu Lahoz, with three designated penalties, threatened to break the harmony in the judges of this European Championship. But not even in that match -two of the three penalties were clear- there was the sensation of a huge error on the part of the referee. When they do it well, it should also be highlighted.