06/14/2024
Germany welcomed Euro 2024, an event that brings together 24 teams in intense competition for the prestigious continental title. With more than 2.5 million fans expected in the different host citiesa festive atmosphere similar to that of the 2006 World Cup, also held on German soil, is expected.
The 51 matches of the Euro Cup are spread over 10 stadiums located in the cities of Berlin, Cologne, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dortmund, Leipzig, Gelsenkirchen, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf. Each of these capitals is preparing to welcome football fans with open arms, offering an unforgettable experience.
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Among the notable figures of this edition are several veterans who could be competing in their last Euro Cup, such as Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), who at 39 years old continues to be a key piece for his national teamafter an impressive qualifying phase in which he scored 10 goals.
The forward will seek to add another European title to his record, after the one achieved in 2016. His compatriot, Defender Pepe, at 41 years old, will not only contribute his experience to the young Portuguese teambut he will also become the oldest player to play in this competition, surpassing the Hungarian Gabor Kiraly.
On the other hand, Croatian Luka Modrić, at 38 years old, is essential for both his team and Real Madrid. This tournament could be his last chance to win a major international title with his country.
Not to mention the German Toni Kroos. The 34-year-old midfielder will retire from international football after this European Championship and hopes to close his career with a title at home.
Frenchman Olivier Giroud, France’s all-time top scorer, with 57 goals, He will say goodbye to the national team after this tournament. Giroud will look to conclude his time with the ‘Bleus’ with a title before continuing his career in MLS with Los Angeles FC.
Beyond the figures, other elements adorn the event that will run until July 14.
France, a favorite for the title
Among the favorites to lift the trophy is France, which has a squad that includes stars such as Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann and Eduardo Camavinga. The French are looking to redeem themselves after being runners-up in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
However, Germany, as hosts, hopes to take advantage of local support. Players like Toni Kroos, Antonio Rüdiger and Jamal Musiala will be key to that aspiration.
At that same level is Portugal, which with Cristiano Ronaldo at the top, arrives after an impeccable qualifying phase and has talents such as Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes.
Nor can we rule out Spain, which comes with a mix of veterans and young talents. La Roja aspires to its fourth European title. Rodri, Pedri and Lamine Yamal, the figures to follow.
England does not want to be left behind and, despite never having won the Euro Cup, presents a fearsome offense with Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka.
The champion receives 28 million euros
The Euro Cup not only promises sporting excitement and the prestige of crowning a new European champion, but also offers substantial financial incentives that motivate the participating teams. UEFA has arranged a total of 331 million euros in prizesensuring that performance in the tournament is financially rewarded.
Each of the 24 teams competing in Euro 2024 will receive 9.2 million euros just for participating. This base increases depending on performance in the three group stage matches. Each victory in this phase will be rewarded with one million euros, while a tie worth 500,000 euros.
Prizes increase considerably in the knockout stages of the tournament. The 16 teams that overcome the group stage and reach the round of 16 will receive 1.5 million euros additional. Advancing to the quarterfinals raises the reward to an additional 2.5 million for qualified teams. Those who reach the semi-finals will receive an additional 4 million euros.
The culmination of the tournament will be on July 14 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Here, the two finalists will compete not only for the prestigious Euro Cup trophy, but also for the greatest financial incentives. The champion of Euro 2024 will receive 8 million euros, while the runner-up will take 5 million.
In total, the team that manages to establish itself as the best in Europe could accumulate up to 28.5 million euros, adding all the prizes from the group stage to the grand final. This cumulative prize system ensures that success at each stage of the tournament is reflected in substantial financial rewards.
The new figures to follow
The Eurocup will also be the stage for new stars to emerge, like Lamine Yamal, who at 16 years old He is considered the best talent to emerge from Barcelona’s ‘Masia’ since Lionel Messi.
It is also called to shine the Frenchman Warren Zaïre-Emery18 years old, PSG midfielder who has proven to be indispensable and will seek to impress in his first Euro Cup.
Jamal Musiala (Germany) He is another of the young people (21 years old) who is already a key figure for both Bayern Munich and the German national team.
Another one that can stand out is English. Kobbie Mainoo. The 18-year-old Manchester United midfielder has attracted attention for his creativity and maturity on the field.
Belgium also has a young man who claims to be Eden Hazard’s heir, It’s about Arthur Vermeeren. At 19 years old, this Atlético de Madrid midfielder is one of the promises of the ‘Red Devils’.
The records to beat
This tournament has been the scene of memorable feats throughout its history, according to AFP:
Platini’s 9 goals: Frenchman Michel Platini led the ‘Bleus’ to the title in the 1984 edition, scoring 9 goals in 5 games, a record in a single European Championship final phase.
Red double: Spain is the only country that managed to retain the crown, in 2008 and 2012. The Federal Republic of Germany, winner in 1972, failed to do so in 1976, when they lost in the final against Czechoslovakia on penalties. Italy, current continental champion, will try to be the second team to achieve it.
Ronaldo, to improve his record: Cristiano is the top scorer in the history of the tournament, with 14 goals, well ahead of Platini’s 9. Among the best active scorers, only Antoine Griezmann (6 goals), Romelu Lukaku and Robert Lewandowski (5 each) can come close to the Portuguese star, as can Harry Kane (4).
25 games for CR7: Ronaldo has another record, that of having played the most games in a Euro Cup final phase with 25 in total, a figure that should be increased in Germany.
More from Ronaldo: The Portuguese striker will also become the first player to play in six Euro Cup finals, a record he shared with the Spanish Iker Casillas (5).
The three-time champions: The teams with the most titles are Germany (in 1972 and 1980 as FRG and in 1996) and Spain (1964, 2008 and 2012), followed by France (1984 and 2000) and Italy (1968 and 2020). The ‘Mannschaft’ is also the one that lost the most finals (1972, 1992 and 2008), a record shared with the former Soviet Union (1964, 1972 and 1988).
Veteran Vastic: At 38 years and 257 days old, Austrian Ivica Vastic became the oldest scorer in a European Championship in 2008, after converting a penalty against Poland. Ronaldo, who has already turned 39, could add another record in Germany.
The ‘old’ Kiraly: The oldest footballer to have played in a Euro Cup match is the Hungarian goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, famous for playing in long pants, who was 40 years and 86 days old when his team was eliminated against Belgium (4-0) in the round of 16. from the 2016 edition.
The youngest: The youngest footballer to have played in a European Championship is the Polish Kacper Kozlowski, who played against Spain in 2021 at the age of 17 years and 246 days. The youngest scorer is the Swiss Johan Vonlanthen, who at 18 years and 141 days scored against France in 2004.
Nine goals in a game: The record for the most prolific match in the European tournament was one from the first phase of 1960, Yugoslavia-France, which ended with a score of 5-4, on July 6 at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
The smart ball
Since the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was implemented in Europe in 2019, Technology applied in real time has landed in football to stay.
The official ball for the Euro Cup is produced, once again, by the Adidas brand, which decided to name it Fussballliebe, which translated from German means “love of football.”
It is made from recycled polyester and has an embossed structure designed for greater precision and accuracy, with a seamless, heat-sealed construction. In addition, its graphics and colors are inspired by the flags of the 24 participating nations.
For the first time in the contest, The official ball will have technology that sends precise data to the referees in real time. It is a system called Connected Ball.
Combining player positional data with AI, the innovation contributes to UEFA’s semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) and will be key to helping make decision-making faster during the match.
Connected Ball technology can also help video referees identify each individual touch of the balleven whether or not they are done by hand, reducing the time spent resolving handball incidents and penalties.
Germany’s overwhelming debut; another favorite premieres today: Spain
Germany started Euro 2024 strongly by beating Scotland 5-1 at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich. The host team displayed forceful and effective football, ensuring a categorical victory in the first match of the tournament.
From the first moment, the local team showed its intention to dominate the game. After 10 minutes, Florian Wirtz scored the first goal of the Euro Cup. This early score set the pace of the game.
Just nine minutes later, Germany extended their lead through Jamal Musiala. German superiority became even more evident when, on the edge of half-time, Havertz converted a penalty after a foul committed by Ryan Porteous on İlkay Gündoğan, bringing the score to 3-0.
In the second half, Germany kept up the pressure. In the 70th, Niclas Füllkrug scored the fourth goal. Scotland scored a consolation goal through an unfortunate Antonio Rüdiger own goal. However, Germany sealed their victory with another goal in added time from Emre Can, who fired from mid-range to close the score at 5-1.
This was one of the biggest wins in the history of the tournament. There are others: France’s 5-0 defeat of Belgium and Denmark’s defeat of Yugoslavia, both in 1984; from Sweden to Bulgaria in 2021 and the 6-1 that the Netherlands inflicted on Yugoslavia in 2000.
With this resounding victory, Germany leads Group A with three points and prepares to face Hungary in its next match. For its part, Scotland, which was in last place in the group without pointswill look to recover when they face Switzerland.
This Saturday, another of the favorites, Spain, will debut against the always competitive Croatia team in a scheduled match for 11:00 am (Colombia time).
Besides, Hungary and Switzerland will face each other first thing in the morning (8:00 am)in what promises to be another exciting duel of the day.
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Euro 2024 has started in spectacular fashion, And if the opening match is any indication of what’s to come, fans can expect many more thrills and big moments throughout the tournament.
