EURO 2024
Three key battles in England’s Euro 2020 clash with Germany
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Old foes England and Germany face off in the last 16 of Euro 2020 on Tuesday (June 29) with the victors knowing they will then be favourites to go on and reach the final thanks to a kind-looking draw.
Neither side has hit top form during the tournament so far, but England are confident of beating the Germans in the knockout stage of a major tournament for the first time since 1966 in front of 45,000 fans at Wembley.
AFP Sport looks at three key battles where the game could be won or lost.
1. Harry Kane v Antonio Ruediger
Alongside 2014 World Cup winners Mats Hummels and Matthias Ginter in the German defence, Ruediger will be tasked with ensuring Harry Kane’s scoreless streak at Euro 2020 continues.
Despite still having to wear a mask to protect a facial injury suffered in April, Ruediger was outstanding as Chelsea won the Champions League last month.
He has also been the Germans’ standout centre-back at the Euro, but was caught in no-man’s land when Adam Szalai headed in Hungary’s first goal in Wednesday’s nerve-shredding 2-2 draw.
In six meetings between the pair at club level, Kane has scored only once from open play for Tottenham Hotspur.
The England captain has been criticised for his sluggish displays in the group stage, where he managed just one shot on target.
However, Kane insists he is hitting his peak physical condition in time for the knockout phase and England need their skipper to come good at the right time.
2. John Stones v Kai Havertz
Havertz got the better of Stones to score the winner for Chelsea against Manchester City in the Champions League final last month and cement his status as one of European football’s rising stars.
The 22-year-old rode to his country’s rescue with key goals in the 4-2 drubbing of Portugal and the first equaliser in the fightback against Hungary.
Havertz is blessed with the talent to effortlessly ghost into dangerous scoring situations without seeming to break sweat.
Stones knows only too well of that threat as he was pulled out of position for Chelsea’s record signing to deliver on his £71 million (S$132 million) move from Bayer Leverkusen and win the biggest prize in European club football.
The Manchester City defender has refound his form this season after a difficult few years.
Much of the credit for Stones’ resurgence was given to his centre-back partner Ruben Dias, who won the football writers’ player of the year award in England.
But Stones has shown he can stand on his own two feet in helping to keep three clean sheets in the group stage.
3. Jordan Pickford v Manuel Neuer
If one of the two nations came into the tournament with doubts over their goalkeeper, it was England.
Neuer has five times been voted the world’s best goalkeeper, but has been exposed by his defence in conceding five goals in three games.
The German captain has had a few humiliating experiences for his country of late.
He was dispossessed deep inside the opposition half for South Korea’s Son Heung-min to round off an embarrassing group stage exit at the 2018 World Cup.
Spain also put six goals past the Bayern Munich ‘keeper last November and minnows North Macedonia poached a shock 2-1 win in March.
Pickford was one of England’s heroes of an unexpected run to the World Cup semi-finals three years ago.
A series of high-profile errors have followed since at club level for Everton, but Gareth Southgate’s faith in Pickford has been rewarded with England yet to concede a goal at Euro 2020.
EURO 2024
Gareth Southgate dares to dream as England eye end to long wait for Euros glory
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England manager Gareth Southgate said he does not believe that fate is guiding the Three Lions to Euro 2024 glory, but is dreaming of ending a 58-year wait to win a major tournament in Sunday’s final against Spain.
Three years on from losing the Euro 2020 final on home soil to Italy, Southgate’s men have another opportunity to become European champions for the first time in Berlin.
England have struggled on their road to the final, needing a series of late goals, fightbacks and a penalty shoot-out against Switzerland in the quarter-finals.
Southgate said that did not mean they were destined to beat a Spanish side who have been a class apart in the competition so far.
However, it would a reward for England’s consistency in never failing to reach at least the quarter-finals in the four tournaments Southgate has taken charge of.
“I’m not a believer in fairy tales but I am a believer in dreams,” Southgate said at his pre-match press conference on July 13.
“We’ve had big dreams, we’ve felt the need and the importance of that but then you have to make those things happen.
“Fate, the run that we’ve had, the late goals, the penalties, that doesn’t equate to it being our moment, we have to make it happen tomorrow and perform at the level that we need to perform.
“Of course it would be a lovely story but it’s in our hands and our performance is the most important thing.”
–AFP
EURO 2024
Spain to offer relentless pressing against England
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Spain go into Sunday’s Euro 2024 final as slight favourites over England after not only being the most attractive team to watch at the tournament but having won every match they have played.
The Spaniards have emerged as a team that can quickly adapt their strategy to their opponents without giving up their direct attacking game in favour of a results-based performance.
They outsmarted France in the semi-finals despite falling a goal behind and it took them just five minutes to score twice to take the lead with their relentless pressing game and vertical passing that forced the French to resort to long balls.
With Rodri as their midfield dynamo, a strategist matching Germany’s Toni Kroos in impressive passing efficiency but with a more attack-minded approach, the battle in the centre of the pitch is expected to play a key role in the outcome.
England will have to wrestle possession from Spain, who also have the outstanding Fabian Ruiz in midfield, a player who for many is already the player of the tournament.
With lightning wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, who turns 17 on Saturday and is the youngest scorer at a Euros or World Cup, ripping up defences and able to score and provide assists, England’s fullbacks will have their hands full.
Spain are the first team to win six games at a single Euros following their victory over France, up to that stage the team with the tournament’s best defence.
A second successive Euro final for England and coach Gareth Southgate is no mean feat even though they had to endure weeks of criticism, especially in the group phase, for lacklustre performances and with little punching power up front.
England’s defence, however, has remained solid and with the pace of John Stones and Kyle Walker, when they do get exposed, they have proved adept at scrambling recoveries.
SPANISH POSSESSION
Spain’s ball possession and movement will likely give England their biggest test so far and key to Southgate’s side being able to stay in shape is the incredible work of defensive midfield screen Declan Rice.
His anticipation of danger areas plus his movement, strength and determination have made him arguably England’s best player in Germany as he patrols in front of the back four, firefighting wherever the danger pops up.
The rest of England’s midfield also stepped up against the Netherlands in the semi-finals in terms of regaining possession, with Kobbie Mainoo, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden all showing an appetite to spoil and stifle.
After their largely misfiring group stage, with two goals in three matches, Southgate will have been reassured by what he saw against the Dutch when his big names stepped up and started creating sustained danger from out wide and through the middle.
He will encourage Jude Bellingham to run hard at the same defenders the midfielder bullied en route to becoming LaLiga player of the year, while reminding Harry Kane how much more effective he was in the semi when he did his work in and around the box rather than going deep as he often did previously.
One area of concern is England’s failure to be dangerous at set piece situations. Defensively they looked vulnerable in the air against a very big Netherlands team but that is unlikely to be so much of a factor versus Spain.
-Reuters
EURO 2024
Euro finals facts and records
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Here are some facts and records of European Championship finals ahead of Sunday’s Euro 2024 showcase between Spain and England:
Most titles: Spain (3), Germany/West Germany (3)
If Spain win the title on Sunday they will be the only team to have won the title four times.
Most finals: Germany/West Germany (6), Spain (5, including Euro 2024)
Titles won by the Euro 2024 finalists
Spain: 1964, 2008, 2012
England: –
Biggest win in final: Spain beat Italy 4-0 in 2012.
Finals decided in extra-time: 1960, 1996, 2000, 2016
Finals decided by penalties: 1976, 2020
Final played twice: 1968. The final won by Italy was played twice after the first match against Yugoslavia ended 1-1 after extra-time. Penalties had not yet been introduced as deciders.
Defending champions winning the title: Spain 2012
Teams that won the title after reaching the final in the previous edition:
1980 West Germany (finalists in 1976)
1996 Germany
England reached the 2020 final which they lost to Italy and are in the final once more.
Teams that won the title without requiring penalty shootouts during the tournament since their introduction:
France (2000), Greece (2004)
If England win they will be the seventh team in the last nine Euros to have triumphed after winning a shootout at some point in the tournament.
Third-placed team in group stage to win the title: Portugal (2016)
Red cards in final: 1984 Yvon Le Roux (France)
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