UEFA European Championship 2024: Top 2 Stories

By: Anthony Tazbaz

Image Credit: Christin Noelle

With the 2024 UEFA European Championship (Euro 2024) having concluded last week, it is time to reflect on teams’ and players’ performances, as well as other events that relate to the tournament. This article explores some of the most significant stories from the tournament, which culminated in Spain winning a record fourth title. Without further ado, it is time to delve into these stories.

Story #1: An Unlikely Top Scorer

While football’s top tournaments are highlighted by such star scorers as Cristiano Ronaldo and — or even conventional forwards like Harry Kane and Lautaro Martínez — this tournament ended with a mysterious player named “own goal”, which scored a staggering tally of 10 goals. These goals occurred from the opening day to the last quarterfinals match held between Türkiye and the Netherlands.

After the own goal’s tally, six players each scored three goals; the players (and the nations for which they represent) include Cody Gakpo (the Netherlands), Harry Kane (England), Georges Mikautadze (Georgia), Jamal Musiala (Germany), Dani Olmo (Spain), and Ivan Schranz (Slovakia).

To put that goalscoring into perspective, Euro 2020 concluded with Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Czechia’s Patrik Schick (Czechia) finishing as joint top scorers with four goals apiece. That tournament also included four players — Harry Kane (England), Romelu Lukaku (Belgium), Karim Benzema (France) and Emil Forsberg (Sweden) that each scored three goals. These tallies were followed by six additional players that scored three goals apiece. In 2016, Antoine Griezmann (France) won that tournament’s golden boot with six goals, which was followed by six players that each scored three goals.

One would have to turn the clock back 12 years ago to find a Euro whereby its top scorers — a total of six players — finished the tournament with only three goals. These scorers were: Mario Balotelli (Italy), Alan Dzagoev (Russia), Mario Gómez (Germany), Mario Mandžukić (Croatia), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Fernando Torres (Spain).

Interestingly, the mysterious own goal also finished as top scorer at Euro 2020, winning yet another golden boot award. At Euro 2024, however, it failed to eclipse its record; Euro 2020 included 11 own goals.

Story #2: Mediocrity Was Rewarded

If this tournament demonstrated anything, it is that talent and depth win matches… no matter how poorly a collective of such perform. While many neutral supporters placed bets or penned predictions for France and England to go for deep runs in the tournament, they were right. However, they were likely disappointed at what they received in terms of performances. While such star players as Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann led France — the 2018 FIFA World Cup champions and 2022 World Cup finalists — into Euro 2024 as being among the favourites to win the tournament, both players and the nation delivered porous performances, despite reaching the semifinals.

While “own goal” was taking the tournament by storm, it also became France’s top scorer (2), netting the match-winners in their opening and round of 16 matches against Austria and Belgium, respectively. Moreover, it took France over 550 minutes of playing time (excluding stoppage-time) at the tournament to score their first goal from open play that was not an own goal. (Mbappé scored one penalty shot goal in France’s final group stage match against Poland.)

With a lack of goalscoring, it is thus important to emphasize France’s dismal performances when transitioning to offence, owing to their midfield not meeting a world-class standard. While an aging N’Golo Kanté surprised everyone with stellar performances, his teammates — Antione Griezmann, Adrien Rabiot and Aurélien Tchouaméni looked like shells of themselves, with the latter missing countless chances merely feet away from the goal. In attack, Dembélé looked wasteful in the final third, whereas Mbappé and Randal Kolo Muani — the nation’s two goal scorers at the tournament — played far below their capabilities exhibited at the 2022 World Cup.

However, one must credit France’s defence and goalkeeping led by the likes of William Saliba (defender) and Mike Maignan (goalkeeper). Throughout the tournament, France conceded only three goals, two of which came in the semifinals against future-champions Spain. Within the first 500 minutes (excluding stoppage-time) of playing time ahead of their semifinals match, France conceded only one goal, which was a retaken penalty scored by Robert Lewandowski (Poland).

In the end, France head coach Didier Deschamps’s tactics and style of play resulted in only four goals scored — including both own goals — which places the nation with one of the lowest goals per match averages ever recorded — 0.66 — among Euro nations that participated in the knockout stages. Excluding own goals, that average lowers by half to 0.33 goals per match.

As well, Gareth Southgate’s England looked similarly mediocre, winning only two matches in regular time on route to that competition’s final, in which they lost 2-1 against Spain. Although they fared better than the French in terms of goal — scoring eight goals, six of which in regular time — the English were lambasted for their “boring” and “uninspiring” football. First, England’s 1-0 win did not convince many supporters — especially the English — that they could achieve anything at this tournament. Then, two draws against Denmark and Slovenia escalated England’s uninspiring football to “alarming”, with many calling for Southgate to get sacked, ideally before the tournament ended.

Then, in the knockout stages, England snatched a 2-1 victory against Slovakia, which required a stoppage-time equalizer by star midfielder Jude Bellingham. In extra-time, Kane netted his second goal of the tournament and led England to a quarterfinal fixture against Switzerland. In that match, it took 80 minutes for a struggling Bukayo Saka to score a goal and force extra-time and then penalties; England were ultimately saved by one save by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. In the semifinals, however, England played more like their usual selves after a penalty kick successfully converted by Kane, which culminated in a 2-1 victory after substitute forward Ollie Watkins scored a 90th-minute go-ahead goal (no pun intended).

Ultimately, after winning only one match in regular time before their semifinal fixture against the Netherlands, England will still need to find ways to improve and play a more coherent style of football. Despite qualifying for consecutive Euro finals, Southgate announced his resignation from head coaching duties, which will pave the way for a new coaching style and perhaps an opportunity to take the next step and bring “it” home.

Leave a comment below mentioning your favourite storyline from Euro 2024.