Euro Ramblings – Final Four assessment by Jade Craddock

Two Semi-Finals, two periods of extra-time, three missed penalties, one ‘controversial’ penalty, a first Final for England in 55 years and the return of the tiny, tiny car. As a nation prepares for its biggest moment in sporting history for over half a century, there’s a brief moment to reflect on the teams that made it to the final four.

Spain: It was a case of so near, yet so far for a Spanish team, which, in all honesty, played their usual neat and tidy game in this tournament, but never looked completely convincing. Whilst their obvious issue was a lack of a clinical, decisive finisher, with Morata, Oyarzabal and Moreno all struggling to fill the berth, their World Cup victory in 2010 was predicated on the false 9, but La Roja came unstuck this time, despite impressive performances from 18-year-old Pedri and 23-year-old Dani Olmo, who will surely be integral to the Spanish side moving forward. Somewhat surprisingly, Spain are currently the highest goal-scorers at the tournament, with 13, to Denmark and Italy’s 12, and England’s 10, in large part to a five-goal demolition of Slovakia in the group stage and a 5-3 thriller against Croatia in the round of 16. So there is no doubt they can score goals and when everything clicks, they are still a hugely impressive and dangerous team, but, unfortunately, too many times in this tournament, it just didn’t click, including in their opening 0-0 clash with Sweden and a 1-1 draw with Poland in the next match. At times, they seemed to be crying out for something different, and with Adama Traore on their bench, a sum total of 13 minutes across six matches seemed bewildering. The Semi-Final against Italy looked to be the perfect set-up for a player who has tormented defenders in the Premier League against two centre-backs with a combined age of 70 and a majority of players who won’t have faced the tricky winger regularly, but Traore was brought off the subs bench to enter the affray only to return there without stepping foot on the pitch. Of course, one will never know whether he would have made a difference, but it all seemed a bit too safe and samey from Luis Enrique. With only three of the starting eleven for the match against Italy in their thirties, there is still time for this side to push on for next year’s World Cup.

Rating: 7

Denmark: If the Danes had been playing anyone else but the Three Lions, I think it could be safely assumed that we’d all have liked to see them in the Final. Theirs has been the most challenging tournament imaginable, with the events of the very first match inevitably casting a shadow over all that followed. Other teams would have most likely crumbled, and it did seem in the conclusion of that first game against Finland as if the Danes would struggle to overcome what they had witnessed, losing 1-0 in a game in which the result was largely insignificant. Despite rallying against Belgium, an impressive Kevin de Bruyne display led to the Danes’ second defeat in two and threatened to end their tournament prematurely. Bottom of the group with no points heading into the final game against Russia, Denmark had it all to do, but if there is anything this team have proved from that first match is that they rally in adversity. And in that decisive match, Denmark didn’t just rally, they conquered, with an impressive 4-1 thrashing. Having progressed out of the group stage against all odds, Denmark looked galvanised in their matches against Wales and the Czech Republic, with 21-year-old Mikkel Damsgaard growing into the tournament, alongside Kasper Dolberg and Joakim Maehle. From the brink, people began asking whether Denmark could repeat their triumphs of 1992 and it was a team that itself was obviously growing in belief. They made the Semi-Final a tricky affair for England but eventually bowed out after 120 minutes with their heads held high. Their journey was much more about football, and in everything that they did, they made a nation and a footballing community hugely proud and gained themselves a legion of fans for the way responded not only in their darkest of moments but in all they achieved thereafter. Whilst the hope would have been to win the tournament for Eriksen, themselves and their country, in many ways Denmark won so much more, and in Simon Kjaer they have the standout captain of the Euros.

Rating: 8

Italy: Whilst France, Belgium and Portugal all got the big build-up going into the tournament, Italy generally flew under the radar, until their first game against Turkey in which they clearly set out their stall with an emphatic 3-0 win. In truth, perhaps the Azzurri should have been on everyone’s radar, having come into the Euros with a hugely impressive winning streak and clean sheet run. Indeed, they continued to set records on both fronts in the group stage, with a second 3-0 triumph over Switzerland and 1-0 win, arguably with a second string XI, against Wales. Though Austria provided the first real test for Mancini’s men, it was clear that this Azzurri side were one with typical Italian grit and determination to go with the flair and skill. Many saw their Quarter-Final clash with Belgium as a potential banana skin, but they came through relatively untroubled, continuing to play an attractive and energetic style that perhaps has not always been characteristic of the Italians. Another difficult tie faced them in the Semi-Final against Spain, which was a much tighter affair, going all the way to penalties, but there is something about this group which gives them the edge. Indeed, it has felt throughout this tournament as if they have somehow been destined to make the Final and they have overcome every obstacle in their way through a combination of skill, talent, passion and tenacity. Their football has been amongst the most impressive on display, and as well as the team collective, there have been superb individual performances from the likes of Federico Chiesa and Manuel Locatelli, whilst Bonucci and Chiellini defy age in defence. However, Leonardo Spinazzola has arguably been the player of the entire tournament, putting in displays from left-back that are frankly mind-boggling. His injury against Belgium was a massive blow, not only for the Azzurri but for the tournament in general, but Italy’s strength in depth and squad quality has been another factor in their success. With an unbeaten run of 33 matches now – and a new record for the longest winning run in the Euros of 15 matches – Italy have set themselves as the ones to beat – but, as they say, all good things must come to an end.

Rating: 9

England: Oh, where to begin? Well, there’s only one place, surely, their progress to a first Final in 55 years. For the older generation, 1966 lives long in the memory, but for those born after that triumph, the Three Lions story has been one of varying degrees of hope and inevitable disappointment. Whilst there was the usual excitement and anticipation pre-tournament, few, I think, who would really have believed in England’s chances (I was one of the few), but three points in the opening game soon galvanised a nation, which had been kept out of football stadiums for some eighteen months. Of course, though, this wouldn’t be England without an anti-climax and that came in the next game against Scotland. A win against the Czech Republic secured England’s progress out of the group stage and a top-of-the-table finish and whilst hopes were high, a clash against Germany in the Round of 16 was viewed by many as the real test. A test that England came through with aplomb, but even better was to come three days later in Rome. England, away from Wembley for the first time, without their legion of fans and having had the extra hassle of travel, would be forgiven for being a bit sloppy, but no, this was the performance a nation needed to cement belief that this may just be England’s time. Ukraine may not have been the biggest scalp, but they still stood in England’s way, although not for very long, it has to be said, with Harry Kane’s fourth minute goal practically sealing the deal there and then. As Jurgen Klinsmann reflected, it had all been too perfect for England. Plain sailing is not something English football fans are familiar with, and this was the closest thing to plain sailing in recent history. We all knew it couldn’t last, but it was a question of how England would react to going behind, to adversity, to pressure, that would determine whether this team were just a carbon copy of those gone by or, indeed, the real thing. And Denmark posed that very question of the Three Lions, scoring first in their Semi-Final clash, with England conceding their first goal in over 600 minutes. With backs against the walls, an expectant home crowd and the ghost of 55 years, this would be the test of this team, and where England teams of tournaments past would have wilted, Kane and his band of brothers showed the resilience, determination and drive perhaps lacking in previous teams to cross that hallowed line into the Final. Italy will be yet a tougher test, but this victory – against a spirited Denmark side, coming from behind and with England far from their best – will surely add to the growing confidence and belief. Once again for me, despite the embarrassment of riches up front, it was the defence, so questioned pre-tournament, that were key. Pickford, who so impressed against Germany, had a nervier time of it last night, but hopefully he’s got that out of his system, while the four players in front of him – or make that six with Rice and Phillips’ dogged performances – rose to the occasion: Stones was largely unruffled, Maguire was imperious, Shaw tenacious and Walker just superhuman. Whilst there was controversy over the eventual penalty that separated the two teams, whether or not it was or wasn’t a penalty – and the same could be said of the Kane incident earlier in the match – England have been on the end of a fair few contentious decisions of their own and everyone knows you need some luck to win tournaments. There is more to this team than luck though, and Southgate’s men are doing a nation proud. With the Final at Wembley on Sunday, the trophy is in England waiting to be lifted – did someone say it’s coming home?

Rating: 9