Euro 2024: Expectations high as quarterfinals begin
July 4, 2024
With only seven matches left until a winner of Euro 2024 is crowned, anticipation and nerves are rising for players and fans alike.
The quarterfinals have thrown up some mouthwatering fixtures.
Spain vs Germany, Stuttgart
Germany facing Spain would have been a worthy pairing for July 14’s showdown in Berlin. Instead, the hosts face tournament favorites in the first quarterfinal with a nation's hopes hanging on the line.
Spain
Although they sailed through group without conceding a single goal, Spain found themselves behind in the round of 16 against minnows Georgia. However, the three-time Euros winners displayed exemplary presence of mind and patience on their way to an eventual 4-1 victory. This was the self-assured game management routine of a team that knows its quality.
Lamine Yamal, who at 16 is the youngest player in the history of the competition, is at risk of infringing Germany’s youth employment laws if he features on Friday. Germany's Youth Protection Act stipulates that any child under the age of 18 cannot work after 20:00. Spain will surely be happy to pay any fines they may be handed is Yamal continues to sparkle as he has done so far.
Germany will be confident, having produced what was required of them in key moments. The hosts capitalized on some fine-margin VAR calls against Denmark in the previous round, which has added to the team's belief in their ability to overcome adversity. Having qualified for their first quarterfinal at a tournament in eight years, Germany may already reflect on a degree of success, or at least improvement. But nothing less than a ‘summer fairytale 2.0’ will suffice for this squad, and a quarterfinal exit might be said to leave them short of the mark.
Portugal vs France, Hamburg
The fixture falls on the 18th anniversary of a previous meeting of the same two teams: the semifinal of the 2006 World Cup in Munich. A 21-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo played, but the only goal was scored by the tragic hero of the tournament, Zinedine Zidane.
When a coach with too much talent at his disposal faces a ‘selection headache’, it’s sometimes said to be 'a nice problem to have'. For Roberto Martinez that might not be the case when it comes to Cristiano Ronaldo. In Portugal’s nail-biting knockout clash against Slovenia, Ronaldo often seemed to be more of a hinderance than a help. In a squad with plenty of attacking talent, they risk paying a high price for placating their aging superstar.
It is scarcely believable for a side that counts Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and Ousmane Dembele among its number, but after four matches, Les Bleus are still yet to score from open play. More competent commentators will decide on the relevance or otherwise of a bitterly divided nation back at home, after Marine Le Pen’s National Rally won the first round of the country's recent election, and the impact its having on the team.
England vs Switzerland, Düsseldorf
England came within seconds of a calamitous early exit in the Round of 16, while Switzerland have been one of the most impressive teams at the competition. The tie should only go way but knockout football is rarely that simple!
The chasm between potential and performance has been greater in England's case than any other squad. With such talent, why has their football been so hard to watch? Is it a question of Gareth Southgate’s tedious tactics, or of underperforming individuals? Does it matter? As the German saying goes: "A good horse only jumps as high as it has to." England have been able to rely on individual brilliance to see them through but their next test will be their sternest to date.
Shaqiri, who features sparingly nowadays, became only the fourth player to score at six consecutive European Championships and World Cups when he equalized for the Swiss against Scotland in the group stages. Switzerland’s momentum has been growing, they eliminated the reigning champions Italy in the previous match, and their squad is capable of moving past the quarterfinal stage.
Netherlands vs Turkey, Berlin
Netherlands' supporters have painted every German city they’ve travelled to orange, while Turkey are playing what their fans call a ‘home Euros’. It’s a meeting of two massive fanbases.
A trip to Munich for the Round of 16 was a return to hallowed ground. It was in the same city that the Netherlands celebrated their only major honor, the 1988 Euros title. While intergenerational muscle-memory might not be much to go on, the Dutch do have a few reliable weapons in their arsenal. Cody Gakpo is finding the form of his life at an opportune time. In Xavi Simons, they’ve one of the hottest young attacking talents in Europe in their ranks. Heading into their first quarterfinal in 16 years, Dutch have many reasons to feel confident.
Turkey certainly have seemed the most fun team to watch and their players seem capable creating chaos. From yellow cards, eleven Turkish players were booked in their final group game against Czechia, to an outrageous goal anything is possible. Their supporters might just set a decibel record in Berlin. While it is a first quarterfinal for the squad since 2008, the "home advantage" they enjoy might just give Turkey the edge.
Edited by: Kalika Mehta