Copa America/Euros: 4 Key Things We’ve Learnt So Far
After the European club competitions ended in May, football fandom turned its attention toward continental national team football. Unlike the off-season of last year, this year’s off-season is packed with a lot of promising action from Copa America and the Euros as fans longingly look forward to it.
Those into football betting have had a lot of options to bet on in the two tournaments. However, with both competitions approaching their climax, several key football nuances have been revealed, and we’re here to analyze these revelations. Let’s dig in.
Gareth Southgate and His Team Deserves More Accolades
Ever since Gareth Southgate took over as England manager in 2016, he has been under a lot of scrutiny from the English media. However, his reign so far may not be as bad as the press may have you believe.
So far into his tenure, Southgate’s squad has now made it to two consecutive European championship finals. In the 2022 World Cup, they lost to the defending champions France, who eventually made it to the final.
While England’s performance still leaves a lot to be desired, they’ve always managed to get the job done and find themselves in back-to-back finals. On Sunday, they’ll have a go against Spain for a chance to win their first-ever Euros.
Even the so-called golden generation of Gerrards, Rooneys, Lampards, Ashly Coles, etc have only managed to get to the quarter-finals in 2004 and 2012. They didn’t even qualify for the championship in 2008.
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It is also worth noting that since Southgate took over, he has managed the most wins in major tournaments (14) among any England manager in their national team history. Of course, the jury will still be out on this England team and Southgate, but the truth remains that a triumph over Spain will make them legends in the eyes of every young and old English fan.
This Could be the Last Appearance in Major Tournaments for the Two GOATs
Ronaldo and Messi have blazed the trail of world football for the better part of two decades.
Most football fans can be identified as either Messi or Ronaldo stans and the debate of who is better between the two has dominated football discussion for decades now.
Having shared over 5 World Cup appearances, 6 continental tournaments apiece, 3 Olympics, and close to 300 national team goals between the two, we may well be seeing the last of Messi and Ronaldo representing their national teams in major tournaments.
Meanwhile, Messi is enjoying a good life with Argentina at the moment, having booked another Copa America Final showdown with Colombia. He has even ruled out the possibility of retiring soon in a post-match interview at the Metlife stadium after the Semi-final win against Canada.
However, one thing is sure: It is dusk for both players in national teams and indeed, in World football. It is now a matter of when in the very near future will these GOATs hang their boots for good.
For what it’s worth, it has been a joy-ride for both players as they can beat their chest and say they’ve won trophies for their respective countries.
The Brazilian Team is Underwhelming
Brazil had a tournament to forget in this year’s Copa America. They only managed to win one game throughout the tournament against Paraguay while drawing both two group stage games against Costa Rica and Colombia. For a team as big as Brazil, that was unacceptable.
This prompted legend Ronaldinho to brand the Brazilian squad as “one of the worst teams in recent years” in one of his social media posts. This assertion by Ronaldinho was further accentuated as Brazil crashed out of the tournament on penalties at the hands of Uruguay.
As one of the biggest footballing nations, Brazil also boasts of top talents like Vinícius, Rodrygo, Raphinha, and the likes. However, Brazil’s performances have not replicated their huge cluster of talents, making them toothless and underwhelming.
Spain’s Football Dominance Might be Back
In the four years between 2008 and 2012, Spain produced one of the world’s most stellar performances of recent times, having won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and back-to-back European Championship wins in 2008 and 2012. They also won FIFA Team of the Year in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.
After that, Spain fell off, exiting the 2014 World Cup in the group stage and falling constantly short of replicating the dominance they previously enjoyed. However, recent performances are showing signs that they’re gradually coming back to their glory days.
They’ve now won the 2022/23 edition of the Nations Leagues. Currently, they’ve blown teams away to secure a final with England in 2024 Euros. Spain is also marked as a favorite on the B-Sports betting site to win the Euros. Overall, with a rich mix of talented youths and experience, their football dominance may be coming back.
Final Thoughts
The continental championships in America and Europe have served fans with the needed entertainment and lots of talking points in the off-season. The tournaments have also gauged top teams’ performances and strengths. As we patiently wait for who will be crowned champions on both ends of the continent, we can all agree that it has been an engaging ride.
Read more: Bathed by Lionel Messi as a baby: Meet Lamine Yamal, Spain’s wonderkid at 2024 EURO
