To begin with I tipped a Portugal versus Spain final so I got one of the final participants correct. The Germans managed to claw their way through to the final playing some really bad football and not performing like some of the better teams in the tournament (Holland and Russia come to mind). However this is the way of the Germans, but in the final Spain was just too much for them.
Many pundits were calling Spain’s victory over Germany a victory for football because the way the Germans played and the way the Spanish played for the whole tournament. Previously the Spanish knocked out the Russians and before that the Italians on penalties. The win against the Italians was a win for football because the way they set up to play football. I was pretty disappointed with Italy and France in this tournament and I think both nations need to have a look at some of the other sides in the tournament and take note of how they play football.
The best game I watched was between Russia and the Dutch because both teams played fluent football. Quick passing, clever movement, one touch stuff and a real pleasure to watch but I never expected the Russians to be victorious. From the other side of the tournament Croatia disappointed against Turkey and I think had they got past Turkey they could’ve beaten Germany to get the final. However you have to give credit to Turkey for the way they kept coming back in games (Switzerland, Czech Republic, Croatia and almost Germany).
Turkey was the surprise package of the tournament and they never stopped believing which is a great trait to have. The Dutch were playing the best football to begin with but the old cliche "peaked too soon" came out of the closet and proved right in the end. Croatia and Portugal both had their moments but the two winners of the tournament have to be firstly of course Spain. But Guus Hiddink and his Russia side will have made the whole of the World take notice of them. This year's European Championships have provided a great month of June for football and definitely have been one of the better Championships of recent years.
Team of the tournament:
Iker Casillas (Spain)
Phillip Lahm (Germany)
Carlos Puyol (Spain)
Pepe (Portgual)
Sergio Ramos (Spain)
Wesley Sneijder (Holland)
Xavi (Spain)
Andrei Arshavin (Russia)
Lukas Podolski (Germany)
David Villa (Spain)
Roman Pavlyuchenko (Russia)
Manager: Guus Hiddink (Russia)
Many pundits were calling Spain’s victory over Germany a victory for football because the way the Germans played and the way the Spanish played for the whole tournament. Previously the Spanish knocked out the Russians and before that the Italians on penalties. The win against the Italians was a win for football because the way they set up to play football. I was pretty disappointed with Italy and France in this tournament and I think both nations need to have a look at some of the other sides in the tournament and take note of how they play football.
The best game I watched was between Russia and the Dutch because both teams played fluent football. Quick passing, clever movement, one touch stuff and a real pleasure to watch but I never expected the Russians to be victorious. From the other side of the tournament Croatia disappointed against Turkey and I think had they got past Turkey they could’ve beaten Germany to get the final. However you have to give credit to Turkey for the way they kept coming back in games (Switzerland, Czech Republic, Croatia and almost Germany).
Turkey was the surprise package of the tournament and they never stopped believing which is a great trait to have. The Dutch were playing the best football to begin with but the old cliche "peaked too soon" came out of the closet and proved right in the end. Croatia and Portugal both had their moments but the two winners of the tournament have to be firstly of course Spain. But Guus Hiddink and his Russia side will have made the whole of the World take notice of them. This year's European Championships have provided a great month of June for football and definitely have been one of the better Championships of recent years.
Team of the tournament:
Iker Casillas (Spain)
Phillip Lahm (Germany)
Carlos Puyol (Spain)
Pepe (Portgual)
Sergio Ramos (Spain)
Wesley Sneijder (Holland)
Xavi (Spain)
Andrei Arshavin (Russia)
Lukas Podolski (Germany)
David Villa (Spain)
Roman Pavlyuchenko (Russia)
Manager: Guus Hiddink (Russia)
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