Historic match-ups, ultimate debuts and heavyweight competitions: UEFA EURO 2020 guarantees a whole lot of pleasure even earlier than the knockout stage begins.
We choose seven dates to be circulated in crimson in every soccer fan’s diary.
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Antonio Conte scored towards Turkey at Euro 2000 | Claudio Villa / Getty Pictures
Turkey meets one in all the 11 hosts within the opening match of the ultimate match, precisely 21 years after the nations’ solely earlier main match, when Italy beat Turkey 2-1 on the second day of UEFA EURO 2000 in Arnhem (though either side got here by means of their group) .
Two statistics could apply to Turkey: they’ve not but overwhelmed Italy in ten earlier conferences and have additionally misplaced all 4 of their EURO opening video games (together with the 2000 cope with the Azzurri). Will the unhealthy driving finish in Rome?
Denmark has not performed Finland since 2011 | Soccrates Pictures / Getty Pictures
After 110 years and greater than 750 worldwide matches, Finland is lastly debuting in a serious males’s match towards very well-known opposition and can face Denmark for the sixtieth time.
Solely two of those adjusters have are available in the UEFA competitors, a pair with 1-0 victories for Denmark in the course of the European Championship qualifiers, however underneath the previous schoolteacher Markku Kanerva, Finland can outsmart even the most important opponents. Crucially, they managed six clear sheets within the qualifiers, the identical quantity that Greece despatched on their solution to EURO 2004.
Finnish ladies are common Europeans, and maybe they will present some encouragement on the a part of males; they made their ultimate debut at UEFA Ladies’s EURO 2005 and beat Denmark 2-1 to make it out of their group.
Goran Pandev remains to be going sturdy Alex Grimm / Getty Pictures
Northern Macedonia have been named of their qualifying group by Austria earlier than overtaking Kosovo and Georgia within the playoffs to earn their first ever look in a ultimate match – and this rematch. Austria beat Northern Macedonia at residence and away, their 2-1 victory in Vienna on November 16, 2019, with objectives from David Alaba and Stefan Lainer, which made the qualifiers.
However the background could be very totally different as a result of they meet in Bucharest. Northern Macedonia’s star title, captain, all-time high scorer and most silly participant Goran Pandev scored the objective that took his aspect to the ultimate: does the 37-year-old have one other landmark or two objectives in him?
An iconic second within the euro | Stu Forster / Getty Pictures
The final time England hosted EURO in 1996, their second match was their first in a serious match towards Scotland. That Wembley assembly was a basic, Alan Shearer struck early within the second half earlier than Gary McAllister received a penalty saved and laid the groundwork for Paul Gascoigne’s memorable clincher.
That is Scotland’s first EURO ultimate since then, with their newest FIFA World Cup ultimate simply two years later. Of their one hundred and fifteenth assembly with Auld Enemy, they will probably be hoping for a well-known win to assist them get previous a serious match group sport for the primary time in 11 makes an attempt. The Scots produced a touching rendition of Baccara’s Sure Sir, I Can Boogie after profitable their playoff ultimate; will they be within the temper for a tune after this?
Lewandowski is the perfect striker on this planet PressFocus / MB Media / Getty Pictures
Robert Lewandowski is aware of all concerning the burden of expectation for fellow hosts Spain: In 2012, he buried the opening objective of the match for Poland at residence in Warsaw. Now that he’s coming into his third EURO, Lewandowski is dealing with sky-high expectations of his personal, and he hopes to have the option to switch a part of his star type towards Liga groups within the UEFA Champions League to this assembly.
He is not going to have joyful recollections of his solely earlier run with La Roja, a 6-0 pleasant loss to Murcia in June 2010, simply earlier than Spain went to South Africa to win the World Cup.
Surprisingly, these two nations have solely met twice earlier than competitively – earlier than the inaugural EURO ultimate. The competitors on the age of 16 in 1959 defeated Spain 4-2 away and 3-0 in Madrid, Alfredo Di Stéfano scored three objectives over the 2 matches. Who will go away their mark on this assembly?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe embrace the worldwide service FRANCK FIFE / Getty Pictures
In a sort of worldwide model of the UEFA Tremendous Cup, the EURO holders face the reigning world champions. This is just the second time the EURO champions have met the World Cup holders as a part of their title protection, the Netherlands have set a precedent once they defeated the international champions Germany of their newest group sport in 1992.
Portugal had misplaced ten straight video games towards France earlier than turning the desk with the 1-0 extra time win towards the hosts within the EURO 2016 ultimate, the most recent of their many epic conferences on this competitors. Since then, France have lifted their second World Cup and in addition eliminated Portugal within the UEFA Nations League, 0-0 at residence and 1-0 victory in Lisbon and took Les Bleus to the ultimate. Who’s popping out on high this time?
Joachim Low’s Germany has not gained the euro since 1996 Alex Grimm / Getty Pictures
There is no such thing as a hiding place in Group F, and after welcoming Portugal and France to Budapest, Hungary then travels to satisfy its co-hosts. Their mission: to once more navigate the knockout scene, after ending a 44-year absence from the EURO ultimate by reaching the 16-year-old in 2016, once they topped a bit with eventual winners Portugal.
Hungary completed 2020 in positive type and provoked a dramatic late comeback to beat Iceland of their play-off ultimate and win promotion to the UEFA Nations League elite by topping their group forward of Turkey, Russia and Serbia.
This may solely be their third competitors assembly with Germany, however the earlier challenges have been each show-stoppers. The Mighty Magyars defeated West Germany 8-3 within the 1954 World Cup group stage, just for Sepp Herberger’s aspect to show the desk within the ultimate and win 3-2 in Bern regardless of falling two after eight minutes.
