Best story – Georgia on my thoughts
On an evening when Cristiano Ronaldo sulked, Georgia celebrated.
“This is the best day in the lives of all Georgians,” cried star man Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
They’d crushed Portugal and gone by way of to the final 16 as one in all the best third-placed groups.
It was a scene of pure ecstasy however nothing to what it was like again of their capital, Tbilisi.
Better identified for rugby than soccer, the troubled nation from the Caucasus are making their debut in a serious soccer match as outsiders amongst the outsiders.
After giving Turkey a scare of their first recreation, they battled for a degree in opposition to Czechia and now this.
Kvaratskhelia, coveted by many prime golf equipment, scored after two minutes to remind us why he’s generally known as “Kvaradona” again in Napoli.
And Georges Mikautadze slotted the clinching penalty in the second half to take an inconceivable lead in the Golden Boot race.
Portugal, who made 9 modifications, have been already by way of, however Ronaldo fired blanks once more.
And nothing ought to detract from a preventing and deserved victory by the minnows.
CR7 additionally kicked a water bottle, obtained booked and was subbed.
It was not his evening but it surely was an historic one for Georgia.
It’s the largest underdog story in the Euros since Wales reached the semi-final in 2016.
Best workforce – Spain look set to reign once more
“The best Spain workforce since 2012,” is what Spanish soccer skilled Guillem Ballague calls them.
“The best efficiency since I’ve been in cost,” is what Spain coach Luis de la Fuente mentioned of their 1-0 win over Italy.
For a little bit of perspective, Italy coach Luciano Spalletti mentioned: “Spain has performed the best soccer for the longest time now.”
They have seemed head and shoulders above anybody else in Germany to date so there’s widespread settlement.
Where England have stunk out each stadium, the Spanish maestros have lit them up.
They referred to as it a Group of Death with Italy and Croatia, however Spain have been the matadors.
They might afford to make 10 modifications for his or her ultimate recreation – and nonetheless win comfortably in opposition to Albania.
Indeed, some pundits are saying they’ve two groups who might beat most international locations in Germany.
That’s how spectacular their second stringers seemed.
They have minnows Georgia subsequent however might have all the depth they will muster after that as they’re in the harder half of the draw.
Likely quarter-final opponents are Germany earlier than both France, Belgium or Portugal in the semi.
If they get previous that lot, they need to win it.
They simply have so many gifted kids which are a pleasure to look at.
Lamine Yamal has attracted the headlines and his supervisor even urged he’d “been touched by God’s wand”.
But on the different flank Nico Williams has been virtually as divine.
Against Italy, he mentioned the dressing room rose to applaud him after the match.
One Spanish newspaper referred to as the wing pair: “Two Ferraris in opposition to Italy.” And that was earlier than the recreation.
Elsewhere, David Raya has seemed stable in aim and Jesus Navas can nonetheless ship a exact cross at the ripe previous age of 38 – from proper again.
The likes of Danny Olmo and Ferran Torres have additionally proven their wares, whereas the long-overlooked Fabian Ruiz scored one in all the objectives of the match.
Spain wish to be referred to as soccer’s prime nation as soon as once more.
Having dominated the roost successful this match twice in a row (2008 and 2012) and the 2010 World Cup in between, their best era grew previous.
A couple of disasters adopted however Real Madrid hold successful, Barcelona’s academy retains producing as do Spanish managers with 5 of the best in the EPL.
They could possibly be topped kings of Europe once more very quickly.
Best coach – Ralph Rangnick – United dud, Austria mastermind
Pity poor United followers.
No sooner did the membership settle their managerial problem by sticking with Erik ten Hag than a ghost from the previous comes again to hang-out them.
Ralph Rangnick, extensively thought-about the worst of the duds which have adopted Fergie, reinvents himself as a mastermind – of Austria.
The 65-year-old German has turned a bunch of no-hopers into desk toppers and a drive to be reckoned with.
And with a Round-of-16 tie in opposition to fellow outsiders Turkey, they may go deep into the match, being on the “straightforward” facet of the draw.
Rangnick has additionally restored his personal fame from close to laughing inventory at United the place he didn’t get a tune out of Cristiano Ronaldo & Co.
Known as the “Godfather of the Gegenpress,” when he arrived at Old Trafford, he was given ringing endorsements by his compatriots, Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.
Indeed, many felt the membership had lastly obtained the proper man when he succeeded Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
But he was initially appointed as director of soccer, not supervisor, and solely took over when the Norwegian was sacked.
He famously promised to carry out “open-heart surgical procedure” on the Red Devils, however they didn’t wake from the anaesthetic.
Two wins in 10 video games left Ronaldo distinctly unimpressed.
“Deep inside me, I by no means noticed him as the boss as a result of I noticed some factors that I by no means agreed with,” mentioned the (*5*).
But Austria’s Marcel Sabitzer, who was on mortgage at United at the time, is fulsome along with his reward right now.
The midfielder says: “It feels good to play on this workforce and I’m actually having fun with day by day with the workforce and the workers.
“We are actually very sturdy in opposition to the ball, so everybody is aware of once we lose the ball, we’ve got to change and hunt it down.”
Well, looking down the ball was one thing CR7 was by no means going to do.
Rangnick himself has been hunted by Bayern Munich however turned them down.
It could also be scant comfort to United followers, however he’s in all probability higher suited to worldwide administration – United was his thirteenth membership.
Best aim – Nicolae Stanciu, the Vladiator impales Ukraine
Long-range artillery has been a welcome characteristic to date with little to decide on between half a dozen spectacular strikes.
But based mostly on what it did for the workforce (to not point out the headline), Nicolae Stanciu’s for Romania in opposition to Ukraine will get the vote.
One of the favourites for an early exit, the Romanians have been below the cosh till skipper Stanciu picked up a free ball on the fringe of the Ukraine penalty space and whipped a howitzer into the prime nook.
Not solely did it flip the recreation, but it surely additionally turned the match for Romania, who went on to win 3-0 and prime their group.
It was their first win at a serious championship for twenty-four years and belied predictions of cagey encounters reliant on a robust defence.
The aim additionally flipped the momentum of the match and Stanciu virtually had a second from a nook that hit the bar.
But two extra objectives secured the nation’s largest ever European Championship win.
Ukraine have been effectively and really impaled.
Biggest Flop – England should take the handbrake off
They are nonetheless in the match. They have topped their group. And they’ve solely conceded one aim – from distance.
But… and there are some fairly enormous buts on the subject of the match’s erstwhile favourites.
They are unwatchable. “Too dangerous to be boring” was one British newspaper headline.
And they’re actually not favourites now – not even amongst their very own followers.
They are turgid, stilted, damaging – we are able to throw the complete thesaurus at them and it could not do justice to their bumbling inadequacies.
They can’t hold the ball. They can’t press. They can’t go ahead. They can’t cross. They can’t shoot. The first respectable workforce they meet will homicide them.
Southgate should go! When it was rumoured that the England boss is likely to be in line for the United job, a ballot of followers revealed 93% in opposition to. It could be 100% now.
The gamers can play however not with the handbrake on, legs tied collectively and minds filled with negativity.
At least that’s what it seems like.
The views expressed are these of the author and don’t essentially mirror these of eNM.
