Euro 2020
Three Premier League stars nominated for UEFA Men’s POTY
The three-man shortlist for the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award has been revealed. The award is given to the player who performed the best in UEFA competitions over the last year. This includes the Champions League, Europa League, European Championships and the Nations League. There wasn’t any room on the shortlist for Ballon d’Or frontrunners Lionel Messi or Robert Lewandowski, nor for Euro 2020 Player of the Tournament winner Gianluigi Donnarumma. Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo were also among the big names to miss out on the top three. Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City & Belgium He’s already scooped one huge individual prize with the PFA Player of the Year award, and now he’s back for another. De Bruyne was one of the stars of the Champions League knockout stages. He netted...
Arsenal and Manchester stars deserve better, abuse must be stopped
And breathe. The European Championships ended in style on Sunday, with Italy lifting the trophy after an epic battle with England. Our pre-tournament 11/1 selection got the job done, but the payout has failed to soften the blow of seeing the Three Lions defeated. In our final Euro 2020 Diary, we look at three talking points from around the final, starting with some inevitable brainless behaviour by England ‘fans’. Boneheads shame England England’s hopes of beating Italy were cruelly ended as Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all missed in the penalty shoot-out. All three players were racially abused on social media afterwards, and a mural celebrating Rashford in Manchester was vandalised. What is wrong with people? .@TobyTarrant addresses the racial abuse England players suffer...
Messi miles ahead of Bayern and Chelsea stars in Ballon D’Or race
The 2020/21 season has officially come to a close, and it’s around this time when we start to speculate about our award winners. The Ballon d’Or is the most high profile individual award in the game, recognising the world’s best player from the past 12 months. With the season over, we’re now looking at our potential winners. Two months ago, we compiled a list of the leading candidates for the prize. Since then, we’ve had a Champions League final and a summer of international football. Some of the list has aged well. Other parts….not so much (whose idea was it to give Antoine Griezmann an honourable mention?). Anyway, two months on, and we now have a clearer picture of who our 2021 Ballon d’Or winner could be. Lionel Messi The Copa America has tipped the balance in Messi’s favour As things ...
Euro 2020: Team of the Tournament
After a month of goals, late drama, penalty shoot-outs, controversy and everything else that makes football so wonderful, Euro 2020 has finally come to an end. Congratulations to Italy, who defeated England on penalties in the final on Sunday. All things considered, it was the correct result. Over the last few weeks, they’ve been the best side of the 24. Following all that excitement, here is our pick for the Team of the Tournament. Gianluigi Donnarumma (GK) – It feels like Donnarumma has been around for a while now, but he is still just 22-years-old. He’s already one of the best goalkeepers in the world and could go down as one of the greatest of all time if he continues on his current trajectory. Donnarumma was crucial in two penalty shootout victories He was given the Player of the...
Tactical Analysis: How England nearly caught Italy off guard in the Euro 2020 final
This was it. A month, 50 games, and 140 goals after the curtain-raiser in Rome between Turkey and Italy, this was the ultimate stage of the Euros – the final. Coincidentally, Italy represented one half of the story. while hosts England were the other. Just as he had done against Germany, Gareth Southgate went for a back-three system, although the difference here was that he was not mirroring his opposition, but instead working against a 4-3-3. That decision took less than two minutes to make a lasting impact on the match, as England scored the fastest-ever goal at a Euro final. After an intense battle, Italy found an equaliser in the second half to take the game beyond the normally allocated 90 minutes. There were no goals in extra time either, so penalties were needed to decide the winner...
Leeds United star issued with important message ahead of England game
There are just under six hours to go before England and Italy face a date with destiny in the European Championship final at Wembley Stadium. England have the chance to end a 55-year wait to win a major tournament, while Italy will be eager to demonstrate why they were criminally overlooked by the bookmakers before a ball was kicked. Having tipped Italy at 11/1 to win Euro 2020 we can’t really lose this evening, although an England victory is obviously what we want. Mum says ‘play your best’ It is fair to say that most football fans don’t give a moment’s thought to the people associated with the players who pull on their team’s jersey. However, it’s worth remembering that each player is surrounded by a network of family and friends who are even more invested in proceedings. 🏴...
Manchester United, Chelsea jostle for £25 million Euro 2020 star
Manchester United and Chelsea have expressed interest in signing Denmark defender Joachim Andersen following his impressive performances at Euro 2020. Lyon centre-back Andersen, 25, featured in all three of Denmark’s knockout matches at the Euros, as Kasper Hjulmand’s side beat Wales and the Czech Republic before suffering a semi-final defeat to England. Having spent the 2019-20 season on loan at Fulham – and impressing for Scott Parker’s side despite the Cottagers’ relegation – Andersen is known to Premier League clubs. Despite returning to Lyon this summer, Andersen is expected to sign a permanent deal at an English club before next season, with a number of sides interested in securing his signature. The Sun say both Manchester United and Chelsea have identified the £25m star as a cheape...
Report: Leeds want to sign £25 million winger after EURO 2020 heroics
Leeds are keen to sign Sampdoria ace Mikkel Damsgaard after his fine performances for Denmark at Euro 2020 this summer, according to a report from Tuttosport. Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa seems to be on a mission to get Leeds back to the top echelons of the game. Junior Firpo has already arrived from Barcelona while links with Nahitan Nandez (Corriere dello Sport) and Matheus Cunha (Leeds Live) continue to circulate. And it seems as though another name is now on the Whites’ radar. Mikkel Damsgaard is allegedly a transfer target for Leeds United Mikkel Damsgaard a transfer target for Leeds Tuttosport claims that the Yorkshire outfit could challenge Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur for the talented 21-year-old this summer. And what a coup it would be for Bielsa if he manages to bring the...
Gary Lineker urges Three Lions to ‘treasure’ Euro 2020 final
Gary Lineker has urged the England players to “treasure and enjoy” Sunday’s Euro 2020 final against Italy – but believes it is just the beginning and success will soon come even if they are beaten at Wembley. Gareth Southgate’s side are preparing for their first major tournament final in 55 years, something not even Lineker achieved during his time as a Three Lions player. The former Tottenham, Everton and Barcelona forward also praised the players for the showing a “shining social conscience” off the field which represents the “very best” of England. In an open letter to the England team in the Players’ Tribune, Lineker said: “I wish I was playing with you. This is the sort of occasion you dream about as a player. And honestly, it’s much less nerve-racking out on the pitch than in the sta...
Chelsea star doubles down, former United player wades into debate
Much like waiting for birthdays to come when we were children, the next two days will drag, won’t they? The 2020 European Championships have been excellent, and hopefully the final between Italy and England will be a fitting climax to a wonderful month. We’ve just a handful (if you’re missing a thumb) of the Euro 2020 Diary left to write, so let’s get stuck into the latest one. Mount doubles down The starstruck youngster who cried tears of joy after Mason Mount gave her his England shirt has been in big demand with the media today. Belle McNally appeared with her dad on the ‘This Morning’ show and was once again left blubbing after receiving a video message from the Chelsea star. 10-year-old Belle’s dreams came true this week when midfielder @masonmount_10 spotted her in the crowd after th...
Italy vs England – Euro 2020 Final Preview, H2H, Team News, Players to Watch & Predicted Line-ups
Euro 2020 boils down to a titanic showdown between continental supreme forces as Italy tackle England in the final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. The Italians have laid their eyes on their first continental glory since wrapping up the Euro 1968 trophy, having since lost two finals in 2000 and 2012. Aiming to win their first-ever European Championship crown, England are the favourites as they play at the ancestral home of their nation’s football. Note: You can watch all Euro 2020 games via live streaming. Who are the key players? Italy Napoli winger Lorenzo Insigne did not only score a stunner to nudge Italy past Belgium in a keenly-contested quarter-final showdown, but he also notched a late equaliser in the last H2H meeting at Wembley. In addition to the 30-year-old, the Italians will...
Euro 2020 Golden Boot: Cristiano Ronaldo or Harry Kane?
Just one game remains of Euro 2020, with England facing Italy at Wembley Stadium on Sunday to determine the European champions. Of course, all the focus will be on the full-time result. But one subplot to the game involves England captain Harry Kane, who has the opportunity to win his second Golden Boot of the year. Ronaldo currently leads the Golden Boot race with five goals and one assist As it stands, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo leads the way in the Euro 2020 goal charts with five. He is level with Czech Republic’s Patrik Schick, and one ahead of Kane, Emil Forsberg, Karim Benzema and Romelu Lukaku on four. If two players are tied for goals, the player with the most assists out of the two is awarded the prize. As Ronaldo has one assist, he is placed ahead of Schick, who has none. If th...
