Nice, France: When UEFA decided eight years ago to
expand the European Championship from 16 to 24 teams, its then president
Michel Platini promised the standard of the tournament would not drop.
"I'm
sure that it will not change the technical level," the Frenchman said.
"In addition to the 16 qualifiers, there are eight other teams just as
good."
Go To Euro Official Tv Web CLICK HERE
Two-thirds of the way through the group stage, European
soccer's governing body may feel they have grounds to claim that, on the
face of it, Platini was right.
At,
Euro 2016, Iceland have held Portugal and Hungary, Albania took France
to within minutes of a 0-0 draw, Northern Ireland beat Ukraine and
nobody has made fools of themselves. As the old cliche goes, there are
no weak teams in football anymore.
But Platini’s argument somewhat misses the point, and could be used to justify an even bigger tournament.
UEFA
has 55 members with France, Spain and Germany widely regarded as a cut
above the rest, followed by three or four others such as Italy, England
and Belgium. Below them are about 30 teams all of a fairly similar
standard.
Teams such as Denmark, Netherlands and Greece
-- all former winners -- Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Israel, Cyprus,
Belarus, Scotland, Finland, Montenegro and Norway failed to make France
but would also no doubt have been able to hold their own if they had
qualified.
With so many teams of a similar standard, the question
is where to draw the line and many critics still feel 16 was the ideal
place.
The development of the sport and training methods means
that almost any country with a well-structured federation can put on a
respectable showing at international level.
Albania have made
progress by scouting Europe for players with roots in the country and
signing them up while Iceland have improved thanks to an ambitious
development programme which has involved investment in coaches and
building indoor pitches to face the harsh winter.
UEFA's problem is that when middle-ranking teams face top sides, they tend to pack their defence and use spoiling tactics.
"There
are teams playing ultra-defensively. But they do that well. The smaller
nations like Albania or Wales are defensively very well schooled. They
see their chance in that," said Germany coach Joachim Loew.
Unsportsmanlike Behaviour
Portugal
manager Fernando Santos said Iceland's players spent the whole of their
match provoking Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, and that the team's bench
joined in.
“It was unsportsmanlike behaviour,” he said, adding
that after Iceland scored their goal they “put their 10 players in the
last third of the field."
On the other hand, when middle-ranking teams face each other, the approach can resemble a decent English Championship match.
A
bigger tournament has meant increasing the number of ordinary,
undistinguished matches to the point where they almost seem to merge
into each other.
Sweden contrived to go through their first two
matches without mustering a shot on target, their only score being
provided by Ireland defender Ciaran Clark's own goal.
Poland also
failed to force Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to make a save in their
goalless draw, Hungary dominated possession against Iceland but barely
managed a shot and even France had to wait until the 90th minute against
Albania before mustering an on-target effort, which happened to be a
goal.
UEFA's competitions director Martin Kallen said his organisation was happy with the early matches, however.
"There's
more excitement, new access to fans for these countries so football
gets more popular there, which is what we were hoping for,” he said.
"It's
the pinnacle of football every four years and if these sort of teams
qualify as well, it will have an influence on the children to play
football."
But another disadvantage is that, with the 24-team
format, the top two teams in each of the six groups go through plus the
four best third-placed sides.
Not only does this mean teams can
quite possibly qualify by drawing three games, it also makes the last
group games an exercise in mathematics as much as football.
"The 16 teams was ideal. It made for great matches from day one,” said Loew.
"Teams
with one point from two matches still have a chance for the round of
16. That is not very fair but it is what it is. So we just have to
accept it and use the time we have to prepare for any opponent."
LIVE SOCCER 2016
Sunday 10 July 2016
France vs Portugal Euro 2016 final live : latest updates
Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of the
Euro 2016 final in Paris as France and Portugal strive to secure
immortality in front of a television audience of millions. Watch Now Live.
After a month of
action, the destiny of Euro 2016 has come down to the host country,
aiming to restore pride and unity to the national team, and the great
nearly men of European soccer this century. France, after a decade of
controversy and underperformance in major tournaments, will take on
Portugal, on the losing end of one final and three semifinals at major
tournaments since 2000, in the final of Euro 2016 at the Stade de
France.
The pre-tournament favorites, France is now just one step away from matching the achievements of its 1984 and 1998 vintages in landing a title on home soil. And in Didier Deschamps, the current squad has a coach who was captain when France won the World Cup in 1998 and followed it up by winning the European Championship two years later.
That was the last time France tasted glory, but after a difficult few years a hugely talented generation is showing signs of the unity required to deliver on the big stage once again. The team has been spearheaded, though, by a man who was largely discarded by the French system, written off as being too small, only to make his emergence in Spain.
Antoine Griezmann has six goals in the tournament, the most by any man at a European Championship since Michel Platini struck a remarkable nine to fire France to glory in 1984. And five of those goals from the Atletico Madrid forward have come in the knockout phase, including two to see off world champion Germany in a pulsating semifinal.
Thrills have been few and far between for Portugal on its route through too a surprise appearance in the final. After sneaking through the group phase in third place, coach Fernando Santos has put the focus on defensive organization, while hoping for a moment or two of inspiration from talisman Cristiano Ronaldo.
So far it has proved good enough. In a drab semifinal against Wales, Ronaldo scored from a majestic header before setting up a second goal for Nani. The 31-year-old is now level with Platini on nine goals as the all-time leading scorer in the competition. And 12 years after a defeat to Greece in the final of Euro 2004 on home soil, the Real Madrid star has another chance to add some long-awaited silverware with his country to the litany of honors he has won at club level.
Check back here from 3 p.m. EDT for video highlights and live score updates from the Euro 2016 final.
The pre-tournament favorites, France is now just one step away from matching the achievements of its 1984 and 1998 vintages in landing a title on home soil. And in Didier Deschamps, the current squad has a coach who was captain when France won the World Cup in 1998 and followed it up by winning the European Championship two years later.
That was the last time France tasted glory, but after a difficult few years a hugely talented generation is showing signs of the unity required to deliver on the big stage once again. The team has been spearheaded, though, by a man who was largely discarded by the French system, written off as being too small, only to make his emergence in Spain.
Antoine Griezmann has six goals in the tournament, the most by any man at a European Championship since Michel Platini struck a remarkable nine to fire France to glory in 1984. And five of those goals from the Atletico Madrid forward have come in the knockout phase, including two to see off world champion Germany in a pulsating semifinal.
Thrills have been few and far between for Portugal on its route through too a surprise appearance in the final. After sneaking through the group phase in third place, coach Fernando Santos has put the focus on defensive organization, while hoping for a moment or two of inspiration from talisman Cristiano Ronaldo.
So far it has proved good enough. In a drab semifinal against Wales, Ronaldo scored from a majestic header before setting up a second goal for Nani. The 31-year-old is now level with Platini on nine goals as the all-time leading scorer in the competition. And 12 years after a defeat to Greece in the final of Euro 2004 on home soil, the Real Madrid star has another chance to add some long-awaited silverware with his country to the litany of honors he has won at club level.
Check back here from 3 p.m. EDT for video highlights and live score updates from the Euro 2016 final.
Portugal vs France, Euro 2016 Final
Portugal vs France, Euro 2016 Final: When and where to watch PORTUGAL vs FRANCE LIVE
Live streaming and video of the Euro 2016 final between hosts France and Portugal. Click Here
The fate of Sunday’s Euro 2016 final between France and Portugal weighs largely on two men with jersey number seven. One who is already at the top of the game and the other finding his way there.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who was a member of 2004 squad, hopes to lift his first major trophy with Portugal.
France’s Antoine Griezmann has bounced back from that disappointment, scoring six goals, a feat no player had achieved since his countryman Michel Platini hit a record nine at the 1984 finals.
You can catch the match live at http://bit.ly/1Tt3rLQ and tune on to the Network for live broadcast.
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