# Euro 2020 (in 2021) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-soccer-fifa\ **Created:** [June 7, 2021, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756 "2021-06-07T11:00:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/222 "2021-07-03T16:33:20Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Maybe, but I think the vast majority of fans hate it. It’s just embarrassing and gives our beloved sport a bad name. Here in the USA, every time there’s a big match, every meathead bartender talks about nothing but flopping. It needs to go and it needs to go now. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/223 "2021-07-03T16:43:47Z")
Wow, what a beautiful cross before Denmark’s 2-0! ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/224 "2021-07-03T16:45:59Z")
That was very special ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/225 "2021-07-03T19:42:33Z")
Could it be that the most boring English team ever will bumble through to a final for a change? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/226 "2021-07-03T19:47:53Z")
Sigh, the Czechs Czeched out…sad. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/227 "2021-07-03T19:49:15Z")
But it’s a great story that Denmark made it to the semi-finals after that shock in the first match. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/228 "2021-07-03T20:21:24Z")
3-0 England… ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/229 "2021-07-03T20:26:24Z")
4-0 a bit later. Half an hour still to play an Ukraine is going under badly. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/230 "2021-07-03T20:34:34Z")
England should immediately bench the important guys like Kane, keep them rested for the Danes. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/231 "2021-07-03T21:24:18Z")
That was a very convincing performance from England, start to finish. They seem to be improving with each game. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/232 "2021-07-03T21:37:44Z")
Being boring is a good thing in tournaments. England have the quality in attack that will make opponents worry and it only needs a short spell within the game to bury your opponents. England won 4-0 but it was not a super performance. It was a controlled performance where the early goal eases nerves and forces the opponent to rethink their gameplan. And the short spell early in the second half lets them play the last 30 minutes on auto-pilot. The England team of the 2000s had way better individuals on paper. But they never reached a semi final and even failed to qualify for Euro 2008. I remember watching them in Euro 2004 play some exciting matches but they were messy in defence and possession was mixed. They couldn’t control games whereas this England team do. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/233 "2021-07-03T21:40:54Z")
That’s what I’ve wondered - stars like Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard and England never came even close in the past to where they are now. Perhaps addition by subtraction; get the egos out. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/234 "2021-07-03T21:45:34Z")
In the past, England would shoehorn all the big names in, play really well, and go out gloriously in a tight game against a more well-organised team like Germany or Portugal. This England team are professional, well-organised and could be peaking at the right time. But Denmark are very very good - I think we have two very tasty semi-finals to look forward to. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2021, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/235 "2021-07-03T23:12:06Z")
Harry Kane is their captain and best player now and he was not considered a big talent at the start of his career. Maguire, Pickford, Philips, Trippier and a few others played hundreds of games in the lower divisions too so I think there is definitely more humbleness in this England squad than the team of the 2000s which was full of players earmarked for stardom at a young age. Euro 2004 was the tournament won by Greece which shows how far team spirit and fighting for each other goes. I don’t believe most ardent fans of the sport can name any member of the Greek team. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2021, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/236 "2021-07-04T05:14:50Z")
Well, Gerrard and Lampard played the same position and never really fit. Scholes too. A club team would have traded one away to shore up other areas. Kane is a better forward than Wayne Rooney or Michael Owen, even though I think Rooney was great. Perhaps better defense on those teams. I don’t think one roster is head and shoulders above the other. ---
**Author:** ![merrick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@merrick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merrick)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2021, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/237 "2021-07-04T09:39:02Z")
You must have been watching a different England team to me. I remember them mostly flooding the field with star names, having them play like they’d never met each other before and limping through tournaments looking for halfway decent opposition to put them out of their misery. They also had a maddening habit of starting big games well, then fading completely. The quality of play in the Premiership has improved over the last 10-20 years and that’s reflected in the general skill levels of the players. You don’t see articles “explaining” that French/Spanish/Portuguese/whoever-we’re-playing-this-time players are inherently more skilled than English ones any more. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2021, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/238 "2021-07-04T09:51:09Z")
I think English technical skills have indeed caught up with their continental competition, at least to the point where they can close the remaining gap by virtue of their athleticism. That’s a pretty quick squad they can put out on the pitch. I could still see Italy winning it, though. They also have skilled burners on the flanks and seem to be playing with a mission. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2021, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/239 "2021-07-04T12:03:25Z")
Spinazzola’s Achilles tear was confirmed. I feel awful for the guy, who was turning many heads in this tournament. Having torn both my Achilles, I know it will be a long road back for him. And unfortunately, no way to get back to 100%. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2021, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/240 "2021-07-04T14:40:16Z")
> [@merrick](#): > > You must have been watching a different England team to me. I remember them mostly flooding the field with star names, having them play like they’d never met each other before and limping through tournaments looking for halfway decent opposition to put them out of their misery. I thought that’s what I was saying. The big change for England is that in 2012 the FA replaced Lilleshall, a mediocre training facility for young English prospects, with St George’s Park which was in line with the best training facilities in the world. At the same time they concentrated on using the England youth teams as a production line for the senior team - obviously they were doing that before but there was a definite improvement in the effort. You can see for instance a player like Bakayo Saka who has played at every youth level for England was able to immediately look comfortable in senior international football. Even if England don’t make it any further in this tournament it’s clear the changes have had a very positive effect. Two semi-finals in successive major tournaments is amazing for an England side who before this tournament have had a wretched Euros record. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2021, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756/241 "2021-07-06T19:04:49Z")
Been meaning to ask this question for a while but Italy reminded me; have soccer players from some countries always sang their national anthems with such aggression? I first noticed this with Brazilian players, especially after the furor of the music being cut short at another tournament. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/euro-2020-in-2021/943756.md?page=13)