Europe 2024: Lackluster Efficiency of Huge Stars at Group Stage

The 2024 European Soccer Cup supplied thrilling matches and noticed spectacular crowd attendance throughout host Germany on the group stage, regardless of the shortage of brilliance of the previous continent’s greatest gamers within the first three rounds.

Between accidents, poor performances and unhealthy luck, the celebs of many well-known figures on the earth of European soccer with their nationwide groups have waned.

Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who’s taking part in a file sixth European Cup, has but to search out his method regardless of beginning each sport. If he scores, he would be the oldest participant to attain within the competitors at 39 years of age.

Mbappe scored only one penalty aim (AP)

Kylian Mbappé, broadly considered the very best participant on the earth in the meanwhile, conceded only one aim from a penalty in France’s disappointing 1-1 draw with Poland, which led to the “Roosters” relinquishing their lead within the Group. 4.

He wasted a golden alternative in opposition to Austria within the first spherical, then missed the second attributable to a damaged nostril, earlier than returning within the third with a protecting masks.

Coach Didier Deschamps stated: “He’s hungry to play and the match in opposition to Poland helped him,” hoping the striker will add to his scoring file after they face Belgium within the final 16 lastly.

Lewandowski and his nation bid farewell to the competitors after dropping to Austria within the second spherical (Reuters)

Then, Polish striker Robert Lewandowski missed the primary sport, which resulted in a defeat in opposition to the Netherlands, attributable to a thigh harm.

Barcelona’s Spanish striker, ​​​​​​and his nation, bows out of the competitors after dropping to Austria within the second spherical, the place he was ineffective after approaching from the bench , whereas scoring from a penalty kick within the draw with France.

Kane and Bellingham’s efficiency was less than par with Bayern and Actual Madrid (AFP)

On the English aspect, each Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham scored from open play in opposition to Denmark and Serbia respectively, however their stage was less than the extent they’re exhibiting with Germany’s Bayern Munich and Actual Madrid from Spain this season.

England coach Gareth Southgate changed striker Kane within the tense 1-1 draw with Denmark within the second spherical, however the efficiency in opposition to Slovenia within the goalless draw was much less spectacular.

The coach defended his participant, saying, “Not each participant shines in each sport.

As for Frenchman Antoine Griezmann and Englishman Phil Foden, they have been additionally absent from the listing of marksmen regardless of attaining nice heights with their respective golf equipment, Atletico Madrid in Spain and Manchester Metropolis in England .

Having missed some probabilities in opposition to Holland within the goalless draw, coach Deschamps benched his participant Griezmann in opposition to Poland after which introduced him on within the 61st minute.

One other nice striker whose identify just isn’t listed among the many scorers is the Belgian Romelu Lukaku, the all-time main scorer for his nation’s nationwide staff. But it surely can’t be denied that he tried to attain, because the video assistant referee denied him three targets.

Croatia veteran Luka Modric, 38 years previous and one of the distinguished stars of his nation’s nationwide staff, bids farewell to the match regardless of scoring one aim in opposition to the Italy after lacking a penalty kick within the third spherical and affected by his teammates within the first two rounds.

Griezmann missed the scoring attributable to missed probabilities (Reuters)

Return targets are strongly current: It was famous that 7 personal targets have been scored within the group stage, representing 26 p.c of the 27 personal targets scored within the historical past of the continental competitors.

The German Antonio Rudiger (within the Scotland sport), the Austrian Maximilian Fauber (within the France sport), the Czech Ruben Hranac (within the Portugal sport), the Albanian Klaus Ghiasola (within the Croatia sport), the Italian Ricardo Calafiore (within the Spain sport), and the Turkish Samit all go to Akaidin (within the sport in opposition to Portugal), and the Dutch Donnel Malen (within the sport with Austria).

However, the match noticed some gamers all of a sudden shine for some motive.

Midfielder N’Golo Kante proved his weight within the French nationwide staff regardless of a transfer to play within the Saudi League a few 12 months in the past, whereas younger German Jamal Musiala was higher than his former gamers reminiscent of Toni Kroos, Ilkay Gundogan and Kai Havertz.

Like Musiala, Niklas Volkrug scored two targets for Germany, as did Slovakian Ivan Sakharans, Dutchman Cody Khakbo, and Romanian Razvan Marin.

The largest shock was that Georgian George Mikotadze topped the scorers’ rankings with three targets in a historic look for his nation’s nationwide staff, although two of the targets got here from two penalty kicks.

Spain certified for the semi-finals and took an early lead after the second spherical, however Fabian Royce and Mark Cucurella weren’t anticipated to be essentially the most distinguished within the staff’s ranks.

With fifteen video games remaining earlier than one of many different 16 groups is topped champion in Berlin on July 14, followers are ready for the celebs to hitch the celebration.