This competition never fails to deliver
There is something about a major tournament that just never fails to disappoint. Whether it’s playing for your nation or the excitement of the thrill of tournament football, the Euros always just feels extra special.
The Euros 2024 has been no different with a group stage to remember jam-packed with long range screamers, shock wins and last minute goals.
With Wednesday bringing the end to the Euro 2024 group stage, for the sake of posterity, it’s time for the definitive ranking of the top 10 best Euro 2024 group stage moments.
10. Lamine Yamal the youngest ever
Wayne Rooney might have been the original Euros wonder kid with his incredible performances in Euro 2004, but Lamine Yamal has equally impressed for Spain at just 16-years old.
The Spanish attacker showed the world why he is one of the most highly regarded talents in the world in Spain’s first match when he laid on a quality assist for veteran Dani Carvajal to help lead his country to a 3-0 win.
According to German law, he’s not even allowed to play after 11pm because playing for his national team is considered working!
9. Our cultural icon is better than yours
Less of a moment and more of a running theme throughout the competition, most have compared the famous foods of Euroepan nations.
The signs have ranged from one of the earliest “Fondue better than Goulash” to “Kielbasa better than Gouda.”
The Swiss have really taken ownership of the light hearted one-upping as they brandished a “Alps better than Loch Ness” sign at the Switzerland vs Scotland match.
8. The group of “nobody really wants to go through”
On paper group E was meant to be fairly simple, Belgium top the group and the rest fight for the scraps.
However, football is played on grass and that is definitely not what played out.
Belgium, who have constantly failed to live up to their billing, struggled in their first two matches, leaving the entire group on three points each after the second round of matches.
Only a fool would have bet that the order would be exactly the same after the last game of the group…and that is exactly how it ended.
All four teams in group E finished on four goals a piece, in a group of agonising anticipation, where ultimately Romania topped the group.
Their reward, a round of 16 tie against the Netherlands… How’s that for unlucky?
7. Phantom of the Signal Iduna Park
French super star Kylian Mbappé broke not only his nose, but the internet along with it in France’s 1-0 win over Austria in their first group game of Euro 2024.
The injury left his participation in the rest of the tournament in doubt, however, he made a swift return with his tricolour French flag mask going viral.
Despite only being allowed to wear an all black version in matches, many joked about Mbappé wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle mask due to his resemblance to the cartoon characters.
The Frenchman went on to score his first ever European Championship goal from the spot in his mask against Poland.
6. One in each end
Some like to call the perfect hattrick the pinnacle of football. Left foot, right foot, header.
However, for Klaus Gjasula, he did he things his way.
Being subbed on in the 74th minute against Croatia he scored an own goal two minutes later to his despair, only to redeem himself by scoring a last minute equaliser for the Albanians in the 95th minute of the game, giving the nation one of their most memorable international football moments.
5. Austria topping the group
Manchester United’s former manager Ralf Rangnick was almost laughed out of manager, but the German has made a strong return with his Austria side that have laid down a claim for one of the potential dark houses of the competion.
Unfortunate to lose to France, Austria bounced back against Poland and if anyone wasn’t convinced by their third game, they went and beat the Netherlands in spectacular fashion to top one of the toughest groups going into the tournament.
This relegated France to second place and the Netherlands to third, a huge scalp.
4. Shaqiri the big game player
The Swiss have come to Euro 2024 on the back of five straight qualifications to major tournaments and have made sure that this tournament is no different thanks to a little it of Xherdan Shaqiri magic.
We have become accustomed in recent years to seeing the ‘Alpine Messi’ score wonder goals of all kinds and no where has he been more prolific than for his nation.
Trailing 1-0 to Scotland after an unlucky deflected goal, Shaqiri pounced on a loose ball which he whipped home from some distance into the top left corner of Angus Gunn’s net.
Shaqiri subsequently broke three records that night, becoming the only player to score in the last three European Championships and the last three World Cups, becoming the only player ever to score a goal in the Euros while playing for a club in North or South America and finally becoming the only Swiss player to score in three separate Euros. Simply a legend.
3. Albania score the fastest goal in Euros history
One of the most recent additions to this list that is reflective of the quality of Euro 2024 comes courtesy of Albania and the fastest ever goal scored at the European Championships.
Scoring after just 23 seconds, Nedim Bajrami made history for Albania as he put his side up one nil against the incumbent champions.
Despite entering into the history books, the spectacular moment was not enough to stop Italy taking all three points.
2. Germany dismantle Scotland on opening night
So much anticipation always surrounds the opening match of a major tournament and Germany really kicked off in style.
The hosts ran out rampant 5-1 victors against a poor Scotland team in a game that had it all from Niclas Füllkrug’s screamer to Scotland’s red card, to a bizarre Antonio Rüdiger own goal.
It would be hard to open a tournament with a bigger bang than Germany managed.
1. Georgia beat Portugal to qualify to for the knockouts
Only happening last night, once again this entry is a testament to the entertainment on show at this year’s Euros with potentially one of the greatest underdog stories in recent history.
Georgia, who are ranked 74th best in the world, only qualified for the Euro 2024 through an extraordinary Nations League campaign and were expected to finish bottom of their group.
However, they proved Europe wrong, as they put Portugal, one of the favourites to win the whole thing, to the sword last night as they ran out 2-0 winners.
This meant that with four points the tiny nation of 3.7m have qualified for the round of 16 and the celebrations were worthy of their achievement.
