Some draw strength from excluding others, but that is wrong, and we have seen fine examples of togetherness at the EurosA European Championship always reflects the way we in Europe shape our lives together. Four things in particular have stood out to me so far in this tournament. On 12 June the continent felt close to a Danish football player. Christian Eriksen had to be resuscitated on the pitch. His teammates, who immediately formed a circle around him, intuitively knew how to stand by him in this stressful situation. It was palpable how much his privacy was worth to them and they protected his dignity in a difficult hour. It was an enormously moving event. Related: Rainbow stadiums: German football...
The achievement of reaching the last 16 must not be played down – this is a team who continue to find a wayI have lots of fridge magnets commemorating Euro 2016, which renew my vigour as I replace my son’s Petit Filous because he’s thrown the first one I got him against the wall. “You have lived your dream,” I think, staring at Ashley Williams acknowledging the Welsh fans in Lille, “and no one comes round because of Covid anyway, so why does it matter that we have historic yoghurt splashes on the ceiling?”I had fallen in love with the current group of Welsh players long before the tournament began, but they are constantly creating more fridge magnet moments. Aaron...
Scotland are a decent side and can build on their Euros performance, but they need a top-class, final-third resourceThe inquest attached to Scotland failing to exit the group stage at a major tournament is at least novel. For too long, grim analysis surrounded an inability to reach championships in the first place. Steve Clarke’s team bucked the trend before being swiftly reminded of unforgiving environments; including in respect of ferocious criticism. November’s national heroes are June’s dinosaur-led duds.By the time the kind of petty and parochial rows that often define the Scottish domestic scene return – we are talking a matter of weeks here – Euro 2020 will be long forgotten. That is a shame. Clarke’s side raised the spirits...
Disappointment over Billy Gilmour’s enforced absence may linger, but the Scots were clearly outclassed at Hampden ParkNo one will ever know if Billy Gilmour might have made a difference for Scotland but the overwhelming suspicion is that it was always destined to be Luka Modric’s night.Long before the end, it had become abundantly apparent that a supposedly “past it” Croatia were raging against the dying of their collective light and Modric remains a magnificent, imperiously gifted, footballer. Related: Scotland’s Euro 2020 dreams dashed as Croatia and Modric turn on the style Continue reading...
Jack Grealish made things happen, including the all-important goal, and so may have earned his place for the last-16 tieWith 67 minutes gone at Wembley, with the game starting to sag a little and stretch towards its slightly fretful end notes, Jack Grealish could be seen walking slowly, steeped in a sudden fug of melancholy, towards the far touchline. It was a walk with a touch of theatre, a degree of flounce.It would be wrong to read too much into it. Grealish flounces when he’s happy. He had, earlier, flounced all over the opening 20 minutes of this game, creating the opening goal and, together with the hugely impressive Bukayo Saka, reworking not just the trajectory, but the basic sense...