Mbappe’s mask on the cover of the European Cup | Eurocup Germany 2024

Mbappe’s mask could well be the cover story that explains the European Cup’s route to the last 16, which begins on Saturday with Italy vs. Switzerland. So far, the tournament has been an exercise in picking favourites and rehabilitating teams that weren’t in the forecast. Spain would be the winners if the tournament ended today, being the only country to have won three games, not conceded a goal and boasting two players at the moment: Nico Williams and Lamine Jamal.

There is no better technical gesture than the purposeful control of a Barça player (16 years old) during his game against Albania, or the outstanding goal of Real Madrid player Güler (19) against the amazing Georgia on the back cover of a tournament that still awaits the response of such veterans , like Cristiano (39) and Cross (34) after he turned the page with Modric (38).

The EuroCup format favoured participation (24 teams) or even mass participation rather than competition, to the point that it was not a tournament that rewarded regularity – as if it were a league – or the emotion typical of a Cup, Europa League or Champions League. It was an extended hybrid with a round of 16 (16 contenders) that allowed four of the six third-placed teams in the group stage to qualify – only two were eliminated – Croatia and Hungary.

Spain are going through the same process as Germany, Portugal and France. The win seemed to punish Spain more than the defeat of the Netherlands, who were beaten by Austria and now face Romania. The third day’s conspiracies not only reinforced the media coverage, but also created artificial intrigue and an interested debate about the fate of favourites like England or even Belgium. Southgate’s criticism was as virulent as De Bruyne’s complaints.

The old argument between playing and winning remains alive given the bizarre final scene. The important candidates remain there and, of course, the hosts, essential to the health of the tournament and to keep alive the flame of social mobilization, one of the biggest news of the Euro. In the stadiums and streets of a country that, in any case, is no longer the same as what it popularized summer period

— or a fairy tale — about the 2006 World Cup.

Social and cultural successes and even fun helped to maintain sporting expectations after many minutes of calm and little fame on the pitches of Germany. Var did not overplay, there were only two expulsions, discussions with the referees were limited because only captains are allowed as interlocutors, and disagreements were few, concrete and accepted, as happened with Croatia when they missed a goal to draw with the team. Italy in the 98th minute Old Italy does not change even in Germany. The Eurocup is finally experiencing camouflage, which is expressed in Mbappe’s mask.

There is much more information and much more data, and much more games and more life to confirm that football, in addition to sport – as it was in Austria – is also politics – just look at Ukraine, Albania and debutant Georgia. The truth will only be known when Mbappé, the icon of France and already a Madrid player, the same one who, during the Spanish football government, had more importance with his statements about the elections that would take place in his country than with his performance, will mean a victory as important or more important than those that Messi or Vinicius can achieve in the Copa America.

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