So, that’s that for the group stages of Euro 2024. An entertaining couple of weeks ends with eight Gunners progressing to the knockout stages and three heading home.
Now the real thrills and spills begin…
Kai Havertz
Switzerland 1-1 GERMANY
Kai started up front for the third game in a row as the hosts came from behind to snatch a late draw that helped them finish top above the Swiss in the Group A table. The Arsenal man’s best chance came from a corner that he headed, via his shoulder, onto the bar. Unlike the previous two games, he played the full 90 and was on the pitch when Niclas Fullkrug headed home in stoppage time.
Prior to the match, Havertz reflected on playing centre forward: “Many people don’t see me as a striker, even though I have to say personally that I clearly see myself that way here in the national team, and also at Arsenal in recent months, and I really enjoy the role.”
Havertz tournament minutes: 211
Kieran Tierney
SCOTLAND 0-1 Hungary
Tierney’s tournament ended 48 hours before Scotland’s when it was confirmed his hamstring injury would rule him out of their final group game. The Scots huffed and puffed and felt they should have had a late penalty before Hungary hit them with a sucker punch at the death when Kevin Csoboth netted in the 100th minute. A sickening head injury for Barnabas Varga was the reason for the lengthy stoppage time. Thankfully, he’s on the mend having had surgery.
Tierney tournament minutes: 138
David Raya
Albania 0-1 SPAIN
David kept a clean sheet in his first game at a major tournament as Spain won a third game in a row to top Group B thanks to Ferran Torres’ early goal. The soon-to-be Arsenal keeper made three smart saves, two from Armando Broja, to deny the minnows a draw that might have kept their faint chances of progress alive. There was one heart-stopping moment for Raya…
'He just seems to have one of them in him, every now and again.' 😬
This could have been so much worse for David Raya. #BBCEuros #Euro2024 #ESPALB pic.twitter.com/AwpKAN0DsV
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 24, 2024
Raya tournament minutes: 90
Jorginho
Croatia 1-1 ITALY
Jorginho played 81 minutes as Italy scored a 98th minute equaliser to secure their place in the knockout stages. Croatia looked destined to win after Luka Modric scored not long after missing a penalty but his teammates couldn’t hold on as he watched from the bench. A beautiful curled finish by Mattia Zaccagni left players from both sides in tears.
“This is the beauty of football, when you see things are tough, but you keep believing, you believe in your teammates and keep fighting, you never give in and finally are repaid. The hard work of the team was behind what happened and everyone deserves the credit,” Jorginho told Sky Sport Italia.
Jorginho and his Italian teammates earn 2nd place in Group B at #Euro2024 after a dramatic late draw against Croatia! 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/zgmq3nWi3X
— Premier League (@premierleague) June 24, 2024
Jorginho tournament minutes: 216
William Saliba
FRANCE 1-1 Poland
France missed the chance to top Group D as they were held to a frustrating draw by a Poland side playing for pride. Saliba was again solid at the back for Les Bleus on an afternoon when other defenders got themselves in all sorts of bother. Kylian Mbappe scored from the spot to punish a clumsy foul by Jakuub Kiwior on Ousmane Dembele before Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty of his own – at the second time of asking – after Dayot Upamecano flicked the ankles of Karol Swiderski.
It was later revealed that Saliba was selected for a random drug test and the process took so long that the France bus left Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park without him. We assume he got home eventually.
No player made more clearances (5) or completed more long balls (3) than William Saliba against Poland.
Another dominant performance 😤 pic.twitter.com/6T4irsSIOd
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) June 25, 2024
Saliba tournament minutes: 270
Jakub Kiwior
France – POLAND
As mentioned, Kiwior’s last chance to shine at Euro 2024 was stained by a mistimed challenge in the box on Ousmane Dembele. All the same, in starting his 26th match in a row for Poland, he beat Jan Urban’s appearance record that has stood since 1989. Our man will now head off on holiday for three weeks but should now be available for the pre-season tour of the US.
Kiwior tournament minutes: 270
Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Aaron Ramsdale
ENGLAND 0-0 Slovenia
England’s mission to bore the continent into submission continued unabated in Cologne as they secured a point that confirmed them as leaders of Group C. Declan put in an improved performance in the centre of the park (first alongside Conor Gallagher, then Kobbie Manoo) and Bukayo was unlucky to have a first half goal ruled out after Phil Foden was ruled offside in the build-up. The Three Lions pushed for a late winner but Slovenia’s deep block was effective enough to secure their own inclusion in the knockout stages
Saka tournament minutes: 216
Rice tournament minutes: 270
Ramsdale tournament minutes: 0
Declan Rice's game by numbers vs. Slovenia [🏴 RANK]:
100% dribbles completed [🥇]
100% long passes completed [🥇]
100% tackles win rate [🥇]
91% pass accuracy
52 passes completed
3/3 tackles won [🥇]
2 key passes [🥇]
1 clearance [🥇]If I speak, I am in big trouble… 🔋🏴 pic.twitter.com/Df0G4M7tqj
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) June 25, 2024
Oleksandr Zinchenko
UKRAINE 0-0 Belgium
Oleksandr Zinchenko came on at left-back as a second half substitute but he couldn’t help Ukraine find the goal that would have sent them through. All in all, it’s been a disappointing tournament for the Arsenal man who looks like his confidence has taken a hit after losing his place at Arsenal. Ukraine ended on the same number of points (4) as their three other group opponents but exited the competition on goal difference.
Zinchenko tournament minutes: 212 minutes
Ukraine are the first team in European Championship history to fail to progress from the group stage with 4⃣ points.
Heartbreak 💔 pic.twitter.com/B2XGWGCp3f
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) June 26, 2024
Leandro Trossard
Ukraine 0-0 BELGIUM
Leandro Trossard started on the left side of the attack for Belgium but struggled to influence the game as Domenico Tedesco’s side produced another limp performance. While the Red Devils, playing in their TinTin-inspired kit, qualified second in the group, their fans were less than impressed with the way they played for a draw rather than go for a win that would have seen them avoid France in the next round.
Trossard tournament minutes: 170 minutes
Round of 16 fixtures
Spain vs Georgia
Germany vs Denmark
Portugal vs Slovenia
France vs Belgium
__
Romania vs Netherlands
Austria vs Turkey
England vs Slovakia
Switzerland vs Italy
Stay safe
There fixed it for ya. Have to say I haven’t watched much of this tournament but what I have seen has been dire, and judging by the results it really doesn’t seem like I’ve missed much. Surely it’s breaking some sort of record for 0-0’s and fewest goals scored? Bah, wake me up when real football starts again and by that I mean the Arsenal, because the rest of it is about as entertaining as a desiccated pig’s thyroid gland.
the likes of austria and georgia beg to differ… in all seriousness, even if there isn’t a kind of goal glut, many teams ranging from unfancied teams like georgia, austria and albania and even some favourites such as spain have played some great football. most of the matches (outside of england’s group anyway) seem to be played with a real intensity. a lot of the criticism of international football seems understandable but in this case watching all those long range goals and dramatic last minute equalizers/winners and players loving the chance to represent their country on the big stage in… Read more »
Yeah, because Georgia, Albania and Austria are what I tune in to see when I want to watch football 🙂
Martinelli and Gabriel are hardly playing for Brasil (was at the match last night hoping to see both play and Gabriel only got in for the final 10 minutes with the score 4-1 and Martinelli didn’t get in, tough for him playing behind Vini Jr as he is the new golden boy that whines and complains and doesn’t play any defense).
Isn’t Raya officially a Brentford player, now that his loan has ended