So far, all 16 knockout teams in Euro 2024 have been released, and none of the traditional eight giants, Spain, Portugal, England, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and France, have been left behind, and five third-rate European teams are also on the list. Surprisingly, among the eight teams eliminated, there are five second-tier European powerhouses – Croatia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Serbia. Among them, there is one team that is the most aggrieved.
Which of the 6 groups in this European Cup is the group of death, the outside world has not guessed correctly, and it turns out that Group E is the real group of death. The 4 teams are all 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss after 3 games, accumulating 4 points, and the teams restrain each other and are interlocking. According to the rules, the last place in the group is definitely eliminated, no matter how many points you have. As a result, the Ukrainian team with the least goal difference is tragic (below)! They were eliminated from the competition, and the top three in the remaining group all advanced to the round of 16.
In the final round of the group stage, Ukraine drew 0-0 with Belgium, thinking that this precious point could help them escape. I never thought about it, and Romania and Slovakia over there also thought the same way - as long as the two teams draw, they can join hands to qualify, and there is no need to fight to the death and lose both.
Sure enough, the game was like an unnegotiable tacit game, with players from both sides failing to score again after a 1-1 draw in the first half, and the second half seemed to be reduced to an exhibition match between the players of both teams. Until the final whistle blew of the game, the substitutes of both sides ran into the field to celebrate, and this game ended happily!
This is a bitter pain for the Ukrainian team! The two matches ended almost at the same time, and on the other side, the Ukrainian players collapsed and lay on the ground after the final whistle blew. The player's expression was painful, his eyes were confused, or he sat and stood for a long time and did not want to leave. The Ukrainians suffered from their slow streak, with the draw against Belgium being their best of three games, but it came too late.
Fans also angrily denounced the game and rules as ugly and outrageous for the way Romania and Slovakia played. Some netizens said that it was too ironic to kick like this, and it was the first time to see a draw that both sides celebrated. Some fans believe that this rule of relying on the third place in the group makes many teams not concentrate on tactics and kick football games into arithmetic problems, and the quality of the game will definitely decline.
It is sad that Ukraine is eliminated by the opponents joining forces. What makes Ukrainian fans feel even more aggrieved is that they failed to qualify with 4 points, and they can advance with 3 points in other groups. For example, Denmark, the second place in Group C, and Slovenia, the third place, both qualified with three points (below). Seeing this, I don't know who to reason with!
The European Cup also has tacit goals? The two Eastern European teams played out this unforgettable scene together.
This European Cup has become the Waterloo of Europe's second-rate powerhouses, and everyone has returned home! Europe's first-class status is solid, and the eight giants account for half of the top 16. Five third-rate teams completed the counterattack and replaced five second-rate teams.