The knockout stage of Euro 2024 is in full swing, and the enthusiasm of football fans is ignited to the extreme.
With the end of the 1/8 finals, the pattern of the top 8 has become clear.
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This event, known as the "feast of European football", not only shows the strength of teams from various countries, but also reflects the charm and uncertainty of football.
As the saying goes, "football is round", it's really hard to say who will have the last laugh.
In the face of such fierce competition, we can't help but ask: in this gluttonous feast of football, which team can stand out and finally win the Delaunay Cup?
1. Germany: The hosts' tough road to qualifying
As the host of this European Championship, the German team's road to qualification can be described as twists and turns.
The match against Denmark in the 1/8 finals was like a thrilling drama.
First of all, shortly after the start of the race, a sudden thunderstorm interrupted the progress of the game.
This unexpected episode brought a lot of psychological pressure to the players on both sides.
After the game restarted, Denmark scored at one point, but it was invalidated by the referee due to offside.
This false alarm woke the German team from a dream, and then launched a fierce counterattack.
Kai Havertz's penalty opened the door for Germany.
Immediately afterwards, the young player Musiala's single goal locked the score at 2-0.
Although they won by this scoreline, the German team did not perform as well as they could have liked.
If they had been better in front of goal, they could have beaten Denmark by a big score.
The match was a reflection of the current state of the German team: strong but not yet fully realized.
As hosts, they shoulder the expectations of the fans, and the pressure can be imagined.
But it is this pressure that may be the motivation for them to explode in the next games.
2. Spain: Matador's magnificent reversal
Compared with Germany's thrilling promotion, the performance of the Spanish team was even more impressive.
In the match against Georgia, the Spanish team staged a wonderful comeback.
With a goal down, Spain didn't panic.
They adjusted their tactics, strengthened their attack, and finally scored four goals in a row to complete the reversal.
What's even more amazing is that these 4 goals came from 4 different players.
This not only shows the strong offensive firepower of the Spanish team, but also reflects the tacit understanding of the team as a whole.
It is worth mentioning that this is the fourth time that the Spanish team has reached the top 8 in the last five European Championships.
This consistent result is enough to prove the strength of the Spanish team.
What excites Spanish fans even more is that Spain are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Germany, with one win and three draws.
This undoubtedly gave them a lot of confidence.
3. England: A thrilling moment for the Three Lions
As one of the favourites to win this European Championship, England almost overturned in the 1/8 finals.
Facing a relatively weak Slovakia, England was on the verge of being eliminated.
In the last minute of the game, England were still one goal behind.
Just when everyone thought England were going to pull off an upset, Bellingham scored a textbook barb to level the scores.
This goal is not only highly technical, but also just the right time, which can be called a lifesaver.
After extra-time, England's leading scorer Harry Kane stepped up to score the winning goal.
In the end, the Three Lions were able to continue their European Championship journey with a thrilling comeback.
The game exposed England's problems: despite their overall strength, they were prone to mistakes at crucial moments.
How to adjust to the form in the next game will be a big challenge for the England team.
4. Switzerland: The Rise of the Dark Horse
Compared to other big teams, the performance of the Swiss team can be said to be one of the highlights of this European Cup.
They shocked the football world by beating defending champions Italy in the quarter-finals.
The success of the Swiss team is not accidental.
Their performance in international competitions has been steadily improving in recent years.
The elimination of Italy this time proves that they are capable of wrestling with the top European teams.
However, Switzerland will face England in the quarter-finals.
Looking at the all-time head-to-head record, it seems that the Swiss team is at the underdog.
England have won eight, drawn three and lost one of their last 12 meetings, with Switzerland's only victory coming back in 1981.
But, as we often say in sports: strength on paper does not equal strength in reality.
It is entirely possible that the Swiss team will pull off another miracle in this game.
5. Portugal vs. France: Thrilling advance for the old powerhouses
Portugal and France, the two powerhouses of European football, have also been eye-catching in this tournament.
However, neither team's path to qualification was easy.
France won against Belgium with just one own goal.
Although this result is somewhat lucky, it also reflects the tenacious will of the French team to fight.
Even if the offensive end didn't open up, they were still able to capitalize on their opponents' mistakes and win.
Portugal's qualification process was even more thrilling.
They drew with Slovenia in regulation time and had to decide the winner on penalties.
The penalty shoot-out is not only a test of the player's skills, but also of his mental quality.
The Portuguese team performed well in this psychological battle and finally qualified as they wished.
The performances of these two teams have once again proved that experience and mental quality are often more important than sheer skill in the knockout stages.
6. Holland vs. Turkey: One Smooth, One Thrilling
On the final matchday, the Netherlands and Turkey qualified for each other, but their qualification process was very different.
The Netherlands performed well against Romania, winning by a big margin and comfortably advancing to the last eight.
This not only shows the overall strength of the Dutch team, but also instills confidence in their upcoming games.
It is worth mentioning that Romania became the first group leader team to be eliminated in this European Cup, which also reflects the strength of the Dutch team.
In contrast, Turkey's path to qualification was much more difficult.
They battled hard against Austria to get the final victory and catch the last train to the last eight.
Although the process is difficult, this victory in the face of adversity may give the Turkish team more confidence and motivation.
7. Quarterfinals: Who is in charge?
With the end of the 1/8 finals, the top 8 matches of the European Cup have also been revealed:
Upper District:
Germany vs Spain: 00:00 on July 6
Portugal vs France: 03:00 on July 6
Lower Half District:
Ying Ying Yu VS Mizushi: July 7, 00:00
荷兰VS 土耳其: July 7, 03:00
This matchup can be said to be a strong conversation, and every game is worth looking forward to.
The match between Germany and Spain is undoubtedly the focus of the battle, and the battle between the two traditional powerhouses is sure to be exciting.
The Portugal vs France match is a repeat of the European Championship final in recent years, and it is full of gunpowder.
England vs Switzerland match, although England has the advantage, but the dark horse performance of the Swiss team should not be underestimated.
In the Netherlands vs Turkey match, although the Dutch team is more optimistic, the tenacious will of the Turkish team cannot be ignored.
Every game is full of suspense and highlights, and I believe it will bring fans a visual feast.
[I have to say]
The birth of the top 8 of the European Championship is like the prelude to a football feast.
Each team is like a unique dish, some rich and heavy, some fresh and refreshing, which together constitute this gluttonous feast of football.
Whether it is the stability of the old powerhouse or the amazement of the dark horse team, it makes us feel the charm of football.
We look forward to more surprises in the next games, and let us witness the excitement and greatness of football together!