​🇪🇺​​​​​​​​ ​⚽​​​​​​​​ EURO 2020 ⚽​​​​​​​​ ​🇪🇺​​​​​​​​ People are saying THIS is the new greatest moment in sports history (2 Viewers)

[Jaysus]

Appreciate all the info guys! 

Now... who wants to pick out which EPL team I should follow??? I'm not a bandwagon guy. I typically find myself cheering for underdogs. But I also don't want some pig of a team that NEVER wins. It would be ideal if a team like that had a US player(s) too. So who am I describing?

Leeds (Leeds Leeds)

 

[B Maverick]

I was going to suggest Leicester.  Recent EPL and FA Cup titles.  Still an underdog in the EPL.

 

[B Maverick]

England fans not handling this well at all....

https://www.change.org/p/euros-2020-managers-rematch-demand-for-italy-v-england

"The match on 11/07/2021 was not fair at all. After italy only receiving a yellow card for dragging England players like they were slaves. All the pushes, pulls and kicks and Italy was still allowed to win? Definitely biased. Italy should have been given a red card for their gameplay and the rematch should happen with a non biased referee. This was not fair at all."

They point at the foul on Graelish and the horsecollar tackle on Saka.

Funny thing was this was expected since they had a German crew ref the England game following Germany being knocked out.  Instead they now believe the Danish ref was biased because they knocked out Denmark 

 

[Charlie Steiner]

Leeds (Leeds Leeds)

This current iteration is fun to watch, and I dig their history.

 

[encaitar]

Here's how the team of the tournament ended up.

They got the wrong English FB and I have no idea how Ronaldo didn't make it after winning the Golden Boot, but otherwise I think it's a solid group.  

 

[CletiusMaximus]

England fans not handling this well at all....

https://www.change.org/p/euros-2020-managers-rematch-demand-for-italy-v-england

"The match on 11/07/2021 was not fair at all. After italy only receiving a yellow card for dragging England players like they were slaves. All the pushes, pulls and kicks and Italy was still allowed to win? Definitely biased. Italy should have been given a red card for their gameplay and the rematch should happen with a non biased referee. This was not fair at all."

They point at the foul on Graelish and the horsecollar tackle on Saka.

Funny thing was this was expected since they had a German crew ref the England game following Germany being knocked out.  Instead they now believe the Danish ref was biased because they knocked out Denmark 

Surely a parody.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Surely a parody.

I honestly thought it was from the onion. 

I mean we all get deluded at times as fans but this is over the top silly.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Here's how the team of the tournament ended up.

They got the wrong English FB and I have no idea how Ronaldo didn't make it after winning the Golden Boot, but otherwise I think it's a solid group.  

Here is the whoscored version

https://d2zywfiolv4f83.cloudfront.net/img/blog/2021%2f7%2fEURO2020TOTTWS.jpg

 

[gianmarco]

Here's how the team of the tournament ended up.

They got the wrong English FB and I have no idea how Ronaldo didn't make it after winning the Golden Boot, but otherwise I think it's a solid group.  

Yeah, Ronaldo should be there.  Heavily biased for the two finals teams, but at the same time, those guys performed well. 

Not a single French player.

 

[B Maverick]

Its funny, they use Ronaldo only scoring in the group stages as a reason for him not in the team. Yet Sterling who only scored 3 gets in since one was in the QFs. That mf does make it hard to put Pogba in but he was generally considered one of the best of the tournament.

Ronaldo over Sterling, Shaw over Walker (although Walker did have a good tournament too)

 

[gianmarco]

Btw, I meant to ask earlier, but how do you guys feel about this trend of immediately removing your silver medal during the presentation when it's given?

Not something I'm "OMG, I can't believe they did that", but I do think it's just general poor sportsmanship.  I get you're hurt that you lost, but show a little respect and class and walk to the end and accept the finish.

 

[encaitar]

Yeah, Ronaldo should be there.  Heavily biased for the two finals teams, but at the same time, those guys performed well. 

Not a single French player.

These teams are always biased towards the finalists, but I thought Shick and Ronaldo both deserved it over Lukaku.  Also, even though he played great this tourney, I'm surprised Maguire made it despite missing the first two games.  Really thought we'd see the Italian pair of CBs on the list together.

Only French player that would've been considered would've been Pogba IMO and without making the quarters it's really not a surprise.

 

[gianmarco]

Its funny, they use Ronaldo only scoring in the group stages as a reason for him not in the team. Yet Sterling who only scored 3 gets in since one was in the QFs. That mf does make it hard to put Pogba in but he was generally considered one of the best of the tournament.

Ronaldo over Sterling, Shaw over Walker (although Walker did have a good tournament too)

Walker was fantastic.  I never realized how fast he was.  His ability to track back saved England's bacon on more than one occasion. 

 

[cheese]

(Wolves)

I think Wolves is more likely to get worse soon than better, otherwise they’d be in the mix. The way I see it the “options” for a new underdog team to support would be Leeds, Aston Villa, Leicester, Wolves in that order. 

 

[encaitar]

Walker was fantastic.  I never realized how fast he was.  His ability to track back saved England's bacon on more than one occasion. 

It's pretty crazy to see for me.  When he first came on scene he was like a better Yedlin.  Focused more on racing forward with his speed and getting in on the offense than on defensive work.  The last few years he's really grown as a defender and is way more focused on defense than offense.  This tourney was the highlight of that.  He was playing as the RCB in a back three.  Four years ago that would've been ridiculous.  Now, he bossed that position.  Still think Shaw deserved the nod on the English defense though.

 

[Kafka]

I was going to suggest Leicester.  Recent EPL and FA Cup titles.  Still an underdog in the EPL.

Southampton 

@roadkill1292

 

[B Maverick]

Walker was fantastic.  I never realized how fast he was.  His ability to track back saved England's bacon on more than one occasion. 

Was just going to respond and say he's everything the US wanted Yedlin to be.....

It's pretty crazy to see for me.  When he first came on scene he was like a better Yedlin.  Focused more on racing forward with his speed and getting in on the offense than on defensive work.  The last few years he's really grown as a defender and is way more focused on defense than offense.  This tourney was the highlight of that.  He was playing as the RCB in a back three.  Four years ago that would've been ridiculous.  Now, he bossed that position.  Still think Shaw deserved the nod on the English defense though.

 

[B Maverick]

Southampton 

@roadkill1292

a team with some history, but only if you like watching their players move to Liverpool

 

[Sinn Fein]

I never realized how fast he was. 

that is pretty much all he is known for. 
 

eta: that and brain farts. 

 

[Sinn Fein]

Btw, I meant to ask earlier, but how do you guys feel about this trend of immediately removing your silver medal during the presentation when it's given?

Not something I'm "OMG, I can't believe they did that", but I do think it's just general poor sportsmanship.  I get you're hurt that you lost, but show a little respect and class and walk to the end and accept the finish.

2nd place is just the first loser. 

 

[B Maverick]

Btw, I meant to ask earlier, but how do you guys feel about this trend of immediately removing your silver medal during the presentation when it's given?

Not something I'm "OMG, I can't believe they did that", but I do think it's just general poor sportsmanship.  I get you're hurt that you lost, but show a little respect and class and walk to the end and accept the finish.

I don't mind it.  Especially in today's hot taek climate, if you keep it on some pundit calls you out for accepting defeat and being ok with 2nd place.  If you don't keep it on people think its poor sportsmanship. You can't win.  Plus you just lost a final and you are emotional.  Sometimes its best to just let it be.

 

[Jaysus]

Here is the whoscored version

https://d2zywfiolv4f83.cloudfront.net/img/blog/2021%2f7%2fEURO2020TOTTWS.jpg

Here is the Goal Italia version: this one is my favorite

MOT

 

[encaitar]

Here is the Goal Italia version: this one is my favorite

MOT

That's pretty much what I would've gone with.  I'd have taken Højbjerg over Phillips, but otherwise I am 100% on board with that team.  Spinazzola would miss out for me because of the injury.

 

[The Gator]

Btw, I meant to ask earlier, but how do you guys feel about this trend of immediately removing your silver medal during the presentation when it's given?

Terrible look imo. 
 

it’s disrespectful to all the great players who never get to play in a final. Especially those on the team who have never won anything, and  they’re too good for second? Take a hike

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Here is the Goal Italia version: this one is my favorite

MOT

This is pretty good, but did Maehle really play wingback?  I also thought that Phillips played well in some games and kind of meh in others.  So while I think Jorginho and Pedri are  obvious picks, I'd have probably put Hoijberg or even Veratti (who led the tourney in key passes) in that third MF slot.  

I'm fine with no Ronaldo considering Portugal finished third in their group, didn't make the quarters, and two of CR7's goals were PKs.  Don't get me wrong, he played well.  But his team mostly didn't.  

I probably would have picked Shaw over Spanizolla.  Spanizolla was the most dynamic player in the group round, and would deserve the spot if another LB hadn't excelled all tournament.   And knock-out round performance should always count more, IMO.  

This year, I really think choosing most from the finalists is appropriate.  They were the two most consistent teams (in that Italy played the most consistent attacking soccer and England was clearly the best team in the tournament at limiting opponents' chances).  

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

I would recommend you pick one league and give it a shot.  The EPL is fine to start with as you will recognize a lot of the players and the teams will soon become familiar as well.   The sport is all consuming because it literally never ends so don't feel bad about keeping it all straight.  

IMO, the best way to learn is to read these threads and ask 10 million questions.  Some one will always answer you.

This is excellent advice.  I'd also advise to not feel pressured to pick a team to support right away.  Watch some games and find a favorite player or manager or even kit or stadium.  Don't worry too much about the team's history or whether they're favorites or underdogs.  You're new.  You're allowed to pick a favorite just because you enjoy them. 

And few things are more annoying, IMO of course, than a new fan who tries to then glom onto a team's entire 100 year plus history. One of the nice things about picking an overseas soccer team to support is that it doesn't have to feel as important as some team you grew up supporting as a kid.  I grew up a Washington Football Team fan.  I have enough misery in my fandom. It would be truly agonizing if I took Arsenal's slide into mediocrity at all seriously.  

 

[NewlyRetired]

This does not include the Univision numbers

============

[@ESPNPR on Twitter] Sunday's EURO 2020 Final on ESPN is the most-viewed Euro match ever in the U.S. - 6,488,000 viewers, up 43% from 2016's final #ITA #ENG peaked at 8,199,000 during penalty kicks

 

[Kafka]

This is excellent advice.  I'd also advise to not feel pressured to pick a team to support right away.  Watch some games and find a favorite player or manager or even kit or stadium.  Don't worry too much about the team's history or whether they're favorites or underdogs.  You're new.  You're allowed to pick a favorite just because you enjoy them. 

And few things are more annoying, IMO of course, than a new fan who tries to then glom onto a team's entire 100 year plus history. One of the nice things about picking an overseas soccer team to support is that it doesn't have to feel as important as some team you grew up supporting as a kid.  I grew up a Washington Football Team fan.  I have enough misery in my fandom. It would be truly agonizing if I took Arsenal's slide into mediocrity at all seriously.  

I never ever thought you would use the word "glom".  

My reality shaken.

 

[otb_lifer]

i jumped into the EPL shortly after the USWNT padded my online book acc't in the '19 WWC ... i believe there was a couple week buffer, and i was itching to get back in the game - being the premier league (literally), it was a no-brainer. 

iirc, Liverpool kicked that season off with a Friday afternoon affair - i played Liverpool win & o3.5 for some generous juice, and a nice pay-day.

i was very impressed with Mo Salah's engine ... dude just motors and motors - seems like he's forever in the thick of it - my favorite cat to watch play. 

i gravitated to backing them quite a bit, and they had a terrific season - they delivered quite well for their backers. 

outfits like Chelsea & TotSpurs let me down quite a bit ... seemed that whatever i was winning on the 'pudlians i was ceding back from losses on those two ... then i caight a Man City match (fixture? ) one Saturday morning, and i enjoyed the way they played ... better returns on them than their cugini United. 

very rewarding in many ways - learned a great deal about the pace, strategies, etc ... the betting is a pure thrill ride (i avoid Arsenal, sadly, as i trally wanted to love John Lydon's beloved Gunners).

still learning everytime i sit and watch, and this past Euro Cup tourney was an invaluable tool towards understanding and appreciating this game more. 

i said this in the Pathos thread, and it bears repeating here: if the USA gambling community ever wisened up to the nuances and intricacies of wagering on this sport, well ... it would absolutely blow up - better options than any game out there, including the NFL. 

️

 

[NewlyRetired]

This is kind of cool

=================

tariq panja

@tariqpanja

Something for the football romantics: Plans at an advanced stage for a one-off game between new European and South American champions: Italy-Argentina in Napoli to commemorate the life of Diego Armando Maradona

 

[gianmarco]

This is kind of cool

=================

tariq panja

@tariqpanja

Something for the football romantics: Plans at an advanced stage for a one-off game between new European and South American champions: Italy-Argentina in Napoli to commemorate the life of Diego Armando Maradona

In.

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

I think Wolves is more likely to get worse soon than better, otherwise they’d be in the mix. The way I see it the “options” for a new underdog team to support would be Leeds, Aston Villa, Leicester, Wolves in that order. 

It’s hard to thread the needle of “underdog that can win” in EPL because other than Leicester that one year it almost never happens.  Wolves has a US player which I why I mentioned them.

 

[AAABatteries]

Here's how the team of the tournament ended up.

They got the wrong English FB and I have no idea how Ronaldo didn't make it after winning the Golden Boot, but otherwise I think it's a solid group.  

I have no issue with Walker over Shaw, especially since they tried to field a full starting XI by position instead of best XI.  Spazz was better than Shaw until he was injured.

 

[gianmarco]

update

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E6Ib5_DXIA0qZjl?format=jpg&name=large

Even better update

 

[ChiefD]

England fans not handling this well at all....

https://www.change.org/p/euros-2020-managers-rematch-demand-for-italy-v-england

"The match on 11/07/2021 was not fair at all. After italy only receiving a yellow card for dragging England players like they were slaves. All the pushes, pulls and kicks and Italy was still allowed to win? Definitely biased. Italy should have been given a red card for their gameplay and the rematch should happen with a non biased referee. This was not fair at all."

They point at the foul on Graelish and the horsecollar tackle on Saka.

Funny thing was this was expected since they had a German crew ref the England game following Germany being knocked out.  Instead they now believe the Danish ref was biased because they knocked out Denmark 

My favorite comment:

I'm signing because I want to see England lose again

 

[DJackson10]

England fans not handling this well at all....

https://www.change.org/p/euros-2020-managers-rematch-demand-for-italy-v-england

"The match on 11/07/2021 was not fair at all. After italy only receiving a yellow card for dragging England players like they were slaves. All the pushes, pulls and kicks and Italy was still allowed to win? Definitely biased. Italy should have been given a red card for their gameplay and the rematch should happen with a non biased referee. This was not fair at all."

They point at the foul on Graelish and the horsecollar tackle on Saka.

Funny thing was this was expected since they had a German crew ref the England game following Germany being knocked out.  Instead they now believe the Danish ref was biased because they knocked out Denmark 

Fan a country who prides themselves on "knowing the game" They don't know a professional foul 

 

[roadkill1292]

a team with some history, but only if you like watching their players move to Liverpool

That era is apparently coming to an end but that's mostly because Saints don't have anyone currently on the roster of value to big clubs.

Still, I recommend a non-Big 6 club. Shows character if you do.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

One of the nice things about picking an overseas soccer team to support is that it doesn't have to feel as important as some team you grew up supporting as a kid.  I grew up a Washington Football Team fan.  I have enough misery in my fandom. It would be truly agonizing if I took Arsenal's slide into mediocrity at all seriously.  

Funnily, I started casually following Arsenal precisely because it was a fun change of pace to root for a winning side after years of suffering through what seemed like a non-stop parade of Bills seasons that all ended 7-9 give or take a game.  Things have changed, obviously.

 

[Sinn Fein]

That era is apparently coming to an end but that's mostly because Saints don't have anyone currently on the roster of value to big clubs.

Still, I recommend a non-Big 6 club. Shows character if you do.

Thats why I picked Tottenham

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Still, I recommend a non-Big 6 club. Shows character if you do.

Jumping aboard Man United, Arsenal or Tottenham today isn't bandwaggoning at all IMO.  It's hard to say when those teams will be great again.

I threw my fanship at Liverpool when they'd finished 6-6-8-4-3-4-3-7 in the previous eight years and was frustrated by the team most of the last 22 years.  Cup wins were great, but you knew the team wasn't really top tier even in those years for the most part.

 

[Sinn Fein]

Jumping aboard Man United, Arsenal or Tottenham today isn't bandwaggoning at all IMO.  It's hard to say when those teams will be great again.

I threw my fanship at Liverpool when they'd finished 6-6-8-4-3-4-3-7 in the previous eight years and was frustrated by the team most of the last 22 years.  Cup wins were great, but you knew the team wasn't really top tier even in those years for the most part.

I would say that is true of Arsenal and Tottenham - but not Man United.  

I also agree with your assessment of Liverpool during that era - I don't view that as bandwagon jumping.  Sure they had a storied history, but at that point, no real guarantees they get to the Klopp era.

You could say the same thing about Chelsea, pre-Abramovich, or Man City, pre Oil Money.  If you pick them now - yes its bandwagon jumping, but not if you had been following them in the mid-table days.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

I would say that is true of Arsenal and Tottenham - but not Man United.  

I also agree with your assessment of Liverpool during that era - I don't view that as bandwagon jumping.  Sure they had a storied history, but at that point, no real guarantees they get to the Klopp era.

United has so much money you figure they'll sort it out eventually, but they haven't been good for a long time now.

And "storied history" (good and bad) + "working class" + "big enough to be on TV a lot in 1999" + "hated arch-rival to the bandwaggoners team of choice" was basically how I got to my choice.

 

[dnurk]

we have a super active USMNT thread here on the forums that are constantly talking about this.

Here are the bigger name players and where they play in Europe.  We always update the thread if and when they are on TV for any given week.

Christian Pulisic: Chelsea (EPL/England)

Weston McKennie: Juventus (Serie A/Italy)

Tyler Adams: RBL (Bundesliga/Germany)

Yunus Musah: Valencia (La Liga/Spain)

Zach Steffen: Man City (EPL/England)

Giovanni Reyna: Dortmund (Bundesliga/Germany)

Sergino Dest: Barcelona (La Liga/Spain)

John Brooks: Wolfsburg (Bundesliga/Germany)

Timothy Weah: Lille (Ligue 1/France)

Brandon Aaronson: RBS (Bundesliga/Austria)

There are dozens of others as well but I won't list them all here.

If you are interested, start following the US thread (and the Gold Cup thread since that's where we are camped for now) and ask any questions you might have.  The knowledge base is remarkably large for a American football board.

This would be an excellent sticky/update at the start of that USMNT thread. Super helpful for us noobs 

 

[roadkill1292]

I know we've generally agreed not to care about this sort of stuff but ratings were up bigly over Euro 2016. About 9.4 million viewers for the final on ESPN/Univision combined. The '26 World Cup will be madness.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I know we've generally agreed not to care about this sort of stuff but ratings were up bigly over Euro 2016. About 9.4 million viewers for the final on ESPN/Univision combined. The '26 World Cup will be madness.

I believe it was the most watched soccer weekend in the US ever that did not involve a World Cup.

Not only did the Euro do 9.4m,  the Copa America final did 5.3 million and the US and and Mexico Gold Cup first group games combined for almost another 5 million.

 

[AAABatteries]

I could care less why an American picks an EPL club.  If somebody wants to pick City because they won the league or Chelsea because they won CL or because CP is there - so what?  When I started following years ago I picked United for one good reason.  They were on TV and got coverage.  I wanted to follow somebody I could watch.  In that sense it would have been easier to pick someone now but back then virtually no one was choosing City or Blackburn or Plymouth or Wigan - you could virtually never see them play.

 

[AAABatteries]

I know we've generally agreed not to care about this sort of stuff but ratings were up bigly over Euro 2016. About 9.4 million viewers for the final on ESPN/Univision combined. The '26 World Cup will be madness.

WFH, better coverage and a fantastic tournament helped.

 

[Sinn Fein]

I could care less why an American picks an EPL club.  If somebody wants to pick City because they won the league or Chelsea because they won CL or because CP is there - so what?  When I started following years ago I picked United for one good reason.  They were on TV and got coverage.  I wanted to follow somebody I could watch.  In that sense it would have been easier to pick someone now but back then virtually no one was choosing City or Blackburn or Plymouth or Wigan - you could virtually never see them play.

####### bandwagon %^&*@!

 

[B Maverick]

I could care less why an American picks an EPL club.  If somebody wants to pick City because they won the league or Chelsea because they won CL or because CP is there - so what?  When I started following years ago I picked United for one good reason.  They were on TV and got coverage.  I wanted to follow somebody I could watch.  In that sense it would have been easier to pick someone now but back then virtually no one was choosing City or Blackburn or Plymouth or Wigan - you could virtually never see them play.

Good thing you can now see them on Peacock or ESPN+

I chose United because I saw them play in Norway in 1992. The fans and atmosphere were fantastic and the team was fun to watch.

Also saw Arsenal play Leeds that trip.  They were a bit more boring.  

 

[AAABatteries]

####### bandwagon %^&*@!

There’s plenty of room now.  Convince Kane to come with you and you’re in.