Darragh Maloney's Euro 2008 Review
So that's Euro 2008 and what a tournament it was! We have seen some great football played by great footballers, some amazing late comebacks and the best team won by playing the best football. What more could you ask for?
Spain got what they deserved on Sunday night and so ended 44 years of major tournament under-achievement. There was no fluke result this time and Spain could have won the final by more than one goal. The Germans do have that winning mentality but it was never going to deny Luis Aragones and company from their second European crown.
The concerns about the middle of the Spanish defence never came to pass as Germany huffed and puffed without really troubling Casillas. I was surprised at how little Germany offered going forward when they were chasing the game but with Ballack and Frings struggling for fitness, the front men never got enough of the ball in the right areas. Germany did start the match well but once they fell behind it was always a struggle to create the chances to equalise.
It was appropriate that Fernando Torres got the winning goal. He had been overshadowed somewhat by David Villa but the stage was his in Vienna and once Philip Lahm backed off, he was never going to be denied. Torres has had an amazing season at Liverpool and we saw him do what he does best on Sunday night; score goals. It was puzzling to see Aragones take him off again in the second half, but who is going to argue with the coach of the new European Champions!
Spain have become the first team since France in 1984 to win all of their group matches and go on to lift the Henri Delaunay trophy. They played the best football throughout the tournament and buried a few ghosts along the way.
In the past they have had a divided squad but Aragones was not having that this time and after the match, Torres spoke about the unity within the group. Once they beat Italy for the first time in 88 years in the quarter-final, they were on a mission and could not be stopped.
They can now start planning for the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. The former Real Madrid manager Vicente Del Bosque is to take over from Aragones and he will stick to the principals that have served them so well over the last three weeks. They will play attractive, entertaining football and will be in the shake-up for the greatest prize in the game.
Germany will also be contenders in two years' time. The loss in Vienna will take a while to get over but they have the players and the manager to get to the business end of another major tournament.
There are so many great memories from Euro 2008. The Turkish comebacks will be talked about for years to come as will the great goals and the great players. I will always think of Croatian coach Slaven Bilic and his celebration after Ivan Klasnic scored in the 119th minute of their quarter-final against the Turks. He celebrated as if they had won the tournament itself only for Semih to send the match to penalties. You know the rest!
The Swiss and Austrian fans were disappointed with their teams who failed to make it out of the group phase. The Austrians at least took their qualification hopes to the last match but ultimately failed to make it.
The tournament was superbly run by UEFA and the local organising committees, but harsh lessons were learned after the electrical storm which took out the television signal during the Turkey-Germany semi-final. It was a freak incident but it will also be remembered for years to come.
Spain are the champions and deservedly so. They portrayed themselves as victims for years in major finals. Spain nearly always made the last eight and then self-destructed. This time they made it beyond the quarter-finals and they are now the best team in Europe!
MY TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT
Iker CASILLAS (Spain)
Hamit ALTINTOP (Turkey)
Giorgio CHIELLINI (Italy)
Carles PUYOL (Spain)
Yuri ZHIRKOV (Russia)
Cesc FABREGAS (Spain)
Marcos SENNA (Spain)
Michael BALLACK (Germany)
Bastian SCHWEINSTEIGER (Germany)
Andrei ARSHAVIN (Russia)
David VILLA (Spain)
COACH: Fatih TERIM (Turkey)
