6 Things You Will (And Won't) See at Euro 2012

“Os ingleses o inventaram, os brasileiros o aperfeiçoaram.” 

"The English invented it, the Brazilians perfected it.”

But for all of Brazil’s prowess in capturing titles at the international level, Europe still remains the powerhouse of football. And the growing popularity of the European Championship, not just among global television audience, but also among footballing nations - about half a dozen Eurasia countries opting in favour of joining the UEFA over the AFC, shows their financial strength and competitiveness.

Moreover, UEFA’s decision to allow joint bids has only reaped more benefits for the continent. From Belgium & Netherlands in 2000 to Austria & Switzerland in 2008, the quadrennial tournament moves to Poland & Ukraine this year, marking its first-ever appearance behind the former Iron Curtain. And surprise cup-winning runs such as by Denmark in 1992 and Greece in 2004, who beat favourites Netherlands and Czech Republic respectively in the semi-finals - the former on penalties and the latter by a silver goal has only further helped its cause.

So what will it be this time round? Could Spain’s endless tiki-taka help them to a record third straight major title? Or will Germany and Netherlands elevate themselves from runners-up to champions? Can a dying France and Italy resurface and make amends? Or will Croatia and England look to heal last time’s pain? Do Sweden and Denmark have something in their arsenal? Or will one of the hosts prove to be a revelation?

The new conquerors of Europe shall be crowned on the night of 1st July but for now, here are six (possible) highlights you should expect over the course of the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship.

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#6. Poland to benefit from German success. Now when has that happened before?

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Having automatically qualified for the European Championships that is set to begin today, most would think that the Polish team will be a walkover. But that is far from true.

Although a majority of the team remains unknown to the world, Poland can still boast three players from Borussia Dortmund’s starting XI, who are fresh off the back of being crowned both Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal Champions, quite convincingly.

First of these three is right-back Łukasz Piszczek. It’s funny when I say ‘right-back’, because this guy is more versatile than Gareth Bale. Not only can he ply his trade on the dextral side of defence, he can also operate on either of the wings and if push comes to shove - as a centre forward. Through the course of 2011/12 season, Piszczek garnered 44 appearances for his club and racked up seven assists along the way - and that is not even his highlight. Just one yellow card in the entire campaign proves his mettle and gives us someone to look out for.

First name too long for you? Call me 'Kuba'. Problem, Americans?

Next up is Jakub Błaszczykowski, or just ‘Kuba’ - as his Dortmund jersey would tell you. Captain of the Polish national team since November 2010 and been voted best Polish footballer twice in the past four years, his position on the right-wing is a calming presence for both Piszczek and the team. His control of the game came to notice when both Kagawa and Götze were missing from Dortmund’s lineup this season owing to injuries. And the fact that he missed the previous iteration of this tournament due to injury himself will only drive him more to give value to the three-inch-nylon coiled around his arm.

Third and final is Robert Lewandowski, a name often being heard with the terms “Manchester United” these days rather than his current employers. 29 goals and 8 assists in 40 matches for the reigning Bundesliga champions is indeed a very good return for a 23 year old; and that not a single one of these was from the penalty spot is worth noticing. And a hat-trick in the DFB-Pokal Final meant Borussia Dortmund enjoyed a comprehensive victory over this year’s Champions League finalists, FC Bayern Munich - thus ensuring his spot in the top shelf of the Euro Form Cupboard.

Sealing the deal for Poland is Arsenal’s #1 (or rather #13), Wojciech Szczęsny. Having broken into Arsenal’s first team at the tender age of 20, he went on to establish himself by playing each and every Premier League match for his club this season. The Polish coach needs to give no thought as to who gets the gloves.

Poland is no walkover.

Pundit-time: Saad and Akhil both agree that Poland will top Group A, with Russia grabbing the other qualifying spot.

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#5. Not the same Spain.

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The tournament kicks off in Warsaw, the largest and the capital city of Poland. In the duration of 23 days, there will be a large number of glory hunters and pundits betting on a Spain victory. Interestingly, this is the last time the European championship will be played with a 16-team format, which has up until now worked so well. Spain have whitewashed every single team, winning all eight matches so far to qualify for a tournament they will so desperately be hoping to defend. However, the La Roja is not the same team that beat Germany back in 2008, or the one that survived the wrath of The Flying Dutchmen (quite literally) at Soccer City in Johannesburg, two years ago.

With the absence of the Silver Shoe winner in the 2010 World Cup, a player who was ranked 1st in IFFHS’ list of World Top Scorers at International Level in 2010, they are not only missing a prolific striker due to a fractured tibia but also somebody who has equalled the legendary Raul’s 44 goal tally for his country, thus becoming Spain’s all-time leading top scorer. Having scored half a dozen goals for Spain, they have cruised through the qualifiers thanks to his red hot form. His absence in the Euros does not only mean that Spain are missing one of the most important players in their star-studded squad, but also a player who has been instrumental in the success of their last two international tournaments.

^What he would do every match had he been fit.

Yes, I was talking about David Villa.

The essence of the Blaugrana, with the thighs of Stuart Pearce, the heart of Desert Orchid and the hair of Bette Middler, Carles Puyol is a legendary figure for both club and country. Starting a vast majority of games in the Euro 2008, he restricted the opposition throughout the tournament to a meagre two goals in five games. The World Cup 2010 was no different, with Puyol playing each game and nearly every minute, also scoring a vital winner against Germany in the semi-final. Sadly, the Euro 2012 was supposedly the last tournament Puyol would have taken part in, if it would not have been for a knee injury he suffered - causing a major blow to the hopes of the Spanish team aiming to be the first nation in the history of the game to win three major tournaments in a row. Barcelona said that their captain would undergo arthroscopy on his right knee, with an estimated recovery time of six weeks. Retirement may be forced upon the 34 year old, who has had 99 caps for his side. Being one of the formal captains in the Spain set-up, alongside Xavi Hernandez and the official captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas, not just his talent but also his leadership quality and personality will be missed.

Piqué, defensive duties are all yours. Just like Shakira.

Thus, the absence of two key players in the Spanish team might prove to be a problem for Vicente Del Bosque’s men, with co-favorites Germany and Netherlands hoping to take advantage of any weakness they can exploit in a seemingly unstoppable Spanish side. The absence of David Villa means that Del Bosque might be forced to use Fernando Llorente, who has risen to the occasion and helped Spain progress in the Euro qualifiers with two strong headers against Lithuania and the winner against Scotland to ensure a 3-2 victory at Hampden Park. However, playing at one of the biggest stages internationally is a different ball game altogether and it will test the nerves of the 27 year old who has big boots to fill with immense pressure on his shoulders.

Another possible option for Del Bosque is Fernando Torres. Yes, I’m serious. 

See that 7.32m x 2.44m area? Put the ball there. Thanks, bro.

Form is temporary, class is permanent. The 28 year old may have endured a difficult campaign for Chelsea - scoring just 11 goals in 49 appearances; but a player of Fernando Torres’s calibre, having a wealth of experience in competing at the international front, combined with the talent he possesses can prove to be a surprise package in this year’s European Championship. Having scored 5 goals in the Euro 2008 tournament - including qualifiers, and 92 appearances for his country, it would be foolish to underestimate El Niño; and fellow international Pepe Reina and Chelsea team mate Oriol Romeu have backed the Spanish forward to set the tournament alight and silence his critics. 

Apart from the two possible options mentioned already, Del Bosque also has the option to choose Pedro Rodriguez, Alvaro Negredo and Juan Mata - who surprisingly has been listed as a forward to UEFA by the Spanish Federation.

Pundit-time: Spain to top Group C, with Italy following up behind them.

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#4. Same Ol’ England.

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This is that time of the year when the English press claim that “this year is our year”. Heavy expectations are placed on The Three Lions, who without fail, fail to live up to their expectations.

So what’s new this year?

His lips read 'f*cking black c*nt*. It's true.

Strikers win you matches, defenders win you trophies. In England’s case, they have neither. Injuries and suspensions has resulted in a weak England squad travelling to Poland and Ukraine for the European Championship. The absence of Rio Ferdinand is allegedly due to the controversy that ex-skipper John Terry was in the midst of. When Chelsea visited Loftus Road, the home of Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League, they were shaken by a motivated team who disappointed the European Champions with a 1-0 victory. Towards the end of the match a visibly frustrated Terry was called for a foul and got into an argument with QPR defender Anton Ferdinand after which John Terry allegedly called him a “f*cking black c*nt”. 

The Crown Prosecutors filed charges against Terry who meanwhile was stripped of his captaincy, again! The trial is set to begin on July 9th, eight days after the Euro 2012 Final, but the damage was already done.
 

38 matches for Manchester United this season and 81 for England all-time. And he doesn't get picked.

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand - Anton’s brother, tweeted “I feel insulted…woke up with a bad taste in my mouth…it’s a f*cking joke!” summing up his thoughts perfectly and showing a damaged relationship between two experienced players. The new England manager Roy Hodgson, keen on avoiding mishaps, omitted the former captain - who with 81 appearances is the sixth most-capped player in the current generation - albeit stating constant injuries to prevent any awkwardness that might hamper their hopes in the European Championship. Dropping Ferdinand was met with worldwide criticism from both professionals and journalists, especially after Gary Cahill was later ruled out of the tournament due to a double fracture on the jaw, only to be replaced by Martin Kelly who in fact received his first senior team call-up less than a month before the European Championship!

19 matches for Liverpool this season and 1 for England. And he gets picked.

As the date for the start of the tournament drew closer, England were preparing for a friendly against Belgium at the New Wembley. Aged 33, Frank Lampard would have been playing his last European Championship had it not been for a thigh injury that he suffered in training that day. With 90 caps under his belt, and considered to be one of the best English midfielders - his work rate, passing accuracy and goal scoring ability will be sorely missed. Hailed as a typical box to box midfielder, England are lacking options in the centre midfield with Gareth Barry being ruled out due to lower abdomen complaint and Michael Carrick ruling himself out, as he does not want to be a fringe player in the England squad.

One might say that a team like England is full of superstars, and the loss of one can be covered by another, but how do you replace the English talisman Wayne Rooney? The Manchester United and England striker was initially suspended for three matches which was later reduced to two after a personal hearing when he made an appearance at the UEFA Headquarters in Switzerland. This comes after the English striker was sent off against Montenegro, due to an unnecessary foul on Miodrag Džudović. Losing a player like Rooney is a huge blow for England, who haven’t won a single major tournament since 1966, and it’s time like these when England depend on their most talented players to shine. His absence against France and Sweden might affect England’s chances in the group stages and a second place finish behind France might result in a possible match against the defending champions Spain, a team Roy Hodgson and his men would be hoping to avoid.

^What Rooney might be doing in his only group game.

Thus, England somehow need to cope up with the absence of their key men if they stand a chance to progress in this competition, otherwise The Three Lions will be packing their bags and going home for evening tea. Same story, same ol’ England.

Pundit-time: Even after so many problems, Saad still believes England will pip France to qualify as group winners because of some unstable opponents. Akhil goes for a reverse prediction, trusting Les Bleus to top their group after being at the bottom for the last two major tournaments.

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#3. Portugal won’t be in quarters.

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Bruno Alves.

Pepe.

Fábio Coentrão.

João Moutinho.

Raul Meireles.

Nani.

And not to forget, Cristiano Ronaldo.

I must be joking, right? No, I am not.

Whenever the draw for any major tournament happens, most people are obsessed with only two facets - in which group their favourite team lands and is it the group of death. Unfortunately for Portugal and all its fans, Group B is a nightmare-case scenario.

And it is somewhat of their own making.

Really, how?

Both Germany and Netherlands had an overwhelming qualifying campaign - the former notching ten wins out of ten, scoring 34 goals in the process and finishing with a goal difference of +27; while the latter nicking a few more to end up with +29 - the highest of all participating nations for Euro 2012. On the other hand, Portugal had a very unconvincing time in their group - only managing two points on average per game to end up with a disappointing 16 out of a possible 24. And because of this, they not only let Denmark grab the only available automatic qualification spot of the group, lose out on being the best second-ranked team and having to enter play-offs but also dropped down to a lowly 11th in the UEFA National Team Coefficient Ranking - thus putting themselves in Pot 3 of the Euro 2012 Draw and opening up the possibility of being drawn with higher-ranked teams such as Germany, Italy, England and Russia.

No, the logo had no part to play in it.

Some might say that qualifiers and the actual tournament are two entirely different ball games. Well in that case, Portugal haven’t really been able to perform even at the big stage in recent times, their only win of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa coming against a weak North Korean side and somehow managing to qualify for the knockout phase with a scoreless draw against Brazil and Côte d'Ivoire, only to be knocked out by eventual champions Spain - a match in which they again failed to score. This scenario is quite reminiscent of their knockout-stage-run in the World Cup before that, when they just scored one goal over three matches and were comprehensively beaten by Germany in the third place play-off as a then 21-year-old Schweinsteiger ripped them apart. A (sensible) Portuguese fan’s argument here would be that this was six years ago and that is a fair point because only two players still survive from that squad - Cristiano Ronaldo and Hélder Postiga. But nothing really changed because two years later, in Euro 2008, with a lineup that resembles the current one much more - Portugal were once again beaten by eventual runners-up Germany and struck out at the first knockout stage itself. And it is this team only - with a little maturity and much more experience, that they must beat if they wish to kick-off their tournament campaign on a better note than how they began their qualifying one. 

The only consolation for Portugal lies in the fact that they beat the Dutch the last time they met them. But a previously self-made argument invalidates that point. And unlike Portugal, Netherlands have only improved since then. Their amazing form throughout the qualification process and the pre-tournament friendlies combined with their performance in the 2010 World Cup up into the Final - when they were just four defending minutes away from a penalty shootout, which could easily have gone either way speaks volumes of their skill, talent and effort.

Iniesta, the 5' 7" difference.

So what is it that separates Portugal from teams like Germany and Netherlands? What is it that prevents them from having an influence on the world stage? What is it that stops them from conquering a group made up of Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Cyprus? What is holding them back from being as lethal as anybody with wingers the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani? What is it that will ultimately be responsible for the downfall of Paulo Bento’s men?

Midfield.

Among the many reasons the Catalans have been the team to beat for the past half a decade, the midfield trio of Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta is the biggest of them all. They not only continue to dominate possession and passing statistics but have also been consistently ranked in the top midfielders of this generation and its their work rate ethic which has enabled players like Dani Alves, Piqué, Messi and Pedro to flourish around them. Similarly, Die Mannschaft and the Oranje possess some equally lethal players in this part of the pitch - Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira and Mesut Özil for the Germans; and Nigel de Jong, Mark van Bommel and Wesley Sneijder for the Dutch. And with players like Toni Kroos and Rafael van der Vaart present in the starting XI for their respective clubs, they have no shortage of deputies either.

L-R: Khedira, Özil, Schweinsteiger, Friedrich, De Jong, Sneijder and van Bommel. Also, Two Lions present in picture.

Shift your focus to the team at hand and you find yourself lost for names. Raul Meireles and João Moutinho are two players who come to mind for most people and when you realise that both of them are defensive midfielders, you know there’s a major problem somewhere. The term ‘Portuguese Attacking Midfielder’ sounds as hollow as the team’s choice of tactics when it comes to facing strong opposition.

Rewind the clocks back a little more than a decade and you’ve not one but two amazing creative midfielders in Luís Figo and Rui Costa shouldering the playmaking duties. Exit both and you’ve Brazilian-born Deco lending his services for half a dozen years. But since then the No 10 jersey has been missing its rightful heir. And these shortcomings have also been reflected in their recent winless run in the pre-Euro friendlies - two goalless draws against Poland and Macedonia ending in a 3-1 thrashing by Turkey; the only goal scored by Manchester United-winger Nani, who is likely to miss the Selecção’s curtain raiser later today.

Clearly, Paulo Bento’s men are staring down the barrel and if they are unable to find someone to take up the mantle, Aeroporto de Lisboa won’t be a pleasant sight for Cristiano & Co. 

Pundit-time: Germany and Netherlands to qualify, in no specific order.

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#2. No marauding Turks.

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Spain are the current defending champions of both the UEFA Euro and the FIFA World Cup. And although their system of passing may outplay even the most elite opposition, but at the same time it may not be exhilarating for the neutral audience. Thankfully though, there’s always somebody else who is more than enough worth for the cost of your ticket.

The stage was the European Championship of 2008. Turkey had been drawn together with Portugal, Czech Republic and co-hosts Switzerland in Group A and had been beaten by first of the mentioned three in the opening game by a couple of goals.

Second match was against Switzerland, who needed a win to stay in the tournament. The score was 1-1 when the clock crossed the hour-and-a-half barrier and the assistant referee lifted up his LED board to signal four added minutes. Both the teams had used up all three available substitutions in an effort to win the match. Turkey had the ball - Arda Turan getting it from a teammate. Taking on two Swiss defenders, he moved forward, cut in from the left and pulled the trigger - the ball deflected off defender Patrick Müller’s heel and looped over Swiss keeper Diego Benaglio. Turkey had scored in the 92nd minute! The co-hosts had been knocked out.

But things hadn’t really gotten any better for the Turks. They were now in a do-or-die situation against Czech Republic, with whoever winning qualifying for the quarters. And 71 minutes into the match, things seemed beyond recovery. Turkey were 0-2 down to Brückner’s men and chances for the Czechs to finish off the match were still coming. But four minutes later, Arda Turan made his presence felt again - scoring at an important time, just like he did last time. The Turks were back in it! Ten minutes later, Nihat Kahveci made most of a rare error by Čech to put the ball into an empty net. A comfortable-looking Czech team now faced a penalty shoot-out. But Nihat and Altıntop had other ideas. Only a minute had passed when the then-Bayern Munich midfielder found his Captain with a sweet through-ball which put him one-on-one with the Chelsea goalkeeper. Under extreme pressure, the Istanbul-born forward calmly arced the ball beautifully into the top corner, giving his team the lead and a place in the last eight.

They now faced Croatia in the quarters, a team that had surprised anyone and everyone by finishing above Germany in the group stages. Turkey were without suspended goalkeeper Volkan Demirel and midfielder Mehmet Aurélio and had so many injury problems that some of them were a part of the bench. No goals were scored in normal time, and it was finally in the penultimate minute of extra-time when Ivan Klasnić put Croatia in front. Surely there was no way Turkey were going to come back from this. But it seemed as if this incident was only a minor hiccup for the (possible) descendants of Genghis Khan. Because a minute later, they were at what they do best - equalising, this time through Semih Şentürk. This meant a penalty shoot-out and when Turkish keeper Rüştü blocked Mladen Petrić’s penalty, he ensured his team’s place in the semi-finals for the very first time.

The Turkish team now faced three-time champions Germany, quite simply their sternest test yet. But unlike how scoring second had become somewhat of a trend for them, the Turks opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. But Schweinsteiger equalised for Germany four minutes later and it was Löw's side which took the lead in the 79th minute through a Klose header. It finally seemed that Turkey had punched way above their weight and would have to be content with a semi-final finish. Semih Şentürk wasn’t content though and he poked the ball into Lehmann’s net after Sabri Sarıoğlu had done wonderfully well to get away from left-back Lahm. But four minutes later, in the last minute of normal time, Philipp Lahm extracted his revenge as he made a dash of forty metres, and after a quick one-two with Hitzlsperger, lifted the ball over the keeper to send Turkey out of the tournament. The missing suspended trio of Volkan Demirel, Tuncay Şanlı and Arda Turan coupled with injury to captain and forward Nihat Kahveci proved to be too much for even a brilliant Turkey side to handle.

They may have never made it to the Final and will have no silverware-recognition to show for any of it but they had won the respect, praise and love of every football-lover present throughout the world with their never-say-die performances.

Fatih Terim and his 23 men will always have a place in our hearts. 

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#1. Defence. Defence. Defence.

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It is the last Saturday of November in the year 1872. The afternoon sun shines upon the city after three days of uninterrupted rain. But the Glaswegians remain unperturbed as 4000 of them travel to the cricket ground of Hamilton Crescent to watch the first ever international football match between England and Scotland. All eleven Scottish players belong to Glasgow’s popular club Queen's Park and will be wearing dark blue shirts, as opposed to the English in white. The home team is fielding two full-backs, two half-backs and six forwards whilst the visitors will be playing with only one full-back, one half-back and eight forwards.

Wait, what?

No need to double back, your eyes are working just fine. Below is an illustration of how these two formations would (most possibly) look on paper.

England's 1-1-8 vs Scotland's 2-2-6. Football at its purest.

You must be wondering how could a side ever play like this. But that’s what football was all about in those times - not only enjoying it to the hilt yourself but at the same time entertaining the audience with some all-out attack play. So much so, that the keeper would sometimes switch positions with an outfield player because after all, all he wanted to do too was score a goal! The only reason the formation didn’t say 0-0-10 was owing to the logic that they needed someone to remain in defence to pick up the loose balls, and others who would hang around midfield and kick the ball upfield for the other players to chase. This was particularly noteworthy in the case of the English, who were renowned for their dribbling skills.  Any of their eight forwards would attempt to run with the ball as far forward as desirable and only when they could proceed no further, would they kick it ahead for someone else to chase.

Fast forward six years from the first international match between England and Scotland and the final of the inaugural Welsh Cup tournament was being played at Acton Park, Wrexham. Wrexham FC, one of the oldest surviving football clubs in Britain was facing Druids of Ruabon. Of what turned out to be a nail-biting encounter, the Wrexham forwards showed their mettle by getting the ball over the goal line in the final minute to lift the trophy. For the first time ever, a team played with three half-backs and five forwards, which gave rise to the first long term successful formation.  

The 2-3-5 a.k.a The "Pyramid" Formation

Back then, the beautiful game was indeed beautiful. Entertainment and enjoyment was the sole purpose football was played and followed.The influence of greedy owners wanting to grab hold of silverware at any cost was non-existent. Teams would go all out and play the ‘pyramid’ which became a standard formation not only in England but all over the world. A balance had been struck with the defense and attack, the responsibility of the full backs was to stop the opponents wingers while the centre-halfs attempted to stop the three forwards. Such was the popularity of this formation that even sixty-two years after its creation, most of the top teams in the world still relied on it.

The 4-2-4 a.k.a The No-Respect-for-Midfield Formation

As the game developed, newer formations were introduced to the world of football. The 4-2-4 being one such formation was created by the Brazilian national coach in the 1950s. With the continuous improvement in the fitness and skill levels of the players, coaches and managers had the liberty of having just two midfielders who would contribute offensively and defensively, thus having a total of six defenders and six forwards. The defenders were endowed with the responsibility to not only steal the ball, but hold it, run with it and pass it, thus demanding high levels of performance from the players. It is of no surprise then, that this formation was a perfect fit for Brazilians.The flexibility of the formation also allowed immediate changes in the run of play. Two of the oldest and most famous Brazilian clubs, Palmeiras and Santos adopted this formation with much success, after which the country’s national team, represented by Pele and Mário Zagallo used it to lift up the prestigious Jules Rimet Trophy in 1958 and the 1970 FIFA World Cup.

The attacking 4-3-3 and the demanding 4-4-2

The modern formations, unlike those of the past, have given a lot more importance to the defence and midfield. The flexibility of these formations are tailored to the needs of the team and its players. The 4-4-2 and the 4-3-3 are two common variations to the 4-2-4. The three-man midfield allows better stability, who work as a unit to protect their defenders while the attack is spread across the field as the three forwards split, with those occupying the wider positions expected to mark the full backs and help their team defensively as well. The 4-3-3 was a signature formation of the famous Ajax team in the early 1970’s, which won three European Cups with the legendary Johan Cruyff. The 4-4-2 on the other hand requires the midfielders to support both defense and attack, the wide players playing on either flanks not only have to support the strikers but also cover the full backs. Milan under coach Ariggo Sacchi and Fabio Capello have been very successful using the 4-4-2 formation, winning three European Cups, two Intercontinental Cups and three UEFA Super Cups over a period of seven years.

The 4-2-3-1 a.k.a The 2010 World Cup Final Formation

The final of the World Cup 2010 was a spectacle between two teams who had never faced each other in the latter stages of any major international tournament. Spain and Netherlands both played a 4-2-3-1 formation, trying to counter the opponent’s every move. Fans were anticipating a fierce battle between two very capable teams, who jointly had an Elo rating of 4211 points, the highest for any international match ever played! This encounter was also known for earning the most yellow cards in a World Cup final, doubling the previous record of six cards in 1986, between Argentina and West Germany. The match went into extra time with neither side scoring a goal within ninety minutes. Spain enjoyed 57% of the possession but did not make use of their chances. To make matters worse, Oranje played with ten men from the 109th minute onwards due to Heitinga’s second yellow card, and the team resorted to defensive tactics hoping to force the La Roja into penalty shootouts which seemed the most likely conclusion.

However, just four minutes before the end of extra-time, Jesús Navas energetically started a movement on the right flank, playing a neat pass to Torres who desperately attempted a cross which was blocked by a Dutch defender, only to land on Fabregas’ feet, who as expected used his presence of mind to play a quick pass to Andrés Iniesta. Attempting a half-volley, the Blaugrana midfielder connected the ball perfectly which left a hopeless Stekelenberg to watch the ball hit the back of the net. The stadium erupted with celebrations as the European Champions became conquerors of world football.The 4-2-3-1 formation had done its job for the most part of the match, with its effectiveness being recognized globally. Teams have resorted to a more defensive approach than ever before, and we have seen the game develop from an all-attacking 2-3-5 formation to a four man defense, and a packed midfield. In recent years, the success of international and club level teams have largely been due to the tactics deployed, which is what you can expect to see at the Euro 2012. Tournament favourites Spain, Germany and Netherlands have used the 4-2-3-1 formation before, and given their past success, who would bet against them?

About the writers: Saād Rashid and Akhil Arora, both die-hard Manchester United supporters, love football like nothing else. And it is their immense passion for the sport that drives them to channelise their views into engaging (and hopefully, entertaining) text for the mortals of this planet.