Free Kicks (7/1/08) - Euro 2008
Posted by Obiora, July 1, 2008 - 12:31 pm
A few thoughts on Euro 2008:
- If you missed Euro 2008, you missed one of the best sports tournaments in recent memory. Watching Fernando Torres score the winner against Germany was especially gratifying for this fan given the criticism leveled at El Niño for not finding the back of the net much during the rest of the tournament. It’s nonsense of course as Torres was one of the hardest workers on the Spanish team, creating numerous chances for David Villa and others along the way.
- I particularly enjoyed that Spain coach Luis Aragonés didn’t go into an all-out defensive mode towards the end of the match. He continued to attack as the Spaniards nearly took a second goal in the waning minutes. Too often it seems that national teams choose between a boring defensive style that wins (read: Greece in Euro 2004) and an attractive brand of futbol that ultimately fails to win (read: Argentina in the 2007 Copa América). This Spanish team combined solid defensive play with a great up-tempo game.
- Though they flamed out against Russia, count me among those who thoroughly enjoyed the Oranje Crush of Holland. I’ll admit that I didn’t particularly like those garish bright orange uniforms when I first saw them at the 2006 World Cup but I came around in this tournament. It’s easy to like a team that plays an attacking, offensive-minded style of futbol (unless you’re Italy). Plus the uni’s have a certain kitsch factor to them.
- Coverage of Euro 2008 in the US was as good as a futbol-phile could have hoped with regular highlights on Sportscenter and decent commentary during games (as opposed to the horrific excuse for commentary we got in ‘06). The final between Spain and Germany drew a strong 3.1 rating on ABC and there was even coverage of the tournament final in local newspapers across the country.
- Despite the attention it brought on this side of the pond, if anyone thinks Euro 2008 will be the watershed moment that brings soccer into the US sports mainstream, forget it. There will be no singular moment or tournament, even if the US wins a World Cup (pah!). Soccer has been making slow but steady gains in the US for years now and bit-by-bit is the only way it will continue to grow.
Photo Credit: Shaun Botterill - Getty Images
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