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Euro 2012: did CBBC have the best commentary?
Pressing the red button during last night's final gave you children commentating, phone-ins and analysis from a puppet dog
Television coverage of Euro 2012 taught us all an incredible amount. We discovered, for example, that the ITV set designer has access to some unbelievably horrible sofas, and that Gary Lineker can only use urban slang a maximum of two times before it gets boring. But most of all, we discovered that the state of British commentary is lamentable.
ITV's Clive Tyldesley has no shortage of detractors, and the Euros offered little to change their minds. Mark Lawrenson, over on the BBC meanwhile, gradually and audibly lost the will to live as the tournament progressed. By the end, his despondency became so overbearing that you have to assume he spent half-time huddled in a corner with his thumb in his mouth and a comfort blanket clutched to his chest. Whichever option the audience took, they were denied a truly thrilling commentary experience.
Until last night. Because last night, red button viewers were able to hear an alternative commentary performed by CBBC staff. I couldn't face another 90 minutes of Lawrenson and I don't hate myself enough to willingly endure ITV's advertisments, so CBBC commentary seemed like the only sensible option left. It was my best decision of the entire tournament.
Ditching the traditional two-voice style of commentary, the CBBC lot essentially threw everything they had at the wall. There were CBBC stars Chris Johnson and Sonali Shah and their friends. There were analytical interludes from Hacker T Dog (a puppet of a dog) and The Mystic Toad (presumably a puppet of a mystic toad). There were quizzes. There was, from time to time, circus music. And, best of all, there were phone-in segments where children got to commentate on the action.
It probably wasn't the best place to hear an authoritative evaluation of the match itself. But what it lacked in analytical nous, it made up for with cartloads of technicolour giddiness. A traditional commentary wouldn't be primarily concerned with which of the players had the best haircut, nor would it descend into an argument about which of the commentators had the most friends. And it's probably fair to assume that if, say, Lawrenson revealed that he had an Italian girlfriend, Guy Mowbray wouldn't spend the next minute going "OOOH, Mark's got a GIRLFRIEND" until Lawrenson pleaded with him to shut up. But these are the areas where the CBBC commentary excelled.
In retrospect, yes, perhaps CBBC should have noticed Spain's third goal instead of goading a child to chant "Spain" again and again. And maybe they shouldn't have let another child commentate on a key piece of action with the words "The guy with the hair just had a shot! I don't care! WOO!". And, really, it wouldn't have killed them to keep their eye on the ball enough to notice that it was half-time. But, in a way, none of that mattered. The whole thing was a breathless rush in about 18 directions at once.
If it was meant as a low-key experiment, there's a fairly good chance that it didn't work – at times, "CBBC" was trending higher on Twitter than "Spain" or "Italy", and it's likely that the number of children listening was dwarfed by all the adults bored of the usual fare. But nevertheless, it should be seen as a success. Hopefully we'll hear more of the CBBC commentary team again. I'd like to see them having a go at the Olympics. In fact, I'd be perfectly happy to let them follow me around and commentate on my day to day life. Especially if they let me have a go. Read More [category Sport][tags Sport TV, Television, Children's TV, Euro 2012, Football, Sport]
Marseille confirm Didier Deschamps has left club by mutual agreement
• Deschamps' future at club had been unclear for some time
• Fabrizio Ravanelli, Juventus' reserve coach, wants the job
Marseille have announced that their coach Didier Deschamps has left the club by mutual agreement.
The 43-year-old's future had been uncertain with reports claiming he wanted to leave the club he had once captained, after three years in charge.
There was further speculation after Laurent Blanc stepped down as France's manager on Saturday, with his former Les Bleus captain instantly linked with succeeding him in the role.
On Monday the club finally ended the speculation with a statement on their website revealing that Deschamps' future had been unclear for some time. It read: "Didier Deschamps was received on 23 May by club officials to prepare for the 2012-2013 season.
"Didier Deschamps stated his desire to leave OM and the terms of his departure were considered. In the days that followed, Didier Deschamps repeatedly confirmed that he was and remained the coach of OM.
"Olympique de Marseille and Didier Deschamps have finally decided by mutual agreement not to continue working for the 2012-2013 season."
One candidate to put himself forward to replace Deschamps is their former striker Fabrizio Ravanelli.
The 43-year-old played with the club for two years from 1998 in a career which also took in clubs in his native Italy, England and Scotland.
During his time at Marseille they won the Ligue 1 title and were also runners-up in the Uefa Cup. "I have had no official contact with the club but yes, I am dreaming of the challenge of OM," Ravenelli said.
Ravanelli has no management experience and is currently the reserve coach at Serie A side Juventus although he believes this should not hinder him: "We must start somewhere in life! Laurent Blanc started one day with Bordeaux, Monaco [Didier] Deschamps, [Roberto] Di Matteo Chelsea [sic], [Vincenzo] Montella at Roma … I really hope they give me my chance."
Deschamps took over as Marseille's coach in the summer of 2009 and in his first season led them to the Ligue 1 title as well as the Coupe de la Ligue. They were runners-up the following year to Lille, although they retained the Coupe de la Ligue.
However, last season was poor for the club who at one point endured a 14-match winless streak and they finished in 10th place, although another successful cup defence saw them qualify for the Europa League.
Following the end of a highly-successful playing career, which saw him win the Champions League with Marseille and Juventus as well as the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship with France, Deschamps was appointed manager of Monaco.
He guided them to second in Ligue 1 in the 2002-03 season which saw them qualify for the Champions League in which they reached the final the following year where they lost to Porto, led by José Mourinho.
After resigning in autumn 2005, Deschamps was appointed as Juventus coach the following summer with the club having been relegated to Serie B after the match-fixing scandal. Deschamps guided them to an immediate return to the top flight but almost as soon as they had been confirmed as Serie B champions he resigned. Read More [category Sport][tags Marseille, European club football, Ligue 1, Football, Sport]
Germany criticised for not singing
• Debate in German media over lack of passion during anthem
• Germany's coach Joachim Löw faces a barrage of criticism
Germans are debating whether their national team's apparent lack of passion about singing the national anthem had anything to do with their loss to Italy at the European Championship.
The Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath wrote in a weekend newspaper column that "those who saw how fervently the Italians sang, even screamed, their anthem could sense the will with which they would approach the following 95 minutes.
"I missed this audible commitment, this readiness to want to give all, in the German team," he wrote in the daily Hamburger Abendblatt.
On Monday, Bild asked in a back-page headline: "Are we patriotic enough?"
"It is downright shameful that not all our players sing along with our anthem," the conservative lawmaker Hans-Peter Uhl was quoted as saying.
The former Germany international Franz Beckenbauer added: "Ardour must begin before kick-off and singing loudly together helps with that."
He said he handed out the text of the anthem to players and obliged them to sing it when he was national team coach – a period that included West Germany's 1990 World Cup triumph.
However, the interior minister Hans-Peter Friedrich, who is responsible for sport, sounded a note of caution. "Of course I always find it good when people sing their national anthem and show their loyalty to their country and their homeland, and show the emotions that are necessary and good for that," Friedrich told Bayern2 radio.
"But on the other hand: one does not have to, after losing a semi-final, look for every possible reason why things didn't work out."
Germany's coach, Joachim Löw, has faced a barrage of criticism in German media for altering his line-up and tactics before of Thursday's 2-1 defeat by Italy. Read More [category Sport][tags Germany, Euro 2012, Football]
Who are the greatest international side of all time?
Spain's defeat of Italy at Euro 2012 is their third major tournament victory in a row. Should they now be considered the greatest international team in history?
Read More [category Sport][tags Euro 2012, Football, Sport, Spain, Brazil, Hungary]
Spain v Italy: the Euro 2012 final front pages
How Europe's national newspapers marked Spain's 4-0 win over Italy
Read More [category Sport][tags Newspapers, Newspapers & magazines, Media, Euro 2012, Football, Sport, UK news]
Euro 2012 final: Spain's win watched by more than 13m on BBC1 | TV ratings - 1 July
Corporation's coverage of final attracts six times the number of viewers that watched on ITV1
More than 13 million viewers watched Spain win Euro 2012 on BBC1 – six times the number that watched the tournament climax on ITV1.
Spain's crushing 4-0 win over Italy averaged 12.3 million viewers on BBC1, with a 15-minute peak of 13.3 million on Sunday night.
ITV1's coverage of the match, which kicked off at 7.45pm, averaged 2 million viewers, with a 15-minute peak of 2.2 million.
Overall BBC1's Match of the Day Live: Euro 2012 Final, hosted by Gary Lineker, pulled in 10.2 million viewers, a 41.3% share, between 7pm and 10.15pm.
ITV1's Euro 2012 Final Live, presented by Adrian Chiles, averaged 1.7 million viewers, 7% of the audience, between 7pm and 10.15pm.
The advertising-free BBC traditionally outguns ITV on big sporting occasions but the corporation's six-to-one win over its commercial rival – the BBC had an 86% share of the audience during the game – was even more comprehensive than usual.
The last time ITV1 broadcast live coverage of a European Championships final – Greece's win in Euro 2004 – the BBC had just over three times as many viewers as ITV, with 10.9 million viewers against 3.4 million.
Such is the BBC's traditional ratings lead that ITV decided not to broadcast live coverage of the Euro 2008 final, also won by Spain.
The BBC had a five-to-one lead in the 2010 World Cup final, when it drew 15.1 million viewers compared with ITV1's 3.3 million.
The total audience for live match coverage of the final, at 14.3 million viewers, was up on the 10.6 million who watched in 2008 when it was only broadcast on BBC1, and identical to the 14.3 million who watched Greece's win in Euro 2004.
But it was down on the 18.4 million who saw Spain's World Cup win, broadcast live by both channels, two years ago.
England's Euro 2012 exit to Italy remained the most-watched match of Euro 2012, with a live match average of 20.2 million viewers on BBC1 on 24 June, with full coverage including pre- and post-match analysis averaging 17.4 million.
The quarter final, which England lost on penalties, had a five-minute peak of 23.2 million viewers, the highest for any programme on any channel since England v Portugal in Euro 2004.
The first hour of ITV1's Euro 2012 final coverage also lost out to BBC2's Secrets of our Living Planet. The Chris Packham natural history series picked up 2.1 million viewers, a 9.6% share, between 7pm and 8pm, including BBC HD.
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook Read More [category Sport][tags TV ratings, Television industry, Media, Euro 2012, Football]
Spain's Iniesta named player of the tournament by Uefa
• Midfielder tops Uefa's list for team of the tournament
• Premier League's Gerrard, Ballotelli and Silva included
Spain's Andrés Iniesta was named as player of Euro 2012 when Uefa released its list of 23 players named as the squad of the tournament. It includes three Premier League players – Steven Gerrard, Mario Ballotelli and David Silva.
Uefa said: "Andrés Iniesta has been nominated as the Euro 2012 Best Player of the Tournament by the 11-man technical team of Uefa who have been following all the matches."
Iniesta, the 28-year-old Barcelona midfielder, was a key member of the victorious Spanish side at the 2010 World Cup, scoring the winning goal in the final against Holland and also being named man of the match.
Spain have 10 players named in the Uefa Best Team of the Tournament.
Uefa's 23-man squad of the tournament:
Goalkeepers Buffon (Italy), Casillas (Spain), Neuer (Germany).
Defenders Piqué (Spain), Coentrão (Portugal), Lahm (Germany), Pepe (Portugal), Ramos (Spain), Jordi Alba (Spain).
Midfielders De Rossi (Italy), Gerrard (England), Xavi (Spain), Iniesta (Spain), Khedira (Germany), Busquets (Spain), Ozil (Germany), Pirlo (Italy), Xabi Alonso (Spain).
Forwards Balotelli (Italy), Fábregas (Spain), Ronaldo (Portugal), Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Silva (Spain). Read More [category Sport][tags Andrés Iniesta, Spain, Euro 2012, Football, Sport]
Our writers' verdict on the tournament
Iniesta and Pirlo had multiple admirers but which match won the most nominations, and what were the highlights and lowlights?
BEST PLAYER
Marcus Christenson Andrés Iniesta. He is just a joy to watch. Football at its best. Andrea Pirlo needed a big final and he was never given a chance. If he'd played for Spain maybe …
Paul Doyle Cristiano Ronaldo. May have missed a few chances but was a constant source of excitement as no individual unhinged as many defences. Pity his team-mates could not even get as far as the fifth penalty in a shootout without him.
Dominic Fifield Andrea Pirlo. The Italian may have ended crestfallen, but the 33-year-old had been imperious in propelling the Azzurri to the final, his performances against England and Germany utterly mesmerising.
Barry Glendenning Andrés Iniesta.
Amy Lawrence Andrea Pirlo. Although he was upstaged in the final his excellence over the course of the tournament was inspiring. He was the heartbeat of the most improved team in Europe.
Kevin McCarra Andrea Pirlo. The midfielder illuminated the tournament, even if this classic Spain side were much too good for Italy in the final. The one major medal Pirlo lacks for club or country has eluded him.
Scott Murray Mario Balotelli, who came of age as a big-game player (even though he's already got an assist for a Premier League winning goal to his name).
Rob Smyth Andrea Pirlo. You can't really say he ran games, as that implies too much sweat and toil. He simply presided over them like a lord.
Barney Ronay Andrés Iniesta: the Spanish player even other Spanish players must look at and say: "he's so … Spanish". Offers a cutting edge even in those periods of sideways rumination and still makes pretty much everyone else look they're wearing concrete boots.
Jacob Steinberg Andrés Iniesta is the ultimate big-game player and the most beautiful player in the world after Leo Messi.
Daniel Taylor Andrés Iniesta. Until the final it would have been Andrea Pirlo, but Iniesta eclipsed him when it mattered.
Richard Williams Jointly the irrepressibly creative Andrés Iniesta and the man he and his team-mates so brilliantly managed to subdue in the final: Andrea Pirlo, the Divine Moptop.
Paul Wilson Il Postino, of course. Hope that Mario Balotelli's new nickname sticks too, because it is the best for a sportsman since Eddy Merckx was known as The Cannibal.
BEST MATCH
Marcus Christenson Germany 1-2 Italy, the semi-final in which Italy took Jogi Löw's side completely by surprise and Mario Balotelli showed that he is a world-class striker. Pirlo was sublime
Paul Doyle Denmark 2-3 Portugal. This was the sort of no-holds barred thriller you can get when all four teams in a group are top-notch. As such, we may never see the like again.
Dominic Fifield Germany 1-2 Italy. Joachim Löw's team had felt like champions elect, only to be floored by the brilliance of Mario Balotelli and Pirlo. The Manchester City striker's brutally dispatched second goal took the breath away.
Barry Glendenning Sweden 2-3 England. For sheer muck-and-bullets excitement it was hard to beat, even if the purists might not agree.
Amy Lawrence Italy 2–1 Germany. Highly charged, highly skilled, and riveting until the last minute – lived up to the classic billing. Watching Mario Balotelli embrace his adoptive mother at the end is an enduring image.
Kevin McCarra Italy 2-1 Germany. It was silly of us to be surprised that Cesare Prandelli's team should rise to the occasion and, thanks to the outstanding Mario Balotelli, expose the limitations of the Germany defence.
Scott Murray Germany 1-2 Italy. Just shades Czech Republic v Russia, which had a lovely, warm tournament's-just-started-we've-three-more-weeks-of-this glow, and Spain-Italy, which had a bittersweet why-didn't-we-get-more-of-this pall.
Barney Ronay Germany 1-2 Italy. A rare thing: a tournament knockout match with verve, last-minute uncertainty and even a (mild) upset.
Rob Smyth There were no great games, but Portugal 3-2 Denmark was exciting, decisive and gave new meaning to the idea of a pants match.
Jacob Steinberg Portugal 2-1 Holland. Cristiano Ronaldo was on one that night. A ridiculously brilliant performance. He could have hit double figures.
Daniel Taylor Spain 4-0 Italy. The knockout stages lacked a real classic but it was a privilege to see that Spain performance – and a great story, too, considering the scrutiny of their tactics.
Richard Williams Spain 1-1 Italy, an opening group match of great tactical sophistication, proclaiming that we were in for an unusually rewarding tournament.
Paul Wilson England 3-2 Sweden was pretty good, Germany v Holland perhaps better quality. Best performance I saw live was Germany 4-2 Greece.
HIGHLIGHT
Marcus Christenson Spain's football, of course, but also how the host nations showed that all the pre-tournament scaremongering had been unjustified.
Paul Doyle The generally positive spirit: most referees allowed robust contact and, in turn, most players did not throw themselves to the ground at the first whiff of contact.
Dominic Fifield Pirlo's cheeky penalty against the English, an effort so impudent it served to demoralise those still waiting to step up for a spot-kick.
Barry Glendenning Too many to mention, but many of the front-line dispatches, produced in this and other newspapers, by football writers who must be dead on their feet after three weeks of ridiculously long days and exhausting travelling, was an absolute pleasure to read.
Amy Lawrence Collectively, Spain saving best until last to take the breath away in the final, which was embellished in such style by the beautiful yet brutal passing of Fábregas, Iniesta and Xavi. Individually, Pirlo's 'Panenka' penalty.
Kevin McCarra Jakub Blaszczykowski's neatly constructed goal for Poland against Russia. The power and curl of the captain's drive as he came in from the right in the 1-1 draw were unforgettable.
Scott Murray Andy Carroll planting that header home against Sweden. One of the goals of the tournament, by a limited but increasingly likeable footballer who's put up with, and come through, a lot of unimaginative abuse.
Barney Ronay Spain's first 15 minutes in the final: attacking penetration, a headed goal and a flashback to the excitement of the early tournament. Plus two tedious debates settled in one go: they are a truly great team; and they're not "boring".
Rob Smyth John Delaney's Day Off.
Jacob Steinberg Those of us who called Spain boring were after a signature performance, something to remember them by other than 70% possession in every game. We got that in the final. At their best, they are unplayable.
Daniel Taylor Andrea Pirlo versus Joe Hart. "Their goalkeeper looked fired-up. I thought: 'Now I give him 'the spoon.'"
Richard Williams Spain's dramatic opening goal in the final, a flourish of the highest technical accomplishment executed with breathtaking collective imagination and confidence.
Paul Wilson Andy Carroll's stunning header v Sweden. There were a couple of seconds of dead air on Polish television while the commentator worked out how the ball had ended up in the back of the net.
LOWLIGHT
Marcus Christenson The racism in itself in first place and then the pathetic fines that came with it.
Paul Doyle Giovanni Trapatoni's handling of Ireland's pointless appearance.
Dominic Fifield The ridiculous "countdown to kick-off", the relative lack of travelling fans, Uefa's system of fines, and the Dutch.
Barry Glendenning Hearing the inevitable confirmation that young Irish football fan, James Nolan, wouldn't be turning up safe and sound with a funny story to tell after he'd got separated from his pals and gone missing for several days in Poland.
Amy Lawrence The dismissal of Giorgios Karagounis – its unfairness was bad enough, but the lack of an overturned decision or at least an apology is inexcusable.
Kevin McCarra Fans (and this journalist) being ripped off by hotels in Ukraine.
Scott Murray The over-intellectualisation of tiki-taka, which as an art form is becoming more quixotic by the day. Cervantes would doubtless appreciate the irony of Spain's proselytisers tilting at windmills. Er, hold on …
Barney Ronay The collapse of Russia, so fluent in their 4-1 defeat of the Czechs, so meek and complacent in going out a week later.
Rob Smyth Spain waiting until the final to express their once-in-a-millennium talent.
Jacob Steinberg Andrea Pirlo in tears after the final. No one wants to see that.
Daniel Taylor The hour before every England match when Arsenal's pitch-announcer, Paul Burrell, subjected us to all that boneheaded drivel – "think of 1966" and "are we ready?" etc – to try to gee up the crowd. Memo to Uefa: it's naff in the extreme.
Richard Williams The absurd pre-match ceremonies, a concerted attempt to infantilise the whole football experience, culminating in the pathetic countdown, an innovation which must never be repeated.
Paul Wilson Unnecessary and unjustified pre-tournament speculation about fans coming home in coffins. Michel Platini's plans to improve things in future.
TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT
Marcus Christenson (4-2-3-1): Rui Patrico; Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Jordi Alba; Pirlo, Khedira; Ronaldo, Xavi, Iniesta; Balotelli.
Paul Doyle (4-2-3-1): Casillas; Pereira, Pepe, Ramos, Jordi Alba; Alonso, Pirlo; Iniesta, Ibrahimovic, Ronaldo; Mandzukic.
Dominic Fifield (4-3-3, not a striker in sight): Buffon; Gebre Selassie, Sergio Ramos, Terry, Jordi Alba; Khedira, Pirlo, Xabi Alonso; Ozil, Ronaldo, Iniesta.
Barry Glendenning (4-3-2-1): Casillas; Gebre Selassie, Pique, Terry, Jordi Alba; Moutinho, Pirlo, De Rossi; Xavi, Yarmolenko; Balotelli.
Amy Lawrence (4-1-3-2): Buffon; Arbeloa, Ramos, Mellberg, Jordi Alba; Xabi Alonso; Ronaldo, Pirlo, Iniesta; Fábregas, Balotelli.
Kevin McCarra (4-2-3-1): Buffon; Lahm, Ramos, Terry, Coentrão; Pirlo, Xavi; Iniesta, Ozil, Ronaldo; Balotelli.
Scott Murray (4-6-0): Buffon; Debuchy, Hummels, Agger, Lahm; Ozil, Pirlo, Sneijder, Balotelli, Arshavin, Ronaldo. Sub: Llorente.
Barney Ronay (4-2-4-0): Cech; Lahm, Ramos, Terry, Jordi Alba; Pirlo, Khedira; Ronaldo, Iniesta, Modric, Fábregas; nobody.
Rob Smyth (4-2-3-1): Casillas; Pereira, Ramos, Hummels, Jordi Alba; Pirlo, Modric; Salpingidis, Ozil, Iniesta; Ronaldo.
Jacob Steinberg (4-3-3): Buffon; Pereira, Ramos, Pepe, Jordi Alba; Busquets, Pirlo, Fábregas; Ronaldo, Balotelli, Iniesta.
Daniel Taylor (4-3-3): Buffon; Arbeloa, Pique, Ramos, Jordi Alba; Xavi, Pirlo, Alonso; Ozil, Balotelli, Iniesta.
Richard Williams (4-2-3-1): Casillas; Balzaretti, Terry, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba; Pirlo, De Rossi, Iniesta, Xavi, Fabregas; Cassano.
Paul Wilson (4-2-3-1): Casillas; Lahm, Hummels, Pepe, Coentrão; Marchisio, Khedira; Moutinho, Pirlo, Ronaldo; Balotelli. Read More [category Sport][tags Euro 2012, Football, Sport]
Aston Villa sign midfielder Karim El Ahmadi from Feyenoord
• Moroccan international signs three-year deal with Villa
• 'I always want the ball and to dictate the game,' he says
Karim El Ahmadi has become Paul Lambert's first signing as Aston Villa manager after joining from Feyenoord on a three-year deal. The 27-year-old, who has been with Feyenoord since 2008, has signed for an undisclosed fee.
"I'm very excited about coming here to a massive club and I'm looking forward to playing here," he said. "I'm very happy that the manager wants me and that the club wants me and I'm looking forward to starting training again.
"This club should be competing in the top half of the table and I am looking forward to achieving that with the team," he added. "It was always a dream of mine to play in the Premier League. We played a lot on Sundays in Holland, so I was able to watch all of the games on Saturday and I think this is the best league in the world. It will be a challenge to show people what I can do."
The 27-year-old Moroccan international was generally regarded as one of the best players in the Eredivisie last season as Feyenoord finished second in the league and secured a Champions League place.
"Last year was successful for me and for Feyenoord - we qualified for the Champions League - but sometimes in life you have to make choices. I came to this club and spoke to the people here and they gave me great confidence in what we can do this year, so I have chosen to come.
"As a player, I always want to have the ball and that is my main quality. I always want the ball and to dictate the game. That's what I did at Feyenoord and hopefully I can show the fans, the club and the manager my quality." Read More [category Sport][tags Aston Villa, Football, Sport, Transfer window]
Iniesta wins Euro 2012 player award
Spurs close in on Villas-Boas
Arsenal reject Juventus offer for Van Persie
Torres gilds the lily with Euro 2012 Golden Boot
Gerrard in Euro 2012 squad of the tournament
Best nears Newcastle exit
Cuellar makes Sunderland switch
Agent: Sky's the limit for Balotelli
Deschamps leaves Marseille
Fabregas hits back at boring claims
Tormentor in chief Iniesta gracious in victory
Italian press says 'thanks anyway'
Marauding Alba joins Spanish title club
Del Bosque basks in Spain achievement
Injury sealed our fate says Prandelli
Becks absence set to dominate
Prandelli to continue at Italy helm
Spanish magnificent seven savour third trophy
Humbled Italy praise best team in the world
Casillas revels in historic triumph
Now for the Brazil World Cup - Del Bosque
Iniesta and Spain ready to accept "greatest" mantle
Xavi sets sights on Brazil after Euro 2012 display
Del Bosque lauds Spain's gilded generation
Victorious Spain to return to heroes' welcome
Prandelli: Mario to learn from woe
Is The Hunt For The 'God Particle' Finally Over?
Euro 2012 paper review: Spain hails its 'greatest ever generation'
There is praise at home and across Europe for Vicente del Bosque's side after their history-making victory over Italy
How do you congratulate the team that has won everything? As far as Marca is concerned, the best way is to keep the message simple: "Gracias, gracias, gracias" reads the newspaper's headline above a picture of Spain's victorious Euro 2012 champions. Three cheers for the first international team to win three international tournaments in succession.
The story itself contains a more detailed appreciation of Spain's achievement yesterday, with the paper speaking of a "single generation bringing about a radical change for the good of the game," starting with their 2-0 victory against Germany in the final of Euro 2008 and carried through to the last World Cup and then to the 4-0 humbling of Italy in Kiev.
That theme is also picked up by Mundo Deportivo, which describes the victory over Cesare Prandelli's side as an "exhibition" and the "tremendous success of the best Spanish generation in history." Somewhat cheekily, the Barcelona-based newspaper also describes the win as having been "made in Barça," and Andres Iniesta as the final's "MVP."
Back to Marca and there is a reflection on the touching tribute Spain's players paid to Miquel Roque, the former Real Betis, Xerex, Liverpool and Spain Under-19 defender who died from cancer, aged just 23, at the end of last month. A number of Spanish player, most notably José Reina, wore shirts in tribute to Roque following the win against Italy. "The most beautiful dedication" – said Marca.
Not surprisingly, the mood in the Italian press following last night's game is rather glum. "The fairytale became a nightmare for the Azzurri," is how Gazetta dello Sport describes the crushing defeat for Prandelli's men. "The best team won, as usually happens in sport, but Italy also messed up. There will be regrets at not having seen the best of the team that had excited everybody. Their main regret on the field will be [Antonio] Di Natale's miss at the start of the second-half when they were 2-0 down."
There is, however, an appreciation of Spain's superiority over the men in blue: "We have been direct witlessness of something legendary," says Corriere della sera, "and it's at least comforting to say Spain have rewritten history of football."
Gazetta also pays tribute to Prandelli for getting a side which bombed so spectacularly at the last World Cup to the final of this tournament: "What Prandelli has achieved since the disastrous World Cup in South Africa must not be forgotten. This Italian team deserves applause for its expressive and complex play."
Elsewhere, there is also appreciation for the achievement of Vicente del Bosque's side. "Congratulations Spain" reads the headline in Bild, whose website also carries a large picture of Mario Balotelli crying after the final whistle. Revenge for the manner in which he helped defeat Germany in the semi-finals, perhaps?
And the final word should go to Portugal's Público for its simple, spot-on summing up of Spain's triumph: "More convincing, impossible." Read More [category Sport][tags Euro 2012, Spain, Italy, Football, Sport]
Euro 2012: The verdict from our Experts' Network - Croatia to Holland | Marcus Christenson
Our experts deliver their verdicts on best and worst players, best and worst moments and rate their teams' overall performance
Croatia
Our best player The real star of this team was the manager, Slaven Bilic. He made the players better, prepared them in the best possible way – both physically and psychologically – and made a series of clever tactical calls to extract the maximum from a good, but not great team.
Most disappointing player Eduardo – but only because he didn't get enough chances to play, which obviously wasn't his fault. I thought he really could have made an impact at this tournament, which would have been thoroughly deserved considering he missed the last Euros, when he had been at the top of his game, because of a terrible injury.
Our best moment Luka Modric's breakout run and fantastic outside-of-the-foot cross for Ivan Rakitic's chance against Spain. It was the moment when, as Arsène Wenger observed, Croatia made Spain look human again.
Worst moment A few minutes from time in the match against Spain, when we were not awarded a penalty despite a blatant foul on Vedran Corluka in the box.
Overall rating and a look ahead: 8/10. Croatia performed really well and left a good impression. Unfortunately, they were unable to get the result they wanted. The only below-par performance was in the first half against Italy, when the team looked really bad, but then Slaven Bilic unexpectedly changed the formation and turned the game around.
People mocked Bilic when he said he wanted to win the Euros. But after seeing Italy and Spain reach the final, that no longer seems to have been entirely crazy: Croatia handled both teams very well and could have won both of those games.
Croatia should build on the atmosphere within the team, which has been really good, for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers . All of the guys who played at this tournament should be available and that's a great advantage, but the new manager, Igor Stimac, should also look to introduce a few youngsters – especially at the defensive end, where Croatia has very few options.
Stimac is a completely different character to Bilic. He has very little coaching experience and it is hard to say how he will fare at this level. But what really worries me is the overall situation in Croatian football: problems with corruption and heavily neglected at grassroots level for years. That is no environment for talent to come through so I really dread the long-term future of Croatian football.
Player of the tournament Andrea Pirlo
Words by Aleksandar Holiga, tportal.hr
Czech Republic
Our best player Petr Jiracek. The energetic midfielder showed that he has truly recovered after the first six difficult months at Wolfsburg with an early goal against Greece and did not look back after that. He adapted well to a new position on the right side of midfield and scored another crucial goal against Poland.
Most disappointing player Our 12th player: the fans. The comparison might be harsh but when the Irish fans were supporting their team despite the heavy defeat against Spain, the Czech players must have felt bitter. Their own fans turned against them right after the defeat against Russia and whistled at Michal Bilek and Milan Baros even before the second game against Greece. Their support improved after that but it was still a poor show.
Our best moment The afternoon before the last group game against co-hosts Poland. People in Wroclaw really warmed to the Czechs and I've never experienced such a friendly atmosphere before such a crucial game. The Wroclaw marketplace was full of Czech and Polish fans, singing together, hugging each other and wishing one another well. It was a footballing Woodstock.
Worst moment The moment in the first half of the game against Greece when someone kicked Tomas Rosicky's achilles. He did not play in the tournament again – a huge blow to the team's chances.
Overall performance and a look ahead: 6/10. Despite the heavy defeat in their first game against Russia, the Czechs got what they came for: a place in the quarter-finals. Their game lacked invention and was not very easy on the eye at times (partly because of Rosicky's injury), but the team showed great determination and fighting spirit to overcome Greece and Poland to finish top of the group.
Several of the younger players made an impact - Jiracek, Vaclav Pilar, Theodor Gebre Selassie or David Limbersky – which gives the team hope going into the World Cup qualifying campaign. On the other hand, the quarter-final against Portugal showed that the Czechs still lack the experience and the skill to compete with the best. They will certainly gain the former, but the prevailing feeling is that the pool of players lack the quality to provide the latter.
The main task for Bilek, who has had his contract extended until 2014, is to unveil find a goalscorer, especially now that Milan Baros has retired from international football. The coach believed in the striker despite the fact that he was just a shadow of the attacking beast he was in 2004. Those who deputised for him at the Euros are not up to the task yet and with Tomas Necid's knee problems, there is a shortage of strikers with international experience.
On the other side, Tomas Hubschman, a player whose international career was seemingly nearing its end, proved that he is still the best holding midfielder. When he was selected against Greece he gave the midfield a sense of security and was constantly showing that, at 30, his passing and overall game are still improving.
So the outlook must not be as bleak as the first paragraph of this section might have suggested. The team have made constant progress since last year and if the Czechs keep that up they might be the dark horses of a World Cup qualifying group that includes Italy and Denmark.
Player of the tournament Andrea Pirlo
Words by Michal Petrak, Denik Sport
Denmark
Our best player Daniel Agger showed the experience you can expect from a regular in Liverpool's line-up. A real warrior.
Most disappointing player Big clubs have been sniffing around Christian Eriksen for quite some time now but if they followed him at Euro 2012 he may end up somewhere like, er, Rangers.
Our best moment Michael Krohn-Dehli's goal that virtually sent Holland home. They way Krohn-Dehli split the Dutch defence and coolly slotted the ball between Maarten Stekelenburg's legs was truly exquisite.
Worst moment When Simon Busk Poulsen should have made himself big as an oak tree against Portugal he seemed to turn into a bamboo stick, letting Silvestre Varela score the deciding goal. If only …
Overall performance and a look ahead: 7/10. For a small country such as Denmark, finishing third in the group of death is perfectly acceptable. We even came close to pipping Portugal to second place, something no one would have expected before the tournament.
The future looks bright for the World Cup qualifiers. Most of the Danish players are young and more and more of them are playing at reasonably big clubs in Europe. If Eriksen begins to fulfil the expectations and Nicklas Bendtner continues his positive form it does not look all too bad. A group of Italy, The Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Malta and Armenia sounds hard but us Danes have done OK in hard groups before…
Player of the tournament Andrea Pirlo
Words by Thomas Lund Hansen, Jyllands-Posten
England
Our best player Steven Gerrard will never hit his Liverpool heights in an England shirt, but he was disciplined in every game, eschewing his natural Hollywood tendencies for the good of the team. And he was a genuine and decent captain. He didn't start any mutinies against the manager, for a start.
Most disappointing player Wayne Rooney always takes a while to get back up to speed after returning to any team, and nothing changed here. Allowing him to bugger off to Vegas before the tournament may not have been Roy's finest decision.
Our best moment Danny Welbeck's adroit flick against Sweden pips Andy Carroll's powerful header. A nod to Theo Walcott in the same match, too, if only because the developing pattern suggests he won't be doing that again for another three years.
Worst moment Andrea Pirlo's penalty, the most humiliating slap-down in the history of penalty shootouts.
Overall performance and a look ahead: 5/10 England, a couple of lax moments against Sweden apart, looked fairly solid at the back. On the whole. Still, it's not much of a philosophy to take forward. England were outclassed and embarrassed against Italy, and Hodgson will need to inject some creative verve into the team - or the criticisms and expectations that saw him succumb at Liverpool will soon engulf him here too.
Player of the tournament Mario Balotelli
Words by Scott Murray
France
Our best player I guess that Yohan Cabaye and Hugo Lloris were the best players of the French national team at the Euros. They were the most consistent and maybe the only ones that played at their highest level during the whole tournament. Jérémy Ménez was good against Ukraine, Laurent Koscielny was good against Spain, but only Cabaye and Lloris were good in all their games.
Most disappointing player Maybe Samir Nasri. He played well against England but had a personal vendetta against the French journalists and that made him completely lose his focus. He was not able to deal with the pressure and there were a lot of people who were just waiting for him to make a mistake. Nasri can clearly be a difficult character but he does not deserve such a hate from the French people and media.
Our best moment The victory against Ukraine. I have no choice …
Worst moment The defeat against Sweden even if I love Zlatan Ibrahimovic more than any of the players of the French national team …
Overall performance and a look ahead: 5/10. France got out of the group but were then beaten by Spain in a very tactical encounter. It was not as terrible as the 2010 World Cup but it was only marginally better. Laurent Blanc has stepped down and, despite there being a lot of expectation ahead of Euro 2012, we start from scratch again for the World Cup qualifiers. There are several young French players around, but the new manager will need to make them play as a team. And we've only got Spain in our World Cup qualifying group.
Player of the tournament Andrea Pirlo
Words by Franck Annese, So Foot
Germany
Our best player Sami Khedira was the fulcrum of this Germany side. While Bastian Schweinsteiger was searching for his best form, the babyfaced Khedira played powerfully and without compromises. He was hard to beat in defence and drove his team forward in attack. His goal against Greece was a symbol for his appearances at this tournament: strong, elegant and unpredictable.
Most disappointing player Thomas Müller. After the 2010 World Cup 201o everyone believed that he would become the future leader of the national team. After this Bundesliga-season and the Euros, however, everyone knows that there are several alternatives for his position: for example Marco Reus, André Schürrle, Mario Götze.
Our best moment The win against Greece, with Marco Reus and André Schürrle coming in to take the 2004 champions apart. The goals were superb as well.
Worst moment Unquestionably the defeat against Italy when so much hope had been built up.
Overall performance and a look ahead: 7/10. After the 2010 World Cup 2010 everyone knew how strong the German team was. We wanted the title but in the end Jogi Löw and the boys just made it through to the semifinal. They did, however, play some exciting football. I grew up in the 70s and 80s so it is still a luxurious position for me.
So please excuse me but I find it hard to criticise the team. There are enough good players in the squad and the coach has a big enough squad to rotate his first XI. Löw showed he had the courage to make changes: That was modern; it was surprising; and it was good to see.
But on the other hand we did not reach the final. That is disappointing, because our expectations were bigger than reaching just the semis. I'm looking forward to the World Cup qualifiers because we had the youngest team at the Euros and I am sure it still has a golden future.
Player of the tournament Mario Balotelli
Words by Tim Jürgens, 11Freunde
Greece
Our best player Kyriakos Papadopoulos, without a shadow of a doubt. He was only supposed to get a few minutes of play in the tournament but with Avraam Papadopoulos injured and Sokratis Papastathopoulos getting sent off, Papadopoulos came in and ensured that the foundations of the Greek defence remained solid. He is only 20 years old but he looks set to feature for years to come. A possible future captain.
Most disappointing player Kostas Chalkias. The 36-year-old goalkeeper was supposed to offer the calmness and stability because of his experience but instead became a liability for the Greek defence. Twenty-five minutes into the second game against the Czechs, with Greece 2-0 down, Chalkias asked to be a substituted because of a minor injury, at least having the clear mind to not burden his team further. He narrowly beat Jose Holebas to the biggest disappointment of the Greek team.
Best moment Russia are outplaying Greece but then Giorgos Karagounis picks up the ball outside the box, powers through their defence and applies a brutal finish to put Greece ahead and into the quarter-finals.
Worst moment Sami Khedira scoring for Germany six minutes after the George Samaras had equalised for Greece.
Overall performance and a look ahead In terms of football style: 5/10. In terms of success: 8/10. It is Greece's second most successful campaign, after the win at Euro 2004. Overall, though, Euro 2012 was a success. The team is currently going through a transition with the veterans of 2004 retiring and the younger players getting more and more responsibilities on and off the pitch.
What the team needs moving forward is to keep Fernando Santos as coach (already done – he signed his new contract a day before the Quarter-final) and giving key roles to younger players such as Vassilis Torosidis, Sotiris Ninis, Avraam Papadopoulos, Giannis Maniatis, Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Giorgos Tzavellas, Costas Mitroglou, Ioannis Fetfatzidis and Michalis Sifakis in order for them to mature and guide Greece to Brazil.
Player of the tournament Andrea Pirlo
Words by Stavros Drakoularakos, sport24.gr
Holland
Our best player Wesley Sneijder. He was the only "big name" who delivered, on the pitch and off the pitch. Talking to the media, he did not come up with any excuses for Holland's failure, was tough in his criticism of the team and said sorry to all the Dutch fans.
Most disappointing player John Heitinga. Holland started the tournament with problems in defence - and it did not get better as the tournament went on. We lack a world-class central defender with the strength and pace like Jaap Stam in his best days, but Heitinga was Everton's player of the year.
Our best moment The goal from Rafael van der Vaart against Portugal was a beautifully placed, curling shot into the top corner. An act that contrasted with everything else Holland did.
Worst moment Denmark, Germany and Portugal all scored their first goals against Holland in the second quarter of the game (between minutes 15 and 30) and in all three matches it was "game over" immediately.
Overall performance and a look ahead: 3/10 Bert van Marwijk and his players started Euro 2012 as World Cup finalists, but they never came close to making it to the final again. The problems were everywhere. It started before the tournament, with an awful game against Bulgaria, in which Robin van Persie played at right wing and did not link up well with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who played up front. That game drove the rivalry between the two strikers to the maximum. Later that week Van Marwijk told Huntelaar that Van Persie would be his first choice up front for the tournament, and after that decision Huntelaar did nothing in favour of the team anymore. Maybe it had been better if he had been sent home before the first game.
In all three games Holland started well but after the first goal of the opponents, the team broke into two parts. Up front creative players such as Wesley Sneijder, Van Persie and Arjen Robben wanted to press but in midfield and at the back players such as Mark van Bommel, Nigel de Jong and John Heitinga wanted to sit back and control the game. Where teams such as Spain attack and defend with only 35 meters distance between the deepest striker and the last defender, Holland played most of the time with 50 or 60 meters between attack and defence.
The result was a lot of frustrations between the players. In 2010 in South Africa, Holland were a "team" for six weeks in total. Now they were a collection of individuals. Van Marwijk should perhaps have done more to avoid this, but he trusted his big players, thinking that they would solve problems themselves, knowing that this was the last opportunity for a very skilful generation of world-class players to win a big tournament.
Ten days after Holland went home with their worst result in history (three defeats and no points), Van Marwijk decided to quit after four years. His successor should be someone who makes harsh decisions. For Example: Huntelaar or Van Persie in the team. Not both. And maybe decide to end the international careers of players such as Van der Vaart, who will be 31 by the time of the next World Cup. During the last two tournaments Van der Vaart (99 caps in total) has only been a substitute.
Holland have a friendly against Belgium on 15 August. The World Cup qualifiers start in September with Holland playing their three biggest rivals (Turkey, Romania and Hungary) in the first four matches.
Player of the tournament Sergio Ramos
Words by Maarten Wijffels, Algemeen Dagblad Read More [category Sport][tags Euro 2012, Football, Sport, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, England, Holland, France]
Euro 2012: The verdict from our Experts' Network - Italy to Ukraine | Marcus Christenson
Our experts deliver their verdicts on best and worst players, best and worst moments and rate their teams' overall performance
Italy
Our best player Mario Balotelli because he is the new super star of this team. And because no one thought he could be so competitive at this level. Andrea Pirlo also gets a mention because he is not only the playmaker but covers so much ground as well (against Germany almost 12 kilometres, the second longest distance after Claudio Marchisio).
Most disappointing player Antonio Di Natale. After almost 100 goals in three seasons in Serie A he missed his opportunity to show a wider public what he is capable of.
Our best moments Pirlo's penalty against England because that was the moment that changed Italy's destiny. And Balotelli's pose after his second goal against Germany because we found a new hero.
Worst moment Riccardo Montolivo missing his penalty against England was bad. That moment seemed to be the end of our adventure. But perhaps even worse was the time before the match Spain-Croatia when we feared another 2-2 would wreck our chances of qualifying from the group. I presume everyone now knows the meaning of the Italian phrase "biscotto" (biscuit)?
Overall rating and a look ahead: 9/10. No one expected this team to be so competitive. Just a few days before the tournament they were beaten 3-0 by Russi. It was embarrassing. No one seemed to know what to do on the pitch. After few days into the tournament, however, in the first match against Spain, we found a new purpose, thanks to Cesare Prandelli, who was at his first major tournament as a manager.
Player of the tournament Andrés Iniesta
Words by Simone Stenti, La Stampa
Poland
Our best player No one really stood out, sadly. The Dortmund trio were disappointing and Wojciech Szczesny seemd paralysed by the occasion. Marcin Wasilewski did not disappoint, though. He was not even in the squad a year ago, but the players convinced Franciszek Smuda that his presence in the squad would improve the atmosphere. He can play at centre-back and right-back and he was the only player to give honest interviews with the press. "We shouldn't be applauded for our efforts," he said after Poland were eliminated. "We should be kicked in our arses for not making it out of the arguably the weakest group of the Euros.
Most disappointing player Jakub Blaszczykowski – not a worthy team captain as he, after the exit, attacked Grzegorz Lato of the Polish FA. First he was applauded but then it transpired that he had had an argument with the former player over how many tickets he wanted for one of Poland's game. Apparently he wanted more than eight …
Our best moment (s) The two goals by Robert Lewandowski and Blaszczykowski, The first was a massive eruption at the national stadium and in the fan zones (over 100,000 in Warsaw and others were packed to the limit too. The streets were empty - everyone was watching football. Generally the hype on the streets, kids in national team colours, everyone talking football and the welcome all the visitors received in Poland.
Worst moment The disappointment of the Polska team but then I did not really expect anything else. The Warsaw riots, that were not really riots but were presented as such on TV and gave our country a bad name.
Overall performance and a look ahead: 3/10 (although 9/10 for atmosphere) We need a new manager as Smuda is off. We would also need to get rid of the faded foxes (Obraniak, Perquis, Polanski, Boenisch) – I doubt they will want to play now anyway so that may take care of that problem. I'd also try to talk to Artur Boruc as Szczesny proved in the first game that he is not a finished product yet.
Player of the tournament
Andrea Pirlo Words by Maciej Slominski, futbolnet.pl
Portugal
Our best player Most people seem to agree that Pepe and João Moutinho were Portugal's best players at Euro 2012. The difficulty lies in choosing between them, but maybe the No1 was Moutinho. Highly valued in Portugal before the tournament, now all of Europe knows that he is a complete midfielder, a team player.
Most disappointing player It is unfair to say that Nani was a disappointment, because he played very well at times, but Portugal missed that "extra" that he could give, specially when other teams focused too much on stopping Cristiano Ronaldo.
Our best moment Silvestre Varela's goal against Denmark. Portugal had lost to Germany in the first game, and in the second they lost a 2-0 lead as the Danes made it 2-1. Qualification for the quarter-finals would have been very difficult with that result but Paul Bento put Varela on and he scored the winning goal six minutes from time.
Worst moment Bruno Alves's penalty, which hit the crossbar was an ironic end to Portugal's campaign. The Seleção had already hit the woodwork six times in the previous matches, and that lack of luck came back to haunt the team again. To make the exit even more painful, Cesc Fábregas also hit the post with the next penalty, but his shot went in.
Overall performance and a look ahead: 8/10 Expectations were low before the tournament but Portugal did tremendously well. The Seleção was in the so called group of death, with the favourites Germany and Holland as well as Denmark, the team that won Portugal's qualification group. The bad results in the pre-tournament friendlies and the defeat against Germany increased the pessimism around the team, but Portugal reached the semi-finals, showing great team spirit. Now it is time to think iabout the 2014 World Cup and avoid underestimating any of our opponents after this strong showing. Euro 2012 showed that Portugal still have talented players, but it is important that in the next years Portuguese clubs invest more in young talents.
Player of the tournament Andrés Iniesta
Words by Nuno Travassos, Maisfutebol
Republic of Ireland
Our best player Keith Andrews. The only Irish player that didn't appear either outmanoeuvred or just completely exposed by the level. That was because, unlike the rest of an underperforming team, he applied his ability to the absolute maximum. A classic example came in the first game against Croatia. As Ireland were being unravelled, Andrews successfully hounded Luka Modric in one moment only to try and drive the team forward with the ball in the next. It was all too rare.
Most disappointing player A toss-up between the two most experienced: Shay Given and Robbie Keane. But, whereas Keane arguably only showed his age and lack of fitness, Given was more disappointing in that, on the big stage with his country, he made the kind of errors that were completely absent from the majority of his career.
Our best moment Even during the weekend of the final in Kiev, people were still talking about the fans. It's easy to be cynical. It's genuinely hard to make an impression like that.
Worst moment Cesc Fábregas being the only Spanish player in the Irish box at a corner yet still scoring.
Overall performance and a look ahead: 2/10. A disaster. The sheer difficulty of Ireland's group meant that a whitewash was always a possibility but the most disappointing aspect was the manner of it. A side that prides itself on its ferocity, for example, gave Spain their easiest tournament game in the last six years. That's lamentable.
Here, whatever about the quality of the squad, Giovanni Trapattoni has to take at least some blame. Despite having repeatedly talked about the dangers of only playing two central midfielders in modern international football, he still persisted with against the ultimate exponents of passing football. It was asking for trouble.
It was also the most telling illustration of Trapattoni's biggest flaw since taking over Ireland: his refusal to adapt or evolve in any way. Some capable young players have been sidelined or ignored, with that reflected in the fact Ireland had the second oldest squad in the tournament.
The first thing Trapattoni has to do is at least start to work with an alternative system and freshen up personnel.
Player of the tournament Andrea Pirlo
Miguel Delaney, Irish Examiner
Russia
Our best player Alan Dzagoev. His ability to perform at the highest level did not come as a surprise for Russian fans but he has always been more of a provider than finisher, so these goals were really a sign of progress for him. More significantly, Dzagoev proved he can be the player to build the Russian team around – given it needs a radical overhaul before the World Cup 2014 qualification campaign.
Most disappointing player Sergey Ignashevich. He was Russia's first-choice centre-back for ages, and no one really expected him to give way for Jakub Blaczsykowki's run-and-strike that easily. He also made a mistake that led to Giorgos Karagounis' goal, the one that eliminated Russia.
Our best moment Three consecutive fast breaks in the game against Czech Republic that resulted in two goals. Russia only had six counter attacks in the entire Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.
Worst moment In the 80th minute of the game against Poland, Andrey Arshavin played the ball square and then waved his hand in protest, stopping his team-mates from passing the ball back to him. Coming from Russia captain and best player, that was truly awful.
Overall performance and a look ahead: 4/10 Russia surprised many with the performance against the Czech Republic, proving they can not only play the possession game, which was used in the qualifiers.
Then the old system prevailed. Only Spain and Italy had the ball on average more than Russia but Dick Advocaat's men really struggled to create chances. Only two shots on target against Poland and Greece showed the lack of creativity in attack. Advocaat's managerial style surely did not help. Under him, Russia have only once came from behind to win a game, and his substitutions, once again, failed to change the games. During the last minutes against Greece, the centre-back Alexey Berezutskiy played as a right winger, and dribbled the ball out of the pitch, losing precious seconds.
A new manager, who has not been announced yet, will have to replace at least half of the veteran players in this team. That is definitely considered a positive in Russia.
Player of the tournament Andrea Pirlo
Words by Ivan Kalashnikov, sports.ru
Spain
Our best player Sergio Ramos
Most disappointing player No one really but, before the final, David Silva had not been able to reproduce his form at Manchester City.
Our best moment Demolishing Italy in the final was sweet, especially after all the criticism they have come in for.
Worst moment When we dreaded going out on penalties against Portugal
Overall performance and a look ahead: 10/10 A third tournament win in a row speaks for itself. This team does not need a revolution. It needs to keep evolving, just as it has here in Poland and Ukraine.
Player of the tournament Sergio Ramos
Words by Juan Castro, Marca
Sweden
Our best player Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Sure, he was involved in two goals that Sweden conceded but offensively he showed many times why he is highly rated and was always a threat, scoring goals and setting up team-mates.
Most disappointing player Rasmus Elm never reached the heights we thought he would. Maybe because he was so hyped before the Euros (and the media has to take some blame for that) and some times played out of position, but he never excelled in a way Sweden needed him to.
Our best moment Zlatan's brilliant and stunning goal against France. Even though Sweden were already out of he Euros the team's superstar gave the massive army of Swedish fans something to celebrate.
Worst moment The opening game against Ukraine during which both the coach, Erik Hamrén, and quite a few players showed that they were not really ready for the magnitude of the Euros. Dropping three points there put the whole campaign on the wrong foot and it never recovered.
Overall performance and a look ahead: 4/10 Sweden came with a dream of a medal and a vision of playing an attacking and creative football and it ended badly after two games. In the first match coach Erik Hamren - also a newcomer to major tournaments - gambled with a more attack-minded team to win against Ukraine and with fewer experienced players in the starting XI. Too many of them could not handle the pressure and Ukraine won 2-1. The strength of Swedish teams has always been the defence but Hamren's team leaked five goals in the first two games and with no points to show for their efforts they were out, which is not good enough. Beating France was impressive, but it was too late for it to matter.
The Swedish football federation has given Hamren its full support, as well as the important players, and they are now aiming for Brazil saying that they will learn from this experience. "Give me more time and we will be successful," Hamrén said after the tournament and now it is up to him to deliver on that promise.
Player of the tournament Andrea Pirlo
Words by Olof Lundh, fotbollskanalen.se
Ukraine
Our best player Yevhen Khacheridi. Has appeared nervous in the past but was calm and reliable in this tournament. Was heavily criticised in the winter but at Euro- 2012 he was the best player in the Ukrainian squad. An incredible transformation!
Most disappointing player Oleh Gusev. He is a very strong attackinging midfielder, but the Ukrainian team were missing a quick and experienced right-back, so Oleg Blokhin put him in this position. Gusev showed good attacking skills, but his defensive showing was frustrating. A victim of circumstances.
Our best moment Andriy Shevchenko, like in his best football years, running to the meet ball from a corner and scoring the winning goal against Sweden. Zlatan Ibrahimovic lost his position, lost his opponent, lost the ball and lost the game. Sheva again was against No1, even if it was just for one game.
Worst moment Hungarian referee who did not see that the ball had crossed Joe Hart's goalline when John Terry "saved" England.
Overall performance and a look ahead: 6/10. Some people from the football federation thought we could win this tournament but most fans were more realistic. At times Oleg Blokhin's team have played awfully, at times they have played boring football and at times they have been indifferent. But not at this tournament.
They played with heart and tried to beat better opponents. Ukraine left tournament with their heads held high. Still, the tournament left a taste of disappointment in our mouths. Against England we played well, controlling the ball but missing some good chances. After defeat to France we saw them against Sweden and realised that they were not that good after all.
The most positive aspect was the performance of our young players - Khacheridi, Andriy Yarmolenko, Yevhen Konoplyanka, Yaroslav Rakitskiy and Denis Harmash. Despite the fact that Shevchenko and Andriy Voronin are leaving the national team, this group of players will have a bright future and this tournament can be the first step for success of this generation.
Player of the tournament Andrés Iniesta
Words by Igor Boyko, Football Style Read More [category Sport][tags Euro 2012, Football, Sport, Italy, Sweden, Ukraine, Spain, Republic of Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Russia]
Euro 2012: Spain are great but they are not a team of great moments | Rob Smyth
Vicente del Bosque's side produced a signature performance but not one worthy of its own Wikipedia page
It is only right that a unique team, as Spain are, should stand alone in the pantheon. No international side has won three major tournaments in a row before, unless you count the Olympics in the 1920s and 1930s. Since Euro 2008 they have exerted a numbing superiority over every team they have played and even those who advocate Satan for a living might struggle to argue that Spain are not the strongest international side of all.
Spain's miracle has been drastically to minimise the variables of knockout football and make themselves near to unbeatable. Even a more talented Barcelona side could not come close to such invincibility. Spain have not conceded a goal in a knockout game since 2006. Iker Casillas's net has been untouched for sixteen and a half hours.
Before Sunday night Spain had not been so spectacular at the other end, with only eight goals in seven games at the 2010 World Cup and eight in five here, yet their method of killing teams softly has an irresistible logic. The level of sustained concentration required to defend against them is almost indecent, a game of Tetris that can end only one way. If such demands were evident in an ordinary job, the Health & Safety office would have a field day.
The side generally perceived as the greatest of all, Brazil 1970, were the antithesis of Spain; their defence was hopeless and their attack peerless. They cannot match Spain's longevity. With no Copa América staged between 1967 and 1975, Brazil won just one trophy. At the 1974 World Cup they had turned into a thuggish rabble.
Spain have evolved significantly over the last four years, although their game can still be explained in one phonetically pleasing phrase: tiki-taka. Few sides have had such a concise identity, with Holland's Total Football in 1974 perhaps the only equivalent. Not since that team has football been so dramatically redefined.
Teams who win multiple tournaments usually add stars to their shirt, just above the badge. Some will feel Spain should add an asterisk. It is a strange thing on which to reflect after such a joyous, unfettered performance, yet Spain's display vindicated only the naysayers. Discussion about the B-word has become boring in itself – it is surely more relevant to discuss whether Spain's matches are boring, a different point entirely – even if it is interesting to note that the team's heartbeat and rhetorician, Xavi Hernández, said "of course we were boring" at the 2010 World Cup, citing defensive opponents as the reason.
Spain's football is without precedent in its velvet grace but it is difficult to argue persuasively that their matches have satisfied conventional notions of football entertainment – goals, shots, engaging the viscera; that kind of thing.
Their play at Euro 2012 had felt cynical and clinical, in a different sense of the word from that usually used in football; a kind of extreme tiki-taka, or tiki-takanaccio. For much of the tournament the only excitement came from the partnership of Jordi Alba and the divine Andrés Iniesta, simply the most beautiful player in football history.
Italy's relatively aggressive tactics were influential, yet the way Spain subjected them to death by silk suggested a team that had been hiding some of their light under a bushel. For plenty, rightly or wrongly, Spain will be remembered as a side who engaged the brain more than the soul and who could, with their talent, have won three consecutive titles even more impressively than they did, a binary team whose games, before the final at least, had been so predictable as to be a bookmaker's nightmare.
That Spain are great is palpably not in question, not in sentient circles; whether they are one of the immortal sides remains open to debate. On Sunday night they supplied a signature performance, even if it was not quite up there with the greatest, like England 3-6 Hungary in 1953 – which has its own page on Wikipedia, eBay and even IMDb - or Barcelona's 5-0 defeat of Real Madrid in 2010. Spain have not had a great contest, like West Germany's 2-1 over Holland in 1974 or Brazil's 1-0 against England four years earlier, or a great goal. Delicious as their first goal was against Italy – it's not quite right to call it David Silva's goal, such was the part played by Iniesta and Cesc Fábregas – it will not be appearing on a BBC3 clips show alongside Carlos Alberto, Marco van Basten and Richard Bacon any time soon.
Spain have not necessarily been a team of great moments. Those of a Spanish disposition will disagree, of course. There have been three in particular, the lifting of trophies by Iker Casillas. Moments that define a team who, whether loved or merely respected, have created one of the greatest sporting dynasties of them all. Read More [category Sport][tags Euro 2012, Spain, Football, Sport]
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