Football won today.
Grigory Telingater July 15, 2024, 02:10 Moscow time Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
Grigory Telingater’s column on the Euro final.
And you don’t even need to explain the title. Judging by the comments, you understand what we’re talking about. Most of the neutral viewers were rooting for Spain. This is understandable: the final saw teams with different styles. And I clearly didn’t want to sympathise with the defensive England, whose matches are simply difficult to watch.
It is important to make a reservation here, though. Southgate’s team earned the hate by playing cautiously against opponents like Slovakia and Slovenia. It is a shame to park a bus with such a line-up. But against Spain it is a different story. This is already logical and even necessary. England stayed true to form, with Saka dropping in as five defenders and Kane returning to the third with discipline. The British did not even imitate the pressure.
Five England defenders
Photo: Frame from the broadcast.
Spain, as expected, had much more possession than their opponents. It is true that in the first half I did not create anything, but in the second half, wow. In addition, during the break, due to injury, a key player in midfield had to be substituted. Metronome Rodri was supposed to give Spain stability at 1-0, but it was not enough. As a result, the British equalized the score, but this only intensified the excitement of the game.
It would have been too easy without Palmer’s goal. Spain needed an extra effort and it showed. Yamal could have scored the golden goal, but was saved by Pickford. Only to soon miss from Oyarzabal! Also from Kukurelya’s programme. Before the start of Euro 2024, hardly anyone would have imagined that these players would score the “golden” goal.
Goal by Mikel Oyarzabal
Photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
England fans admit that Spain was better. Both in this match and throughout the tournament. Moreover, it is better against stronger opponents. The Spanish went through Georgia, Germany and France in the playoffs. While the British had Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
If England had won Euro 2024, it would have been unpleasant. On the one hand, everyone is used to the fact that it is not always the strongest that wins. However, when it comes to the trophy, it seems undeserved. And there is already enough injustice in our world. I would like football to at least remain comprehensible. This makes it easier to digest. And today most fans will go to bed thinking that football has won. Or even good has triumphed over evil.
This is bad.
Football is different. Playing defense is football, too. It’s just that most of us love spectator sports. And now he definitely won.
But all this might not have happened if it weren’t for Olmo:
The highlight of the Euro final. A miracle saved Spain from a goal!
