In previous international tournaments under the former Boro boss, the Three Lions had a clear plan. It wasn’t always a plan that fans agreed with, but it was difficult to knock it when England reached the latter stages of these competitions.
This time around feels different. Yes, Southgate’s side topped their group and now have a favourable draw, but the football wasn’t pretty. They scored just two goals across their three games and picked up just one win. If you’re a glass-half-full kind of person, you’d point towards the fact England are one of the few unbeaten sides. If you’re a glass-half-empty type of individual then your focus will likely be on one victory having played Serbia, Slovakia and Denmark.
There’s no right or wrong way to feel about their Euro 2024 campaign to date. The objective was to qualify and England did just that. After all, most of the time, teams find their feet as the competition progresses. You don’t want to peak too soon.
However, the issue for the Three Lions isn’t that their plan just isn’t clicking. It is that there doesn’t appear to be a plan. There appears to be a clash of styles.
Southgate made the bold call to use Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield but never truly committed to it.
If you are going to use the Liverpool full-back in midfield to make the most of his ability in possession, he needs to be the metronome for the team. He needs to dictate play and be heavily involved in the build-up, just so England benefit from his range of passing. That isn’t what happened though. Instead, the England No. 8 was pushing forward. He was used to occupy space while also, in theory at least, creating space for others.
Southgate moved Alexander-Arnold away from the build-up and this limited what the 25-year-old was able to do. Combine that with the fact the forward line was primarily made up of players wanting to drop deep for the ball into feet and it meant the Liverpool man was nullified. He wasn’t able to pick out runners or play passes in behind a defence because everyone ahead of him was moving towards him rather than away.
The England boss then claimed it was an experiment and that he was looking for someone to fill the Kalvin Phillips role.
“I wanted to get Conor on; we needed some energy and to press better. He’s (Alexander-Arnold) had some moments where he’s delivered what we thought he would. We know it’s an experiment. We know we don’t have a natural replacement for Kalvin Philips. We’re trying different things and at the moment we’re not flowing as we’d like.”
Yet the Three Lions did alright at the 2022 World Cup without Phillips, so why is he now so important? It is a confusing thing to hear from an obviously confused manager.
Alexander-Arnold is at his best when there’s movement ahead of him. He’s not been able to showcase what he’s capable of in his appearances at the Euros because the profile of the team is the complete opposite. It was even more baffling to see England take him off against Denmark before bringing on Jarrod Bowen and Ollie Watkins, two players who might’ve worked well with the right-back-cum-midfielder.
This isn’t just exclusive to Alexander-Arnold either. Both Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are considerably better when they have movement in and around them. Yet Southgate has, for the most part, had Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka holding the width or dropping deep to pick up possession. Very rarely has either wide forward looked to attack the outside and stretch the play.
The full-backs aren’t bombing on either. Kyle Walker looks really conservative with his positioning while Kieran Trippier has no interest at all in overlapping on the left due to his desire to always cut back inside onto his stronger foot.
Everything about England’s play is static and sterile. None of the players are playing to their strengths either. John Stones isn’t carrying the ball into midfield and using his passing ability to break the lines. Trippier isn’t putting the ball into the box or creating chances. Alexander-Arnold, usually aggressive and progressive, has looked timid and tame on the ball. Foden, despite his efforts, has looked a shadow of himself while Saka has been on the periphery.
None of these players have been able to play their natural game and England have suffered. Pace and fearlessness would have a huge impact on this team, so seeing Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer watch on from the bench has been bizarre. They don’t have seniority in this team but they have pace, they’re in form and they could be key to getting the best out of some of the main men within this current group. Kane needs movement around him, Bellingham needs space so he can impact the final third rather than being smothered centrally and Alexander-Arnold, or any one of the midfielders, needs runners ahead of them if they are to progress the play.
England have the players for it. Southgate just needs to double down on one of the many ideas he’s trying to execute here instead of trying to appease everyone. He hasn’t done this at any other tournament so why now? Perhaps the pressure of having a talented squad is making him overthink things.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Safely through to the last 16, second placed behind hosts Germany, undefeated so far. Switzerland have done the first job expected of them, in navigating their way through to the knockout phase, and now it’s a case of whether they merely achieve the status quo or can put together another significant run.
The Swiss have long been last-16-capable, but perhaps lacked the attacking edge, the clinical scorer, to go regularly to the quarter-finals at major tournaments or even beyond. This time it looks like it might be different.
They did, in fairness, reach the quarters in 2020 – the first time they had gone so far at a tournament since the World Cup in 1954. Not exactly a great track record, then. With an underperforming Italy attack next up to navigate, there’s real optimism the Swiss could reach that stage again, at the very least.
While they haven’t necessarily found a single individual who can guide them past the elite teams, they have found something arguably even better: a collective, an overall attack, a system which allows multiple players to thrive, to create, to be a threat on goal. Spearheading it all is Dan Ndoye, a breakout star of Euro 2024 who has had a brilliant campaign for club and country, starring with Bologna and now Switzerland’s big difference-maker at the European Championship.
He only has the one goal so far, to be clear. But this Swiss team isn’t about the stellar single, it’s about the strength of the collective. Between he, Ruben Vargas, the fit-again Breel Embolo and the gang, there’s a clear and cohesive strategy about how to move the ball through the thirds, how to get players running off each other and rotating positions centrally, and how to create chances.
Switzerland rank tenth in the tournament for total xG so far. Their 16.7% shot conversion rate is better than the likes of Spain or Germany, and while touches in the box don’t always relate to significant chances coming along, they are top ten there too – as well as for shots on target and sixth for corners. In other words, in attacking terms they are straddling right across the border between one of the best, and just outside that group.
To ensure they fall the right side of the dividing line, it’ll be down to performance on the day – and that’s where Ndoye comes in.
His xG of 1.3 so far is the best in the team, but he’s also created a couple of chances and his constant running in the channels is what sets up the possibility of that revolving Swiss attack: he pulls wide, Vargas surges into the middle, Granit Xhaka steps into more advanced areas and the wing-backs can look to create overloads.
Add in his pace as an outlet and the fact he’s happy to run with the ball – 2.3 dribbles per 90 so far puts him in the second tier of players at the Euros after the usual leading relentless dribble monsters like Jérémy Doku and Nico Williams – and he’s a magnificent integration into the team by head coach Murat Yakin.
But now comes a direct rival for Ndoye who will test him, and not one he has encountered this year in matches…but instead, who he has probably gone up against almost every day in training – Italy and Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.
Ndoye habitually pulls into the right channel, or has done so far when leading the line, which means if an Italian back three is on show again, that’s Calafiori’s channel. If it’s a back four, Calafiori has been left of centre and will be charged with stopping his club-mate’s runs through the centre.
Calafiori is a defender with pace and power, so can match Ndoye there, and his technical ability is super impressive, too. This will be a massive test of both quality and composure for the Swiss attacker: can he get the better of someone who knows him well? Does he have the patience and the guile?
Switzerland will need him to.
They’ve looked better than the Azzurri during the group stage, but that is both subjective and largely irrelevant – on the day we already know Italy can raise their game several levels, even if so far that has mostly been when falling behind. A second quarter-final appearance in three summers beckons for Switzerland, but they’ll need another gritty and organised display at times, full of self-belief for the rest of it. And in Ndoye, they at last have an attacking match-winner in their ranks – whether that’s by him scoring himself or enabling someone else to.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
The group stage is over and done with, the knockouts remain ahead. England are into the last 16, safely if not securely, and topped their group – but enormous question marks remain.
One of the most pressing after their opening three matches has been over the attack, with one win and two draws seeing them first in the most drab and disappointing of groups; the Three Lions’ 1-0 win over Serbia was in fact the only game in Group C which did not end in a draw. But has the attack been as bad as it has been made out? Or worse, perhaps? And most importantly, how does that compare with the teams they’ll now face in the round of 16 and beyond?
It’s important to note that while England obviously haven’t been good, in a general sense, the same can be applied to plenty of others. France have been well below their best level. Italy have been somewhere between disappointing and fortunate to go through. Netherlands and Denmark have a single victory between them, yet both have reached the last 16.
So while Gareth Southgate’s team haven’t been near their peak, it’s possible they don’t need to be – they just need to be better than those they face. With the sole three truly impressive big nations, with apologies to Austria – Spain, Portugal and Germany – on the other side of the draw, time might be on their side in that regard. Or perhaps not.
Onto the numbers, then. England rank third in the tournament at the time of writing for average possession, yet only scored twice, so clearly didn’t do enough with it. Expected goals gives us more insight as to whether that’s unfortunate or deserved, and there the Three Lions rank 22nd out of a possible 24 nations competing at the tournament.
They averaged 3.7 shots on target per game, which itself is…average, very middle-of-the-road compared across all nations, with a lowly 6.9% conversion rate reaffirming that alarmingly low xG tally, pointing to very low-quality chances.
And actually adding to that poor outlook is the fact 13 teams created more big chances than England in the group stage. What that effectively means is that they created great openings, or barely anything at all: think back to Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham scoring from close range, but very few players having other half-decent shooting opportunities inside the box after some build-up play.
England rank third for accurate passes per game. They rank top for accurate long balls. But it gets them nowhere helpful: 16th for touches in the opposition box, 16th for possession won in the final third, 21st for corners.
For full context, this warrants comparison with the other nations who dominated the ball.
Germany and Portugal are the top two for possession and passes, and while they created similar big chances as England, they both outscored them, both had xGs considerably higher – more than double England’s – and as for touches in the box, are off the charts. England managed 53 against teams who barely attacked them; in other words, they couldn’t find a way through, didn’t move the ball quickly enough. Germany had 106, again double the tally.
So let’s look down a notch, not the best-looking sides.
France, Netherlands, Italy? 112, 77 and 72 touches respectively. Corners earned were 19, 14 and 18, to England’s nine. All three fashioned more big chances, all three had better cumulative xG tallies across their three group games. On that latter point, the big takeaway is that France – despite being generally poor in approach play – created a lot of great opportunities, but were incredibly wasteful. Italy just about overperformed in attack enough to sneak through, while Netherlands roughly followed their own average throughout: good enough to go through, but needs to be better to go further.
But so do England, and quite considerably. The underlying numbers paint a bleak picture of anything other than “have the talent to produce so much more”, which isn’t something we needed numbers to tell us in the first place, but they do confirm that despite stodgy approach play, there isn’t even the comfort of – like France – knowing they are missing out on some half-decent work from time to time.
Consider that the top two individual attackers at the tournament by xG are Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze (2.3 – helped by two penalties) and Kylian Mbappé (2.1)); Harry Kane has 1.1 as England’s top offering outside the top ten, while nobody else is in the top one hundred. Nobody else has more than 0.2 xG across three games. Of the four players to create a big chance, one is out of position (Trippier), one has been dropped (Alexander-Arnold) and one is a sub (Bowen). Only Jude Bellingham remains and his xG+xA/90 highlights how marginalised he has been, at just 0.20.
England have enormous problems in the final third and it’s not just as bad as is being made out, it’s worse.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Just like that, the Euro 2024 group stages have come to an end. Those who are into the knockout round now know their fate. But before our attention turns to those games, let’s take a look at who made the FotMob XI for Match Day three.
He’s making his second appearance in the Team of the Matchday after another impressive showing.
The 23-year-old is making a name for himself at the Euros and Valencia might struggle to keep hold of him this summer. The shot-stopper kept a clean sheet against Portugal in Georgia’s historic 2-0 win. He made a total of five saves as Willy Sagnol’s team survived a Portuguese onslaught.
Right-Back: Josip Stanišić
The Bundesliga winner forced his way into this XI after a decent showing for Croatia against Italy. The 24-year-old won the most tackles (five), completed 86% of his passes, completed 100% of his dribbles and won seven of his nine ground duels in the 1-1 draw. It wasn’t enough for Croatia to progress but it was a performance that did his reputation no harm whatsoever.
Centre-Back: Daniel Vivian
The 24-year-old got the nod for Spain as Luis de la Fuente heavily rotated his team with qualification already secured. The Athletic Club centre-back made the most of the opportunity. He completed the most passes (82) and finished with a pass success rate of 95%. He also won 100% of his tackles, 60% of his ground duels and 50% of his aerial duels. It was a performance that could well see him retain his place in the XI.
Centre-Back: Gonçalo Inácio
Portugal rotated for their final group stage game against Georgia and this gave Inácio an opportunity to impress Roberto Martínez. Safe to say he did just that with this showing. The Sporting Lisbon man completed the most passes (108), found a teammate with 94% of his attempted passes, completed all of his dribbles, won all of his tackles and aerial duels, while also winning five of eight ground duels. Portugal may have lost but Inácio did his chances of more minutes absolutely no harm.
Left-Back: Ferdi Kadıoğlu
In what was a feisty game between Türkiye and Czechia, a game that had two red cards and 17 cautions, Kadıoğlu’s quality really did shine through. The left-back created five chances, the most of any player on the pitch, while also completing 100% of his crosses. The 24-year-old, linked with Borussia Dortmund, also won all of his tackles, recovered the ball six times and won 86% of his ground duels.
Midfield: Romano Schmid
Schmid was a handful for Austria in their surprise 3-2 win over Holland. The wide forward scored the second goal for Ralf Rangnick’s side on his way to a match high FotMob rating of 8.1. He also attempted three dribbles, made 10 ball recoveries and finished with an Expected Assists total of 0.33, a figure only Holland attacker Cody Gakpo could better.
Midfield: Dani Olmo
Olmo was another making his first start of the competition for Spain. He marked it with a Player of the Match showing against Albania, assisting the winner with one of the two chances he carved out. The RB Leipzig man completed 100% of his dribbles, completed 100% of his long passes and won seven of his nine duels as he showcased just how dominant he can be with and without the ball.
Midfield: Toni Kroos
The 34-year-old might need to rethink his retirement plans. The German maestro is in fine form, claiming the FotMob Player of the Match award in Germany’s 1-1 draw with Switzerland. Kroos completed 99 passes and created four chances for Julian Nagelsmann’s side. He was accurate with 80% of his long passes, made eight ball recoveries and won five of his six duels.
Attack: Ousmane Dembélé
France could only play out a 1-1 draw with Poland but Dembélé certainly caught the eye. The PSG forward created three chances, won a penalty and missed a big chance. He was heavily involved in everything for France, good and bad. The 27-year-old completed four of his five dribbles and had a remarkable 11 touches in the opposition penalty area. He finished the game with an xG of 0.31 and an xA of 0.27.
Attack: Georges Mikautadze
The 23-year-old attacker now leads the goalscoring charts at Euro 2024 having netted three goals in three matches. He also assisted Kvicha Kvaratskhelia’s opener on his way to a FotMob rating of 8.4 Mikautadze finished the game having created two chances as well as attempting six dribbles in what was an all-action showing. Ajax are going to be wondering how they failed to get the best out of him during his stint in Amsterdam and Metz, who only resigned him this summer, might be fending off interest from top European clubs if he extends his group stage form into the knockout phase.
Attack: Kylian Mbappé
The masked Mbappé finally got his goal. He scored, via the penalty spot, for France in their 1-1 draw with Poland. The new Real Madrid man completed the most dribbles (six) of any player while also having six shots on the night. He failed to create a chance but he was a general nuisance for Poland throughout and his performance earned him a FotMob rating of 8.5.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Throughout much of the 2010s, little ol’ Belgium had arguably the best starting XI in the world. Eden Hazard was ripping it up at Chelsea, Kevin de Bruyne had established himself as Manchester City’s main man, and Romelu Lukaku was well on his way to becoming his country’s all-time top goal scorer.
Those are just a few members of Belgium’s so-called ‘Golden Generation’. With massive potential comes even bigger expectations, now that the years and tournaments have flown by, it’s clear, not all that glitters is gold.
With the possible exception of Brazil in 2002 and Spain between 2008-2012, international sides chock-full with big names aren’t necessarily the best. Ego’s clash, and as England fans and players know all too well, club allegiances can take precedence when they shouldn’t.
In the decade before this crop of wonderful talents (2002-2012), Belgium failed to qualify for a single major tournament. Times were tough, but thanks to large investments from the Belgian FA into grassroots and youth football, all of that was about to change.
Vincent Kompany’s move from Hamburg to Manchester City in 2008 was the prototype. This was the first time an influential Belgian player had moved to the Premier League since Luc Nilis joined Aston Villa in 2000.
Pundits across the UK were baffled by the move. “Who is he!?” They screamed to anyone who would listen. “They’d have been better off spending that money on someone who knows the league, someone like Phil Jagielka”.
Knowing the league is overrated. Kompany fit in just fine, he now has a statue outside of the Etihad Stadium having captained them to a vast amount of silverware during his time as a player and captain.
Scouts across the continent were starting to take notice of Belgian players, and they liked what they saw.
Over the next seven years, Belgium could boast having some of the best players in every major European league. Hazard was one of the most sought-after youngsters in the world, eventually choosing to join Chelsea the season after they won their first Champions League.
The little winger wasn’t the only Belgian to make the move to Stamford Bridge. Lukaku, De Bruyne, and Thibaut Courtois all made the switch, to varying degrees of success. They’ve all had pretty decent careers since leaving the club.
Spurs were also reaping the rewards of Belgium’s rise. The centre back partnership of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld must be considered as one of the best the club has ever had. Further forward, they had the silky smooth Mousa Dembélé, the man who could do anything with a football with his feet, one of the most underrated players in Premier League history.
In Europe, Dries Mertens had Neapolitans questioning whether Diego Maradona was really that good after all over in Napoli. Yannick Carrasco had become one of Diego Simeone’s go-to guys at Atlético Madrid, and Axel Witsel was plying his trade at Zenit St Petersburg.
Since they didn’t qualify for the 2012 European Championships, the Golden Generation’s first real shot of winning something was at the World Cup in 2014. Much like in the popular superhero movies, The Wrekers had been assembled, and they were ready to take on whoever came their way.
Led by Marc Wilmots, their group was tricky yet manageable. Their first game was against Algeria, and it didn’t get off to the greatest start. Sofiane Feghouli scored a penalty to give the Desert Warriors the lead. Whatever Wilmots said at half-time must have worked. Belgium ended up winning the game 2-1 thanks to goals from Marouane Fellaini and Mertens.
Their second game against Russia was also harder than it should have been. It wasn’t until the 88th minute that the deadline was finally broken. Divock Origi finally broke through the Russian defence to win the game in its dying moments. He has a habit of doing that.
By the time their final group game against South Korea came about, they had already qualified. A perfect record in a World Cup group stage is pretty hard to come by, but that’s exactly what they got, beating South Korea 1-0.
The USA were up next in the round of 16. From the first whistle Belgium dominated, they just couldn’t get the opener. After 90 minutes it remained 0-0, then, three minutes into extra time, De Bruyne scored. The relief on his face and the faces of his teammates burst out into screams.
On the 105th minute, Lukaku sealed the deal. Julian Green scored for the USA two minutes later to make it a little tense, but it was too little too late.
The quarter final was this sides first serious test at a major tournament, Lionel Messi and Argentina. Ultimately, they failed. Gonzalo Higuaín scored just eight minutes from the start to know the Belgians out.
As they usually do, the Euros came about two years later. This time, Kompany was ruled out due to injury, thankfully Thomas Vermaelen was at hand to take his spot. Other than that, the side remained mostly the same with all the usual suspects.
This time, their group was tougher, they had to face Antonio Conte’s Italy first up. On paper, the Belgians had the stronger side, but you can never rule out the Italians. It ended 2-0 to Conte and co.
With everything to prove and just as much to lose, Belgium faced the Republic of Ireland in their second game. It was a stressful first half but three minutes into the second Lukaku opened the scoring. By the time the final whistle was blown, it was 3-0. Witsel scored the second and Lukaku again with the third.
Their final game of the group was against Sweden. Again, they left it late. It was the mohawk sporting, cigarette smoking central midfielder, Radja Nainggolan that scored the winner on the 88th minute.
The luck of the draw was with them as they were drawn against Hungary in the next round. The Hungarians were helpless. Alderweireld scored their first goal after ten minutes, then, in the last 15 minutes of the game, Belgium scored three times to win 4-0.
It seemed like Belgium’s ascension was written in the stars as they faced Wales in the quarters. They were the heavy favourites, but the Welsh didn’t care. Nainggolan scored again to open the scoring and everything was going to plan, until it wasn’t.
Ashley Williams was the first Welshman to score, making it 1-1, then something incredible happened. Hal Robson-Kanu received the ball in the box before gently backheeling it to fool three Belgian defenders, leaving him one-on-one with Courtois. He couldn’t miss. Robson-Kanu had just scored one of the best goals in the tournament’s history.
Wales won 3-1, and Belgium’s golden generation once again went home empty handed.
The 2018 World Cup was the one. With Roberto Martínez now in charge, this was THE opportunity to finally win an international tournament and get these players the reward their ability deserved.
They faced Panama, Tunisia, and England in the groups, and won every single game. Belgium were finally living up to the world number one ranking FIFA had given them.
It wasn’t quite as simple in their game against Japan in the first knock-out round. The Japanese were 2-0 up with just over 20 minutes left to go, then they flipped the switch. Vertonghen scored their first on the 69th minute, just five minutes later, Fellaini had equalised. The Belgians were now on the front foot. Finally, on the 94th minute ex-Spurs man Nacer Chadli scored the winner.
The last time Belgium were in a quarter final they faced Wales and lost, this time they faced five time World Cup winners Brazil. Fernandinho’s 13th minute own goal gave them hope, and they built upon it. Some wonderful hold-up play from Lukaku left space for De Bruyne. The forward passed the ball to the midfielder, and he drilled it into the bottom left corner.
Little Belgium beat big Brazil 2-1 to head into semi-final against France. The French were the favourites to win the whole thing, and of course, they eventually did but Belgium made them work for it.
It was Samuel Umtiti’s goal that knocked Belgium out, breaking their hearts once again. Unfortunately, a 2-0 third place play-off win against England wouldn’t make up for their elimination. Still, it remains Belgium’s greatest World Cup campaign in their history.
By the time Euro 2020 finally came about in 2021, most of the golden generation had dissipated. Hazard was technically still a professional football, but years of having the snot kicked out of him in the Premier League had caught up, and his dream move to Real Madrid had turned into a nightmare.
Kompany, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, and Vermaelen, four of the best defenders of their generation had all either retired or had their best days well past them. Mertens was still at Napoli, but not for much longer, and midfield duo Dembélé and Fellaini were both playing in China.
The only players that were still in their prime when Euro 2020 came around were Courtois, Lukaku, and De Bruyne. All three are fantastic players, but unable to carry their team to victory for various reasons.
It’s well reported that Courtois and De Bruyne hate each other. Courtois allegedly stole De Bruyne’s girlfriend, understandably making their relationship irreparable. Lukaku’s move from Inter Milan back to Chelsea has to go down as one of the worst transfers in history, taking all the momentum he had after his stint at Manchester United away.
Now with Euro 2024 well underway, only two remain after an ACL tear ruled Courtois out for the season and he wasn’t selected for the tournament. A 1-0 defeat to Slovakia in their opening game left a bad taste in the mouths of fans. Beating Romania was a must, and they managed it, winning 2-0, but that’s what’s expected.
Belgium have prospects. Jérémy Doku had a decent first season at Manchester City but being a winger under Pep Guardiola is hard, it’s only a matter of time until any spontaneity Doku has is drained out of him, and all he does is cut inside to pass instead of trying to beat a defender.
Amadou Onana, don’t call him Andre, was a rare bright spark in a tough Everton campaign, and it’s likely he’ll get a big move soon. Roméo Lavia is also a huge prospect, but injuries have hindered his progress.
It’s unlikely Belgium will ever have such a talented group of players ever again. De Bruyne himself admitted they had no chance ahead of the 2022 World Cup. De Bruyne stated of Belgium’s chance to win the 2022 World Cup: “No chance, we’re too old.”
Hazard said that “To be fair I think we had a better chance to win four years ago”. Kevin De Bruyne echoed these sentiments, stating “I think our chance was 2018. We have a good team, but it is aging.”
Two years on, the sentiment remains the same. It’s a sad end to the greatest era in Belgian football.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
On March 26, 2024, Georgia hosted Greece in Tbilisi in the biggest match in the nation’s 34-year history: if they won, they’d reach a major tournament for the first time ever. Georgia battled through plenty of adversity, falling to 10 men before halftime and losing Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratshkelia in extra time due to injury, but after a goalless 120 minutes, they would take the momentum as Giorgi Kochorashvili converted the opener. Anastasios Bakasetas would take the following spot-kick and attempt to strike it into the bottom right corner, but he was thwarted by the mighty hand of Giorgi Mamardashvilli. They would go on to win 4-2 and confirm their presence in the Euros, with countless Georgian supporters racing onto the pitch and embracing their players and their fellow fans.
Georgia kicked off their tournament with a match vs. Türkiye, falling behind within 25 minutes only to equalise immediately after via Georges Mikautadze, but Arda Güler would restore the advantage with a rocket of a finish in the 65th minute whilst Kerem Aktürkoğlu sealed the deal in extra time in a 3-1 victory. The following match would see Mikautadze open the scoring from the penalty spot on the cusp of halftime, only for Patrik Schick to level proceedings within the hour-mark. Czechia continued to push for a winning goal, but they were nullified by an impeccable Mamardashvilli in goal, who registered 11 saves, 13 recoveries, 5 high claims and 3 punches. Despite facing 4.00 expected goals on target, Georgia managed to survive with a point and gave themselves a fighting chance of reaching the Round of 16 thanks to the Valencia goalkeeper, whose 8.9 rating saw him finish as FotMob’s top-rated player from Matchday 2. At 23 years of age, Mamardashvilli has established himself as one of the top up-and-coming goalkeepers on the continent, and with a contract until 2027, he could be primed for a big-money transfer this summer.
Humble Beginnings in Georgia
The son of David Mamardashvilli, a former goalkeeper and goalkeeping coach at FC Gagra, Giorgi has shown that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. After kicking off his development at Gagra, Mamardashvilli made the move to domestic heavyweights Dinamo Tbilisi in 2012. He would never make a single appearance for the first team, spending the 2019 season on loan at fellow Georgian top-flight side Rustavi and helping them avoid relegation, before heading to Locomotive Tbilisi on loan. It was here at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium where Mamardashvilli made a name for himself, excelling between the sticks and being voted as the Best Goalkeeper in the Erovnuli Liga for 2020.
It wasn’t long before Mamardashvilli began attracting attention from teams in Western Europe, with Valencia signing him on a one-year loan deal for a fee of €50,000 with an €800,000 buyout clause in 2021. Initially assigned to Valencia’s reserve side in the fifth tier, Mamardashvilli was included in the team’s pre-season squad and managed to impress new manager José Bordalás, so much so that when Jasper Cillessen and Jaume Domènech went down with injuries, the Georgian was entrusted to start the opening match of the 2021/22 season. In just a few weeks, he had gone from Valencia’s fourth-choice to their first-choice.
Making a Name For Himself at Mestalla
Los Che would fall to 10 men within three minutes, but they nevertheless pulled off a 1-0 win vs. Getafe thanks to an impressive display between Mamardashvilli, who was named LaLiga’s Best Goalkeeper of Matchday 1. Mamardashvilli would start in Valencia’s next five league matches before dropping out for Cillessen, spending over four months on the sidelines before being thrust back into the XI after the Dutchman suffered another injury. This time, he didn’t relinquish the opportunity, racking up six clean sheets, conceding 13 goals in 12 matches and going 570 minutes without conceding a single goal.
After making history as the first-ever Georgian goalkeeper in LaLiga, Mamardashvilli took his game to a new level in 2022/23, playing in every single minute of the league campaign and being named their Player of the Season, having placed second behind Gonçalo Guedes the previous year. Valencia managed to narrowly stave off relegation on the final day of the campaign, but the following season, they managed to return to the top-half of the table and secure a comfortable ninth-place finish.
Mamardashvilli proved vital once again, with his 13 clean sheets bettered only by Álex Remiro (15), Marc-André ter Stegen (15) and Unai Simón (16), registering 108 saves and boasting a save percentage of 72.5%. He faced six penalties in 2023/24, saving three of them, and in January, he broke José Manuel Ochotorena’s record as the goalkeeper with the most consecutive LaLiga starts for Valencia (61). With 9.3 Goals Prevented, no goalkeeper kept out more would-be goals in LaLiga than the Georgian (second-placed Paulo Gazzaniga had 6.6).
Individual Heroics in Hamburg
At 6’6”, Mamardashvilli’s towering presence and wingspan allow him to impose himself in aerial duels and stretch out to get a hand to a soaring effort, but unlike other tall goalkeepers, his height doesn’t prevent him from getting to ground and making a last-ditch intervention. This was evident in the third minute of their match vs. Czechia, with Vladimír Coufal’s long throw-in finding Adam Hložek, who controlled it onto his chest before firing a low, central shot. Mamardashvilli was forced to get down immediately and make a strong save with his feed, whilst his quick reactions were tested three seconds later as Patrik Schick’s ascendant left-footed strike was tipped over by the Georgian. He barely had a chance to catch his breath before being called into action once again, dealing with a header and clearing it out of the danger area. Georgia continued to be put under pressure from set-pieces and looked to have taken the lead after Hložek bundled in the opener, only for VAR to adjudge that the ball had come off his arm. Instead, it was Mikautadze who broke the deadlock from 12 yards out and gave Georgia their first-ever lead at a major tournament.
The Czechs did not take long to fight back and nearly ended the half with an equalizer after some lackadaisical defending from the Jvarosnebi gifted Schick with a golden opportunity, but Mamardahsvilli nevertheless flung himself down and was able to punch it out for a corner kick. Schick would equalize after the break for the Czechs, who grew in confidence and continued to mount wave after wave of pressure against a Georgia side whose inexperience and naivety bore negative consequences. The Crusaders continued to surrender possession in perilous positions and cough up counter-attacking opportunities, with substitute Matěj Jurásek making a break towards goal before launching a low, well-driven rocket towards goal. Once again, Mamardashvilli read the danger and was forced into an unorthodox, one-handed save that not only kept out the shot, but redirected it out of the danger area and into the wide areas, where Georgia’s Luka Lochoshvili could then boot it up the pitch.
Time and time again, Mamardashvilli continued to bail his team out of trouble and remain poised and alert to the threat, picking his starting positions well, setting his body with time in advance, and taking advantage of his lightning-quick reactions to keep out a goal. Even when his backline let him down with schoolboy errors, he was always able to react and get a strong palm to the shot, diverting it into safety. A speedy goalkeeper, he’s more than capable of shifting his momentum towards the other side and diving at the right moment in order to deflect the ball away from goal. He has the aerial prowess to assert himself in set-piece situations, fight through traffic, and fend off crosses, and his physical fortitude makes him a daunting opponent for any striker.
Even when his vision is blocked and he doesn’t have the time to see it all the way, Mamardashvilli is adept at improvising and making an instant reaction, with his reflexes, athleticism and composure enabling him to make a split decision at a moment’s notice. Despite racking up 27 shots in comparison to Georgia’s 5, Czechia were unable to find a second goal in Hamburg and came up short against Georgia’s brick wall in goal. They nearly conceded a last-second winner, only for Saba Lobzhanidze to blaze over and cost Georgia a valuable two points.
Can Georgia Pull off a Shock Win vs. Portugal?
As a result of their stalemate in Hamburg, Georgia enter the final matchday in last place, level on one point with Czechia, two behind Türkiye and five behind Portugal. If they are to escape Group F and prolong their maiden Euros voyage, they’ll need to pull off a win against Portugal at the Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday.
They’ll be counting on Mikautadze to find the back of the net for the third straight match, with the Georgian striker finishing as the top scorer in the 2022/23 Ligue 2 season with Metz, earning a move to Ajax in the final days of the summer transfer window, and returning to Metz in January, where he would finish as their top scorer with 13 goals in 20 appearances. Whilst Mikautadze (23) has emerged as one of Ligue 1’s most promising strikers, Khvicha Kvaratshkelia (23) has cemented himself as one of the most exciting wingers in Europe and led Napoli to their first Scudetto in three decades.
Both players will be indispensable for Georgia as they look to pull off a historic upset at the Veltins-Arena, but perhaps no player will be more important than Giorgi Mamardashvilli. He has put his skills to the test in the Spanish top-flight and the European Championship, and at 23 years of age, he is well on his way to following in the footsteps of Jan Oblak and Petr Čech and becoming Eastern Europe’s next top goalkeeper.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Two Concacaf teams who have gotten to know each other well in the last few years square off in their second match of the CONMEBOL Copa América when the United States and Panama clash in Atlanta.
The Concacaf squads have met at least once a year since a January 2019 friendly. Panama’s only win in those six matches was in last year’s Gold Cup semi-final when an alternate U.S. side fell in the penalty shootout and the Central Americans advanced to the Gold Cup final.
Now at full-strength, the U.S. is eager to show it can compete with the best not just in Concacaf but in the Americas. It dominated South American straggler Bolivia in its opening match, with Christian Pulisic scoring in the third minute and Folarin Balogun adding a second in the 44th. Despite dominating proceedings in the second half, however, the U.S. couldn’t capitalise on a number of chances to extend its lead even further.
U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter won’t be concerned if his team continues winning. The biggest fitness question for the U.S. remains midfielder Tyler Adams, who played 45 minutes in the opener and came out as a planned change. While AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah (and Real Betis’ Johnny) both have given plenty of evidence they’re up to the international standard, neither can influence a game quite like Adams.
Not only did Panama lose its opener against Uruguay, the team favored to top the group, it also suffered the loss of a key player. José Luis “Puma” Rodriguez sprained his shoulder in the 3-1 loss to the South American squad and will be out for the rest of the tournament. That adds to a list of injuries manager Thomas Christiansen has had to cope with.
Veteran midfielder Anibal Godoy had to pull out just before the start of the tournament, and while Panama thought it would replace him with Fidel Escobar, the centre-back said he’s not yet fit enough to play international matches. Fellow centre-back Andrés Andrade and forward Cecilio Waterman already were missing heading into the summer, with Andrade injured in a pre-tournament swing through Spain and Waterman injured prior to June’s World Cup qualification contests.
While the middle of defense finds itself quite shorthanded, Panama feels confident in its wide defenders, Michael Amir Murillo, the Marseille man who scored in stoppage time against Uruguay, and Eric Davis. It now needs Edgar Yoel Barcenas to provide even more of a creative engine, and, while do-everything midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla earned the most touches for Panama in the match with Uruguay, he needs to do more if Panama can spring a shock at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Copa America live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
On March 26, 2024, Georgia hosted Greece in Tbilisi in the biggest match in the nation’s 34-year history: if they won, they’d reach a major tournament for the first time ever. Georgia battled through plenty of adversity, falling to 10 men before halftime and losing Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratshkelia in extra time due to injury, but after a goalless 120 minutes, they would take the momentum as Giorgi Kochorashvili converted the opener. Anastasios Bakasetas would take the following spot-kick and attempt to strike it into the bottom right corner, but he was thwarted by the mighty hand of Giorgi Mamardashvilli. They would go on to win 4-2 and confirm their presence in the Euros, with countless Georgian supporters racing onto the pitch and embracing their players and their fellow fans.
Georgia kicked off their tournament with a match vs. Türkiye, falling behind within 25 minutes only to equalise immediately after via Georges Mikautadze, but Arda Güler would restore the advantage with a rocket of a finish in the 65th minute whilst Kerem Aktürkoğlu sealed the deal in extra time in a 3-1 victory. The following match would see Mikautadze open the scoring from the penalty spot on the cusp of halftime, only for Patrik Schick to level proceedings within the hour-mark. Czechia continued to push for a winning goal, but they were nullified by an impeccable Mamardashvilli in goal, who registered 11 saves, 13 recoveries, 5 high claims and 3 punches. Despite facing 4.00 expected goals on target, Georgia managed to survive with a point and gave themselves a fighting chance of reaching the Round of 16 thanks to the Valencia goalkeeper, whose 8.9 rating saw him finish as FotMob’s top-rated player from Matchday 2. At 23 years of age, Mamardashvilli has established himself as one of the top up-and-coming goalkeepers on the continent, and with a contract until 2027, he could be primed for a big-money transfer this summer.
Humble Beginnings in Georgia
The son of David Mamardashvilli, a former goalkeeper and goalkeeping coach at FC Gagra, Giorgi has shown that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. After kicking off his development at Gagra, Mamardashvilli made the move to domestic heavyweights Dinamo Tbilisi in 2012. He would never make a single appearance for the first team, spending the 2019 season on loan at fellow Georgian top-flight side Rustavi and helping them avoid relegation, before heading to Locomotive Tbilisi on loan. It was here at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium where Mamardashvilli made a name for himself, excelling between the sticks and being voted as the Best Goalkeeper in the Erovnuli Liga for 2020.
It wasn’t long before Mamardashvilli began attracting attention from teams in Western Europe, with Valencia signing him on a one-year loan deal for a fee of €50,000 with an €800,000 buyout clause in 2021. Initially assigned to Valencia’s reserve side in the fifth tier, Mamardashvilli was included in the team’s pre-season squad and managed to impress new manager José Bordalás, so much so that when Jasper Cillessen and Jaume Domènech went down with injuries, the Georgian was entrusted to start the opening match of the 2021/22 season. In just a few weeks, he had gone from Valencia’s fourth-choice to their first-choice.
Making a Name For Himself at Mestalla
Los Che would fall to 10 men within three minutes, but they nevertheless pulled off a 1-0 win vs. Getafe thanks to an impressive display between Mamardashvilli, who was named LaLiga’s Best Goalkeeper of Matchday 1. Mamardashvilli would start in Valencia’s next five league matches before dropping out for Cillessen, spending over four months on the sidelines before being thrust back into the XI after the Dutchman suffered another injury. This time, he didn’t relinquish the opportunity, racking up six clean sheets, conceding 13 goals in 12 matches and going 570 minutes without conceding a single goal.
After making history as the first-ever Georgian goalkeeper in LaLiga, Mamardashvilli took his game to a new level in 2022/23, playing in every single minute of the league campaign and being named their Player of the Season, having placed second behind Gonçalo Guedes the previous year. Valencia managed to narrowly stave off relegation on the final day of the campaign, but the following season, they managed to return to the top-half of the table and secure a comfortable ninth-place finish.
Mamardashvilli proved vital once again, with his 13 clean sheets bettered only by Álex Remiro (15), Marc-André ter Stegen (15) and Unai Simón (16), registering 108 saves and boasting a save percentage of 72.5%. He faced six penalties in 2023/24, saving three of them, and in January, he broke José Manuel Ochotorena’s record as the goalkeeper with the most consecutive LaLiga starts for Valencia (61). With 9.3 Goals Prevented, no goalkeeper kept out more would-be goals in LaLiga than the Georgian (second-placed Paulo Gazzaniga had 6.6).
Individual Heroics in Hamburg
At 6’6”, Mamardashvilli’s towering presence and wingspan allow him to impose himself in aerial duels and stretch out to get a hand to a soaring effort, but unlike other tall goalkeepers, his height doesn’t prevent him from getting to ground and making a last-ditch intervention. This was evident in the third minute of their match vs. Czechia, with Vladimír Coufal’s long throw-in finding Adam Hložek, who controlled it onto his chest before firing a low, central shot. Mamardashvilli was forced to get down immediately and make a strong save with his feed, whilst his quick reactions were tested three seconds later as Patrik Schick’s ascendant left-footed strike was tipped over by the Georgian. He barely had a chance to catch his breath before being called into action once again, dealing with a header and clearing it out of the danger area. Georgia continued to be put under pressure from set-pieces and looked to have taken the lead after Hložek bundled in the opener, only for VAR to adjudge that the ball had come off his arm. Instead, it was Mikautadze who broke the deadlock from 12 yards out and gave Georgia their first-ever lead at a major tournament.
The Czechs did not take long to fight back and nearly ended the half with an equalizer after some lackadaisical defending from the Jvarosnebi gifted Schick with a golden opportunity, but Mamardahsvilli nevertheless flung himself down and was able to punch it out for a corner kick. Schick would equalize after the break for the Czechs, who grew in confidence and continued to mount wave after wave of pressure against a Georgia side whose inexperience and naivety bore negative consequences. The Crusaders continued to surrender possession in perilous positions and cough up counter-attacking opportunities, with substitute Matěj Jurásek making a break towards goal before launching a low, well-driven rocket towards goal. Once again, Mamardashvilli read the danger and was forced into an unorthodox, one-handed save that not only kept out the shot, but redirected it out of the danger area and into the wide areas, where Georgia’s Luka Lochoshvili could then boot it up the pitch.
Time and time again, Mamardashvilli continued to bail his team out of trouble and remain poised and alert to the threat, picking his starting positions well, setting his body with time in advance, and taking advantage of his lightning-quick reactions to keep out a goal. Even when his backline let him down with schoolboy errors, he was always able to react and get a strong palm to the shot, diverting it into safety. A speedy goalkeeper, he’s more than capable of shifting his momentum towards the other side and diving at the right moment in order to deflect the ball away from goal. He has the aerial prowess to assert himself in set-piece situations, fight through traffic, and fend off crosses, and his physical fortitude makes him a daunting opponent for any striker.
Even when his vision is blocked and he doesn’t have the time to see it all the way, Mamardashvilli is adept at improvising and making an instant reaction, with his reflexes, athleticism and composure enabling him to make a split decision at a moment’s notice. Despite racking up 27 shots in comparison to Georgia’s 5, Czechia were unable to find a second goal in Hamburg and came up short against Georgia’s brick wall in goal. They nearly conceded a last-second winner, only for Saba Lobzhanidze to blaze over and cost Georgia a valuable two points.
Can Georgia Pull off a Shock Win vs. Portugal?
As a result of their stalemate in Hamburg, Georgia enter the final matchday in last place, level on one point with Czechia, two behind Türkiye and five behind Portugal. If they are to escape Group F and prolong their maiden Euros voyage, they’ll need to pull off a win against Portugal at the Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday.
They’ll be counting on Mikautadze to find the back of the net for the third straight match, with the Georgian striker finishing as the top scorer in the 2022/23 Ligue 2 season with Metz, earning a move to Ajax in the final days of the summer transfer window, and returning to Metz in January, where he would finish as their top scorer with 13 goals in 20 appearances. Whilst Mikautadze (23) has emerged as one of Ligue 1’s most promising strikers, Khvicha Kvaratshkelia (23) has cemented himself as one of the most exciting wingers in Europe and led Napoli to their first Scudetto in three decades.
Both players will be indispensable for Georgia as they look to pull off a historic upset at the Veltins-Arena, but perhaps no player will be more important than Giorgi Mamardashvilli. He has put his skills to the test in the Spanish top-flight and the European Championship, and at 23 years of age, he is well on his way to following in the footsteps of Jan Oblak and Petr Čech and becoming Eastern Europe’s next top goalkeeper.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Two Concacaf teams who have gotten to know each other well in the last few years square off in their second match of the CONMEBOL Copa América when the United States and Panama clash in Atlanta.
The Concacaf squads have met at least once a year since a January 2019 friendly. Panama’s only win in those six matches was in last year’s Gold Cup semi-final when an alternate U.S. side fell in the penalty shootout and the Central Americans advanced to the Gold Cup final.
Now at full-strength, the U.S. is eager to show it can compete with the best not just in Concacaf but in the Americas. It dominated South American straggler Bolivia in its opening match, with Christian Pulisic scoring in the third minute and Folarin Balogun adding a second in the 44th. Despite dominating proceedings in the second half, however, the U.S. couldn’t capitalise on a number of chances to extend its lead even further.
U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter won’t be concerned if his team continues winning. The biggest fitness question for the U.S. remains midfielder Tyler Adams, who played 45 minutes in the opener and came out as a planned change. While AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah (and Real Betis’ Johnny) both have given plenty of evidence they’re up to the international standard, neither can influence a game quite like Adams.
Not only did Panama lose its opener against Uruguay, the team favored to top the group, it also suffered the loss of a key player. José Luis “Puma” Rodriguez sprained his shoulder in the 3-1 loss to the South American squad and will be out for the rest of the tournament. That adds to a list of injuries manager Thomas Christiansen has had to cope with.
Veteran midfielder Anibal Godoy had to pull out just before the start of the tournament, and while Panama thought it would replace him with Fidel Escobar, the centre-back said he’s not yet fit enough to play international matches. Fellow centre-back Andrés Andrade and forward Cecilio Waterman already were missing heading into the summer, with Andrade injured in a pre-tournament swing through Spain and Waterman injured prior to June’s World Cup qualification contests.
While the middle of defense finds itself quite shorthanded, Panama feels confident in its wide defenders, Michael Amir Murillo, the Marseille man who scored in stoppage time against Uruguay, and Eric Davis. It now needs Edgar Yoel Barcenas to provide even more of a creative engine, and, while do-everything midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla earned the most touches for Panama in the match with Uruguay, he needs to do more if Panama can spring a shock at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Copa America live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
The final match day of the group stage is upon us at Euro 2024. Here are four things you should look out as both Group E and Group F come to a head on the thirteenth night of the tournament in Germany.
It’s not often that a team can go into their final group match at a tournament such as this with ambitions of still winning the group, but Ukraine’s Euros have so far been very much a game of two halves.
At half-time against Slovakia, they were heading out, 1-0 down and having already lost their opening match to Romania. It looked as though the pressures of their unique circumstances could finally be taking their toll. It’s impossible to carry on ‘as normal’ when your country can’t even play their home matches at home.
But if there’s one thing that this Ukraine doesn’t lack, it’s spirit. They came from behind to beat Slovakia, and with Belgium awaiting in their final game and everybody tied on points, a win would put them through. They’re nowhere near as out of this as they were exactly halfway through their group stage.
Can Slovakia and Romania avoid the temptation to “Disgrace of Gijón” their final match?
In the only group to go into its final round of matches with all four teams tied on points, one of the lower-key matches in the tournament on paper will have ramifications. With Slovakia third in the group and Romania second, a draw would almost certainly be enough to put both teams through at the expense of the loser of Belgium vs Ukraine.
But will sporting muscle memory override the obvious temptation to just shut up shop and play out that draw? And how closely will UEFA be watching if that temptation proves too strong? More than 40 years on from their infamous little stitch-up in Gijón at the 1982 World Cup, both Germany and Austria found that a dirty reputation from this sort of cuddly operation can be a difficult stain to remove.
Rafael Leão has found the perfect time to sit out a one-match suspension… or has he?
It’s a record that few would want, but in getting booked for simulation during Portugal’s 3-0 win against Turkey for the second match in a row, Rafael Leão became the first player since the introduction of the modern tournament in 1980 to pick up a suspension for doing so.
He’ll have breathed a sigh of relief that this was a comfortable win for Portugal. They’ve already qualified for the next round and can give someone else a runout for their final match against Georgia.
But there is a risk for Leão. What if his replacement comes in and puts in a performance that makes returning him into the first eleven impossible for Roberto Martínez? Leão may have considered himself to have taken one for the team with these two illegal attempts to win a foul, but it’s not impossible that he could lose his own place in it for having done so.
Will the real Türkiye please stand up?
No team has blown hot and cold at Euro 2024 quite like Türkiye. They did so within their opening match against Georgia – quite possibly one of the great games in the history of this competition – before getting pushed to the limit and emerging with a slightly flattering 3-1 win. They could yet drop to the bottom should they lose and Georgia pull off a surprise by beating an under-strength Portugal. A point will almost certainly be enough to ensure their progress, but which Türkiye will turn up?
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
