Page 46 – The Pulse of Football

Jun

2024

Preview: Netherlands vs. Austria

Netherlands and Austria are preparing for an intense battle in Group D with both sides still standing a chance of finishing in first position. The Dutch are currently in the driving seat, but a win for Austria, if results go their way, could see them leapfrog their opponents.

By Matthew Smith

Ronald Koeman’s side produced an impressive result last time out as they secured a 0-0 draw against one of Euro 2024’s favourites France. Their victory against Poland in the opening game put them in a strong position heading into the second match, but it will all come down to the final round of fixtures.

The Dutch might not have created as many chances as Koeman would have hoped for in the tournament so far, producing 1.9 expected goals, but France’s resolute defence was tough to break down.

The Netherlands will be hoping to see another bright display from Cody Gakpo, who has been a standout performer in the opening games. The Liverpool forward has achieved an average match rating of 7.98, while having 1.6 shots on target per 90 minutes.

If they manage to come away with all three points and France fail to beat Austria, then Koeman’s men will advance into the next round in first position.

Perhaps surprisingly, Austria enjoyed more of the possession in their opening game against France, but they struggled to turn their dominance into clear-cut chances. Ralf Rangnick’s side only managed to produce 0.76 expected goals, while Didier Deschamps’ men found a breakthrough thanks to a Maximilian Wöber own goal.

With a 7.63 average match rating, Nicolas Seiwald has been crucial in the middle of the park for Austria, managing 2.5 successful tackles per 90 minutes while also winning 10 duels. Rangnick’s men have been one of the more feistier teams at the tournament, with no side averaging more fouls per game (16.5).

Austria’s 3-1 win against Poland in their opening game saw them get off to a flying start, but they will need to tighten up at the back if they want to end the group stage on a high. Rangnick’s side conceded 1.68 expected goals including two big chances, but their attacking prowess got them over the line.

It will be an incredible achievement for Austria if they manage to qualify for the next round, especially if they finish in the top two. Group D was widely considered one of the toughest at Euro 2024, and Austria have done themselves proud so far.

(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.

Jun

2024

Preview: France vs. Poland

France and Poland go head-to-head in the final round of fixtures in Group D. Didier Deschamps’s side will be looking to secure their place in the next round with a first-place finish, while Poland are simply playing for pride after already being eliminated.

By Matthew Smith

It’s been an inconsistent start to the tournament for the French, with an injury to Kylian Mbappé undoubtedly stunting their progress. The soon-to-be Real Madrid star suffered a broken nose in the opening game, failing to play a single minute against the Netherlands in their second match.

Deschamps’ men were on top throughout against the Dutch, creating 1.43 expected goals while keeping 63 per cent of the ball, but they couldn’t turn their dominance into three points. Mbappé could only watch on from the bench with the supporters in France hoping he is saving himself for a vintage display against Poland (or deeper in to the tournament).

France have produced 3.6 expected goals in the tournament so far, but they’ve only managed to find the back of the net once. They will need to show more of a clinical edge on Tuesday if they want to cement their place in the next round, while they will also be desperate to finish in first place in Group D.

Poland were the first side to be eliminated from Euro 2024 due to the head-to-head record being the first tiebreaker method used to separate teams. Michal Propbierz’s side were handed one of the toughest groups possible, but there’s no doubt they’ve endured an underwhelming tournament.

Although the result will officially mean very little to them, the players will be looking to give the fans who have travelled something to cheer about. Poland were without their star man Robert Lewandowski in the opening game, but he returned in the final 30 minutes against Austria.

France will have to be wary of the threat he offers as the Polish striker has scored 81 times for his country during his career. There might be little riding on the game for Propbierz’s men, but a natural winner like Lewandowski will be looking to spoil the party.

With no side conceding more goals per 90 minutes than Poland, it’s a real opportunity for France to stake their claim and advance into the knockout rounds in style. Securing the three points, in reality, is all that matters, while the French will be relying on Austria to do them a favour by beating the Dutch.

(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.

Jun

2024

Preview: Brazil vs. Costa Rica

Brazil begin their search for a 10th Copa América title on Monday with a match against a Costa Rica team taking part in just its sixth edition of the tournament.

By Jon Arnold

The history in the South American championship isn’t the only difference between the teams.

Brazil are able to call on a number of players with extensive international experience and who also are UEFA Champions League veterans, from Liverpool’s Alisson in goal to winger Vinícius Júnior of reigning Champions League winners Real Madrid.

Costa Rica, meanwhile, saw its own UEFA Champions League legend retire from international play before the tournament, with Keylor Navas’ absence the latest gap the Ticos must fill with young players.

But there are commonalities as well. Both squads are led by managers taking their teams into their first major tournaments. Brazil had hoped it would be Carlo Ancelotti at the helm of the ship, but the manager instead opted to stay with Real Madrid. In his stead is Dorival Junior, a veteran manger but one who has never worked outside the country. He’ll look to start his tenure with a showing that proves he can contend for a World Cup crown.

The ambitions won’t be as lofty for Costa Rica manager Gustavo Alfaro, who is tasked with bringing through the Ticos’ new generation and extending their streak of three consecutive World Cup appearances.

Neither new boss will be thinking about the World Cup in Monday’s Group D opener. Dorival Junior will be hoping to thump Costa Rica and send a message he’s the right man for the job, also earning patience from Brazil fans already ready to see, for instance, teenage sensation Endrick in the starting lineup. The front line looks strong enough without him, as Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Raphinha all will be in the XI to face Costa Rica.

Alfaro says his young generation of rising talents – including forward Manfred Ugalde, midfielder Orlando Gala and Navas’ apparent successor Patrick Sequeira – won’t go into the contest scared because of Brazil’s history.

Still, any result for the Central Americans would go down as an historic one – and one that would totally upset experts’ expectations of how Group D – which also includes Colombia and Paraguay (who play earlier) – will pan out.

(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.

Jun

2024

Estevao: Just how good is ‘Messinho’?

Despite a disappointing 2023/24 season, Chelsea look set to double down on their extreme investment in young talent in the transfer market with the signing of Estêvão Willian. The young Brazilian winger is one of the most highly-rated talents to emerge in the Série A’s recent history, so at least this could be money well-spent by the Blues.

By Neel Shelat

Having only turned 17 years old in April, Estêvão will still spend the best part of a year in Brazil before moving to Europe. His deal with Chelsea is reportedly all but official with a base fee of at least €34 million rising close to €60 million with performance-based add-ons. With that, he will compete with fellow attacking starlet Endrick to become Palmeiras’ record sale.

Naturally, there have been a fair few comparisons drawn between the pair, but those are quite unfair, in truth. Endrick is almost a year older and more of a centre-forward, whereas Estêvão has almost solely operated as an out-and-out right winger for the senior side.

He made his professional debut four months before his 17th birthday, becoming one of the youngest-ever players in the club’s history. Prior to that and indeed after it, he continued to shine for their illustrious youth teams in various competitions, and also starred for Brazil at the last FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2023.

Estêvão spent most of his younger days playing with elder peers and looks set to continue on that trajectory having already established himself as a regular starter for Abel Ferreira’s side. At the time of writing, he has started each of their last nine games across all competitions, including half of their Copa Libertadores group stage campaign.

He already has three goals and two assists to his name in the Brasileirão, with more sure to come. The most impressive part of his breakthrough is that he has objectively been one of the eye-catching players in the league this season even without factoring his age into the equation. In fact, he leads the way in the division in terms of shot-creating take-ons.

That very much is the hallmark of his game – taking defenders on. Indeed, his wizard-like close control and mazy dribbling ability earned him the ‘Messinho’ nickname back in his Cruzeiro academy days, though he is said to not be a fan of it. Ultimately, though, references to the Argentine great are almost unavoidable when describing a diminutive left-footed right winger of such world-beating potential.

Quite simply, Estêvão is a relentless dribbler. He has averaged an incredible 3.10 successful dribbles per 90 in the league so far this season thanks to his tendency to start very wide and receive the ball in isolation with the opposition full-back. His overall passing numbers may not be very high, but that is because he tends to try and get as close to goal as possible.

Estêvão’s dribble success rate might not look great but context is key to understanding it. For one, it is very important to remember that he is a lean 17-year-old who can easily get outmuscled in senior football, at the moment, though that will change as his physicality develops. More importantly, he is a very high-risk dribbler who looks to drive straight at defenders and twist them inside out with flashy flicks and tricks and rapid direction changes, often looking to wriggle past multiple opponents in one move. Of course, this will result in him being stopped a fair few times, but it also has the potential to be quite spectacular when it comes off.

What is perhaps most impressive about Estêvão given his age is the fact that he already is very composed and mature in his decision-making. There have been countless exciting dribbly young wingers in the Brazilian league over the years, but what sets potential superstars apart is their attacking output. Estêvão has shown good potential in that respect thanks to his ability to complete the final action with either foot, though he certainly favours chopping inside and shooting with his left.

He certainly is not shot-shy, so this is what a typical Estêvão shotmap will probably look like.

Such high-volume shooting from range is not always encouraged by top clubs in Europe but Chelsea must be willing to make an exception for Estêvão. On watching him, it should be easy to see that he can pack real power behind his shots and place them very well with a variety of techniques.

All things considered, Estêvão easily is one of the most exciting talents to emerge in Brazil of late. The fact that he can become a regular starter for one of the country’s biggest clubs right after turning 17 says a lot about his quality, maturity and potential, but he still has a long road ahead of him. He might not yet be ready for a top Premier League club like Chelsea, but that could easily change in a year’s time if he stays on his current developmental trajectory.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Premier League on FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jun

2024

Nico Williams is showcasing his huge potential at EURO 2024

EURO 2024 is already proving to be the tournament where Nico Williams’ abilities are witnessed on the biggest stage and there is so much more to come.

By Kaustubh Pandey

Giovanni di Lorenzo generally doesn’t have rough days on the football pitch. A symbol of consistency for club and country for a while now, the Napoli captain witnessed a horror show against Spain last week. He was constantly turned inside out by a 21-year-old Nico Williams, who captured the eyes of many and put on a performance that people will remember for quite a while.

By the end of the game, there was a realisation in the minds of many Azzurri fans that Di Lorenzo shouldn’t play for Italy in the tournament again. Whether the Partenopei man starts for the side against Croatia, or not, remains to be seen, but it was a day when Williams tore apart arguably one of the best full-backs in the world with his pace and trickery.

The 21-year-old attempted as many as ten dribbles – four more than Lamine Yamal, who was second best at six in this regard and he too must be lauded for his performance as a 16-year-old against grown men.

There was also a good amount of final product in what the Athletic Bilbao star was doing, creating four chances and that was the highest by a single player in the game.

In a way, it is fairly rare for Spain to rely on wide forwards during international tournaments. La Roja have constantly been associated with having players that offer numerical superiority in the middle of the park by drifting inside off the ball. Williams – like Yamal, are offering something fresh and when it comes to the Bilbao man, it isn’t rare to see him do what he did last week against the reigning European champions.

Even against Croatia in Spain’s first game, Williams was constantly looking to take defenders on, as he attempted four dribbles and was only one behind Dani Olmo.

He could create only one chance and that does show that he is a volume dribbler and creates more whenever he dribbles more. The more the system allows Williams to get on the ball and do the work, the more effective he becomes as an outlet.

At Athletic Bilbao, Williams is one of the stars of the side and it is only natural that a pragmatist like coach Ernesto Valverde would tailor the system around a prized asset. While Valverde’s Bilbao side are flexible when it comes to their shape, they are generally built on a solid defensive foundation and transition quickly from defence to attack.

As a result of their approach, Bilbao had the second-best goals conceded per game metric in the 2023/24 campaign and they kept 18 cleansheets, second only to eventual champions Real Madrid.

For a player who likes to attack space, take defenders and leave them ragged, a counter-attack approach is quite perfect. To gives Williams a lot of room to play in, use and increase the amount of dribbles he executes and then create more.

The Spaniard was joint second best in the 2023/24 season for successful dribbles per 90 minutes and this freedom to be himself made sure that he was the second best assister in the competition with 11 assists.

His creation abilities have risen to the fore to a point where had the third-best Expected Assists per 90 minutes tally in the season, once again suggesting how much Valverde’s approach seems to suit the 21-year-old winger.

Valverde, who is a famed figure in Athletic Bilbao history, returned to the club in 2022 and he does deserve a fair amount of credit for how his approach has helped Williams. After all, the youngster’s numbers have picked up since then and he is slowly reaching new levels in his evolution as a player.

Valverde is fairly in touch with the values of the San Mames-based club and it is not just evidenced by Williams’ emergence. Gorka Guruzeta has come leaps and bounds and Dani Vivian has impressed to a point where he too is part of Spain’s side for EURO 2024. Experienced players like Oscar de Marcos and Yuri Berchiche also continue to perform fairly well.

It is Williams who has, perhaps, been the best indicator of how well Valverde has done at the club. The 2023/24 campaign was the very best of Williams’ career as he racked up 24 goal contributions in domestic contributions.

It is also important to note that even though Williams is a volume dribbler, he isn’t a volume shooter. He isn’t someone who takes shots away at whim, as compared to many other inside forwards of his ilk. He prefers to create for others and be precise with his creation instead of getting his shots away constantly, which comes with the added risk of breaking down play and his team losing the ball.

His name is already attracting the attention of so many across Europe and EURO 2024 will only add to his lure. The 2023/24 campaign was only his second full season at club level and while there is a long way to go, there is a foundation for a truly reliable footballer in Nico Williams.

(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.

Jun

2024

Euro 2024: FotMob Team of the Round, Matchday Two

So there we have it. Matchday two of Euro 2024 is now in the history books. Germany, Spain and Portugal guaranteed their presence in the knockout round of the tournament, they’re the only teams with a 100% record and all three had players appear in the FotMob Team of the Matchday. But who joined them and how did they make the cut?

By Sam McGuire

Goalkeeper: Giorgi Mamardashvili

The shot-stopper put on a clinic in Georgia’s 1-1 draw with Czechia. The 23-year-old made a remarkable 11 saves and faced shots with an Expected Goals on Target total of four. His performance earned him a rating of 8.9 and his exploits earned Georgia their first point of the competition, keeping their hopes of progressing alive.

Right-Back: Joshua Kimmich

The versatile Bayern Munich man caught the eye for the host nation in their 2-0 win over Hungary. Kimmich created the most chances (four) of any player involved in the match while also finishing the game with a pass success rate of 97%. The 29-year-old also cleared an effort off the line, had two shots, and won two of his three ground duels in what was an all action display from full-back.

Centre-Back: Tomáš Holeš

Holeš caught the eye for the Czechs in the 1-1 draw with Georgia. The 31-year-old, playing as the right-sided centre-back in a back three, created one chance and completed 93% of his passes against a highly energetic and aggressive Georgian attack. The Slavia Prague defender also won 50% of his tackles, 75% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial duels.

Centre-Back: Antonio Rüdiger

Another Germany defender who made the FotMob XI. Rüdiger played his part in the hosts keeping a clean sheet, winning two of his three aerial duels, making five clearances and recovering the ball on four occasions. The Real Madrid defender was accurate with 70% of his long passes and finished the game with a 95% pass success rate.

Left-Back: Marc Cucurella

Not only is Cucurella justifying his place in this Spain squad, he’s showing that he is more than deserving of a place in Luis de la Fuente’s starting XI. The Chelsea defender impressed in the win over Italy, carving out three chances and two big chances while also completing 98% of his passes. The 25-year-old won 80% of his ground duels and two of his three aerial duels to cap off a commanding defensive showing.

Midfield: İlkay Gündoğan

The 33-year-old scored and assisted in Germany’s 2-0 win over Hungary. Gündoğan setup Jamal Muisala for the opener before killing the game off not long after the hour mark with his only shot of the game. The former Manchester City man carved out two chances and completed 85% of his attempted passes as the hosts booked their place in the knockout round.

Midfield: Kevin De Bruyne

Belgium needed a big performance from their talisman and he delivered. The Manchester City midfielder was named as the FotMob Player of the Match with an 8.7 rating having scored in the 2-0 win over Romania.

De Bruyne had a total of five shots, created three chances and completed three of his four attempted dribbles. The 32-year-old also bossed things without the ball, winning 12/17 duels.

Midfield: Fabián Ruiz

Ruiz is having a storming Euro 2024. He built on his goal against Croatia last weekend with a dominant performance against Italy. The 28-year-old found a teammate with 95% of his passes, carved out three chances and one big chance. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder had three shots, completed 100% of his dribbles, recovered the ball 14 times and won six of his nine duels.

Attack: Cristiano Ronaldo

The 39-year-old is yet to get off the mark at Euro 2024 but he played his part in Portugal’s 3-0 win over Türkiye, assisting Bruno Fernandes for the third goal. Ronaldo created three chances and had a total of four shots, once again proving himself to be a valuable asset for Roberto Martínez. The legendary forward also completed two of his three dribbles while winning five of his seven duels.

Attack: Marko Arnautović

Arnautović rolled back the years for Austria during their emphatic 3-1 win over Poland. The 35-year-old scored a penalty to put the game to bed but his overall performance for Ralf Rangnick’s side earned him a FotMob rating of 8.0. The Inter man was fouled on three occasions, he won four of his five ground duels and two of his four aerial duels. It was a dominant and aggressive showing from the centre forward. And it put Austria right back in contention for a place in the next round.

Attack: Andrej Kramarić

Kramarić played his part in Croatia’s 2-2 draw with Albania, scoring the equaliser in a display that earned him a FotMob rating of 8.3. The Hoffenheim forward created three chances on the day and found a teammate with 85% of his attempted passes. He also completed four of his five dribbles and involved himself in 10 duels.

(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.

Jun

2024

Preview: Croatia vs. Italy

Group B at Euro 2024 was universally billed as the group of death, and it is set to claim at least one big name team on the final day. World Cup semi-finalists Croatia must win to book a knockout berth but defending champions Italy need at least a point to get the job done as well.

By Neel Shelat

Can Croatia’s Veterans Conjure a Last Hurrah?

Seasoned campaigners have been the key to Croatia’s impressive recent record which includes consecutive World Cup semi-final appearances. Even after Ivan Rakitić’s retirement, the midfield trio of Luka Modrić, Marcelo Brozović and Mateo Kovačić kept the good times rolling for a few more years. However, they finally seem to be past their prime now.

They found themselves dominated by a younger Spanish midfield trio and did not even have a good time against the energetic Albanians, with Brozović getting hooked at half-time. There are more question marks in attack in terms of goal-scoring, as now-35-year-old star forward Ivan Perišić is no longer as good as he once was. Still, Zlatko Dalić brought him into the starting XI against Albania owing to a lack of quality alternatives.

Croatia have been a shadow of their former selves both in and out of possession at the Euros so far, so they will need to come up with a very special performance in a must-win clash against the defending champions if they are to avoid a group stage exit.

Italy’s Quest for Control

It is not all smooth sailing for Italy either, as their tally of three points does not guarantee anything going into the final day. As long as they do not finish bottom of the group, though, they should be in a good position to advance. They should be thankful that their goal difference is not too bad after the game against Spain as they were thoroughly outclassed – to the point that just a one-goal defeat was a kind result for them.

In fact, Italy’s opening victory over Albania was not the most convincing either as they conceded the earliest-ever goal in Euros history and failed to kill the game off after taking the lead, only winning by a one-goal margin in the end. After their thoroughly dominant displays en route to the title three years ago, the Azzurri have not shown a similar level of control both with and without the ball in both games so far.

A defeat here could well bring their title defence to a premature end, so Italy will also need to improve on all fronts if they are to safely advance to the knockouts.

(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.

Jun

2024

Preview: Albania vs. Spain

Albania will look to seal their first-ever Euro knockout qualification tonight against a Spain team that needed just two games to seal the top spot in Group B. That might be good news for the Eagles as long as they come up against a rotated XI in a must-win game.

By Neel Shelat

Albania Seeking Sustained Defensive Solidity

Albania impressively topped their qualifying group with four clean sheets and just four goals conceded in eight matches, so they might have hoped to have a shot at the Euro knockouts until being drawn in the group of death. Still, they have given a very good account of themselves in their first two games to stay in contention on the final day.

One of the most impressive aspects of Sylvinho’s side in qualifying was the compactness of their mid block out of possession. They did maintain it at the start of both their matches in Germany but somewhat fell apart after taking the lead by sinking too deep and inviting sustained pressure – particularly in the second half of the 2-2 draw against Croatia.

That is precisely what they must avoid against a Spain side that is sure to dominate possession for long periods. A clean sheet alone will probably not be enough for Albania to progress as two points will likely not place them among the best third-placed teams, but it should offer a good platform to build on.

A Free Hit for Spain

Spain are in the luxurious position of not having anything on the line at all from their last group game. Their dominant wins over Croatia and Italy mean first place in the group is already theirs, so Luis de la Fuente can freely rotate his side if he so desires.

Whether or not he should do so, though, is a difficult call. On one hand, he might want to rest his first-choice XI that took to the field half a week ago to face Italy. However, he will also want to keep them match-sharp ahead of their Round of 16 fixture, which they already know will be the late kick-off on Sunday.

Furthermore, the 63-year-old tactician might not want to create any selection dilemmas for the knockouts. He has a set formula having fielded almost the same XI in both games so far (save for Aymeric Laporte replacing Nacho at centre-back) and dominated on all fronts. The defensive unit kept two clean sheets, the midfield comfortably controlled proceedings against top-class competitors, and Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams ran rings around full-backs with Álvaro Morata poised to pounce in the box.

(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.

Jun

2024

FotMob Daily Briefing: Four things to look out for on Day 11 at the Euros

The games are still coming thick and fast at Euro 2024. Here are four things you should look out as the highly competitive Group B comes to a close on day 11 of the tournament with games between Albania and Spain, and Croatia and Italy.

By Ian King

A regular, reliable goalscorer would be the icing on Spain’s cake

The most striking irony of Spain’s win against Italy was that, for all the excellent football they played, they were still dependent on an own goal to win. In their first match against Croatia, a three-goal rush in eighteen minutes was enough to get the game sewn up by half-time, but outside of that brief flowering, they haven’t scored a goal themselves yet in this tournament.

So long as they’re winning this isn’t a major issue, and going into their final group match against Albania having beaten Italy coupled with knowing that qualification has already been achieved, head coach Luis de la Fuente may well consider this an opportunity to try out something different in attack. Because a tournament-leading goalscorer would be the icing on the cake for a Spain team that looks excellent in just about every other respect.

Italy need a first if they’re to beat Croatia

Perhaps the best that can be said for Italy’s night against Spain was that at least it wasn’t a lot worse. Had it not been for an inspired performance by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, it almost certainly would have been.

Italy have had some patchy years, winning the Euros between failing to qualify for two successive World Cups. And getting this match out of the way doesn’t make their passage much easier. Next up are Croatia, who have looked jaded so far but who can still hurt them.

The historical record isn’t great. Since Croatia gained independence in 1991 the two sides have met eight times, with five draws, three Croatia wins and Italy having won… none. A point will be enough for Italy, but defeat would see them drop to at least third place and facing a substantially more difficult second round draw.

Croatia’s old stagers need to pull one last iron from the fire

From the way in which their players slumped to the turf after conceding a last-gasp equaliser to Albania it could have looked like Croatia were out of the competition. But that isn’t the case. A win against Italy would still see them through to the next stage, and they have a good record against them (see above).

One of the most intriguing questions of this last round of fixtures is whether this band of brothers, some of whom are now accelerating towards forty years of age, can pull something out of the fire one last time. Luka Modrić, Ivan Perišić, Mateo Kovačić, and Domagoj Vida have ridden this rodeo before. For all the talk that this is a tournament too far for this squad, would you completely rule them out?

Albania have to face the reality of being in a Group of Death

For all the celebrations brought about by their last-minute equaliser against Croatia, the scale of the task ahead of Albania remains stark. A win against Spain will see them through to the next round of the competition, but getting through to the next round requires them beating Spain.

This is the reality of the Group of Death for the outsider. Albania have been decent in this tournament. They scored the Euros’ fastest ever goal against Italy and were only narrowly beaten. Rescuing a point against Croatia may have come late, but few would argue that it was undeserved. But while expanding the Euros has been to the benefit of the continent’s middle-ranking teams, the scale of what they have to achieve once through in order to progress once there remains as huge as ever.

(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.

Jun

2024

Preview: USA vs. Bolivia

The host nation for the 2024 Copa América starts its campaign Sunday at AT&T Stadium, fighting traditional straggler Bolivia in a Group C contest.

By Jon Arnold

The United States is participating in the South American continental championship as an invited team for the fifth time, and will hope to once again make the semi-final as it has twice before, including in 2016 when it last was played on U.S. soil. While a teenage Christian Pulisic was on that squad, the AC Milan attacker is one of few holdovers from that generation of American soccer.

He’s joined at this tournament by a midfield full of talent, whether it be Juventus’ Weston McKennie, Bournemouth’s Tyler Adams, Pulisic’s Milan teammate Yunus Musah and Real Betis’ Johnny, a relatively new face with the U.S. who is coming off a tremendous six months in Spain.

There may be more concerns about the current generation at the back, where typically secure goalkeeper Matt Turner enters the summer after playing little with Nottingham Forest. Sergiño Dest is missing the Copa América with an injury, though Joe Scally’s performance against Vinicíus Júnior in a friendly against Brazil has U.S. fans hopeful they have the personnel needed to lock down attackers who excel out wide.

Bolivia historically has struggled to win when they’re not the home side, so a date with the hosts will be an intimidating start to the tournament they last won in 1963. A sterling run in the Copa Libertadores by Bolívar has lifted some hopes in Bolivia that this group could be the one to break what is nearly a decade-long winless run in official games played away from the altitude of Bolivia.

They’ll need to find the right attacking mix, with Henry Vaca missing the tournament as he recovers from injury and legendary goalscorer Marcelo Martins Moreno having announced his international retirement after 108 caps and 31 goals for La Verde, both all-time highs.

Matching the highs of the 2015 Copa América in Chile, when Bolivia beat Ecuador and advanced from the group stage would be success at the tournament for Antonio Carlos Zago’s men. Any result against the host nation would go down as an historic result.

The other teams in the group, Panama and Uruguay, meet later Sunday in Miami’s Hard Rock 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.