Euro 2024 knockout phase

[Lorric]

Finally managed to find out what this record is that Ronaldo is chasing. He wants to be the oldest goalscorer at a Euro, if anyone else is wondering.

He has had 20 shots so far at the tournament, the most of any player.

[rrey1]

I wonder why are people so fascinated with WC1994 here ? It was certainly better than the previous one (WC1990), but otherwise not that memorable (and the worst final - 0:0 with penalties).

I would put WC2018 (with WC2014 as the close runner-up) as the best recent WC. WC2018 had so many fantastic games (Arg-Cro 0:3, Fra-Arg 4:3, Bel-Jap 3:2, Fra-Cro 4:2, etc.) As for the Euros, I would choose 1984. The quality of games (except for the Final) and the drama was off the charts.

[anty1975]

I wonder why are people so fascinated with WC1994 here ? It was certainly better than the previous one (WC1990), but otherwise not that memorable (and the worst final - 0:0 with penalties).

I would put WC2018 (with WC2014 as the close runner-up) as the best recent WC. WC2018 had so many fantastic games (Arg-Cro 0:3, Fra-Arg 4:3, Bel-Jap 3:2, Fra-Cro 4:2, etc.) As for the Euros, I would choose 1984. The quality of games (except for the Final) and the drama was off the charts.

Lots of great matches, Argentina vs Romania, Brazil vs Netherlands, Bulgaria shocking Germany. Though I agree semis and final were a bit dull.

[anty1975]

I wonder why are people so fascinated with WC1994 here ? It was certainly better than the previous one (WC1990), but otherwise not that memorable (and the worst final - 0:0 with penalties).

I would put WC2018 (with WC2014 as the close runner-up) as the best recent WC. WC2018 had so many fantastic games (Arg-Cro 0:3, Fra-Arg 4:3, Bel-Jap 3:2, Fra-Cro 4:2, etc.) As for the Euros, I would choose 1984. The quality of games (except for the Final) and the drama was off the charts.

Fra vs Cro 2018 final wasn't really a great game, yes lots of goals but almost all of them cause of comical mistakes from defenders or keepers.

[rrey1]

Mistakes are part of the game.
Football is like chess - if there are no mistakes, it's 0:0.
I would definitely take a 7-goal mistake-filled final rarher than a 0:0 or 1:0 played "perfectly".

[air]

I wonder why are people so fascinated with WC1994 here ? It was certainly better than the previous one (WC1990), but otherwise not that memorable (and the worst final - 0:0 with penalties).

I would put WC2018 (with WC2014 as the close runner-up) as the best recent WC. WC2018 had so many fantastic games (Arg-Cro 0:3, Fra-Arg 4:3, Bel-Jap 3:2, Fra-Cro 4:2, etc.) As for the Euros, I would choose 1984. The quality of games (except for the Final) and the drama was off the charts.

Fra vs Cro 2018 final wasn't really a great game, yes lots of goals but almost all of them cause of comical mistakes from defenders or keepers.

Wow. Never thought that the two of us will agree in anything in the world, but apparently we think the same about how boring the 2018 WC final was

[Dragonite]

Romania with 2 changes compared with their previous match:
Mogos instead of Bancu (suspended)
Man instead of Coman

Netherlands with 3 changes compared with their previous match:
Dumfries instead of Geertruida
Simons instead of Veerman
Bergwijn instead of Malen

[Witkop1983]

Netherlands take the lead. Huge blunder by the Romanian goalkeeper

[bugylibicska]

Gakpo beats the keeper who shoud have saved, 1:0. Romania looked better in the 1st 20 minutes.

[rpo.castro]

I am not sure if Portugal has any better CF than Ronaldo. Yes, he hasn't scored yet, but he just chose to give an assist from his biggest scoring chance vs Turkey + Jota is also not a "clinical finisher". If Jota is his backup option, I don't exactly know.

All in all, go Ronaldo, I am with you!

Gonçalo Ramos should be the main candidate to CF. Jota maybe as a backup and we have also João Félix.
I think Gonçalo Ramos and Jota had physical issues right before the Euro and aren't in their best shape, especially Ramos. João Félix was great in WC2022 but underperforming since than.

In WC2022 Portugal started with Ronaldo/Félix in front in first two matches, than only Ronaldo against South Korea (in a similar tactic as yesterday), than Ronaldo was benched and Ramos stepped in for Switzerland and Morocco (Ramos was scoring and Ronaldo had ugly discussion with manager and caused him to leave after).

Martínez was sign in to please Ronaldo above all. Besides that, all players in attack are not really performing well, even Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva have shown very little compared to what they have shown in their clubs.

As for Pepe unfortunately there aren't better choices. There really aren't, because when the others were used they always show a big gap of performance. António Silva, that is being sold as the next big thing, has always massive flaws in Portugal NT. Gonçalo Inácio is not good enough for this level. Danilo, a MD, was used as a CB but he isn't much younger than Pepe and isn't better. Palhinha is our defensive MD and when defending acts like a third CB. Can be used as a CB but you will lose a great defensive MD because Ruben Neves isn't as good as Palhinha as MD.

So the octogenarian Pepe is our best CB after Ruben Dias, by a long shot, and Ronaldo, even not scoring for a long time, trying to shot every single free kick even from side line, playing everysingle minute, when he shouldn't, clearly not being in the right mental state to help the team, the others aren't up to really stood up.

Portugal is a big name, not a big team.

[Lorric]

What a mess Simons made of that.

[diyx]

I wonder why are people so fascinated with WC1994 here ? It was certainly better than the previous one (WC1990), but otherwise not that memorable (and the worst final - 0:0 with penalties).

I would put WC2018 (with WC2014 as the close runner-up) as the best recent WC. WC2018 had so many fantastic games (Arg-Cro 0:3, Fra-Arg 4:3, Bel-Jap 3:2, Fra-Cro 4:2, etc.) As for the Euros, I would choose 1984. The quality of games (except for the Final) and the drama was off the charts.

WC2022 also had lots of good matches and upsets, especially in the group stage. The final was also definitely the most exciting one for ages (if not ever).

Until 2012 I had the feeling that Euros general had higher quality matches than World Cups, since then it has changed. This can partially be explained by the Euro's expansion, but I also believe the quality of World Cup matches has improved.

[rpo.castro]

I wonder why are people so fascinated with WC1994 here ? It was certainly better than the previous one (WC1990), but otherwise not that memorable (and the worst final - 0:0 with penalties).

I would put WC2018 (with WC2014 as the close runner-up) as the best recent WC. WC2018 had so many fantastic games (Arg-Cro 0:3, Fra-Arg 4:3, Bel-Jap 3:2, Fra-Cro 4:2, etc.) As for the Euros, I would choose 1984. The quality of games (except for the Final) and the drama was off the charts.

Fra vs Cro 2018 final wasn't really a great game, yes lots of goals but almost all of them cause of comical mistakes from defenders or keepers.

1994 was the first big NT tournament I ever watched. Don't remember much. Best WC was 2006 because Portugal did a great performance and we had a really great team. 1998 had a great Netherlands, the Croatia with Davor Suker, that we thought it would be a one hit wonder, and we had Ronaldo, the original one at his best minus the final. 2002 I didn't like it a all.

Euro 2004 best euro ever, because it was held in Portugal,we never any event like this. The team was impressive, based on FC Porto european champion. Both 2004 and 2006 matches against England are in our collective memories as some of most dramatic. 2008 had good battles as far as I can recall.

For me year 2000 marks kind of a barrier between the professional but still romantic football to the full professional business football. And I m sure that this is only a trick of my mind, that makes everything before 2000 look better.

[air]

I am not sure if Portugal has any better CF than Ronaldo. Yes, he hasn't scored yet, but he just chose to give an assist from his biggest scoring chance vs Turkey + Jota is also not a "clinical finisher". If Jota is his backup option, I don't exactly know.

All in all, go Ronaldo, I am with you!

Gonçalo Ramos should be the main candidate to CF. Jota maybe as a backup and we have also João Félix.
I think Gonçalo Ramos and Jota had physical issues right before the Euro and aren't in their best shape, especially Ramos. João Félix was great in WC2022 but underperforming since than.

In WC2022 Portugal started with Ronaldo/Félix in front in first two matches, than only Ronaldo against South Korea (in a similar tactic as yesterday), than Ronaldo was benched and Ramos stepped in for Switzerland and Morocco (Ramos was scoring and Ronaldo had ugly discussion with manager and caused him to leave after).

Martínez was sign in to please Ronaldo above all. Besides that, all players in attack are not really performing well, even Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva have shown very little compared to what they have shown in their clubs.

As for Pepe unfortunately there aren't better choices. There really aren't, because when the others were used they always show a big gap of performance. António Silva, that is being sold as the next big thing, has always massive flaws in Portugal NT. Gonçalo Inácio is not good enough for this level. Danilo, a MD, was used as a CB but he isn't much younger than Pepe and isn't better. Palhinha is our defensive MD and when defending acts like a third CB. Can be used as a CB but you will lose a great defensive MD because Ruben Neves isn't as good as Palhinha as MD.

So the octogenarian Pepe is our best CB after Ruben Dias, by a long shot, and Ronaldo, even not scoring for a long time, trying to shot every single free kick even from side line, playing everysingle minute, when he shouldn't, clearly not being in the right mental state to help the team, the others aren't up to really stood up.

Portugal is a big name, not a big team.

You guys constantly underestimate the team spirit that Ronaldo brings to the pitch. Yes, one can argue that with Ramos or another penalty taker you wouldn't even need extra time or penalties, but I am still not convinced that Ramos would have scored anytime as a starting striker. And that penalty was well-placed to be honest, it just shows Oblak's quality.

When talking about team spirit, scoring that first penalty and having self confidence then was a game changer. Oblak is a penalty killer and without Ronaldo it could have gone another way.

[Greyn]

Wow, that could be best pinball goal I have ever seen.