The Euro 2020, which was played in 2021 because of postponement due to the pandemic, lived up to its billing. It had its fair share of highs and lows, from nail-biting sporting action to scary moments, including when Danish player Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field mid-play. Since this was one of the first major sporting events after the lockdowns, all eyes were on it.
Going into the tournament, the England team was an unlikely favourite. Boasting the tournament’s youngest squad with an average age of 24 years, England had some of the best players in contemporary football. And going by England’s performances in the lead up to the Finals — decisive win against a strong German side, clean sheet till the semis — the “it’s-coming-home” song was never more relevant. It was the first time in 55 years that England had made it through to the Euro Cup finals. But anything can happen in football, and England lost to a sturdy Italian side. As a pragmatist, I recognized a few takeaways from this final, applicable to life in general.
Experience has no substitute
Age is an important determinant of players’ capabilities in football. So, when England went into the tournament with the youngest squad, naturally the hopes were high. But this may have worked against the team, especially during the penalties. Saka, 19, ended up taking the make-or-break penalty and failed to score. Many argued that he shouldn’t have been put in that place, considering many other senior players were available. Italy, on the other hand, fielded a relatively experienced side, with players aged 36 and 34 leading the defence. They were a commanding presence across the field, covering every blade of grass, making tactical fouls, and even scoring the equalizer. Experience undoubtedly played a part in Italy’s victory, as much as inexperience played a part in England’s defeat.
Too many cooks spoil the broth
The England team is spoilt for choices. Before every tournament, Manager Gareth Southgate has been in a fix over whom to select and whom to drop. His decisions have almost always divided English fans, and this time was no different. To make matters worse, every position had equally good players, making it hard to select the starting 11 from the 26-man team. This pushed the manager to opt for a rotational strategy, which is more viable in round-robin formats; not in knock-out tournaments, where you need a team with players that are well-versed with each other’s position, technique, etc. Some would argue that too many options may have cost England, and they could be right.
End result doesn’t tell the full story
Failure and success are two sides of the same coin called life. Failure isn’t fatal and success is not final. What we need to remember is that, whatever happens, we shouldn’t let it define our entire performance. England’s loss should not overshadow its brilliant performance throughout the competition, where no other side looked decidedly better. When you fail, others may see the failure alone. But we, as performers, should analyse what preceded it, take the best out of it, learn from it, and ensure the result is different the next time around.
Being gracious in defeat and in victory
England fans did not digest the loss well. But a few didn’t stop there — they created trouble outside the stadium, their anger directed towards Italian fans. Their hooliganism has since come under scrutiny, and many believe it could dent England’s hopes of hosting the 2030 World Cup. Some, however, stooped to a further low, directing a tirade of vile, racist abuse towards three black players who missed the penalties. This was, obviously, met with serious global backlash. Winning or losing is part of the game, but racial equality, tolerance and respect go way beyond.
Never losing sight of the bigger picture
For Italy’s part, the Euro 2020 win was an answer to the humiliating exit from the 2017 World Cup. At the time, the team came under intense criticism from the press and the public. Merely three years later, when they were the underdogs, Italy managed to beat England in London. It doesn’t often get more poetic than that. And by achieving it, and by doing so despite so much adversity before the game and England having the home advantage, Italy has scripted an inspiring story of resurgence, resilience and refusal to give up.
