He can beat players, he can score goals, and his weight of pass is world-class.
Eberechi Eze is an exciting prospect for England and no mistake. As stated earlier, David Hytner wrote a piece with him yesterday. Today, a new mural of the Crystal Palace schemer has been unveiled on his home turf in south London.
A mural of England midfielder Eberechi Eze adorn the Kirby estate in Bermondsey, south London. Photograph: Neil Hall/EPA
A special mural of @EbereEze10 has been painted in South London ahead of #EURO2024 🎨
“I got England at work and England in my mate’s sweepstake,” emails Amos.
“I thought entering two sweepstakes (one of which gives you two teams) would improve my chances of winning and/or make my Euros experience more interesting. But now I think my money’s just been donated to a colleague or friend.
“It must come home for my bank account.”
We’re all behind you, Amos.
England flags adorn the Kirby estate in Bermondsey. Photograph: Neil Hall/EPA
Julian Nagelsmann has urged his Germany players to channel their nervous energy into a victorious home tournament at Euro 2024, demanding they handle the expectation on their shoulders when they face Scotland in the opening match tonight.
“I think we’re a bit nervous but it’s an important point, we have to have a certain nervousness,” he said. “There was such a buzz [in the camp], a bit like in school. It was really loud: ‘Can everyone please calm down a bit!’.
I know what you are thinking: What kind of music is Joe Gomez listening to?
“Obviously there’s the ones that people probably expect, like rap,” the south Londoner tells England’s “Diary Room”. “Whether that be American like J. Cole, Drake … obviously I listen to some UK - Dave, Stormzy.
“But then I probably listen to some alternative stuff that people don’t think. I love R&B - my favourite artist is probably Party Next Door, or Brent Faiyaz.
“I listen to a radio show called Selection … It could be anything on there. Alternative, or it could be chill. I like this thing called lo-fi, chill-hop. Just chilled beats. I put that on in the morning when I’m getting ready.”
“Regarding variations on office sweepstake rules, we went even further,” emails Jeff:
1. Winner
2. Worst team (least points, fewest goals scored if a tie)
3. Most entertaining (a complex equation involving average number of goals in their games, with close, high-scoring games getting most points)
4. Most brutal (points for red and yellow cards and total fouls).
“It’s pretty fun, the last two categories can stay alive until the end.”
Zinedine Zidane headbutts Marco Materazzi at the 2006 World Cup. Who will claim the “most brutal” prize at Euro 2024? Photograph: A9999 DB WDR/EPA
My view on England, since you didn’t ask for it: Some people think a world-beating [or Europe-beating] midfield is the first requirement for tournament success. Personally I think it’s a settled and miserly defence, and that’s something England don’t have.
Consequently I am a bit baffled by the predictions for England to win this thing. But it will be undoubtedly be enjoyable if Gareth Southgate does let that famous handbrake off and allow England’s talented attackers to run free.
Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham. Good players, to be fair. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images
“We know what’s at stake,” said Liverpool’s Andy Robertson of tonight’s Munich encounter with Die Mannschaft. “We’ve got a lot of incentive to do well, but one is becoming that legendary squad that qualifies for the knockout stages.
Scotland’s Andy Robertson. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA
“We feel the excitement. We know all our families and all the Tartan Army are now landing in Munich and are ready to get behind us. We know the support back home will be there as well, so it’s just a feeling of excitement now.”
“I organised my office sweepstake and took the last team out the hat - Hungary,” emails Richard Allan.
“The rules for my sweepstake are a bit different from the usual. To keep everyone invested at every stage, the prizes are as follows:
Tournament winner (1st prize)
Worst performing team (2nd prize)
Tournament runner-up (3rd prize)
Team with most Round of 16 goals, including penalty shootsouts (4th prize)
“It’s a lottery anyway so might as well make it interesting!”
Will Hungary secure sweepstake glory for Richard? Photograph: Tibor Illyes/EPA
Manchester United will start a £50m revamp of the men’s first-team building at their Carrington training complex next week, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe stating this will transform it into a “world-class” facility and improve performance.
Here’s a story about freedom of movement – or a temporary lack of it – via Reuters:
Danish police have reminded fans to take their passports with them as they travel in their thousands for their team’s opening Euro 2024 clash with Slovenia on Sunday, announcing temporary changes at the country’s southern border in the process.
As part of heightened security measures around the tournament, Germany, which shares a 68-kilometre land border with Denmark, has introduced random passport checks for travellers coming into the country, including those arriving from within the Schengen zone.
Danish police announced on Friday morning that cars, trucks and buses crossing the border via the E45 motorway at Froslev would be divided into two lanes, and that passport checks could be carried out.
“New signs have been erected at the border during this period of temporary checks to help you choose the right lane. Make sure you have your passport ready so that the check can take place quickly to reduce the risk of queues,” Danish police said.
The Danes, who won the Euros in 1992 and lost to England in the semi-finals of the most recent tournament, are expected to be cheered on by more than 50,000 travelling fans during their three Group C games against Slovenia, England and Serbia. The temporary border controls would remain in place until July 19, police said.
Denmark head coach Kasper Hjulmand speaks to the media before Sunday’s opener against Slovenia. Photograph: Liselotte Sabroe/EPA
“I just want to enjoy this opportunity. I’m seeing it as the hard work I’ve put in has got me here. I’m ready to give my all. That’s the main thing for me, enjoy the moment.”
David Hytner spoke to Eberechi Eze, of Crystal Palace and England, before Gareth Southgate’s side kick off against Serbia on Sunday:
The Ukrainian national football team has released a video before Euro 2024 featuring 13 players, each hailing from hometowns affected by the Russian invasion or occupation.
Among those featured are Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin and Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk, who are from Krasnohrad in Kharkiv Oblast, which has been shelled by the Russian army since the beginning of the war.
'We are fighting for freedom': Ukraine football team address the world before Euro 2024 – video
“Live in the moment. Be calm,” says a Zen-like Cristiano Ronaldo before appearing at his sixth European Championship – a record.
“I think the team is very prepared. I’ve prepared myself very well. The dream must always be alive, and it’s game-by game. We know it’s a short tournament, now it’s about getting on with it.
“It [a record sixth tournament] is not a goal for me. I think it comes naturally.
“I enjoy football. Records are a consequence … It’s about playing well and making sure the team wins. I’ll try my best – and enjoy it.”
Six of the best for Cristiano Ronaldo. Photograph: Patrícia de Melo Moreira/AFP/Getty Images
“Could I suggest your preamble section is renamed ‘Warming up’. ‘Penalty practice’ or ‘Shots on goal’ for the duration of the tournament? Footballers rarely amble pre-match, I’d have thought.”
Footballers may not, Andrew, but writers definitely do. But thank you for your email.
As someone who drew Switzerland in the office sweepstake, I’m pleased to see them atop our “Which is the best kit?” gallery, compiled by Lauren Cochrane. This has to be a good sign.
“Observant viewers will notice the pinstripes on Switzerland’s kit look a lot like barbed wire. They are actually inspired by the native Edelweiss flower, but the resemblance to something spikier brings an unexpected rock’n’roll flavour to a team more known for reaching the last 16 by playing organised football.”
Conor Gallagher has revealed he was rejected by Scotland as a teenager. The midfielder has Scottish ancestry through his maternal grandfather and it was not always certain that he would represent England.
“My dad’s side is Irish and my mum’s dad is Scottish,” Gallagher said. “When I was 15 or 16 I wasn’t good enough to play for the England youth team so I think I went to train with one of the Scotland teams to see what I was like, and I wasn’t good enough for them either.”
Julian Nagelsmann has spoken of the positive change to Scotland’s national team under Steve Clarke: “There’s been a transformation of Scottish football because of his brilliant job. Most of the time [before his tenure] it was a team that would play lot of long balls, balls up in the air, only fighting,” said the Germany manager. “Now they can do every part of the game in a good way.”
On Toni Kroos’s continued presence in the national setup, he took some persuading, Nagelsmann says: “It took a period of time to convince him … in one of our first phone conversations he said to me he’d only be part of the team if he has a feeling the team can win something … [then] he said – yes, I’ll be part of it, and ‘Let’s rock’.”
Germany. Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
It felt significant that John McGinn’s viral bout of Bavarian dancing as the Scotland team were welcomed to their training base in Garmisch-Partenkirchen did not precede interviews with the Aston Villa midfielder. As in, not a single one. On Sunday evening, for a brief time only, McGinn and Scotland had their fun. They have not arrived in Germany as a circus act. The sole focus is on competing at the European Championship. Nobody is here to have their tummy tickled.
Your tournament wall chart is Blu-Tacked firmly in place, the preview supplement’s been scoured from cover to cover, your work diary is marked “busy” for the next month. The day of reckoning, or certainly the day of Germany v Scotland in Munich, has finally arrived.
In just a few hours’ time the curtain will be raised on a four-week festival of football the like of which we’ve rarely seen, unless you count the two other major international tournaments that have somehow been shoehorned into the past three years.
Will France and Kylian Mbappé take Euro 2024 by storm? Will Germany thrill home fans with a run deep into the knockout rounds? Will [pre-2008] perennial underachievers, Spain, flatter to deceive – or tiki-taka their way to glory? Will Italy leave their egos at the door and become much greater than the sum of their parts? Will Poland be frustrating and a bit rubbish? Will England flop early, or crash out agonisingly late? We’re about to have answers to all these questions – and so much more.
