had to say after the 4-1 defeat by Spain:
We are so happy and proud of what we have done the last days, the last weeks. Sometimes you have to step back and take a look at what you have done. We can sit in peace and quiet and everyone and be very happy of the last year because the development of the team and squad has been fantastic. I am very proud of that.
He also revealed that his star player, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, should follow his heart amid rumours he is about to make the switch from Napoli to PSG.
If he wants to, he should go. If it’s Napoli or Paris or whatever, I just want him to be happy and to still play with a lot of emotions, because that is how he gets so fantastic. I just wish him all the best in his career.”
Mind you, Georges Mikautadze was brilliant wasn’t he? The turbo-charged Metz forward will no doubt attract a lot of interest this summer. He still leads the Golden Boot chart along with Germany’s Jamal Musiala and Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz.
Bellingham’s overhead kick my mind wandered back to a similar goal, scored by John Barnes, back in the mid-90s. Perhaps because it was from a similar distance out and directed into the corner.4-1 comeback victory. His equaliser wasn’t bad either. Jonathan Wilson describes him brilliantly.
Nothing in football is certain, but Rodri is perhaps as close as it’s possible to get. There are times when it seems he is the teacher stepping in to a kids’ game to make sure it doesn’t become too one-sided, the grown-up who doesn’t have to bother with the things like running. He just strolls about, delivering accurate pass after accurate pass and, occasionally, scoring vital goals.
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England fans who left early. Though perhaps that empty tram made the premature exit worthwhile.two minutes of rapid relief the process? Something’s got to change, huh? A lot of criticism was levelled at Gareth Southgate for not being more bold with his substitutions but, on this occasion, not withdrawing Jude Bellingham worked a treat, with the ridiculously talented youngster finding a way – Real Madrid-style – with a sublime overhead kick to fashion a late escape. England face impressive Switzerland on Saturday in the quarter-finals and will need to improve immeasurably to progress to the last four. But for now, let’s look back on a dramatic night with some fine writing from David Hytner, Barney Ronay, Jonathan Liew and Paul MacInnes.
Spain, too, had an early scare against Georgia but they soon made it look like a nothing more than a hiccup as they raced away in the second half to send the funtime underdogs home with a 4-1 victory and two fine displays from Nico Williams and Yamine Lamal.
We have two more last-16 ties later on, with the mouthwatering prospect of France v Belgium at 5pm and then Portugal v Slovenia at 8pm. You can check out all of our Euro 2024 coverage here.
Source: theguardian.com
