The Euro 2021 which was shifted from the previous year is finally coming to fans. The competition which is slated for June 2021 will be played in 12 European cities. The final match of the 61-year old competition will however be held at the famous Wembley Stadium in London.
Euro 2021 was postponed last year mainly because of the coronavirus pandemic. There was also the challenge of league completion because most teams in Europe were still competing in different club games.
Heavily-Tipped Teams to Lift the Cup
The French are considered the leader in the race to win Euro 2021. After a sublime performance in the 2018 World Cup, a 4-2 routing of Croatia, the team is highly mentioned when football fans are asked about who can win the Euros.
France also has stars like N’Golo Kante, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe, and strong squad depth to compensate for unexpected injuries.
Spain is also another strong contender for the Euros. The team has shifted to a more modern style of tiki-taka, a dominant football strategy, under Luis Enrique. The effect has been evident in wins like the 6-0 defeat of Germany last year.
England will also be looking to win its first trophy since 1966 with its plethora of talented youth. Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Jadon Sancho will be looking to restore the team’s glory.
Euro 2021 Matches you must not Miss
There will be 6 groups with four teams each. In the group stages of the competition, these teams will slug it out to make the top two to qualify for the next stage.
In the first group, Turkey will take on Italy on 11 June. The teams have only met once previously in Euros with Turkey losing by one goal.
Italy is not the team it once used to be. If the Turkish can take advantage of this, they’ll be able to glide past the Italians. Nevertheless, there is a big problem; Turkey has not defeated Italy in their last 10 ties, giving the Italians better odds. This opening game of the competition will be one to watch out for.
Group B has Belgium facing Russia on 12 June. Russia, the 2018 World Cup hosts, defeated Saudi Arabia 5-0 in the first game of the tournament. Belgium is, however, considered the better team with established stars like Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard.
In Group C, the Netherlands is facing Ukraine on 13 June. The Dutch aren’t expected to have tough problems in the group as Austria and North Macedonia are averagely ranked on FIFA’s world rankings.
Group D allows football fans to relive the 2018 World Cup semis. England is drawn with Croatia and will be looking to avenge the loss of their previous meeting. The 13 June tie will not be easy as Croatia is stacked with a midfield containing Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, and Ivan Perisic.
Group E has fans looking at a showdown between Spain and Poland, led by the world’s best footballer, Robert Lewandowski. in Group F, there are several matches to watch out for like the France vs Germany match on 15 June, Portugal vs Germany on 19 June, and Portugal vs France on 23 June.
Streaming the games on your device
You can enjoy the games on different websites and apps of sports stations. With every country upholding varying COVID-19 rules, even if spectators are partially allowed in one nation, they might be restricted in another.
Hence, football fans will stream the competition from home. You can stream Euro 2021 online even if these services are not offered in your region. You’d simply have to connect to a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
Conclusion
The Euro 2021 games are drawing closer and there will likely be no in-match spectators. There are several matches you cannot afford to miss with all the drama that is sure to get your adrenaline pumping. You need to subscribe to a sports streaming service and watch it on your device at home.
