Crazy joy! Euros are a goal-fest
EVEN before the bars closed, we knew on the opening night that there was going to be something special about these Euros.
When an Italian team come to attack – and scores three goals – it can only mean records are going to be broken.
Italy, when managed by Dino Zoff, below, played negative football and bored neutrals to tears in the 2000 final.When Sylvain Wiltord levelled for France in stoppagetime and David Trezeguet smashed home a Golden Goal winner, purists rejoiced.
The rejoicing in the early going of this tournament was after Italian flair combined with their traditional rugged defence swept aside Turkey 3-0.
It was the first time in the 61-year history of the tournament that Italy had scored three goals in a game. They had to wait just five days to do it again, against Switzerland.
After their early jitters, Spain scored freely and Denmark have rippled the net regularly – and even England came to the party on Saturday by burying Ukraine with four goals.
Italy’s form has carried them all the way to the final on Sunday and by the time they beat Spain at Wembley on Tuesday, the 49 games of Euro 2020 had brought 137 goals at an average of 2.8 per game.
That is a higher average than any Euros since the early Sixties, when there were only four games. The 51 games of Euro 2016 had just 108 goals.
There has been a goal every 32 minutes.
Above a picture of 10 Italy players in a joyous heap during the win over the Swiss, Corriere dello Sport’s headline screamed “La pazza gioia” – crazy joy!
But one thing has become clear. The first goal has been crucial in Euro 2020. Only three of the first 49 games saw a team concede first and battle back to win without a penalty shoot-out.