The tournament’s group stage has given us many memorable moments, from historic goals to record-breaking attendance. Here are some of the critical figures and milestones that defined the early phase of the tournament.
Most Memorable MomentsÂ
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Georgia’s Historic Run
The magnificent performance has won the hearts of football enthusiasts for debutants Georgia. What sealed it off to get a place in the round of 16 with a victory over Portugal, one of the favourites in this tournament, was that Georgia’s forward Georges Mikautadze currently leads in the race for a Golden Boot. This tale of Georgia shall be written down forever as an example of never giving up and being capable; it has undoubtedly been one of the greatest stories in Euro 2024.
Fastest Goal in Euro History
Albania ripped up the record books with a flying start against Italy. Nedim Bajrami netted 23 seconds into the June 15 game and outdid the previous record of one minute and seven seconds by Dmitri Kirichenko for Russia in Euro 2004. Though Albanians bowed out of the tournament, this record remains high and one to be proud of in Albanian football.
The 900th Goal in Euro History
Romano Schmid of Austria wrote his name in the record books with one that etched the 900th goal in Euro history during a throng 3-2 victory over the Netherlands. Most importantly, this was part of a crucial win where Austria topped their group but pushed France through to qualify as runners-up. His landmark goal puts him on a prestigious list with names such as Thierry Henry and Nani.
Youngest Player at the Euros
Lamine Yamal of Spain, at 16, became the youngest player to ever play in the European Championship. His performances were such high quality that Yamal quickly became an integral part of the Spanish team. Previously, the record was held by Kacper Kozlowski of Poland, who made his Euro 2020 debut at 17 years and 246 days. If participation at this tender age can explain volumes about his talent, then he has an illustrious future ahead.
Oldest Goal Scorer in Euro History
Croatia’s Luka Modric became the oldest scorer in a European Championship at 38 years and 338 days. His goal, crucial as it was against group-stage final opponents Italy, eventually accounted for nothing as the Azzurri equalized late to force a 1-1 draw. Even as his team bowed out of the championship early, Modric added another page to his glorious resume.
Group E’s Historic Outcome
Group E had a scenario without precedence: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, and Ukraine ended with the same record: a win, a draw, and a loss apiece for four points. With a goal difference of -2, Ukraine became the first team to finish bottom of a group with four points, itself a first in Euro history.
This was reminiscent of what happened at the 1994 World Cup, also in Group E, which showed just how this year’s tournament can be very competitive and full of surprises.
Tactical Trends and Observations
Several tactical trends were developing during the group stages, according to UEFA technical observers:
Playing Over the Press
Two teams who could bypass high presses with some regularity thanks to long balls directly into advanced midfielders and forwards were Switzerland and Slovakia in their respective games against Germany and Belgium. Rafa BenÃtez said this might be the trend for most teams: bombing long balls over opponents who press high.
Runs in Behind
Germany and Belgium exploited the potential of runs behind the defence, finished studiously by Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala for the former and Romelu Lukaku for the latter. David Moyes and Avram Grant noticed how attacking midfielders and wingers became primary threats with this action more and more.
Box Midfield
The box midfield was a system that teams used to have a foundation in playing, as was witnessed in Italy and Switzerland. It gave teams fluency in progressing the ball while maintaining control in central areas. Due to the fluidity and rotation of players, this system has been pivotal in breaking down opposition defences.
Wingers and Fullbacks Combination
Spain paraded to a clean sweep in the group stages because of the form their wingers and fullbacks are bringing together. Nico Williams picked up some dashing interplay with Marc Cucurella down the left flank, epitomizing a form of tactical variety and creativity instilled into this Spanish machine.
Man-to-Man Defense
The Serbian team showed a great example of very aggressive man-for-man pressure, mostly against England, with Austria and Spain doing quite a good level of high press—at times allowing for several ball recoveries: the pressing game by Austria was featured to be highly intense and efficient and, thus, showed their physical readiness and tactical sense.
Late Goals by Substitutes
During the group stage, 81 goals were scored, 10 of which were scored in added time by substitutes. This is markedly up from any previous tournament. Under the permanent five-substitute rule, teams could inject fresh attacking energy late in the game. These dramatic late goals add to the excitement and unpredictability of the matches.
Off the Pitch: Fan Engagement and Sustainability
In addition to being successful on the pitch, Euro 2024 has been highly engaging for fans and a sustainable event.
Fan Zones and Attendance
The ten German host city fan zones recorded over 3.3 million visitors during the group stage. All the activities presented at the fan zones are interactive, thus appealing to football fans and other visitors, such as families with children, young adults, and children.
The highest attendance dates so far were June 19 and June 23, which posted total figures across all fan zones of 430,000 and 440,000, respectively.
TV and Social Media
Euro 2024 continues to set new record TV audiences in the participating teams’ countries, while interest in the competition worldwide is at a record high. Global cumulative audiences are expected to top 5 billion viewers.
On the social media front, official Euro 2024 channels on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, and WhatsApp gained over 7.5 million new followers for the group stage itself; this brings the total to more than 66 million. Now, these channels have hit more than 145 million engagements and 1.35 billion video views, going above the whole Euro 2020.
Ticketing and Match Attendance
As previously announced, 85% of the 2.7 million tickets have been made available to the general public and fans of the teams – guaranteeing that massive crowds from all over the world will be celebrating in a spectacular atmosphere at Euro 2024. Over 1.8 million spectators have attended group stage whopping games across the ten stadiums. For the first time in European Championship history, 100% of the tickets were distributed digitally through the official UEFA Mobile Tickets app.
Environmental and Social Impact
This main objective of significantly reducing air travel for the competing teams has been realized through close cooperation with the relevant national associations. Thanks to more squads using buses and trains, the number of flights taken by participating sides during this group stage was reduced by 75% compared to the 2016 edition.
Moreover, another agreement with Deutsche Bahn has meant that fans have sustainably travelled across Germany, selling more than 200,000 Euro 2024 tickets at reduced prices. More than 500,000 activated Fan Pass users have turned on public transport tickets to get around the host cities and their surroundings.
Conclusion
Euro 2024 has taken advantage of an opportunity to engage football fans with its group stage. This competition has seen the inspiring debut of Georgia, record-breaking performances by both young and experienced players, new tactical inventions, and fan engagement at the highest levels. In this manner, there will be much more in store as things go into the knockout rounds. That means even more worldwide viewers who can’t wait to see which teams will continue making history in Germany.
