Tag Archives: Euro 2020

Spain’s Rodri Named Best Player of the 2024 European Championships, Lamine Yamal Named Best Young Player

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Rodri is officially the best…

The 28-year-old Spanish professional footballer, who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the Spain national team, has been named as the best player of the European Championships, with team-mate Lamine Yamal winning the best young player of the tournament award.

RodriRodri started in six of his nation’s seven matches throughout the tournament, only sitting out the final group stage victory — which Spain 1-0, having already qualified for the last 16 stage.

Rodri man was influential for his nation throughout Euro 2024, even scoring in the round-of-16 victory over Georgia.

Rodri was taken off injured at halftime in the final after suffering hamstring discomfort in the first half, being replaced by Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad.

Meanwhile, Barcelona forward Yamal — who had a tournament-high four assists — was named as the young player of the European Championships, awarded to the best player aged 22 or younger, having celebrated his 17th birthday on Saturday.

His Barcelona teammate Pedri, who was injured in the quarterfinal victory over Germany, won the award in Euro 2020.

Spain defeated England 2-1 in the final with goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal. Luis de la Fuente’s side had previously defeated hosts Germany and pre-tournament favorites France on their path to Sunday’s decider in Berlin.

Rodri’s award caps off his successful club season as he helped Manchester City to win the Premier League title, with the only defeat in which he played for club or country throughout the season the FA Cup final loss to Manchester United in late May.

Spain’s Lamine Yamal Becomes Youngest Player to Ever Feature at European Championship

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Lamine Yamal has etched his name in the European soccer history books…

The 16-year-old Spanish soccer player became the youngest player to ever feature at the European Championship on Saturday in Spain‘s Group B win against Croatia in Berlin.

Lamine YamalAt 16 years and 338 days old, Yamal takes the record from Poland midfielder Kacper Kozłowski, who was 17 years and 246 days old when he came off at the bench at Euro 2020 (which was played in 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic) against Spain.

That was the second time in the tournament the record had fallen, with England‘s Jude Bellingham having previously bettered the mark set by Netherlands left-back Jetro Willems at Euro 2012.

“He just keeps on breaking records,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said of Yamal in his post-game news conference. “He’s growing, maturing and getting better every day.

“He’s on the path to be a great player, but he’s very young and we have to be patient with him.”

Yamal set up Spain’s third goal in the 3-0 win over Croatia, providing an excellent cross for Dani Carvajal as the three-time champions got their tournament off to the best possible start.

“I’m very happy for the win, for the debut and now we change our focus to the next game,” Yamal said afterward. “In the end, the team wants to play inside and I’m here to help the team, to defend, whatever it takes.

“We are a very efficient team because the work we’ve put in over the last few months has shown today.”

While Yamal became the youngest ever player in Euros history, Carvajal’s goal made him Spain’s oldest ever goal scorer in the tournament at 32-years-old.

Captain Álvaro Morata and Fabián Ruiz also scored as Spain cruised in the first half, but were frustrated in a largely uneventful second period.

It is the latest in a string of age-related records broken by Yamal and more could follow at Euro 2024 in Germany.

A goal at any stage of the finals would see him surpass Johan Vonlanthen as the competition’s youngest ever scorer.

Switzerland‘s Vonlanthen was 18 years and 141 days old when he netted at Euro 2004, just four days after England’s Wayne Rooney had briefly become the youngest scorer ever in the European Championship.

Meanwhile, Bellingham is the youngest player to have ever played a knockout game at 18 years and four days, slightly younger than Spain’s Pedri and Germany‘s Jamal Musiala were at the same tournament, Euro 2020.

Portugal‘s Renato Sanches is the youngest player to have played in the final at 18 years and 328 days old — Yamal will turn 17 the day before the final in Berlin.

Barcelona winger Yamal is already the youngest player to start and score in LaLiga, while he also became the youngest player to appear in a Champions League knockout game earlier this year against Napoli.

Despite his age, he is a regular for club and country. He made 50 appearances for Barça in all competitions in the 2023-2024 season, scoring seven goals and setting up 10 more.

He made his senior debut for Spain last September, becoming the youngest player to play and score for La Roja in a win against Georgia, and earned his eighth cap for his country in Saturday’s game against Croatia.

Barcelona Complete On-Loan Signing of Adama Traore with Wolverhampton Wanderers

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Adama Traore is headed home to Spain…

Barcelona has completed the signing of the 26-year-old Spanish professional footballer, a winger for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Adama TraoreTraore will be on loan to Barca  until the end of the season, the club has announced.

Tottenham Hotspur had been in talks with Wolves for some time, sources previously told ESPN, with boss Antonio Conte eyeing Traore as a possible wing-back option in his preferred 3-4-3 formation.

While it is understood the winger harbored some reservations about that role, sources have told ESPN the bigger issue was a failure of both clubs to agree a fee with Spurs reluctant to pay much beyond £20 million.

Traore returns to Camp Nou after nearly seven years away, having come through the club’s youth academy.

He becomes Barca‘s third signing in the January transfer window following the arrivals of Dani Alves and Ferran Torres.

If Barca decide to sign Traore in the summer, the fee could be negotiated if Wolves also exercise a clause to make Francisco Trincao‘s move permanent.

The Premier League side has an option to sign the Portuguese attacker, who is on a season-long loan from Barca, for €30m at the end of the season.

Both players are represented by Jorge Mendes, who also oversaw Nelson Semedo‘s €30m move from Barcelona to Wolves in 2020.

Traore has won eight international caps for Spain since making his debut in 2020. He was part of Luis Enrique‘s squad for Euro 2020 last summer as La Roja reached the semifinal, where they were eliminated by eventual winners Italy on penalties.

Lionel Messi Wins Record-Extending Seventh Ballon d’Or

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It’s Lucky No. 7 for Lionel Messi…

The 34-year-old Argentine professional footballer and Paris Saint-Germain forward has been awarded the prestigious Ballon d’Or for a record-extending seventh time in a ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.

Lionel Messi

Messi, who led Argentina to Copa America success in Brazil in July for their first major trophy since 1993, spent the majority of 2020 at Barcelona before his 21-year stay at the club ended when he left as a free agent in August and joined PSG soon after.

He now has two more Ballon d’Or awards than Manchester United‘s Cristiano Ronaldo, whose tally of five is two more than anyone else.

Messi added to his 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019 trophies with the announcement on Monday.

“It’s incredible to be here again. Two years ago I thought it was the last time. Winning the Copa America was key,” Messi said. “It is a special year for me with this Copa America title. It meant a lot to win at the Maracana stadium and I was so happy to celebrate with the people from Argentina.

“I don’t know if it’s the best year of my life, I’ve had a long career, but it was a special one with the title with Argentina after the tough times and the criticism.”

Messi beat 29 other nominees for the award, including Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, who was the favorite for last year’s prize before it was cancelled because of the lack of football during the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Lewandowski was nominated for the award again this year after he broke late Bayern legend Gerd Muller‘s single-season Bundesliga goal record in May after he netted 41 league times last season, as well as winning the European Golden Shoe.

Although Lewandowski didn’t win the night’s biggest prize, he was named Striker of the Year at the ceremony and finished second to Messi on the final ballot.

Chelsea midfielder Jorginho was also tipped for the award after winning last season’s Champions League with his club side before playing a crucial part in Italy’s triumph at Euro 2020.

 

Liverpool‘s Mohamed Salah, Real Madrid‘s Karim Benzema and PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Neymar were also nominated for the award.

AC Milan‘s Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was also a finalist for the Ballon d’Or best player, was named Goalkeeper of the Year.

Chelsea, whose men won the UEFA Champions League in 2021 and saw their women’s side win the Women’s Super League, were named Team of the Year, with managers Thomas Tuchel and Emma Hayes accepting the award remotely because of COVID-19 restrictions.

The Ballon d’Or is awarded annually by France Football, with FIFA‘s The Best a separate honor handed out every year — Messi won that award for the first time in 2020.

Barca midfielder Pedri won the Kopa Trophy as Europe’s best young player, which comes just a week after he claimed the Golden Boy award.

11-28-29

Sergio Ramos Becomes Most Capped European Player Ever

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There’s a new feather in Sergio Ramos’ cap(ped)…

The 34-year-old Spanish soccer player has become the most capped male European footballer ever, making his 177th appearance for Spain in their UEFA Nations League 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Saturday.

Sergio Ramos

But the milestone day almost turned into a nightmare as Ramos squandered two penalties in the stalemate, after not having not missed in his previous 24 attempts for either Spain or Real Madrid.

The defender — who captains both club and country — has now played one international game more than the previous record holder, former Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who retired from international duty in

Ramos is now targeting the world record held by Egypt‘s Ahmed Hassan, who played 184 games for his country between 1995 and 2012. The defender could reach that mark at next summer’s Euro 2020 tournament, if he features in all of Spain’s matches before then.

But Spain coach Luis Enrique said Ramos’s twin spot-kick misses wouldn’t affect his captain.

“Sergio’s numbers when it comes to taking penalties are in the reach of few players. If we had got a third penalty or a fourth one he would have taken them as well,” he said. “He had scored his last 25, but football has moments like this.”

The number one spot-kick taker for Real Madrid and Spain, despite being a defender, Ramos has turned penalty taking into an art in the last two years, with his last miss coming when he hit the crossbar in Madrid’s 3-2 defeat by Sevilla FC in May 2018.

He has confessed to relishing the high-stakes situation of a penalty, scoring a number of crucial spot-kicks in Real’s run to the La Liga title last season as well as netting from the spot in last month’s 3-1 win at Barcelona.

But he finally met his match in Swiss keeper Yann Sommer, who guessed the right way to parry Ramos’ first penalty early in the second half and then refused to be fooled by the Spaniard’s ‘Panenka‘ routine which has worked so well for him in the past.

“It’s a real shame that Ramos missed the penalties because he’s usually so good,” added Spain forward Dani Olmo.

“But he’s very strong mentally and I’m sure that the next time he takes a penalty he’ll score.”

Saturday’s start further entrenches a remarkable international career that began when he made his Spain debut in March 2005, coming on for Carles Puyol at half time in a 3-0 friendly win over China.

He initially featured as a right back — including at Euro 2008, Spain’s first tournament win in 44 years, and in the country’s only World Cup winning side in 2010 — before switching to centerback for their defense of the European Championship title in 2012.

Despite turning 35 next March, he has expressed a desire to feature not just at the Euros in June, but also the Tokyo Olympics, describing the possibility as “a nice idea, an event no-one would say no to.”