When the Euros moved from the compact 16-team format to a 24-nation party in 2016, the idea was ridiculed.
In ITS 30 years of independence from the Soviet Union, Georgia had 14 failed attempts to reach the World Cups and European Championships (Euros) until the nation of 3.5 million made it this summer. Another footballing lightweight, Slovenia, qualified for the Euros directly for the first time in 24 years whereas Austria has had little to boast about in international competitions since finishing third in the FIFA World Cup way back in 1954. None of these teams were expected to do well in the ongoing championships. But as the curtains fell on the group stage, matches involving some of the so-called “smaller” teams have provided the most entertainment.
When the Euros moved from the compact 16-team format to a 24-nation party in 2016, the idea was ridiculed. The snobs scoffed that a bloated tournament would compromise quality and dilute the field given a high level of competition from the outset would no longer be the case. But like Iceland showed eight years ago, football can be a great leveller. Georgia’s fearlessness made them a joy to watch. Albania, playing only their second-ever Euro, played a central role in puncturing the Luka Modric-led Croatia’s ambitions to go deep in another tournament. And Austria, who stunned the Netherlands on Tuesday, have emerged as the best team in a group also comprising tournament favourites France.
These results show that when it comes to sport, especially at major tournaments, quantity doesn’t necessarily compromise quality. This was seen also at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup. In the early stages of the Euros, where the traditional favourites have looked sluggish and seem to be pacing themselves for the long run, it’s the nothing-to-lose attitude of the underdogs that has given birth to compelling storylines. As the tournament rolls into the knockout stages, the big guns will begin to fire because of the sheer quality of their players. But in the early rounds, it’s the minnows who’ve punched above their weight.
