Euro Cup 2012 - Poland/Ukraine

**ack** · 07-01-2012, 02:02 PM

What a sensational game! Wow

**John72953** · 07-01-2012, 02:07 PM

What a superlative performance by Spain! Congratulations. Viva España!

**flez007** · 07-01-2012, 02:47 PM

Spain was the clear winner, they played great with the ball down at court-level, Casillas saved them two times and Cassano was not at his highest moments. Great game indeed!

**docvale** · 07-01-2012, 03:10 PM

After the shame of the FIFA 2010, Italy managed to re-gain the reputation of a competitive team in the world soccer scenario.
We started the tournament as outsiders and we ended with a final.

Spain played a perfect game, paralyzing the Italian offense... too bad it ended in such an embarrassing way for the Azzurri.

Italy, thanks anyway.

**flez007** · 07-01-2012, 03:17 PM

I hope the Italy coach stays, he changed the rather defensive way that Italy used to play in the past, they are now amazingly good, Pirlo is a genious!

**John72953** · 07-01-2012, 03:25 PM

Despite the loss, there is no question that Italy is once again a team to contend with. I wish I could say the same for my ORANJE...now there was an embarrassing exit!

**docvale** · 07-01-2012, 03:25 PM

Prandelli is supposed to stay. Again, if someone asked any Italian about his predictions on this tournament a month ago, the answer would had been "out at the quarters of final in the best scenario" (ok, I bet on Italy in this poll, but just because to me was a non-sense to bet against my team...).

So, he did great. And, yes, he brought a game philosophy that is way closer to the Spanish one (keep ball possession, make lots of passes, be offensive) that I hadn't seen for ages in Italy.
He also managed to assemble a team with players from teams that currently are not even that competitive (in the recent years, the main Italian clubs have had little if no Italians!).

He's also a great philanthropist: after the death of his wife, due to breast cancer, he spent his money to build a school, named to his late wife, in Africa.

**docvale** · 07-01-2012, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by John72953

Despite the loss, there is no question that Italy is once again a team to contend with. I wish I could say the same for my ORANJE...now there was an embarrassing exit!

Netherlands surprised everyone with its performance.
Anyway, it's still one of the teams to fear. Next World Cup, with Brazil playing home, could be very exciting.

**John72953** · 07-01-2012, 03:29 PM

The next Euro Cup 2016 in France will expand to 24 teams from the current 16, which is a little less than half of the teams in the UEFA.

**John72953** · 07-01-2012, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by docvale

Netherlands surprised everyone with its performance.
Anyway, it's still one of the teams to fear. Next World Cup, with Brazil playing home, could be very exciting.

Can you say SPAIN for a 4th consecutive Championship? It's entirely possible with this team and them winning the Under-21 as well. The talent seems never-ending.