The Full Breakdown Of The 2021 European Nations League
As the 2021 Nations League gets underway next week, the footballing world looks on curiously as UEFA’s new tournament finishes with four teams remaining. Unbeknownst to many soccer fans, the Nations League made its debut in 2019; Portugal claimed victory after a fine performance in the final against The Netherlands. UEFA’s intentions to create a competitive tournament to replace international friendlies has been questioned by many senior figures in the sport, including Premier League managers such as Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. The football world watches on to see who will be crowned this year’s victors.
The European Nations League finals begin next week for the first time. UEFA’s new tournament was introduced to override friendly and increase competition during international breaks. Despite some hesitation from spectators, the match will be broadcast all over Europe and is expected to garner large crowds similar to the numbers seen at this summer’s European Championship’s. ©jarmoluk/Pixabay
Italy will host the tournament, hoping to build upon their Euro’s success; the Azzurri truly has been one of the great international teams of the 21st century. Their performances throughout the tournament proved to the world that Mancini could rebuild an Italian side that failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Their first win of the competition, a 3-0 win over Turkey, convinced spectators that this Italian side could win the European Championships.
The four teams in the finals are Italy, Germany, Spain, and Belgium. Each of these sides has qualified via the extensive group stage, which took place in late 2019. 45 teams started the tournament, and now that a handful remain, predictions are flying in for which side will win the competition. Betting odds currently favor the Italians for obvious reasons. After last summer’s stunning display during the European Championship, there’s no surprise that they are front running as favorites for the competition.
The current holders Portugal, failed to qualify for the finals this year after losing out to France for group 3’s top spot. Cristiano Ronaldo produced a string of stunning performances, but Portugal could only finish second despite his best efforts, much to the disappointment of one of the greatest players ever. Underwhelming performances have rocked Portuguese football over the last year; their 1-0 loss to Belgium cemented their disappointing European Championships campaign as one to forget. Despite being 37 years of age, Ronaldo continues to produce performances with the prowess and fitness of a much younger player.
France and Belgium will go head-to-head for the first time since the 2018 World Cup semi-finals. France were the eventual victors scarping a 1-0 win against a defiant Belgian defense. Of course, the French went on to win the World Cup, sweeping aside Croatia in a crushing 4-2 victory. Roberto Martinez said that the 2018 loss to France was ancient history and hoped his side had learned from their previous errors. With players such as Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and many other world-class figures, the Belgians are one of the most threatening sides in world football.
Who Will Win the Nations League?
With only four remaining teams, spectators can expect to get great odds from various online sportsbooks covering the tournament. One of Europe’s most iconic stadiums, The San Siro, will host the first game of the competition as Italy take on Spain in a fixture that will look to replicate the excitement of their Euro’s clash. Mancini himself said that Spain was the most difficult side he faced during his tenure as Azzurri manager.
The final will take place on Sunday in Milan, with a third-place play-off taking place earlier in the day. The San Siro will be full to the brim, with spectators expecting to see an Italian side make the final, and with the added relief of home support, the Azzurri are expected to win the Nations League, no questions asked. But they do face some of the best sides in the world, and their 37-game unbeaten run cannot last forever.
