RealGM

Dates: 4 June – 14 July

First matches are just 2 weeks from now. I didn't see an existing thread.

What is crazy is the Olympics football tournament matches start on July 24 for Spain.

So if Spain or France, which also plays July 24, went all the way to the Euro Final, they might have just a couple of weeks off before gearing up for the Olympics?

Or will the European teams use some other players who wouldn't play much in the Euro?

I would think European national teams would prioritize the Euro, not the Olympics?

wco81 wrote:First matches are just 2 weeks from now. I didn't see an existing thread.

What is crazy is the Olympics football tournament matches start on July 24 for Spain.

So if Spain or France, which also plays July 24, went all the way to the Euro Final, they might have just a couple of weeks off before gearing up for the Olympics?

Or will the European teams use some other players who wouldn't play much in the Euro?

I would think European national teams would prioritize the Euro, not the Olympics?

Olympics is a U23 squad (with the exception of 3 players who can be older than that I believe.
So rosters will be much different from that fact alone.
My guess is that not a single player will play both tournaments.

So coming back to your question: Yes, Euros are prioritized over Olympics.

Hmm, it wasn't always the U23 players was it?

Didn't Spain win the WC, Olympics and Euro in a 2-3 year span?

Thanks for creating thread, I have been uncharacteristically busy these past two weeks.

Olympics have been U23 plus a couple for a long time now. Teams tend to send a few older players who were snubbed from the other major tournaments.

Poll options were listed in order of the favorites.
Interestingly, England has leapfrogged France for the bookies. I can't say I disagree.
Bellingham's growth into superstardom is what they've been missing to secure a trophy like this IMO. My money is on them, as strange as that feels to say.

Go Denmark! As always:)

magik9113 wrote:Poll options were listed in order of the favorites.
Interestingly, England has leapfrogged France for the bookies. I can't say I disagree.
Bellingham's growth into superstardom is what they've been missing to secure a trophy like this IMO. My money is on them, as strange as that feels to say.

Well, if Harry Kane injured himself before the tournament starts I am going to put some money on England. Otherwise not.

wco81 wrote:Hmm, it wasn't always the U23 players was it?

Didn't Spain win the WC, Olympics and Euro in a 2-3 year span?

It was always U23, at least in my lifetime.
More than that, teams can refuse to send players to the Olympics, unlike EURO/WC, similar to NBA. This is a big talking point in France with Mbappe in particular. French clubs will be patriotic probably, and let their players compete for France in France, but with Mbappe at Real Madrid it will be a question mark.

This has got to be the worst Italy team coming into any major tournament. Defense and good luck is their only hope at the moment, but with a week and a half to go maybe Spalletti can perform a miracle

magik9113 wrote:This has got to be the worst Italy team coming into any major tournament. Defense and good luck is their only hope at the moment, but with a week and a half to go maybe Spalletti can perform a miracle

Gotta say it has been such a nerve-racking season at Mainz that I don't even care about this upcoming Euros at all.
I didn't even bother to apply for tickets.

Foye wrote:

magik9113 wrote:This has got to be the worst Italy team coming into any major tournament. Defense and good luck is their only hope at the moment, but with a week and a half to go maybe Spalletti can perform a miracle

Gotta say it has been such a nerve-racking season at Mainz that I don't even care about this upcoming Euros at all.
I didn't even bother to apply for tickets.

I'd say Germany appear to have a strong enough squad

This is the first Euro in "normal" times since 2016. Remember that 2020 was postponed to 2021 and England lost on penalties. I guess that's the one from which Saka has to get the monkey off his back.

Grealish and Harry McGuire will not be on the England squad. McGuire has been struggling with a calf injury...to me this is part of the stars aligning for them to win the cup.

Don't really like England's defensive options this year, to the point where I'd rather have Maguire than not. Midfield and attack look excellent on paper, but who knows. Rice, Bellingham and Palmer in midfield, Foden, Kane and Saka up top. That's a balanced group.

I have no expectations. I'll watch the first few games and see how it goes, I guess.

It'll be interesting to see how England set up. Bellingham obviously has been much further forward this year than at Dortmund. Rice likes to go forward rather than sit as a 6. The other options are Mainoo (also not really a 6) and Wharton (1 cap). I doubt Southgate is going to start Trent at RB and invert him into midfield to shore up the numbers there (though they could, and play Gomez at LB and have 3 atb in possession). Kinda surprised Southgate didn't include one of Branthwaite or Quansah (or Tarkowski) just in case. Dunk's inclusion is surprising. Also, any reason why Adarabaiyo doesn't get a look in for England?

Nueur wtf man. The whole play was a gong show at the back.

Every game now with Neuer. Also, Wirtz has to play at the center and Gündogan belongs to the bench. Captain or not. That's going to be another group stage exit and this time at home.

Got a feeling this is Albania's year.

go poland!

There's a UEFA Games app with fantasy and pick 'em games.