There are only three games left in Euro 2024. Time flies quickly, a month ago, everyone was full of anticipation and ready for this competition, but now, is it already a bit of a trance? Why, before I looked at it, it was almost over?
Regardless of the quality of the previous matches, good or ugly, the ultimate suspense of the European Cup, or the ultimate champion. A month ago, everyone was still divided and expressed their support for the team they were optimistic about; Now, there are only 4 options left for the champion, and the range is greatly reduced. The four teams that reached the semi-finals are all top teams in Europe, from this point of view, this European Cup is still quite traditional, unlike 2016, there are dark horses like Wales, who reached the semi-finals in the first competition, not to mention the 2008 European Cup, Turkey and Russia, the two dark horses, occupy half of the semi-finals. Of course, with Switzerland and Turkey out, a top-level miracle like Greek mythology is unlikely to happen at this European Championship.
In the semi-finals, each team has a large number of fans, and the probability of winning the championship will not be too different. Although Spain did perform the best in the previous games, they also suffered serious losses in the game against Germany, with Carvajal suspended for a red card and Pedri out injured, so they may not have as much advantage against France as they imagined. France, England, although disappointing, were too lucky. In a major competition like the European Championship and the World Cup, the team that wins the championship is not necessarily the most exciting, but the most metaphysical.
The Netherlands are elusive and have been up and down, but it's the kind of team that, once they reach the final, is even more unpredictable.
In fact, although the top four teams are all traditional powerhouses, from the perspective of the history of the European Cup, there are still superior and inferior. This point can be illustrated with a set of equal difference series -
3,2,1,0。
Data-sensitive fans can see at a glance that this set of data represents the number of times four teams have won the European Championship.
Spain are the best, winning three times, in 1964, 2008 and 2012. When you look at European football, only Germany can match it. Of course, Spain's last two victories have occurred in their heyday. It is the strength of the past ten years that has made Spain from a first-class and low-level team to a top-level team.
France won the championship twice. They were in 1984 and 2000. Of course, France had a chance to win the title for the third time on home soil in 2016, but it was Portugal's first title.
The Netherlands have only won the title once. It was Euro 1988, and the Netherlands won the only major title to date in the golden age of the Three Musketeers.
The most embarrassing is England. As the originator of modern football, England has never won a single European Cup. It wasn't until the last European Championship that they reached the final of the European Championship for the first time.
The subtlety of this set of data is that whoever wins the championship is an adjustment to the existing pattern of European football. If Spain win, they will become the first team in the history of the European Championship to win four titles, the equivalent of Brazil in the World Cup.
If France wins, then the European Championship will be a three-legged situation, with France, Spain and Germany all winning the championship three times.
If the Netherlands wins, it will be on the same page as Italy. The reason why the Netherlands are considered to be a little inferior is because there are too few champions. If they win the championship, they will at least add a weight to their foundation.
One of the most promising possibilities is of course England winning the championship, after all, from scratch, from 0 to 1, which means a new page. At present, there have been a total of 10 champions in the history of the European Cup, and I don't know if England will become the 11th.
3,2,1,0, what series of numbers will evolve into, and which number will change? Don't worry, we'll find out in a few days.