Euro 2012

June 2012 was that time again. Time for another Euro. Like last time, we supported three teams again – but at the beginning of the tournament I had to deal with a disappointment that slightly killed my mood.

How the tournament began with a big disappointment 

It was shocking news. My favourite player, the reason I supported Spain, would be absent due to injury. But I wasn't the only one who was disappointed...

On the first day of the Euro Russia played, but their goalkeeper was a different one, much to my oldest sister's disappointment. We both had to deal with our favourite players not playing at the Euro (Although in her case, he was part of the squad but only the second choice). But Russia could convince even with a new goalkeeper, and it was a promising start to the tournament. They couldn't keep up with their performance against Poland and had to accept a draw. Their last match was decisive for their qualification to the knockout stage. It was deadlocked at 0-0 before halftime until the Greek scored in stoppage time shortly before the referee blew the whistle. Russia couldn't go level and therefore were eliminated. My oldest sister blamed the goalkeeper who she never really trusted.

Germany played against Portugal first and managed to win. The next opponent were the Netherlands, the team I liked (and still like) the least. They showed their true colours in the World Cup final against Spain. Luckily, we could win against our neighbours. We faced another neighbour, Denmark, in the final group stage match. It was a tough match but we were able to claim top spot in our group.

The third day saw a remake of the Euro 2008 quarter final – with one difference: The legendary number 7 wasn't there. Without him it just didn't feel the same. I even liked the team a bit less because of it. After Italy took the lead, my sister celebrated the equalizer scored by the „false nine“ Fabregas with an inside joke. Said insider originated either during the last Euro or the World Cup and was my fault for once, but that's to remain a secret. After a draw they could win against Ireland by a comfortable margin. I was happy for them but still yearning which would eventually get out of hand. The last group match almost ended in a draw before the winner was scored towards the end and secured the group's top spot. Navas who my sister didn't like for some reason was responsible for the goal. I still missed the legendary number 7 and it got so extreme that I started imagining someone with that jersey number standing on the pitch even though he didn't even play. To make sure I didn't lose my mind I asked my sister if she saw the same, which she confirmed. I was glad I wasn't the only one seeing things. It wasn't the player with said number – he was on the bench during the group stage matches – but someone else whose jersey deformed so much that it looked like a 7. We actually never found out who we really saw there. I didn't even know who took over the number 7 until recently.

I can also remember one of Ukraine's matches because of a thunderstorm. The match even had to be interrupted because it was so strong. It didn't help though, and Ukraine, just like their hosting-partners Poland, had to leave the tournament.

In the quarter finals, Germany faced the team that won against Russia: Greece. Maybe it wasn't that bad that they were eliminated since they didn't have to play against us. We couldn't have been able to survive this. For once, I crossed my fingers for my own country to win. I turned against them during the last two tournaments and only pretended to support them. After the game was goalless for a long time we managed to beat Greece. For us, it was also some kind of revenge for Russia.

Spain's opponent in the quarter finals was France, and in this match the new number 7 was subbed on. That must have completely bypassed me as I can't remember that at all. I'm sure I would have made some remarks as soon as I noticed. We didn't even know who was wearing this jersey. However, we agreed that whoever it was was unworthy of doing so. It was simply impossible to take his place. In the end Spain won and reached its third consecutive semi final.

There, we would play against the team we feared the most: Italy. We had never won against them yet, and it wouldn't change this time. For the second time after the World Cup 2006, we lost to them in the semi final. It was also the third semi final we lost in six years.

The Iberian derby would go to the next round but no side managed to score so the penalties had to decide. My sister was really nervous during the shoot out but their goalkeeper was as reliable as ever. The final would be a remake of the first match in group C.

The two latest World Cup winners, Italy and Spain, fought for the title and I fully supported Spain for the first time in this tournament, because the Italians were unlikable and responsible for our elimination. Spain took an early lead and managed to win with the highest score in an Euro final ever. As happy as I was that they made history with their three consecutive wins – without the legendary number 7 they didn't deserve it. He watched and cheered for them in the stadium and it made me quite sad that he couldn't be there as a player. After the final whistle he could be seen at the catacombs and I had mixed feelings about it. He looked quite fit which made me wonder if it was necessary to leave him out of the squad. For the first time I wondered why only the players that were chosen for the squad win a title. On one hand it makes sense since it's them who earned it, but on the other hand it's not fair to those who played in the qualification matches and couldn't make it. Just like him. He scored the most goals for Spain in the qualification and became the country's record goalscorer during that time. Why did he out of all players have to injure himself? Couldn't it have been someone else? (David Silva, for example) He would have deserved to win two Euro titles. More than some others. It's just not fair.

Why not everyone deserved to win the Euros twice

In fact it's only eleven players that won all three titles. At least three of them did unjustly. Firstly, Arbeloa who was only subbed on late during a World Cup match, Albiol who didn't play a single match, and secondly, Silva who only played twice in the same tournament. (I can't stand the latter for no specific reason so I might be a little biased here. My sister influenced me since she doesn't like him either and I went along with it as always) If his namesake who was top goalscorer in the Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012 qualification couldn't win two Euros they didn't deserve it all the more. I probably wouldn't mind it as much if these three didn't win all three tournaments. The other players that won everything are, of course, the captain, Iniesta, Xavi, Alonso, Ramos, Torres, Fabregas and Reina. If it's fair for the latter is debatable, but it's always a difficult case with goalkeepers since usually only one of them plays throughout the tournament. Out of these, the only one who really deserved it was Casillas. Right after him, the legendary number 7 deserved it the most, not only because he's the record goalscorer. They both did so much for their team, one with his saves, the other one with his goals, and were an essential part in their first two wins that it would be justified. Without the latter they probably wouldn't even have emerged as winners of the the World Cup since he scored the majority of their goals. I'm actually surprised they managed to win the Euro despite his absence. But was he really not able to play? He wasn't 100% fit for the Euro, so what? Torres wasn't either during the World Cup but he still played. He could have only sat on the bench, I wouldn't have minded at all. He might not have been part of the squad but for me he won anyway, especially because he scored the most goals in the qualification. He was at the final, I think that counts In the end it doesn't matter anyway how often you won. If you were a European champion once you will always be as titles can't be taken away from you. Whether you won once or twice doesn't make a difference. Winner of hearts, and that's what matters.