Euro 2020: The Best Teams Heading into the Final 16

The group stage section of the Euro 2020 competition has concluded; we are now down to the final 16 as the most talented squads of the tournament emerge. Let’s take a preview of the most top-performing teams thus far.

Italy

We were warned pre-tournament that Roberto Mancini’s Italian squad were conjuring up something special, and now, three games of the group stage complete, we’re witnessing greatness playout. Three wins, seven goals, and zero goals conceded leave Italy with a 30-game undefeated streak across all competitions.

Italy is one of the final-16’s biggest priced favourites on sports betting apps, after not letting a single goal in for more than 1000 minutes and efficiently handling Wales during their final group game of the tournament.

Italy faces Austria in the first knockout stage fixture, and after watching their performances thus far, it’s challenging not to think they’re almost guaranteed a position in the quarterfinals.

Belgium

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez mentioned his individual squad players need to be at their absolute best, following their third consecutive group stage victory versus Finland. And it would seem like he’s done a great job maintaining this methodology so far. Kevin De Bruyne was absent from coming on against Denmark and starting against Finland with an outstanding performance in both games, respectively. Romelu Lukaku looks excellent as usual, and Eden Hazard is collecting those all-important minutes following his injury campaign.

With that said, Belgium faces a difficult task against Ronaldo and the Portuguese outfit in their first final-16 fixture, one of the most anticipated fixtures on the board. The Roberto Martinez mentality will need to be present for this clash more than any other to date.

France

Favourites to win the Euro 2020 competition and current World Champions France were faced with the most challenging group stage in the tournament. Group F, also known as the “Group of Death”, delivered the drama and highlights we all expected. And the French squad were able to finish above the opposition in 1st place.

Questions arose with the return of Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema into the squad, but he proved the critics wrong when scoring twice in their 2-2 drawn fixture against Portugal. “I knew as soon as I would be in the national team, the critics would come out – but I never give up,” Benzema told the press following the game.

France’s style of play has not been flamboyant, but Manchester United ace Paul Pogba has been in fine form for his country; Didier Deschamps said: “Maybe other teams gave a better impression than the French team, but now it is a new competition that starts.”

Netherlands

Only three teams during the Euro 2020 group stage were able to finish with all nine points, and alongside Belgium and Italy, the Dutch squad came steamrolling through.
Frank de Boer’s squad finished the group stage with the maximum nine points, and the pre-tournament outsiders are now proving to be a force.

Of course, they were expected to win all games, as their group setting was critiqued as the most manageable group, and all fixtures were played on home soil, but that doesn’t mean Holland should be discredited for their impressive displays. 22-year-old Donyell Malen of PSV was particularly impressive; making a genuine impact on the pitch has given fans a real sense that this young and rejuvenated Dutch squad can go far in the tournament.

Portugal

It doesn’t matter which team, domestic or country, if Cristiano Ronaldo is a part of the team you’re supporting, there is always hope. Ronaldo is the current top goal scorer of the Euro 2020 tournament, and without his presence, Portugal may not have been as fortunate to qualify for the finals.

It was an odd game versus Germany, as the Portuguese could not handle Joshua Kimmich and Robin Gosens wing-play. But an impressive win against Hungary and a hard-fought draw versus France, doubting Portugal at this point would be stupid.

England

Despite failing to win all three games as expected, the Three Lions marched forward into the first position place after a successive final matchday against the Czech Republic.

England collected seven of the nine points available, but the most impressive factor from Gareth Southgate’s squad is their ability to keep a clean sheet. England needs to work on their final third pressure and finishing ability because slipping past teams with a 1-goal margin will not cut It versus the elite of this tournament.

An old rival in Germany awaits, “We have known for 18 months that we could face a tough last-16 game, but we are ready,” Southgate told the press.