3 Misconceptions about the European Championship

The European Championship is drawing near. At 3:00 am Beijing time on June 15, the opening match of the European Championship will kick off, with the host Germany taking on Scotland. During the European Championship, the performance of strong teams attracts the most attention.

Based on the team composition and past performance of each team, there are three misconceptions about the participating teams in this European Championship: Portugal's golden generation, Italy's lack of talent, and England's championship aspirations.

Portugal relies on veterans to win the championship

It is widely believed that Portugal boasts a luxurious lineup and has a golden generation. Indeed, Portugal's team value is high, reaching 1.04 billion euros, second only to England and France. However, how many star players can actually play a role? Bernardo Silva, worth 80 million euros, has participated in three major tournaments without scoring a goal or assisting a goal. Dias, of the same value, scored an own goal in the European Championship and was overwhelmed by En-Nesyri in the World Cup.

Leonardo, worth 90 million euros, is extremely inconsistent and is known as the "Lazy King." Additionally, Cancelo and Felix are players whose temperaments outweigh their abilities, and they are now in an awkward situation in their clubs. Jota is fragile, while Bruno Fernandes led Manchester United to the bottom of the Champions League group and finished eighth in the Premier League. Parisian Ramos has become a flop.

Is there a talent gap in Italy?

Among the Italian squad, the most indisputable choice is goalkeeper Donnarumma, whose status as the starting goalkeeper for the European Championship is unshakable.

In midfield, stability is the main focus. Barella, Cristante, and Jorginho, who participated in the previous European Championship, have all been selected and will continue to shoulder important responsibilities.

However, the most problematic area is the forward line. Currently, none of the forwards selected in the squad have the ability to carry the team alone. It is expected that the regular wingers will still be veterans, namely Chiesa and Salah. Chiesa contributed significantly to Italy's championship in the previous European Championship, but it remains questionable whether he can replicate that success this time.

This is an exceptionally ordinary Italian team. Although there are no outstanding stars, the team excels in balance and stability. Moreover, the "Azzurri" have always relied on defensive counterattacks as their primary means of winning, and they do not demand a flashy lineup. If they can play steadily and not rush blindly, they remain a strong contender for the championship.

Even if they are not highly favored, Italy is still likely to replicate the miracle of the previous European Championship, stepping on one powerful opponent after another to achieve the summit.

England's lineup is flashy but impractical

England has only won one World Cup so far and has never won the European Championship. Can they do it this year? Don't forget that they lost the championship at home in the previous European Championship. England boasts the highest team value and indeed has a strong lineup on paper, but they also have obvious weaknesses.

Midfielders Maguire and Stones are not steady enoughly, and team coach Southgate's tactics are conservative, unable to fully unleash the team's talent. Kane still lacks a championship title, and Bayern Munich, which won 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles, achieved nothing after acquiring Kane. England's lineup is flashy, but their actual performance does not match their team value, and it will still be difficult for them to win the championship this time.