From Wroclaw to Kharkiv, Gdansk to Donetsk, Euro 2012 was high on excitement, drama and momentum swings. Which moments stood out the most?
– Best moment: Andriy Shevchenko’s second goal against Sweden. The Ukraine half of Euro 2012 threatened to be buried under an avalanche of bad publicity, and locals seemed too preoccupied with the potential for embarrassment to really enjoy the moment. That all changed when Shevchenko headed a corner just inside Sweden’s near post, completing a two-goal turnaround and clinching a Ukrainian win. The entirety of Kyiv seemed to tremble with noise, and little fan Timur personified the joy of the country with his celebration of pure excitement. The Yellow-Blues may have not have advanced, but aging legend Sheva solidified his role as a national hero and provided Ukrainians with a timeless image.
– Best game: Sweden v. England. This award normally goes to a knockout round
match, but the later stages of the tournament failed to match the quality and
excitement of group play. No game summarized the throw-caution-to-the-winds,
back-and-forth drama better than England’s 3-2 comeback win over Sweden at the
Olympic Stadium. It had it all: Momentum swings, late drama, a deafening
atmosphere and great goals (Danny Welbeck’s spinning, improvisational
game-winner was runner-up in the best goal category). It crystallized the
Swedish fans’ status as gracious losers and reignited the love affair between
English fans and their team.
– Best goal: Mario Balotelli v. Germany. It was a strike from the most
intriguing character of the tournament to solidify the biggest upset against
the best overall team in the field. How do you top that? The man with the blond
Mohawk had been inconsistent throughout the tournament, giving little
indication of his breakout performance against a seemingly unstoppable German
team. Balotelli put the Italians in front with their first real attack of the
game, but the best was yet to come. The striker still had plenty of work left
to do when he found himself alone behind Germany’s back line, and left no doubt
with a laser that nearly knocked the net off its hinges and sent the
much-fancied Germans crashing out of the tournament.
– Best XI: Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas
(Spain); Defenders: Theodor Gebre
Selassie (Czech Republic), Sergio Ramos (Spain), Mats Hummels (Germany), Fábio
Coentrão (Portugal); Midfielders: Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Andrea Pirlo (Italy),
Steven Gerrard (England), Xavi Alonso (Spain); Strikers: Cristiano Ronaldo
(Portugal), Mario Batotelli (Italy).
– Best player: Andrea Pirlo, Italy. For whatever reason, journalists are always
hesitant to bestow this title to a player not in the winning side. But there is
no denying the impact that Pirlo had on this tournament, and his consistency
and impact were unmatched. The 33-year-old was a testament to just how much is
asked of the modern midfielder and to how influential the position can be. He
aided in defense when necessary — stymieing the peerless German attack — and
used his vision to tear opponents to pieces when given enough time on the ball,
as in the quarterfinal against England. The Azzurri far exceeded expectations
in reaching the final, and look no further than No. 21 for a reason why.
– Lasting legacy: Spain’s historic achievement. The infrastructure improvements and
the spark of interest in the global game generated by the tournament will pay dividends
in Eastern Europe for years to come, but when looking back at Euro 2012, the
enduring takeaway will be of Spain’s achievement. La Furia Roja became the
first national side ever to win three straight major tournaments and capped it
off with a dominant 4-0 rout of Italy in the final. Spain’s success has drawn
its share of critics, but their place along the all-time greats is without
debate after this latest trophy. A stunning, historic final was a fitting end
to a tournament high on drama from the opening kickoff in Warsaw to the
presentation of the medals in Kyiv.
