New Delhi: UEFA Euro 2024 has been a monumental affair in regards to breaking records and setting new bars. From absurd and unfortunate instances to out-of-the-world performances have made it to history this time around. Players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku have found it difficult to put the ball inside the opposition net, with Georgia causing a major upset in the last match of the group stages. Belgium and Ukraine collided in a lacklustre fixture that saw the Red Devils qualify for the Round of 16 while the Ukrainians are on their way home.
Ukraine got disqualified even though they had four points, similar to the other two teams in the group but Goal Difference and Fair Play Points didn’t help the brave Ukrainians clinch the qualification spot. Romania topped the group, while Belgium barely secured the second spot.
New records were made in the group stages, with Luka Modric becoming the oldest goal-scorer in the European Championships’ history. Let’s take a look at the statistics after the end of the group stage fixtures.
Euro 2024 stats: At a glance
LEIPZIG, GERMANY – JUNE 24: Luka Modric of Croatia celebrates scoring his team’s first goal as Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy reacts after failing to make a save during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Croatia and Italy at Football Stadium Leipzig on June 24, 2024, in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Boris Streubel – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Antoine Griezmann has now appeared in more major tournaments for France than any other outfield player, with 33 appearances, just behind ex-goalkeeper Hugo Lloris who has 35.
France’s two goals in the group stage equal their lowest in a European Championship group stage. The other times they scored only two, in 1992 and 2008, they were eliminated in the first round.
Mbappe had played 535 minutes in the European Championships before netting his first goal, a penalty against Poland.
England’s two goals in the group stage match their second-lowest total in a group stage at a major tournament since they scored one goal in the 1992 EURO.
Christian Eriksen made his 133rd appearance for Denmark, surpassing Simon Kjaer to become the most-capped player in the history of the Danish men’s senior national team.
Germany’s goal marked the 7th stoppage-time goal of Euro 2024, equaling the record for the most in a group stage set in 2008 and 2016. Hungary later scored the 8th.
Romelu Lukaku had 2 shots on goal from 18 touches, making it 6 big chances missed in this tournament, double the amount of any other player. His 6 misses are tied for the most by any European player at a major tournament since 1980. He appears on this list twice.
Romania has won its group at a major tournament for the second time, the first being Group G at the 1998 World Cup.
Ondrej Duda’s second goal ties him with Ivan Schranz for the most goals in the European Championship for Slovakia as an independent nation.
For the first time, Cristiano Ronaldo has ended the group stage of a Euro or World Cup without scoring. However, his 12 shots on target are the most of any player in the tournament thus far.
Georgia’s win over Portugal is the biggest upset in Euro history by FIFA rankings, with Portugal ranked 6th and Georgia 74th.
Portugal conceded a goal 92 seconds into the match, their earliest ever in the Euro.
Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze leads all players in goals (3) and goal contributions (4) at this Euro, with no other player having more than 2 goal contributions.
Giorgi Mamardashvili made 21 saves in the group stage, tying the record for most saves in a group stage set by Latvia’s Aleksandrs Kolinko at Euro 2004.
Turkey has reached the knockout stage of the Euro for the first time since their semifinal run in 2008.
Antonín Barak received the earliest red card in European Championship history, being sent off in the 20th minute.
Luka Modric set a new record as the oldest goal scorer in European Championship history at 38 years and 289 days old, surpassing Ivan Vastic, who scored at the age of 38 years and 257 days during Euro 2008.
England allowed their first group-stage goal in the Euros since 2016 when Morten Hjulmand equalized for Denmark in their Euro 2024 Group C match at Waldstadion in Frankfurt, Germany. The previous instance of England conceding a group-stage goal in the Euros was in the 2016 tournament when Gareth Bale of Wales scored from a freekick.
UEFA Euro 2024 has been filled with unexpected performances and historic moments. From standout individual achievements to unexpected team milestones, the competition’s group stages comes to a close. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
