The European Championship in football is over and Spain is the champion for the fourth time.
TT lists ten snack bars from this year's tournament – from political goal gestures to masks and tears.
+ Demiral's goal gesture
Turkey's Merih Demiral became an unexpected match hero with his two goals in the round of 16 against Austria. But afterwards, it was something else that was in focus, namely the "wolf gesture" he made after his second goal. The gesture is linked to the Turkish far-right organization Grey Wolves, which was behind the murder of political opponents, mainly in the 1970s.
Demiral himself claimed that the gesture was about his Turkish heritage and nothing else. The European Football Association banned him for two matches and he never played again in the European Championship.
+ Mbappé's mask and statements
Many superstars had a tough European Championship, including France's Kylian Mbappé. Instead, his championship was mainly about two other things:
One: The mask. In the premiere, he broke his nose and was forced to play with a face mask.
Two: Politics. While the European Championship was being played, an election was taking place in his home country. Then Kylian Mbappé took a stand at the European Championship's most noticed press conference.
We see that extremism is knocking on the door to power, but we have the power to shape our country's future, he said according to The Guardian.
+ Public festivals
The European Championship was characterized by public festivals. Squares and arenas around Germany were filled with supporters who sang and danced together. There were several nations that had many supporters on site. Including Turkey, the Netherlands, and Scotland.
+ Danish VAR nightmare
Two VAR decisions, with minimal margin, extinguished Denmark's European Championship dream. After the loss in the round of 16 against Germany, national team captain Kasper Hjulmand sighed.
In my opinion, this is not how football should be, he said according to AFP.
+ Ronaldo's tears
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo had a tough European Championship. No goals ahead and heavily criticized. In the round of 16 against Slovenia, he missed a penalty and started crying.
He then got revenge in the penalty shootout when he scored and Portugal advanced. But in the quarterfinals, the European Championship ended.
+ English criticism and bicycle kicks
England reached the final without impressing particularly much in terms of play. The criticism in the home country was sometimes tough against national team captain Gareth Southgate.
When English supporters look back on the European Championship, they can instead look at some iconic moments that they will remember for a long time. Jude Bellingham's late bicycle kick against Slovakia stands out a bit extra.
+ Spanish dominance
Seven matches. Seven wins.
The Spanish national team totally dominated the European Championship.
But unlike the glory days, 2008-2012, it was a more straightforward and quick Spain that took Germany by storm. Spain has now won four European Championship golds – no nation has more.
+ Yamal's breakthrough
Lamine Yamal was the name on everyone's lips. Spain's super talent became the youngest goal scorer in European Championship history when he scored a delicate equalizer against France in the semifinals, 16 years and 362 days old.
As a newly turned 17-year-old, he played forward to one of Spain's goals in the final against England and was then praised as the tournament's best young player.
+ Skrälldebutanten Georgia
Georgia was the European Championship's only debutant. Then the team pulled off a major upset and advanced to the round of 16 after winning against Portugal in the last group stage match. Giorgi Mamardashvili was a giant in goal and Georges Mikautadze (three goals) shared the top scorer title with five other players.
+ The stars' farewell
Ronaldo will continue to play football, but he announced that this year's European Championship was his last. Germany's Toni Kroos, on the other hand, is hanging up his boots. He didn't get the fairy-tale ending he wanted – European Championship gold on home soil – but can look back on an outstanding career. His national team colleague Thomas Müller also announced that he is now quitting the national team.
