As the dust settles upon another qualifying campaign for European nations, with the promised land of participation at Euro 2016 for the winners, it’s fair to say there has been some talking points.
France will take centre stage next summer when they host Euro 2016, where we will see the finest nations in European football compete for the ultimate glory.
With this in mind, we thought we would give you 7 things we learned from the qualifiers.
1. Holland have fallen from grace
Having entered the qualification rounds on the back of finishing third in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, all seemed rosy for ‘Oranje’, and with the easier method of passage in place, you would have bet your life on an easy ride through their group. However, key losses to direct rivals in their group saw them chasing the pack, before eventually succumbing to a fourth place finish – failing to even progress to a play-off round. With the Czech Republic, Turkey and Iceland all placing themselves above the European giants, it has left the country in a state of shock in what has to be one of the darkest days in Dutch football history. If that wasn’t enough, Robin Van Persie saw himself on the wrong end of a mind-blowing own goal.
Holland failed to secure victory in any encounter against the three teams who finished above them.
2. The expansion of the tournament has let the floodgates open
This year will see the European Championships extend from 16 to 24 teams, and it has seen criticism. However, it has left us with nearly a full quota of home nations who will be present in France next year. With England, Northern Ireland and Wales all securing passage and Republic of Ireland facing the play-offs, it will provide an interesting atmosphere in mainland Europe. Despite this, critics of the expansion have stated that it will decrease the quality of the finals, which is a valid point. It has given nations such as Albania their first crack at a major tournament. Will it affect the integrity? Time will tell.
Northern Ireland’s qualification is their first for a major tournament since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
3. Wales have done superbly, but will find it tough in France
There’s no doubting what has been a historic period in Welsh football, securing their place for next year. Wins home and away against Belgium undoubtedly turned heads in the world of football, with signs of real character showcased throughout the qualifiers. In light of this, despite grinding results, they struggled at times to overcome relatively mediocre sides, with such wins overshadowed by late drama. Their final qualifier – at home to Andorra – saw them pepper the visitors goal, but to no avail. They may have already qualified and secured the victory, but in reality, they found themselves up against a team made up of semi-profesionals. Weirdly enough, a tough group may favour their style and mentality, but they will definitely need to up their game at Euro 2016.
Wales will take part in their first tournament since the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
4. England’s group really was all too easy
When the draw was made, the general consensus was that the group would be a breeze for the Three Lions, and it clearly was. 10 wins in 10 looks solid on paper, but there were rarely times where England found themselves up against it. A great feat nonetheless, but despite tough away fixtures in Slovenia and Switzerland, Roy Hodgson’s men hardly left first gear. The worry is that a lack of a competitive test could hinder England’s chances. A few tough friendlies await, but will that help?
Roy Hodgson became the first England manager to achieve the feat of winning every qualifying game in his respective group, securing 10 wins out of 10.
5. There is no strong favourite going into the tournament
Following their performances at last year’s World Cup, Germany and Holland will have been touted as favourites for the coveted trophy. But now with Holland’s failure to progress and Germany stuttering at times in their group, there is no outright favourite. Spain, Portugal and England have overseen respective smooth progressions, so will see themselves quietly confident of entering the latter stages. But, unlike previous tournaments, it seems to be an open playing field, which could lead to an interesting tournament.
Spain will be looking to break the history books once again by eyeing a third successive European Championships win in a row.
6. Scotland are in dire need of a revamp
In what has been a successful qualification process for the home nations, the Scots, once again, have been left out of the party. Failure to secure a place at Euro 2016 now makes it nearly two decades since their last participation in a major tournament, which is likely to further frustrate the ‘Tartan Army’. A number of ‘golden oldies’ still remain, and it will be interesting to see if they remain come the qualifying rounds for the World Cup in Russia. A stubbornness with selection has drawn scrutiny, but manager Gordon Strachan is set to remain in his role. Something needs to change and soon.
Scotland managed 110 goal attempts in their 10 games during their unsuccessful pursuit to reach Euro 2016.
7. Robert Lewandowski is arguably the most feared striker in the game
Having managed to shock thew world by bagging five goals in nine minutes for his club side Bayern Munich, the Polish marksman has been in devastating form. 13 goals in 10 games for his country during their endeavours to qualify made him top goalscorer by a large margin of four goals, with his nearest competitor, Thomas Muller, netting nine times. It also saw him match the record for goals scored by an individual in a single campaign, sharing the title with former Northern Ireland and Fulham striker David Healy. With his form unrivalled for both club and country, he has to be the most valuable out-and-out striker in the world at the minute.
Robert Lewandowski has scored 15 goals in his last six matches for club and country, averaging a goal every 33 minutes.