This is an inspiring tournament, and in what way! In the 10th minute of the opening match, Florian Wirtz’s goal against Scotland got us all going. My seven-year-old daughter covered her ears because the noise in the stadium seemed excessive. But she was later consoled when a Scotland fan presented her with a badge. Now it is her treasure.
From that moment on, there has been a real party in Germany. A few days later, I attended the match between Türkiye and Georgia in Dortmund. The atmosphere was indescribable, I have rarely felt anything like it. Fans on both sides pushed their team to the limit. Even in the main stand they stood up. You couldn’t look away for even a second. I’m very glad I was there.
So far, the quality of this Euro Cup has been extraordinary; We are experiencing exciting football, because each of the 24 countries has a strong community cheering them on. I have seen pictures of Tbilisi on the Internet. A full stadium saw the Georgian team fight to almost achieve a draw in their first match of the European Championship. This is how European reality is lived. Public screenings of matches are an ingenious invention.
Of course, I have my sights set on Germany. The team is once again among the favorites after three failures. Thank goodness, because it’s important for hosts to have options. We now see qualities that have been missing for a long time. My 11 year old son has never known the success of his selection. It’s a completely new feeling for him to win two games in a row.
I also watch soccer games as a professional, I pay attention to the teams, the individual players. Who is establishing himself as a world-class figure? Who will leave their mark in the tournament? Who is taking advantage of the Euro Cup to have a greater projection? As a German, I cannot fail to mention Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala.
Germany should consider themselves lucky to have these great footballers. They are two players with enormous talent who inspire and generate hope. What is extraordinary about them immediately catches your attention. Both of them dare to face the opponent at any time and are willing to compete for the ball and get it. Wirtz has an excellent first touch, changes pace with great skill and orients himself on the pitch; Just look at his goal against Scotland.
It is practically impossible to take the ball away from Musiala. He can overtake an opponent starting from a standing start. When all the opponents park on the front or inside the area as if they were a bus, he finds a way to avoid them. He was named player of the match on the first matchday and he scored his second goal against Hungary.
Their zone is the last third of the field, where they score and provide goals. There are many fans who identify especially well with attacking players, because dribbling and scoring goals is more popular than stopping the opponent from advancing. Above all, it happens with children. My son’s idols are Musiala and Wirtz; Some days he wears the shirt with number 10 and other days he wears number 17.
What I especially like is that Wirtz and Musiala are team players. I see that they connect with all their teammates on the field. They run a lot and also contribute in defense. Their interviews make it clear that they think of the team as a whole.
And they succeed as club players at a young age. Musiala’s goal in Cologne in May 2023 made Bayern German champions. Wirtz won the League and Cup double with Leverkusen this year. Both assume responsibility for the results, now also in the national team. Soccer is played to win.
They were both born with talent. They are made for football. I enjoy watching its development. People are shaped by their environment, and for footballers that environment is the club. If you want to be successful, you need a clear role and excellent colleagues who bring out the best in you. For now, everything is looking good for Wirtz and Musiala.
Sometimes I reflect on my own career, especially when I watch them both play. In my first tournament, Euro 2004 in Portugal, I was 20 years old, just a little younger than the two of them today. We didn’t win any games and they eliminated us, but I was personally able to establish myself internationally as a left back. Musiala has also known failure; He was eliminated in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup. And Wirtz scored the first goal of this Euro 2024, just like I did in the 2006 World Cup.
When I travel around my country these days and sit in a stadium, a certain nostalgia invades me. Memories of triumphs, injuries and defeats come to mind. This is probably how any footballer feels when he sees his national team and realizes that big tournaments are unique experiences.
I wish you both the best. Wirtz and Musiala have what it takes to leave their mark for an entire decade. But a footballer is only as good as he was in his last game. What counts is the here and now. And this is a tournament in which people are celebrating and sharing the European reality. That motivates me a lot to continue linked to football.
You can follow Morning Express Deportes inFacebook andxor sign up here to receiveour weekly newsletter.
.
.
_
