European Super Football

It's time for another big discussion. What's the point of the UEFA Nations League? Launched in 2018, this was UEFA’s bold attempt to revitalise international football in Europe.  Author - Sean M Picture of the Nations League logo uploaded by  Nazionale Calcio | Flickr With an aim to replace often tedious friendlies with competitive matches, the competition promised more meaningful games, chances for national glory, and an innovative league structure.  Opinions remain divided on whether the competition has truly improved international football. This big discussion article will examine strengths and weaknesses.  Strengths of the competition  Competitive games not friendlies One of the primary reasons for launching the Nations League was to eliminate the ‘friendly fatigue’ plaguing international football. Traditional friendlies often failed to engage fans, lacking the intensity and consequence that competitive fixtures provide. In contrast, the Nations League gives each game a t

Italy 1 - 0 England It was another awful night for England as they were relegated from their Nations League. There are now a lot of questions to answer for Gareth Southgate.  He has of course been here before – in his nightmares at Molineux. Back in June, at the end of the 4-0 humiliation against Hungary, the England manager had ventured onto the pitch to applaud the home crowd. The boos that greeted him dripped with venom. And so to full time here. After Hungary at home; goodness, after the loss to Hungary away – plus the draws in between against Germany and Italy which had got this Nations League campaign off to such a bad start – it was a night when Southgate desperately needed a mood-changer, something to restore belief. Yet there would only be more frustration, more dead-ends and an absence of creative inspiration. Watch the highlights from England's dismal night. Footage from  England - YouTube   Jude Bellingham was England’s standout man on another poor night in the Nati

Wales 4 - 1 Croatia Wales pulled off an extraordinary return to the Nations League's top tier with a commanding comeback victory over Iceland in Cardiff, aided by Montenegro’s crucial win against Turkey.  The result sealed promotion for Craig Bellamy’s side, sparking celebrations at the Cardiff City Stadium. Author - Stephen Chad Turkey had started the evening atop Group B4, two points clear of second-placed Wales, with Iceland a further two points back in third. For Wales to achieve promotion, they needed to win and hope Montenegro could do them a favour. The night began ominously for the hosts when Andri Gudjohnsen struck for Iceland in the seventh minute. Danny Ward had made a stunning save to deny Orri Oskarsson’s header, but Gudjohnsen, son of former Chelsea striker Eidur, pounced on the rebound to fire through Ward’s legs.  That goal ended Wales’ 321-minute home clean sheet streak , stretching back to March’s 4-1 defeat to Finland in their Euro 2024 play-off semi-final. I

The UEFA Nations League is still a fairly new idea. It is a biennial international football competition contested by the member associations of UEFA. The last edition of the competition was won by France. You can read about it here. UEFA Nations League: Spain 1 - 2 France (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Ahead of a busy year of international football, nations are now preparing for the next edition of the competition. Here are the UEFA Nations League groups in full. We have highlighted some of the more interesting groups. Group A1: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, France. Group A2: Czech Republic, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain. Group A3: Hungary, England, Germany, Italy. England have faced all of these sides in recent times. They beat Germany in a memorable Euro 2020 last-16 match before eventually losing to Italy in the final of the same competition. More recently, they beat Hungary in a World Cup qualifier. England manager Gareth Southgate believes that the tough Nations League group is

Netherlands 1 - 1 Hungary Virgil van Dijk was sent off as the Netherlands secured a Nations League draw in Hungary. Author - William G The home side took the lead with Roland Sallai’s well-placed volley in the first half. However, Liverpool defender Van Dijk saw red after picking up two yellow cards within just three minutes. The first came for dissent, and the second followed after he fouled Kevin Csoboth on the wing. It was Van Dijk’s first red card for the Netherlands, in what was his 77th international appearance.  Despite being down to 10 men, the Dutch quickly equalised, with Denzel Dumfries heading in from Cody Gakpo’s free-kick. UEFA Nations League (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) What do you think of the international break? (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Before his sending-off, Van Dijk had completed an impressive 145 out of 152 passes, nearly matching Hungary’s entire team, who managed 173 passes in total. Following the dismissal, the Netherlands confirmed on Saturday

Croatia 2 - 1 Scotland Scotland's wait for a victory in their Nations League campaigns continues, as Croatia came from behind in Zagreb to extend Steve Clarke’s team’s 13-month drought in competitive matches. Author - Liam C Despite missing key players and having just one win in their last 14 games, Scotland put up a strong fight in a tense encounter. They thought they had secured a dramatic equaliser in the 95th minute when Kristijan Jakic scored an own goal, but it was ruled out for offside against Che Adams after a VAR review. The match had begun promisingly for Scotland, with Ryan Christie slotting in the opening goal after a cross from Ben Doak was inadvertently teed up by Luka Sucic. However, the lead was short-lived, as Igor Matanovic guided Ivan Perisic's cutback into the bottom corner just four minutes later, levelling the score before half-time. Croatia took control in the second half, and Scotland's defence finally gave way in the 70th minute. Craig Gordo

France 1 - 2 Denmark Andreas Cornelius scored twice as Denmark came from behind to beat holders France in the Nations League. Karim Benzema opened the scoring with a stunning effort. He cut in from the right-wing before dummying his way past three defenders and slotting in. Cornelius volleyed in Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's ball over the top to level. The 60th-minute substitute won the game when he ran onto a long ball before firing in. This was the first time the former Cardiff striker has scored twice in an international game. What a time to do it! Denmark look like a team that are on the rise. It will be interesting to see them progress over the next few years. Both sides had several chances in a lively opening game to group A1. In the first half, Denmark's Joakim Maehle hit the outside of the post and Benzema had a goal disallowed. In between Cornelius' two goals, France's N'Golo Kante crashed a shot off the post and Denmark's Christian Eriksen forced a save

Scotland 1 - 0 Croatia Scotland finally broke their long winless streak in the Nations League with a hard-fought victory over 10-man Croatia, thanks to a late goal from substitute John McGinn. Author - Sean M McGinn capitalised on a loose ball after Dominik Kotarski parried Ben Doak's shot, slotting home his 19th international goal and sending Hampden Park into rapturous celebration. The win keeps Scotland's hopes alive of staying in Nations League A, with a potential relegation play-off secured if they manage another victory against Poland on Monday. A win in Warsaw could even open the door to the Nations League quarter-finals and a top-seed spot for the World Cup qualifying draw – provided Croatia lose at home to Portugal and there's a three-goal swing in Scotland's favour. However, those calculations can wait. The immediate focus was ending a dismal run of 10 competitive matches without a win, a form slump that had seen them victorious just once in their last 16

France 2 - 0 Belgium France picked up their first victory of their Nations League campaign with a comfortable win over Belgium.  After losing 3-1 to Italy in their first League A Group 2 match and they faced a tough challenge against Belgium.  Kylian Mbappe, the France captain, started on the bench for this game as he had played the full 90 minutes against Italy.  France's coach, Didier Deschamps, decided to change the entire forward line for this match. Belgium had a bright start but fell behind just before the half-hour mark when Kolo Muani scored his sixth goal for France after pouncing on a loose ball.  Ousmane Dembele, Muani's teammate at Paris St-Germain, made it 2-0 after the break with a well-struck shot. Mbappe came on in the second half and had two good chances but was unable to score. Click here for more news and stories from across France What next for Belgium? They opened their Nations League campaign with a 3-1 win against Israel - with De Bruyne scoring t

England 5 - 0 Republic of Ireland England sealed their return to the top tier of the Nations League in stunning fashion, thrashing the Republic of Ireland at Wembley in Lee Carsley’s final game as interim manager. Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football Lee Carsley now hands the reins to Thomas Tuchel, who takes charge from 1 January. During his tenure, Carsley guided England to five wins in six matches, with his team delivering a commanding second-half display here after a lacklustre opening 45 minutes. Harry Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot eight minutes into the second half. The England captain's brilliant through-ball set Jude Bellingham free, only for Bellingham to be brought down by Liam Scales, earning the defender a second yellow card and a sending-off. What's the point of the UEFA Nations League? With the Republic reduced to ten men, England took full advantage. Anthony Gordon netted his first senior international goal just two minutes later, tappi

Scotland 0 - 0 Portugal Author - Sean M Scotland put on a determined defensive performance to hold Portugal to a 0-0 draw, earning their first point in the Nations League A campaign. Scott McTominay had a golden opportunity early on but missed, and from there, the Scots saw little of the ball as Portugal pressed hard for a breakthrough. Cristiano Ronaldo, making his 200th international appearance, was left frustrated in his pursuit of a 134th goal for Portugal, as Scotland’s goalkeeper Craig Gordon and his defence stood their ground. While the result means Steve Clarke’s team have now won just one of their last 16 matches, they avoided the unwanted record of becoming the first Scotland side to lose five consecutive games. A more detailed look at what happened in Glasgow After a tough time at the Euros and a difficult Nations League campaign so far , Scotland needed to lift the Hampden crowd, and they nearly did just that within the first four minutes. Ben Doak made a surging run do

England 1 - 2 Greece England's interim manager, Lee Carsley, saw his attacking gamble backfire spectacularly as they suffered a shock defeat to Greece in the UEFA Nations League at Wembley. Jude Bellingham appeared to have salvaged a point for England with an 87th-minute goal, following Vangelis Pavlidis' cool strike that had given Greece a well-earned lead just four minutes into the second half. However, Greece responded swiftly and deservedly snatched victory as Pavlidis struck again deep into stoppage time, capping off a humbling night for both England and Carsley. Click here for more UEFA Nations League news and stories The Big Discussion: What do you think of the international break?  A closer look at what happened With captain Harry Kane sidelined through injury, Carsley opted not to field a recognised striker, deploying Bellingham in a false nine role while supporting him with Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, and Cole Palmer. The outcome was a disjointed and

Finland 1 - 3 England England bounced back from their embarrassing UEFA Nations League defeat to Greece at Wembley but were still far from convincing as they eventually overcame Finland in Helsinki. Author - Thomas J Interim manager Lee Carsley made six changes following the loss to Greece, including swapping goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for Dean Henderson. However, England struggled to shine until late in the game when the world’s 64th-ranked side, without a point, began to tire. Jack Grealish, recalled to the starting line-up, eased England’s nerves with a composed finish after Angel Gomes’ superb pass in the 18th minute. Finland had chances to increase the pressure on Carsley’s men, but it was Trent Alexander-Arnold's stunning late free-kick that ultimately secured the win. Declan Rice added a close-range goal with six minutes remaining, giving the scoreline a more comfortable look for England and Carsley. Click here to read more UEFA Nations League news and stories Finland’s

Montenegro 1 - 2 Wales Craig Bellamy secured his first victory as Wales head coach in a high-octane Nations League clash against Montenegro, played in dreadful conditions in rain-soaked Niksic. Kieffer Moore gave Wales an early lead just 37 seconds in with a sharp finish, followed by Harry Wilson doubling the advantage with a brilliant 25-yard shot two minutes later. Great memories in the Nations League for Wales fans. https://t.co/4bqtHt7LQr https://t.co/axWiOLvszN — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) September 10, 2024 The relentless rain wreaked havoc on the pitch, making the game at times seem chaotic, but it also added to the excitement of a thrilling match with opportunities at both ends. Montenegro’s captain, Stevan Jovetic, came close with a remarkable effort from his own half that struck the crossbar, while Driton Camaj saw his chance blocked on the line by Ben Davies. Moore missed a golden chance to make it 3-0 in the second half when he fired over from close ran

It's time to decide the world's best footballer again The winner of the Men's Ballon d'Or will be decided on 29th November. Let's have a look at some of the contenders. Will we see a shock? Cesar Azpilicueta Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta is one of the more surprising names on the shortlist.The defender is something of an unsung hero, helped Chelsea to win the Champions League last season and also reached the Nations League final with Spain. Karim Benzema The French forward was overshadowed at Real Madrid for a long time but he's now getting the praise he deserves. He scored 30 goals in 46 matches in all competitions for Real Madrid and finished second in the La Liga Golden Boot race. He won the UEFA Nations League with France a few weeks ago. For all his goals, this was the only trophy he has picked up over the last 12 months. Erling Braut Haaland Unless things go drastically wrong for him, the Norwegian forward is going to feature on Ballon d'Or shortli

Hungary 1 - 0 England In this Nations League match, England produced one of their worst performances of recent time.  Southgate’s team were strangely passive, lacking bite in the areas that mattered, especially the final third, and they came to threaten too late, playing with the bit between their teeth only after they fell behind to Dominik Szoboszlai’s 66th minute penalty. The award was soft, but it was correct and punishment for a moment of clumsiness from Reece James, who had only just entered as a substitute. 🇭🇺 Hungary beat England for the first time since 1962! 👏👏👏 #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/62Y3bS88X8 — UEFA Nations League (@EURO2024) June 4, 2022 James touched a cross back towards his goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, and worried that he had not put enough on it. And so he stepped across Zsolt Nagy to make sure that the Hungary wing-back could not give chase. Nagy went down theatrically and England had a sinking feeling. Szoboszlai once told Neymar before he took a p

England 2 - 0 Finland England captain Harry Kane celebrated his 100th cap by scoring two spectacular goals to lead his team to victory over Finland in the UEFA Nations League at Wembley. Before kick-off, Kane was honoured with a golden cap to mark the milestone and sported golden boots, which he used to break down a stubborn Finnish defence. Despite England's struggles to convert possession into goals early on, with Kane being thwarted twice by Finnish keeper Lukas Hradecky and having a goal disallowed for offside, he eventually broke the deadlock. Click here to discover more news from the England national team Kane netted his 67th international goal with a strike that perfectly suited the occasion. In the 57th minute, he took a clever pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold in his stride and, after evading the Finnish defenders, unleashed a stunning shot that soared past Hradecky. Kane’s memorable night continued when, with 14 minutes remaining, England debutant Noni Madueke pr

The UEFA Nations League group stage involves all 55 Uefa countries and was brought in to replace international friendlies with more meaningful games, involving promotion and relegation. The finals of the competition are considered a proper tournament, with the winner getting a sterling silver, 7.5kg, 71cm tall trophy.  Italy 1-2 Spain post match reaction Two first-half goals from Manchester City ’s Ferran Torres set Spain on course for a win at the legendary and iconic San Siro stadium. This earned then a place in the Nations League final. Italy rallied in the second-half but an 83rd minute goal from Lorenzo Pellegrini wasn't enough to extend their long unbeaten run.  It was a superb game and a great showcase for the competition. This was two international sides that were close to their best and putting on a show for the fans. It has given the Spanish side an opportunity to start a relatively new era with a trophy and provides them with a boost ahead of next year's World Cup.

Liechtenstein 1 - 3 San Marino San Marino, the world's lowest-ranked football team, made history with their first-ever away win, securing promotion to the third tier of the Nations League by defeating Liechtenstein. Author - Andy T It was a night of firsts for the tiny nation. Not only was this their inaugural away victory, but it was also the first time they scored more than once in a competitive match and the first time they netted three goals in a single game. Remarkably, San Marino's only previous wins also came against Liechtenstein—a 1-0 friendly triumph in 2004 and a narrow Nations League victory by the same scoreline in September, both on home soil. Ranked 210th in the FIFA rankings, San Marino’s footballing history has been one of struggles, with 199 defeats in their 211 matches and seven games where they’ve conceded 10 or more goals. However, under head coach Roberto Cevoli, who took charge last year after managing in Italy's lower leagues, progress has been mad

Kylian Mbappé scores late and sinks Spain to clinch the UEFA Nations League for France You can watch the highlights from the entertaining match in the final below. The video was posted by Sky Sports Football.  The final four of the UEFA Nations League brought three fantastic nights in Milan. The champions had twice to come from behind to lift a still unfamiliar trophy. When it came to the moment that decided its destination, there in the madness was Kylian Mbappé. Spain were not happy about Mbappé's winner. He had been clearly offside when he was released by Theo Hernández and Eric García admitted he had trouble accepting Anthony Taylor’s explanation that his tiniest of touches had played the Frenchman back onside again. It was certainly a cruel way to lose any match, never mind a final. This is the place for more football news from across Europe.  Comments from around the internet On The Guardian, one fan commented on the post match story:   "Well done by France. In the en