Group Stage Review | All 24 Teams | EURO 2024

Group Stage Review | All 24 Teams | EURO 2024

and then oh that’s s camp that was worst one in the tournament three points two points n right should we do this FR hello and welcome to the resty football with Alan Shir M Richards and me Gary Lin uh it’s another rest day here at Euro 2024 so we’re going to do a full review of the group stage on today’s episode uh we’ll go through all 24 teams Group by group and talk about how they perform the standout players and what we should be looking out for as we head into the knockout round so let’s get cracking you ready for this let’s do this yes we okay we’ll get right into it then and start um we’ll do it in alphabetical order so we’ll start with group Micah hey G went to school you okay um which was obviously the host nation group um so Germany won the group um and Switzerland finished second and the other two went home Hungary and Scotland um let’s start with um our predictions we we all predicted um Germany to finish first which was kind of predictable um um M myself thought Scotland might wriggle through in second place and Allan went with hungry so was that our heart or head though I think it was hot it was hot as much as anything um but you’re just trying to keep the Scottish listeners happy wer you to keep we love the Scots we love the SC I was genuinely hoping yeah we all were all were genuinely so and I to be honest that they were unlucky in the end well they were unlucky only because of that crazy decision that didn’t go their way with a penalty but other than that they didn’t they didn’t have enough quality and that would have put them ahead um but I mean obviously it looks like they lost so it looks worse but if they’ been given that goal they probably would have clung on to it and and with four points they they would have gone through Germany and started really well obviously in the first game against Scotland and we all thought wow they kind of not I still think they were pretty impressive but nothing like is impressive in the second game and then once you’ve won kind of won the group and stuff it’s they need to be though did they in in the third game I I agree with you I think um in terms of balance I think Germany have impressed me the most along with obviously Spain we’ll talk about a little bit later I just think they know what they are they’ve got players in the right positions they can defend when they need when you say they know what they are what do you mean by that in terms of so when they defend they defend as a team when they attack they attack of a team they’ve got andrick in Midfield who sort of does the defensive sort of work but good on the ball you’ve got Tony Cruz who drops really deep and dictates from Midfield and they’ve got gundan who can rather arrive late he can manipulate the ball he can control the tempo of what they need to do as well and then they’ve got vits vit we got vit and musala who were just getting into them pockets of spaces that’s allowing ful crug or HS to do what they need to do so in terms of balance Germany and they’ve got the crowds as well so I really like the look of Germany I think the there from what I can gather their fans are shouting and there’s a big discussion about HTS or full K is yes I think the fans are wanting full cring he’s he’s more of a traditional Center forward more than probably hav who’s kind of yeah it’d be more of a false ners but I quite like him up there because he’s he’s I think he’s very intelligent H you mean yeah yeah but f crr’s a bit he’s kind of old fashioned sort of Center for no non that’s a great to have good option to come off the bench exactly which he has done someone coming off the bench and making an impact that that’s what we want to see I think always the difference in in these things when people talk about this and when a player comes on and does make a difference sometimes when they start a game yeah it’s a different explain that more because in the game for the first half or first 60 minutes it’s it’s tough isn’t it the game stretches in the second half people are getting tired and that’s why you can have an impact and that’s why was talking about when we talking about England is it’s not the fact that we all want Kane to start of course but when the game stretches can you get Watkins can you get even a Tony on the pitch or or Gordon I thought Switzerland were one of the teams that probably surprised a little bit uh yeah I think along with Austria I think they probably been the most impressive of the I don’t know unfancied if you like um yeah definitely I think they’re they’re a tough nut to crack really well organized solid good experience in there as well experience shakiri I mean his goal yeah marvelous how does he keep doing it he just seems to turn up for tournaments and score a wonder goal doesn’t he he does it all the time um records are amazing in tournaments like that but you know he’s kind of an he’s almost almost a although he obviously plays and starts and he affects games but some something happens to him in tournaments that takes responsibility comes to life yeah I mean the goal he he he scored against Scotland was an absolute Beauty it was brilliant um I’ve been impressed with embolo as well yeah I liked him in the um World Cup um I think he scored a couple of goals in the World Cup didn’t he and yeah injury and then he came back and he’s yeah he’s he’s a threat defitely runs him behind gets old a it scores goals I like the look of him both got to mention the Scotland fans absolutely brilliant that national anthem before the game honestly it’s spine tingle isn’t it in all three of their games were just incredible and wherever you went over Germany they were having a great time and uh being well Beav and all that so yeah I think that’s been one of the I know we digress slightly away from um the actual football but I think the fans generally um right across the board that it’s been like they’ve got on I mean obviously it’s competitive um but all the fans have come and you can see them all together and they have a little joke at each other but there’s been no threat of no nastiness really you know obviously a few things like England fans throwing stuff at G Southgate which is let’s say absolutely to totally out of order yeah um you know whatever you think about anybody’s management of all tactics and stuff we don’t need that we absolutely don’t need that who been your favorite fans before we go would we go Scotland SC and Netherlands I was going to say Netherlands amazing um I think the Hungary fans are great um there’s a hungry in this group of course as well um missing out on three points which is which is tough for them um but yeah I think that Dutch thing when they’re all in a thousand I saw another one today it’s just it’s just so good it’s just so good yeah um Hungary if we talk couple of seconds on them they was better I think they deserve a little bit more created a lot of chances just couldn’t I thought SOS has been good at times I think he takes responsibility for them as well but just in the key moments they just couldn’t put the ball away back of the net yeah it’s it’s it’s that little bit of a difference it’s like you’ve got three or four really good players and then not quite enough quality elsewhere okay well that’s um group a let’s move on to to uh Group B the group of Spain Italy of course uh also uh Croatia and Albania who both went home um before we do that our predictions were um Spain one Italy 2 Spain one Italy 2 Spain one Italy two what do we know e hey we got over I mean to be honest everyone pretty much everyone in the world would have probably gone Spain no but Croatia how they perform true true in tournaments I don’t think any of us thought Croatia would go out I think you you’d have fancied them to get through at least in a I think that’s probably the biggest terms of success nation that have gone out um obviously only eight teams go out at this stage um all the others you you know you would kind of expect it or it’s not massively surprising but Croatia going out I think me that 90 what was it 90 plus a equalizer wasn’t it that uh that you could see the disappointment on the all face isn’t rightly so I mean you remember modri stood there in the in the dogout wasn’t he was had his top over his face biting he could see the nerves and everything going through and I felt for him such a wonderful wonderful player not sure we’ll see him in another T maybe we will don’t know because you’s got like Pepe still going Ronaldo obviously for Portugal but I mean that it was amazing actually finale of that game it was it was a pretty Dow match before that wasn’t it and then the the penalty missed saw that you know Donar rooma save and then the incredible save from donarum and then Modric puts it in and and the joy that he had and then what was it 98th minute or something 90 what’s it like when you missed the penalty though what’s your mind your mindset what’s your mindset because a lot of players may have I won’t say crumble but same as missing a chance you wait for the next one don’t panic Don’t Panic Don’t Panic yeah but you make it sound so easy it’s not easy let me get Gary and Allen you miss a penalty what are you thinking you just put it to the side you’re desperate another one’s coming you’re desperate you’re desperate for another chance or another penalty straight away have you ever missed a pen and then scored yeah I missed I’ve taken I’ve missed a penalty then had another one and then scored that one I’ve never missed two in a game but I’ve missed one and then had another one yeah I’ve only ever taken two in a game once I think that was quarter final of the World Cup against Cameron talking about the AOS Gary you always want to get the World Cup in you were the one started asking us about missing penalties what the fixure was you just said what’s it like I just said you missed the penalty I did in the FA Cup Final okay right well that yeah I’ll take that so that was like awful right awful but all you really need then is to win on that occasion we won thankfully um and and yeah but that was Grim it’s grim and obviously I missed the one to equal the record when I did this stupid PKA how much of an idiot do you feel like now doing that when you see all the records and the euros and the World Cups and all that if you just put it in and stop being so clever you would had one more I wasn’t clever I was [ __ ] stupid really stupid of course I felt like a dope that’s the problem with the penker if it goes in everyone goes oh that’s a beautiful penalty um but no it’s all right I ask you what’s it like when you make a terrible mistake at the back I made many of them well you think he’s asking you think I’m asking you guys anyway we moved away a little bit but it’s it’s awful missing a penalty but it’s all it is really is missing a really good chance and you do that in the game anyway and I think mentally you’ve got to treat it like that and just wait for your next opportunity and just keep getting in there get getting in there and if there’s a penalty you take it let’s talk Spain first on the the two teams that have qualified I think they’ve been the most electric team in the tournament so far uh three out of three haven’t conceded they’ve been without doubt the most impressive team um they were question marked going into the tournament wasn’t they uh what there they’ve been really really impressive who have you liked the most out of their team obviously they got uh you mean yamal on the right Williams has looked exciting on the left yeah yamal from I mean did you there was actually I read something that um they had to get a special dispensation for the fact that so young you’re not allowed to work in Germany after a certain hour and but they had to get a special dispensation so that he could play Bonkers and did you see the other thing that he actually brought his homework with him yeah 16 it’s just how can you be that good how can you deal with it brilliant it’s a child it is a fantastic but great to see Fearless though isn’t he it’s just Fearless it’s it’s great to see yeah I’ve often seen in tournaments my experience over the years not always but teams that get off to a flyer win all three games in the group stage Yer and they it suddenly ends for them and they have one bad performance in team to get knocked out I don’t know whether that would be the case with Spain but the as we all know now and we’ll talk about this in and a Following episode about the looking ahead um more about the last 16 but the way the draws panned out you know Spain got themselves in that incredibly difficult half um but I love that I love the way they try and play in the last third they got the players there when you’ve got rodri I don’t know we’ve laughed and joked about it but you just see whatever team Rod’s in he just dictates a Tempo every single time allows you to to be brave and go high because you know he’s not going to lose the ball uh Ruiz in there as well with him has been top top notch um I just think again the balance of the team everyone knows what they need to do Wingers stay really high uh and they’ve got the runs from Morata as well so yeah pretty impressed with Spain but like you said can they keep it going yeah they battered they battered Croatia and Italy didn’t they it’s 3-0 and one n but that that game against Italy could have been five or six were you on the show that I did with cesk when he was talking about rodri we on that one no really interesting he said how much has improved because he said like three years ago probably just before he went to Manchester City he said he was like a big guy but he he said the Improvement in him has been incredible and I wonder how much peps had a role in that particular Improvement yeah I would I would say massive I think in his first season he was getting himself into positions where he could be exposed on the turn but now if you look at where he’s on the pitch he just reads a game so well um and I think that comes from P but also himself because you got to want to be able to improve and yeah he’s the best number six in well for disagree and and also um they’ve not conceded a goal and he’ll be one of the reasons for that um Italy it’s let’s be honest it’s not the best Italian football team we’ve ever seen is it I mean they’ve had some unbelievable sides they’ve got some obviously really really good players they always do but I I actually I I think Italy are a good team I just think up front that’s where that’s where the problems are agreed I think at that was what I’m saying obviously they’ve got you know some really good players but and ker and your friend your friend he still in t I’m not Tex I might text him today ask him for the team and all that but you know what we’ve not actually talked about let me get his pronunciation right k c fiori y amazing he’s he’s the one everyone’s talking about all the big clubs are linked with him um he plays his football for bologna and I think Arsenal are interested I’ve heard Man City are interested really good on the ball can score goals can defend and when we’ve been doing the games I’ve been Concentra on Baston but Kor has been equally so you’ve been asking to do scouting reports have they well you know I know some good players they’ve got a good goalkeeper as well obviously Don yeah up front I’m not I’m not convinced with them either I’m same as you m skamaker and RI is it yeah they were uh they were they were really poor against um against Croatia really poor but yeah I they’ve they’ve just got that mentality of the Italians haven’t they which makes them dangerous yeah do you think it was a tournament too far for Croatia obviously it was but you know they that Old Guard in Midfield Midfield yeah there was just too much going to take some replacing though aren’t they oh unbelievable just a bit it was you’re absolutely right yeah they just just lacked that just enough to get through it didn’t happen for for Albania um did all right though didn’t they I thought they you know I thought they put up a a good show um and the bonus is obviously that um hopefully we’ll now get Pablo thaleta to come along and we’ll slip him in on the part on the I just I just um what about assani remember sorry assani guy that was a nice little joke he did on the first game yeah we we primed that was kind of it was obviously so pre-planned not as much as M loves him he loves was that or Che n yes please okay right on to group C England first Denmark second for me uh Micah England first Serbia second and Allan England first Denmark second um oh dear Micah dear dear and myself have got on that one and Serbia were bottom I mean but I mean if if you look at this group now no team in any game scored more than one goal um it’s a binary group it was one1 nil1 111 one1 nil nil nil nil yeah it was tough group you know they always say the group of death yeah but it’s normally meant because there’s four great teams in it but on this occasion there were four teams that I mean that didn’t flow let’s say the last two games England nil Slovenia nil denm Mark nil Serb nil oh my goodness what it was tough watching eh yeah um yeah very very underwhelming group not great quality at all from uh from any any of the teams I mean England Five Points unbeaten top of the group we keep hearing that which is absolutely fine but still in second gear haven’t got out a second gear yet haven’t played well at all yet we’re hoping that’s going to change it’s going to change isn’t it and Spark from somewhere well the sparkk might be the the draw because not for the first time in G’s career he’s landed on the right side of the group dra and that’s you know luck as important as ability sometimes you need a bit of luck in a tournament obviously we’re going to save looking ahead um to um the next show that we do right let’s talk a bit about England win the group go through right side of the draw can’t really play much poorer and and but still win you know what’s that old adage you if you can win when you’re playing badly that’s a really good sign so they can only get better I think agreed or I hope no they will get better they will of course they will I think I think you know I’ve seen so many tournaments over the years in the group stage where teams are not very impressive at all and then they go on and win the tournament so Argentina remember Saudi Arabia remember when Spain won the World Cup they lost the opening game I believe against Switzerland um well what’s J said Portugal Drew their three games in in their qualifying group when they won it didn’t they y they got through um in third place I think as well so it just shows you you don’t want to read too much into that it’s all about the knockout we look forward to that so let’s um Denmark I thought tactically against England I thought they they got it right um played really well I mean obviously you know the only scored what uh two goals um in three games that probably would be your main concern about then yeah I was I’d like to say as well it was great having Thomas Frank wasn’t it in the studio with us he knew the real detail about them um and he was just great to work with but yeah Denmark I think they well organized I I don’t necessarily think they’re they the greatest team but they’ve all got a role knew what they needed to do against you know a good England side I think the coach has them well drilled um but I still think they’re missing that star quality in you know four to go a long way in the tournament yeah you know they half a really good team half a really good team I like a lot of sides in this of of you know countries of that great story where Erikson score on the way amazing that was I think one of the best moments of the first round of matches unbelievable after what happened for him to be blowing playing football again yet playing in the European championship and scoring so who would have thought that story absolutely no one um I think Slovenia deserve a word word um I thought they two very organized I don’t think anyone would have fancied Slovenia getting through to the The Knockout stages no um good goalkeeper though haven’t they really good o black I mean one of the best isn’t he one of the best in the world I think if it’s been so consistent for so long hardly makes a mistake um huge presence huge in you physique as well yep so I mean they’re going to have it tough um going further but I think I think there’ll be heroes back in their country I imagine for for getting through um a group that you know with England as well in there Group D which was always looked like a real tough group with um France Netherlands Austria and Poland um I’m before I even look at what our predictions were I guarantee you none of us none of us would have got this one right um Austria topping it of course um France second Netherlands third all those three qualified and Poland went home um our predictions were all the same France W Netherlands 2 and I I I would imagine most of the world would have picked that yeah um I think Austria have been this absolute surprise package of the group stage I don’t think he can argue with that when you look at their results to top the group um with the tournament’s favorites France who we’ll get on to in a minute who certainly haven’t clicked yet but auster have been absolutely magnificent Ralph ranc and his I think man united should look at him I’ve not actually seen too much of the Austria games I’ve not had any that been on at the same time as I’ve been doing games but I watched the highlights and it’s all about the Press isn’t it really really Brave really high even when they beat the Netherlands 32 and it was right at the end of the game and you think you’re going to hold on to your lead you’re going to hold on to your lead you know let’s go back they still really high in the last third of the pitch and I I just love The Bravery of it um and you know you’ve got to give the coach a lot of credit for that such a brave way of playing you know because they’ve not done it by just sitting and trying to hit on the counter attack um they’ve done it by playing really attractive football um France have gone through with them thoughts on France they’re a little bit unbalanced at the moment yeah it was in the soul house again as as we we go every day now we should get free membership and we was I was with uh jul La yes guy came up later he came we had a chat with him didn’t we and he said if you watched the the French teams of the past they’re about moments they don’t really play Beautiful attacking football they rely on big moments from kilan and bappe whether it’s demele on on the right um it’s Jude holding it up but yeah I was a little bit underwhelmed with the way France the difference is with France though at least they stay high chances I think that is the difference with France where the other day when they played I think it was a what game was it against Poland game they could have scored three or four they didn’t take the opportunity but they still look dangerous in in moments when when Killian gets the the ball on that left hand side you just it was interesting watching them play though wasn’t it because they obviously played BARC Cola on the on the left and and wanted to mbapp just play centrally and they have dembele on the right but you could see that he’s so used to playing there or he so likes to play on the left Killian that he was still playing there anyway and they kind of standing on each other’s toes um for a lot of the time and Rabia was actually going over to that side as they were so disjointed um and it was quite interesting to see wasn’t it because even all the chances that and there still moments of magic from from killing but but they were all came from that left hand side as well I wonder I wonder whether they’ll go back to jiru I mean I know he can’t move much now but he can still link it he can still link play and he’ll still you know he’ll still get you a goal you got twoam there as well T Ram’s the other one but you know his record for Francis no he’s not he’s certainly not in goal scoring terms having said that of course when they won the World Cup jiru didn’t even score um so I don’t know it just allows mbapp to play where he want wants to play though isn’t it because you want mbapp where he’s best on the field and it’s similar sort of situation to to England where Kane so good at getting on the ball but then he need to run in behind you getting to England again I know yeah I’m just yeah I can’t help it I love you England we all do we do and that’s why we care so much they got so many options there though haven’t they they got Griezmann in there as well in the 10 roll he’s a clever player really good player’s been good frustrates at times doesn’t he on the right with I mean with his ability you you’re wanting want on a more regular basis but he’s so unpredictable got some great skills one minute then you think why how has that happened he’s he’s one of those classic Wingers that he’ll do moments of absolute Brilliance and then get in and then knock it 20 yards over the bar or he’s cross goes far but amazing talent amazing talent um Netherlands um they’ve gone through they’ve kind of have had good bits and not such good bits and but and they’ve um obviously the twists and turns of the last day in terms of where teams were going to end up um and it looked like England would play Netherlands but then obviously Georgia beat um Georgia beat Portugal in that last which was a fantastic game of football but we’ll come to that when we reach that group but Netherlands all over the players defensively against Austria I mean Austria like I mean van DK looked it looked like chaos didn’t it in that in that backline for them it was they were that that would that would worry me yeah when you look at them you’d have gone if there’s one team with really strong central Defenders you’ve gone Netherlands wouldn’t you you got you know they’ve got they’ve got obviously Van Dyke thect is in in the squad um they’ve got vanen as well none of those two have started a game yet have they they’ve got a also I know yeah’s been brilliant in Man City so they’ve got so much like quality at the back that and you wouldn’t have thought that’s the place that that they would struggle but they conceded four goals in the three games quite high for the group stages particularly how cautious the group he’s got after the round one of matches yeah I think they’ve got a little bit of a problem as well up front um depay is obviously a very good player but the positions that he takes up on the field sometimes it comes a little bit too deep again I think they look a better team when they get crosses into the box for Vost obviously he’s come off the bench and done really well um but they’ve got players who can hurt you in the right moments gakpo who scored a wonderful goal in his last game against I don’t think we’ll ever seriously say that because it sounds silly when we say it doesn’t it but that was another one of those pronunciations like say it’s I always remember that with rude and I he said don’t even bother rude’s such a great guy such a great guy rude wasn’t he oh lovely guy yeah we get he is actually mbappe finally scored in the Euros yes yeah from the penalty spot yeah but that that might be a trigger for him I mean he’s such a superstar isn’t he that when he gets the ball I mean he’s just unbelievable what a talent what a talent and they haven’t uh they haven’t won a game in the last two years of seven occasions I think they’ve played without him they haven’t won again they need they need him on the pitch and they need him fireing yeah his nose seems seems to be it’s fine he took his ma off for this for celebration just as well I wouldn’t recognize him otherwise Poland I think we all predicted them to be bottom of that group well actually Austria or Poland but Austria ended up topping it um and especially given that levandowski went into the tournament without being able to start the first two games he got his goal didn’t he against uh against France the penalty as well wasn’t it so um will that be the last time we see him it could be couldn’t it yeah it could be um he got retaken though with that he has that funny prancy stop and I wonder whe I thought it was quite interesting because when he when he took the penalty he does that delay thing you can see the keeper going and then he kind of shuffles off his line and immediately saved it levandowski went off his line and I think I wonder whether he does that deliberately so that if he does miss any he moves yeah he knows that the keeper mov because it’s very difficult do you think I like that it’s clever I like that it’s clever but I keep did really well you know keeper did because he got he went the right way for the uh for the second one as well he nearly got it but he’s a good keeper though isn’t he man man man man yeah man Manion I think he said I’m don’t know how he say actually but um I think it’s Manion but he’s excellent right that’s Group D let’s move on to um group E again a surprise really um I I doubt any of us got this right no um I’ll start with you two because I did better um Micah Belgium one Ukraine two Allan Belgium 1 Ukraine 2 um I went Belgium 1 Romania to what made you go with Romania my heart I don’t um I I’ve no idea I can’t [Laughter] remember about going with Romania that can’t give us a reason why had a good guess no I thought they played well in the qualifiers um I um and um yeah and I obviously I think we all went with Belgium and you’d expect to go to Belgium but they were poor weren’t they I mean I know they’ve qualified in second but they were I mean Dre we did the game didn’t we a couple of days ago and they they were Dreadful weren’t they really they were awful were except for Kevin deu I thought de bruy but the rest of them lukaku’s been okay though wasn’t goal it was really poor yesterday but in the previous two games I absolutely agree with you I think he was I mean desperately unlucky and a couple of I mean what was it you said yest a tiny bit of his kneecap tiny bit of his toe um and and then he had the one with the supposed handall from but which which I thought was ludicrous but yeah so yeah they did I think their own fans you could hear them booing them could you not happy with even though they’ve gone through but I that group was unbelievable every single one of them on Four Points Four Points done before not in the Euros once in the World Cup once um that happened in the world cup but um so you had to feel for Ukraine they’ve got four points teams have gone through with three it it’s a flawed format I don’t like it’s not you know it’s yeah so to go out with four points is kind of dreadful dreadfully unlucky it’s never happened before so um poor old Ukraine but they did themselves proud and particular under the circumstance I don’t know how you play football with what’s going on in that country it’s just amazing that they uh they had fans here that they were they they were here themselves playing um with what they’re going through and have gone through it’s incredible so yeah did themselves proud yeah what impressed you in in that group I mean obviously Romania bashing Ukraine in the first game was was the kind of standout um and they’ve got in Marin they’ve got one of the people that have scored two goals um will come to the leading goal scorer in the tournament in the last group but um so you know that I’m sure their Nations PR second time I think they’ve qualified ever in the euros and I believe the last time would it have been against you 2000 when you beat you 32 yeah came from behind my last ever game for England yeah was it mhm so it should be losing that yeah and and England against Slovakia yeah Slovakia have gone through obviously another team that got four points um and the way the draw worked because I mean it was so confusing and so it all depended on you know certain things and once again it’s Fallen that Slovakia just because of what happened um with Georgia beating Portugal um Slovakia then became the team that England will face um in the last 16 so did you do any of the game Slovakia games I’ve not done any I’ve Just Seen highlights where either I’ve seen all the the clips and stuff of them but I didn’t do Slovakia in any of the live games you didn’t either um none of us did actually but um obviously we you know you still see the high and stuff so it’s an amazing achievement for them um them and Romania really I mean Romania winning the group’s fantastic Slovakia you know the goalkeeper yeah Martin Deka umast I thought where the ram chuk goal remember the ball over the top when he took that that touch I thought he could have done better for that goal could have been a bit I don’t think he was the bravest Keeper in the world um when he came out for that uh so yeah something to uh to look forward to and watching him and and uh see how they do against England but I’m the same I’ve not I’ve not seen I’ve just seen the goals but um I haven’t seen much of them to be honest no they coincided with game we’ve done all the other games we didn’t do too many games in that group I did Belgium obviously and we did that game um yeah we did Belgium Ukraine didn’t which was a terrible game it was really poor wasn’t it really poor game but there we go right onto group F the final group I think one of the most impressive teams again really um but let’s do our predictions and that impressive team was of course Portugal and we all we all had the same actually and we all got it right Portugal one turkey two um although I think perhaps the stars in many ways were were Georgia because of that performance against Portugal I know it was a second string Portuguese side but their second string is quite special um so first let’s do Portugal first though because they they the group winners they’d won the group obviously after two games um where do we see them they were I thought they play even when they lost to Georgia they actually going forward played High lots of good stuff but just couldn’t couldn’t get a goal and Georgia defended absolutely brilliantly and hit them on the Counterattack I like I like the look of Portugal I think I think they could in terms of squads we know what they can do um they might have a little bit of a problem with Ronaldo he got subbed off in the third game and he was well he was the only player that played the other two games that played in in the last game and you know why we were talking about Wayne Rooney because we did the game before so we were looking ahead to the Portugal game um because we had J say font with us and um and we were saying you know Ronaldo’s playing wow why why would you play him he’s like he’s he’s he’s getting on a bit now save your energy for The Knockout stages um and Wayne went there’s no way he wouldn’t play because obviously he wants to get he hasn’t scored in the first two games and he he wants his goals and he was like it’s like the whole game was angry he was angry at the referees he angry at his teammates for not getting him to the ball properly sometimes and then when he went off he kind of kicked the something in disgust um he must be quite tough to manage because I think he was right to take him off I mean he got a yellow card as well um in the game so I mean he would have been mad if he if got himself another book in it well which would have meant have read in that game and then missed the next one so I don’t think it matters what he does he’s playing yeah oh yeah no he’ll play and course he play if he wants to play then he plays doesn’t he that’s I still think his movement is he’s so sharp you know in the Box I watch him he’s he’s brilliant the way he moves and goes One Way spots in the other and little little dashes obviously he can’t do too much you know he’s not going to chase anyone down nowadays at his age but his movement around the box it’s not happened for him yet though he’s miss you can see the frustration did you see though when he had the assist for fernandz when it was angle he could have shot but put on he put it on a plate for him and he could see in his face like sh we were talking last night about that wer we with Julian Lauren the journalist that we mentioned earlier and and he was he was saying the only way he only squared that because he absolutely thought he was offside and I never thought of it like that he said that yeah he said that um he said oh definitely he said because the thing and he said he thought he was offside said just squar it I’m not so sure that’s true but maybe because we were all shocked that he squared it because he’d normally just knock those in CU he’s fantastic finisher but um do you think they can go and win it do you Portugal I think they’re still playing well without really hitting the heights so we’ve talked about other teams sort of going back to England again they’ll get better I think Portugal will get better they’ve got to be contented although they have gone into that really hard side of the draw where you know they’ve so somewhere they’re going to have to meet either Spain France or Germany and they’re all tough games but they could they could easily win they’ve got players who can step up in big moments of the quarterfinals of that side of the draw could be tasty tasty tasty um turkey turkey well we all TI to be second I I think we I I think I called them my dark horse in the tournament I don’t think they’re going to win it or anything but they got some good players in there yeah Chago yes I think that’s how you say actually it’s probably nowhere near how you say it um but yeah he’s at inter he’s a really talented footballer I think no he’s a to he’s a top player he is and he’s and cuz he was at if my calculations are correct he was at AC Milan sort of playing as number 10 then and then he obviously he goes to Inter Milan and he plays a little bit deeper so his role within the team he can do both things whether it’s Crossing it in he’s really good at set pieces can play a through ball can control the tempo of a game he’s been one of a standout player to me and he’s not short of confidence he said he’s better than rodri isn’t he yeah yeah he doesn’t that confidence he confidence we were all watching the um you know all together weren’t we watching the Portugal Georgia game but I saw this morning turkey I watched the highlights this morning of turkey C Republic there was 16 yellow cards and two red cards it was kicking off at the end there punch-ups and know I mean but the ref was just dishing them out willy-nilly like and they the BBC sport did a really good little thing where they crunched it all together it sounded like Jonathan Pierce was qualifying but was sounded like Jonathan Pierce was commentating because just heard a little Snippets of his voice and um but it’s going yellow yellow yellow yellow yellow yellow yellow yellow yellow red yellow yellow yellow red made mad absolutely crazy game um so who knows how many players they’re going to have missing in their yeah so Czech Republic uh they’re going home um but Georgia what a performance against I know second string but but Portugal second string is really really strong and they’ve got Ronaldo obviously as well that played I mean they defended brilliantly um their goalkeeper mam Dash villy I think um is he was absolutely brilliant a couple of the saves he pulled off were were amazing and I mean he is a very very good goalkeeper um but I thought that the effort the work rate the pace of which they counted um was was absolutely superb are so Chu for the little Nation like that I mean when you when you think about it you know when I mean there’s been some great moments in the early rounds of the tourament we mentioned Erikson and Germany scoring five and some really good games but that that story Georgia being Portugal is in is incredible is it I know come on are you going to say his name the main man the top scorer of the tournament no not the top no we’ll go we’ll we’ll go on to that one I’m talking about the Jinky Winger that’s the one that that everyone avoid saying Australia go i’ got it wrong there go on katalia no no it’s wrong I I I struggle to say this every time I’ve tried Do It Go on katalia kravat skilia not bad katelia I think it is if you no I think it’s K Shelia because i’ I’ve SE that was another one of aliser Bruce Ball’s things that we’ve all been saying it wrong oh I’ve just learned this and that’s what threw me as well I’m I’m it’s such a tongue twister though isn’t it so difficult to say scalaria something like that I think but it’s probably actually nothing like it so difficult that name is someone had have said that Georgia would have qualified and the top scorer would have been from them at this moment in time Geor George said that mzi that’s probably wrong who’s it play for dude D Mets I think it is Mets in France in France mhm yes that’s right three goals penalty there to when to take them two nil up and the keeper went the right way it was it was perfectly placed into the corner of the net I thought that was one of the moments of the tournament that the when the final whistle went the joy and I mean what a performance to do that it really was um very very special um they play Spain next in The Knockout but there already Heroes I’d imagine yeah that’s their moment that’s their moment isn’t it beating beating Portugal qualifying for the next round um yeah they won’t go any further but it doesn’t matter that’s their that’s their time Portugal yeah let’s we’ve just talked about the the um M tzi who scored three goals he’s the top scor he’s the only person that scored three goals in the group stage um which is I think that’s unusually low number um players on two you’ve got f crug hako gakpo as we know Marin musala and shran so it’s golden boots up for grabs was is come to life in the group and some of those obviously get knocked out um as as you go but it could be a low-scoring winner this year who would be your favorite to get from now from what we know who would you go with even the the players that are not on that list cuz players are going to start to get in to the flow now Harry Kane you going to go Harry Kane I like I like that sh he’s in the that’s I just wondered about that side of the draw that’s the only I would have said mbapp otherwise but you if england if it’s a big gi if england start playing to their potential and where they should be playing they’ve they you know they could conceivably play well they’re going to play Slovakia but we’re going to talk about that another time let’s not go down there we’ll just but I think I think England will come to life and Harry Kane is going to bang a few goals and turn it around turn it all around and um yeah got a feeling that Harry’s going to come good and start banging him he’s already got one of course love your positivity you got to try got to try um well um that’s it for this uh particular episode I don’t think we did too bad but I think to be perfectly honest the big teams generally do win the groups at this stage of the competition so I don’t think we should be patting ourselves on the back too much um uh we’ll discuss um the draw for the last 16 and what we think will happen um Tomorrow Goodbye For Me Goodbye For Me goodbye for me [Music]

Is Ronaldo causing a problem for Portugal? Are France having similar difficulties to England? Who has been the most impressive team so far?

Gary, Alan and Micah go through all six groups to discuss how each team performed, the stand out players and what we should be looking out for as we head into the knockout rounds.

Sign up to The Rest Is Football newsletter at therestisfootball.com