Tag: Euro 2024

Amadou Onana, who is very much not Andre Onana, brushes off reporter’s gaffe

Amadou Onana’s English accent is perfect, while a reporter’s ability to tell people apart is not

Belgium has a soccer player named Amadou Onana, while André Onana (no relation) plays for Cameroon.

These two simple facts are important to keep in mind, particularly if you’re seeking a quote at Euro 2024.

Amadou Onana had to endure a reporter’s inability to keep those concepts in mind as the midfielder took questions following Belgium’s 1-0 loss to Slovakia on Monday.

After concluding an answer in French for one reporter, Onana’s attention was requested by another journalist in English. In the world of international soccer — particularly in a country like Belgium, which has three official languages — that sort of flexibility is the norm.

Sadly for the reporter, he couldn’t show the same ability to adapt to the information that, as was discussed earlier, this was Amadou Onana, the Belgium midfielder.

“André, just one question,” began the journalist, apparently mistaking a player at Euro 2024 for the Manchester United goalkeeper, who again does not play for a European country.

Onana, displaying some linguistic nimbleness, pivoted to a perfect English accent to cut him off.

“André is not even my name, mate,” said the 22-year-old. “Do you know what I mean?”

Before the reporter could correct himself, Onana gestured to a different member of the press corps and said “go on,” taking that journalist’s question.

It’s not hard to sort why Onana would be irritated. The stereotype that Black people all look alike is persistent, and in fact the Everton man doesn’t bear any particular resemblance to Cameroon’s No. 1.

On top of that, it implies that one Onana merits remembering while the other does not, which is especially strange when you’re reporting on Euro 2024, a competition André Onana literally cannot play in.

Amadou Onana: ‘André is not even my name’

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Spain vs. Italy: How to watch Euro 2024, TV channel, live stream

Two European powers clash at Euro 2024

Spain and Italy will clash in a high-profile Euro 2024 group-stage match on Thursday in Gelsenkirchen.

Both teams began their tournaments with a win, as Spain cruised past Croatia 3-0 and Italy defeated Albania 2-1.

After Albania’s draw with Croatia on Wednesday, both teams will be able to lock up a spot in the round of 16 with a victory in this match.

Spain dominated Croatia in its opener after goals from Fabián Ruiz, Álvaro Morata and Dani Carvajal, as well as a star performance from the youngest player in Euros history, 16-year-old Lamine Yamal.

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Italy fell behind within 23 seconds against Albania, but quickly recovered for a win thanks to goals from Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolò Barella.

Spain will be looking to win the Euros for a record fourth time, most recently securing the title on back-to-back occasions in 2008 and 2012.

This game will be a rematch of the 2012 final, which saw Spain dominate Italy in a 4-0 victory.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.

Spain vs. Italy (Euro 2024)

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Denmark vs. England: How to watch Euro 2024, TV channel, live stream

The Three Lions look to seal a spot in the knockout stage with a win over the Danes

England will look to lock up a spot in the knockout stage when it faces Denmark in a Euro 2024 match on Thursday.

The Three Lions began the tournament with a 1-0 win over Serbia, as Jude Bellingham’s first-half goal was enough to secure victory. The team’s performance has been criticized by fans and media alike, and Gareth Southgate’s side will look for an improved display against the Danish.

Denmark began its tournament with a 1-1 draw against Slovenia, as Christian Eriksen’s goal provided a true feel-good moment following his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.

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That result left England fully in control atop Group C, sitting two points above Denmark and Slovenia and three points ahead of Serbia after one match.

England and Denmark last met in the semifinal of Euro 2020, as Harry Kane’s extra-time goal sent the Three Lions into the final with a 1-0 win.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.

Denmark vs. England (Euro 2024)

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Landon Donovan had a hilarious explanation for his wild hairstyle at Euro 2024 in text to former teammate

The explanation we all waited for.

Former U.S. men’s national team star and current Fox Sports analyst Landon Donovan had soccer fans utterly confused on Monday when he appeared on the network’s Euro 2024 pregame coverage for France-Austria with a hairstyle that looked like a lost bet.

The USMNT legend was apparently well aware of the internet’s reaction to the haircut, but he also wanted to clear it all up with an explanation.

In a text message exchange shared by former Los Angeles Galaxy teammate Mike Magee, Donovan said he recently had a hair transplant procedure done, which involved harvesting the hair on the back of his head, leaving a noticeable bald spot beyond his sideburns.

I particularly love how Donovan decided to get the procedure just a couple weeks before he was due to be on TV for a month. Elite scheduling.

Donovan was evidently told that it wouldn’t show up on camera, but he couldn’t even make it through the first week of Euro 2024 without Fox’s viewers clearly seeing the hairstyle. Magee had the best reaction to that excuse, asking if former Mexico captain Rafael Márquez told him it wouldn’t be visible on TV.

Well played, Mike.

Donovan also seemed to be a good sport about the internet’s reaction, saying he deserved to be roasted for the look. And, trust me, he absolutely was.

This was how Twitter/X reacted

We now have an explanation for Landon Donovan’s avant-garde haircut

The USMNT legend’s bizarre hairstyle quickly went viral

When Landon Donovan appeared on TV on Monday and turned slightly to the side, every Fox viewer was immediately left with the same question: What on earth is going on with his hair?

The U.S. men’s national team legend, who now serves as the lead match analyst for Fox Sports’ coverage of Euro 2024, had a bizarre gap in the side of his hair. It was as if his barber picked up and left mid-haircut.

This being social media we’re talking about here, the general reaction was bemusement and ridicule, though there was also some genuine concern about Donovan’s wellbeing.

This is, after all, not exactly the kind of look one typically goes for intentionally.

Thankfully for all of us, Mike Magee was on the case.

The former MLS star and Donovan’s longtime teammate with the LA Galaxy texted his former running mate: “LD check Twitter ASAP and prob fire your barber.”

Donovan responded: “Where were you 7 hours ago??? Had a hair transplant procedure two weeks ago and was told it wouldn’t show up on camera.”

Magee later asked Donovan if he would give his blessing to post the text exchange publicly, to which the all-time leading USMNT goalscorer replied magnanimously: “Whatever, I deserve it.”

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Kylian Mbappe got so many hilarious mask ideas after he broke his nose at Euro 2024

Some of these Kylian Mbappe mask ideas are a little on the nose.

The presumed favorite at Euro 2024 is France, a finalist during the last two men’s World Cups. But it might have just encountered a massive obstacle on its road to hopefully win these Euros next month.

According to Fabrizio Romano, superstar Kylian Mbappe broke his nose on a header during the late stages of Les Bleus’ 1-0 win over Austria on Monday.

The good news for France is that early tests don’t seem to have ruled out the best player in these Euros for the country’s remaining Group D games. The bad news is that France still has to determine how it will appropriately manage Mbappe’s injury while ensuring that he can be as dynamic as possible. Because, you know, he’s a human being who has to breathe through his nose while also striking the balance of not letting it get hit again.

Mbappe seems to otherwise be OK, but this is not an insignificant development. At all.

Oh, by the way: Mbappe received a weird yellow card for coming back onto the field without every referee’s approval after his nose injury. If he picks up another yellow card before the quarterfinals (should France reach that stage), he will be suspended for the ensuing game.

That is another potentially fraught situation to monitor over the next week or so.

One of the ways France will apparently try to manage Mbappe’s broken nose is by having him wear a protective mask moving forward. This assertion was implied by Mbappe taking to his Twitter account to jokingly ask for mask ideas, seemingly right after his post-game medical evaluation:

If Mbappe is in such a joyful mood, perhaps France will be totally fine! Nonetheless, his health after his nose injury is something the team will have to be extremely careful with to win its first Euros tournament since 2000.

Soccer fans had so many amusing mask ideas for Kylian Mbappe after he broke his nose

Fans were blown away that Euro 2024 used a contact sensor in the ball for VAR decisions

The NFL really could use that.

The introduction of VAR (video assistant referee) into club and international soccer has been somewhat of a controversial topic for fans over the years. While it’s great to see an emphasis on getting the calls right, VAR remains an imperfect system that impacts games. But there’s no denying that some of the technology is pretty astounding.

We’re seeing that play out early on at Euro 2024.

On Monday, Belgium lost to Slovakia in the biggest Euro upset ever. And that 1-0 loss came courtesy of two disallowed Belgium goals through VAR. One of those reviews was for a potential handball in the lead-up to Romelu Lukaku’s goal. That goal was wiped off because an in-ball sensor detected contact for that handball.

No matter your thoughts on VAR, that’s an undeniable innovation. Instead of relying on a camera angle, the sensor pinpointed that exact moment of contact. It turned a controversial call into a straightforward decision.

Fans were blown away to see that technology in action.

This was how Twitter/X reacted

The NFL really could use that.

These 2 VAR decisions were key in Slovakia pulling off the biggest upset in Euro history

VAR singlehandedly broke Belgium’s heart in the biggest Euro upset ever.

The current iteration of Belgium men’s soccer already wasted its latest golden generation. Monday’s humiliation at the hands of Slovakia in its Euro 2024 opener was an insulting cherry on top.

The Red Devils entered this matchup ranked No. 3 in the world by FIFA. We can dispute the merits of such a questionable ranking at a different time — because it is dubious — but the fact remains that the world’s most powerful governing soccer body still thought that highly of Belgium.

Slovakia, meanwhile, was ranked No. 48 by FIFA. Again, Slovakia’s overall team quality was probably better at face value, but that’s not what some important soccer minds thought.

Yet, for most of the 90 minutes, Slovakia appeared to be the better team.

It took a 1-0 lead seven minutes into the proceedings from an Ivan Schranz goal and never relinquished it. Even with spirited Slovakian defending, it probably helped that VAR detected not one but two Belgian missteps on massive goal opportunities.

The first came early in the second half. Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku — one of the greatest pure goal-scorers ever — had an easy tap-in on the doorstep. The only issue? He was clearly offside upon the immediate VAR review.

Tough break, man:

Later, with Belgium desperately holding onto any whiff of hope, Lois Openda appeared to set Lukaku up with another perfect goal. However, after the fact, VAR determined that Openda touched the ball with his hand before getting control, thanks to a contact sensor.

Sure, it probably didn’t meaningfully change the trajectory of the ball. Still, Openda did technically break the main rule of soccer, and as such, this goal was also disallowed:

That is just rotten luck for Belgium and all supporters of the Red Devils.

By the disparity of the pre-game FIFA World Rankings, it is officially the biggest upset in men’s Euro tournament history. My goodness:

By no means is Belgium done. It still has two very winnable games with Romania and Ukraine. With that said, taking one on the chin against a considerable underdog like Slovakia is the worst possible way for this top contender to begin Euro 2024.

Austria fans amazingly followed Albania’s lead by breaking a baguette to taunt France at Euro 2024

A new trend in soccer: breaking carbs to taunt opposing fans.

You know it’s a sin to break spaghetti before cooking it, right? At least that’s true in Italy, I think, or at least according to what I’ve seen on TikTok.

Anyway, this is pertinent because we’re seeing an emerging trend on social media at Euro 2024: fans breaking carbs to taunt opposing die-hards.

It happened earlier this week when Albanian fans ripped some spaghetti in front of their Italian counterparts, and the reaction was hilarious. Then, Autria’s fans did the same with a baguette in front of some French die-hards.

It’s playful, funny, quirky and kind of perfect. We can’t wait to see pretzels being destroyed next or something.

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Hungary’s big beefy boy striker says he was born this way

The “Hungarian Viking” isn’t making any apologies for his appearance

Hungary striker Martin Ádám didn’t play much in his side’s Euro 2024 opener, but he was on the field long enough to become something of a viral sensation.

Listed at 6-foot-3, 189 pounds, Ádám’s size is immediately noticeable when he steps onto the pitch. Combined with his shaved head and large ginger beard, the 29-year-old quickly became a fan favorite during an 11-minute cameo in Hungary’s 3-1 loss to Switzerland.

The striker, who plays his club soccer in Korea with Ulsan HD, is well aware of his newfound popularity — and he’s not making any apologies for his appearance.

“The posts? Of course one or two get to me, I usually have a laugh about it,” Ádám told a news conference on Sunday.

“I was born this way, I have this body shape. I’m not saying that I was this big when I was born, but I have a basic physique. Genetics — I can’t change that.”

Ádám, who has scored three international goals in 23 caps, will look to boost his popularity even further with a goal on Wednesday against Germany.

That won’t be easy for the striker nicknamed the “Hungarian Viking” — or any of his other teammates for that matter.

Germany was rampant in its Euro 2024 opener, easily defeating Scotland 4-1 in front of its home fans in Munich.

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