The football era of not losing
In light of the Euro 2016 final played at Stade de France in Paris on July 10, when we review the first 13 World Cup finals between 1930 and 1986 we see both finalist teams scored in all of them.
After the 1990s the world changed and the final games of football tournaments also changed. In the most recent seven finals, one of them ended 0-0 and three of them ended 1-0.
There were reciprocal goals in only one of them.
In European championship finals there was a similar picture until 1984.
Except for one final match, there were reciprocal goals in all of them. After 1984 though, in nine final games, both of the finalist teams were able to score in only two of them.
The reason for this similar result in both world and European football tournaments is a common one: In modern times, nobody wants to see the first goal between their posts anymore.
This was also the reason for the nightmare on the night of July 10. Now, nobody cares so much about winning; the entire effort is put towards not losing. This is the football era of not losing…
An unfinished tournament
Of course, it would be inadequate to explain the nightmare with only a 30-year-old “not losing era.”
This summer we were watching the worst-ever football championship in history. It was as if they had made an “unfinished championship” made up of unfinished games.
In the words of Paul Parker, an English former professional footballer, manager and sports television pundit, “The only thing poorer than Portugal is the tournament itself.”
Let us credit the rebellion of the night by Moussa Sissoko. Well, after Kingsley Coman joined the game he attempted to join the rebellion as well but the effort of the duo was inadequate in ruining the night for Rui Patricio, the goalkeeper of the Portugal team.
The Portugal national team, which was even trying to make group games played in overtime, was able to darken the final of the championship until the 110th minute, then was able to create a miracle to take the cup home.
Ronaldo’s contribution
Let us not forget Ronaldo, who determined the fate of the championship. If he had scored that penalty in the Austria game, then they were going to play against England, France and Germany, in this order. I guess Ronaldo made the biggest contribution to his team by not scoring that penalty shot.
The man of the game was Patricio, who has a story to tell his grandchildren by being able to keep the game goalless until the 110th minute.
The breaking point of the game was in the 78th minute when Eder joined the game, and actually the time when this anti-football tournament generated an anti-hero.
