Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne labelled Euro 2020 a ‘fake competition’ and claimed the draw format is a sign of football becoming more of a business than a sport.
Roberto Martinez’s Red Devils signed off from Group I as Kevin De Bruyne and Christian Benteke both scored twice, albeit only after Cyprus had improbably led through Nikolas Ioannou.
The Belgian response was swift, Benteke and Yannick Carrasco scoring as De Bruyne bagged a brace before the break.
An own goal and Benteke’s second following the restart saw the World Cup semifinalist end qualifying on a remarkable total of 40 goals, more than any other side in Europe.
The complex system imagined by UEFA for this first Euro organized in twelve countries already provides a glimpse of the composition of the hens – except for the disruption of hats by the European body. A situation, unprecedented, which makes cringe.
Since each group is organized in two predetermined cities, host countries are already assigned, provided they have qualified. This is the case of group B which will host Denmark, Russia and also Belgium – because the other seed who does not play home games, Ukraine, can not face Russia for diplomatic reasons and security.
Ukraine is sure to challenge the Netherlands in Pool C, between Amsterdam and Bucharest. Belgium already knows two of his three future opponents is “very regrettable,” said striker Kevin De Bruyne. “Football is no longer really football, it ends up becoming a business, it’s a kind of falsification of the competition,” he told Flemish TV VTM.
30/30 💪🏼🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/Oa9HZ0DxHH
— Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) November 20, 2019
Everyone at the table
While the Netherlands missed the festivities in 2016, the major European nations all managed to qualify for the finals (12 June-12 July), with some making a strong impression.
Belgium and Italy have, in particular, shone by winning their ten matches. If the Red Devils of Eden Hazard were expected at such a party, Italy surprised under the leadership of his coach Roberto Mancini, who revitalized a moribund team, absent from the last World.
His counterpart Ronald Koeman performed the same feat with the “Oranje”, who are again scared between the talent of their young talents(De Jong, De Ligt) and the fulfillment of the experineced (Van Dijk, Depay).
Harry Kane, top scorer in the playoffs (12 goals), will be at the rendezvous to hope to take England to his first European title, while the final will be held in London at the Wembley stadium.
Germany, Spain, France world champion and Portugal title holder have also shown their strength, but all the teams will not be housed in the same sign for the draw.
