The Euro 2020 games were filled with memorable moments. Emotions ran high for fans across the globe throughout the event. Fans were treated with no shortage of record-setting stats and dramatic twists. Officiating this year was described as “light touch”. Crowds seemed to appreciate the manner in which the referees kept the action moving.
Stirring Events
There were harrowing sights in the championship as well. As Denmark played against Finland Christian Ericksen suddenly collapsed near the sideline while responding to a throw-in. The 29-year-old briefly showed no signs of life. Denmark’s team doctor resuscitated the player swiftly with one defibrillator discharge. Later reports confirmed Ericksen experienced a cardiac arrest.
Onlookers were wrought with emotional reactions during the ordeal. Some expressed disapproval of cameras on the scene. Capturing footage of doctors working to respond to the situation was seen as distasteful or traumatic to some, and a small scandal took root.
Leave requests spiked in the U.K. following England’s matches against Germany and Denmark.
English fans managed to gather 320.000.0 signatures for a petition to make July 12. A bank holiday in Britain if England won the final. After suffering defeat some called for a day of mourning instead. Though no such holiday was announced by leadership, employers were encouraged to be flexible with start times.
Our Top 3 Plays
- Jorginho’s Penalty kick
Jorginho thrilled spectators with a world-class penalty kick in Italy’s match against Spain. The game-winning play qualified Italy for the finals against England.
- Patrik Schick’s goal of the tournament
Playing for the Czech Republic, Patrik Schick scored against Scotland from 45 meters with a spectacular lob.
- Gianluigi’s Dive
Gianluigi Donnarumma’s clutch dive to save against Saka’s penalty kick won Italy the championship in its final match against England.
This year’s games were the highest-scoring ever at an average of 2.78 goals per game. One hundred forty-two points were scored throughout 51 games. Audiences in the U.K. may not have realized that records were being broken off the pitch as well.
Trends observed in 2020 within U.K.’s gambling and sports betting industries suggest that newer and younger fans likely wagered on the Euro 2020 games. Great Britain itself has become a world leader in the legal gambling industries emerging throughout the globe. Companies like NetBet lead the way in igaming through online casinos and sports betting. Meanwhile, Genius Sports, a London-based betting data agency, is now publicly traded in the States.
Speaking of the U.S., the final match drew the most American viewership in history. ESPN’s coverage of the game averaged 6488000.0 viewers during Sunday’s game. The Euro 2020 final was viewed by more people across the pond than the NBA finals.
An Unforgettable Year
We will not soon forget the ups and downs that came with The Euro 2020. National conversations became heated as fans expressed disappointment with the results of English Penalty kicks. A brush with tragedy shocked the stands and those watching from home. Tensions even flared between fans and teams as some chose not to remain silent during the playing of national anthems.
As the adage goes, Football is a contact sport. In this arena, the world comes together for the good and the bad. Stories from this summer’s games will be retold often in the coming years. We won’t forget Euro 2020 any time soon. The history books will remember too.
