JEllis – Soccer Ball World https://soccerballworld.com Soccer news, history and stats Tue, 29 Apr 2025 19:08:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://soccerballworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/cropped-soccer-bal-fav-icon-32x32.jpg JEllis – Soccer Ball World https://soccerballworld.com 32 32 Ralf Rangnick Backed To Become Permanent Manchester United Boss With Champions League Win https://soccerballworld.com/ralf-rangnick-backed-by-louis-saha/ Fri, 04 Mar 2022 12:06:08 +0000 https://soccerballworld.com/?p=2251 Ralf Rangnick can become the permanent manager of Manchester United by winning the Champions League this season, according to ex-player Louis Saha.

The Red Devils have struggled for form under their new boss, but Saha says Rangnick can turn things around by going on a winning run in the European Cup, the only trophy United are still competing in.

“It’s not definitely the case that Rangnick won’t be there in charge of United in the summer,” said Saha via The Mirror.

“If Ralf wins the Champions League, he will remain there as manager

“There is concern around him, yes, as he started really well and people thought about him staying, and now United are not playing so well.

“But it’s all about results for Rangnick. United can win the Champions League this season.

We like the optimism Saha has but certainly wouldn’t bet on United to make it to the latter stages of this seasons Champions League, as the competition is just too great. Instead, we’ll be checking out online cricket tips and placing our money on much safer bets.

Saha is drawing inspiration from Chelsea’s success in the competition last season, after they started the season poorly before switching managers and being crowned the best team in Europe.

“Chelsea won it, they weren’t brilliant in the first half of last year and they won it. I don’t think their squad was so strong and they won it.

“They finally found a foundation that was difficult to beat. They weren’t brilliant going forward, but they still managed to win the Champions League.”

“It depends on the draw for United as well, of course, because you can be challenged by that,” said Saha.

“But it’s a competition where you need to be good on the day and have some special players that are able to impress on the day, which they have.

The retired French international says no matter what, United must finish in the top four this season. It’s the minimum requirement of the club who are used to competing for trophies.

“If they don’t finish in the top four, it will be a massive blow,” said Saha.

“We’re talking like finishing in the top four is winning the title. I’m sorry, but this club should be winning games and aiming to win the title, not to be in the top four. That’s not normal.

“Finishing in the top four is an indication of things moving forward, but that’s not enough.”

Rangnick’s men will continue their hunt for a top-four finish when they travel to Manchester City this weekend. The Manchester Derby will be followed by another difficult game against Tottenham Hotspur.

United remain alive in the UCL after picking up a 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their last 16 tie. They’ll have home advantage at Old Trafford in the decisive return leg on March 15.

Do you agree with Louis Saha? Will winning the Champions League be enough to secure Ralf Rangnick the Manchester United job on a permanent basis?

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The Three Greatest Japanese Players In Premier League History https://soccerballworld.com/best-japanese-players-epl-history/ Tue, 22 Feb 2022 16:08:50 +0000 https://soccerballworld.com/?p=2218 The beauty of the English Premier League is that players from all over the world travel to the home of football to ply their trade in front of some of the passionate fans in all of sport.

Since the EPL was founded in 1992 countless foreign exports have made a huge splash in the league and helped it become the strongest in world football.

During this time Japan has hosted a World Cup and saw a fair few of its players prosper on the biggest stage.

Join LowKickMMA in association with ttps://top10casinosguide.com as we highlight the three very best Japanese players to ever grace the Premier League.

#3 Maya Yoshida

Maya Yoshida is a 33-year-old center-back who currently plays in Serie A for Sampdoria, but he is best known for his long stay at EPL side Southampton.

The Nagasaki-born defender started his career in Asia before earning a move to the Dutch side VVV-Venlo in 2009. After a three-year stay in Holland, Yoshida was snapped up by newly promoted Southampton for a deal believed to be worth £3 million.

Yoshida became a fixture in the Saints side during his eight-year stay in England. During his time in the world’s best league, Yoshida made 154 appearances and scored six goals.

Despite moving on from the EPL, Yoshida continues to play at a high level in Italy and is the current captain of Japan’s national team, for who he has played for 115 times throughout his impressive career which continues into 2022年版おすすめオンラインカジノガイド

#2 Shinji Okazaki

Shinji Okazaki is a 35-year-old forward who is currently playing for Cartagena in the Spanish second division but is best known for winning the Premier League with Leicester during his time in England.

Okazaki built his career in Japan from 2005-2010 before earning a move to Europe with Stuggart in Germany.

After a two-year stay, he moved to Mainz, who at the time was coached by Thomas Tuchel.

By 2015 the Takarazuka native was ready to mix it with the best players in the world in the Premier League with Leicester City. However, not even the most optimistic Leicester fan would’ve suspected that during his time at the club Okazaki would become a Premier League winner with the previously relegation-threatened side.

Okazaki finished his four-year stay in England with 114 appearances, 14 goals, and a Premier League winners medal to his name. Since leaving the UK in 2019, Okazaki has been plying his trade in Spain at a few different clubs.

The striker is something of a Japanese legend having made 119 caps for his national side while scoring 50 goals, a stat that makes him the third-highest goal scorer in the history of Japan.

#1 Shinji Kagawa

Shinji Kagawa

Shinji Kagawa is perhaps the most well-known Japanese footballer and that’s for a good reason. In terms of talent, he is far and away the best player to ever come out of the region and his trophy cabinet proves that.

The midfielder earned himself a big reputation playing in Japan at the start of his career, scoring 55 goals during his four-year stay at Cerezo Osaka.

Kagawa got himself a move to German footballing giant Borussia Dortmund who under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp was becoming one of the greatest teams in the sport and Kagawa only added to that success.

During his time in Germany Kagawa scored 21 goals to help Dortmund win back-to-back Bundesliga titles.

The Japanese standout was so impressive that one of the biggest sides in England, Manchester United, soon came calling with a £12 million bid that saw him move to the Premier League.

Kagawa never really got going during his three-year stay in the EPL and only made 38 appearances for United before moving back to Dortmund. However, he did manage to win the EPL and Community Shield with the ‘Red Devils’

Upon his return to Germany, Kagawa rediscovered his form and scored 99 goals during the next five years with Dortmund. Since 2019, Kagawa has been club-hopping, spending time with Besiktas, Real Zaragoza, PAOK and Sint-Truidense.

Who do you think is the best Japanese player to ever grace the English Premier League?

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Who’ll Win The FA Cup In 2022? https://soccerballworld.com/who-will-win-fa-cup-2022/ Tue, 08 Feb 2022 12:31:28 +0000 https://soccerballworld.com/?p=2198 We are now getting to the business end of this season’s FA Cup. Last year Leicester sprung an upset to win the most famous trophy in English football but they have already failed in their bid to defend it.

The round of 16 is now upon us and we have a clear favorite for the trophy as well as some notable contenders. Join us as we preview the final stages of the FA Cup and predict who’ll win the trophy.

Manchester City 2/1

Of course, Manchester City are favourites to win the FA Cup. Pep Guardiola’s side are by some way the best team in the world right now and have consistently done well won domestic trophies under his leadership. ‘The Citizens’ are set for a trip to Championship side Peterborough in the fifth round and although you can never underestimate the magic of the FA Cup, you’d imagine they will be in the hat for the quarter-final draw. Ultimately though, we think City have bigger fish to fry this season. The blue side of Manchester are desperate to claim a first Champions League trophy and also retain the Premier League. The FA Cup is way down their list of priorities and we think this could cause them to fail to live up to their favourites tag.

Liverpool 4/1

Liverpool have somewhat disrespected the English cup competitions under Jurgen Klopp, but they seem to be going all out for them this season. ‘The Reds’ have already booked their place in the League Cup final and appear to be making a genuine play for the FA Cup. Liverpool will host Norwich in the fifth round, a tie that you’d expect them to comfortably make it through. Although the Premier League title race is not over it seems unlikely that they will be able to make up the ground on City. If that’s the case, then the FA Cup represents the next best option in terms of domestic silverware. The Liverpool fans are also desperate to win the trophy for the first time since 2006. That’s why we are betting on Liverpool to win the FA Cup in 2022.

Chelsea 5/1

Chelsea will be hoping to go one better than last year by winning the FA Cup. Thomas Tuchel’s men fell to Leicester in the final last year but fortunately, their disappointment didn’t last long as they won the Champions League just a few days later. A fifth-round tie against Luton Town would look more appealing if Chelsea hadn’t just scraped through their fourth-round match against Plymouth Argyle. ‘The Blues’ don’t appear to be in great form at all and while you’d expect they’ll make the quarter-finals it seems unlikely that they will actually lift the FA Cup this year.

Tottenham Hotspur 7/1 & Everton 10/1

Away from the main contenders, we have Tottenham and Everton who are hoping to end their respective trophy droughts. Spurs face a tricky away trip to Middlesbrough but it’s a fifth-round tie they should come through if they play to their best abilities. With all due respect to Borehamwood. Everton have a free pass to the quarter-finals. Frank Lampard’s side looked great as they got by Brentford to secure a tie against the National League side and although he’s new to the job he could find himself in trouble if he fails to get by Borehamwood. While neither of these sides are really fancied to win the trophy don’t be surprised to see one or both of them in the latter stages of the competition.

Who do you think will win the FA Cup this year?

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4 Must Watch EPL Games During The Festive Period https://soccerballworld.com/4-must-watch-epl-games-during-the-festive-period/ Tue, 14 Dec 2021 16:49:05 +0000 https://soccerballworld.com/?p=1886 It may be a tough period for the players and managers, but English football fans love Christmas time. Not only do they get some time off of work and the chance to see family, the Premier League (EPL) also runs a hectic schedule that sees most teams play several times in a short period. Join us as we picked out four of the very best football matches on offer to you during the festive period.

Liverpool vs. Leeds (December 26)

On Boxing Day, the first game you’ll be able to watch is at Anfield where Liverpool will host Leeds United.

The game will kick off at 12:30 pm and will surely have a major impact on the ongoing three-horse title race.

For those with short memories, this fixture last season was one of the best games of football you can ever hope to witness. The Reds ultimately emerged with the three points but were made to work by the newly promoted side who scored three times but shipped four.

Liverpool have continued their prolific efforts in front on goal this season and currently have more goals than any other team in the league. Leeds appear to be suffering from the second-season syndrome. After such an impressive season last year, they are now floating around the relegation zone and could do with taking all three points, although that will be tough against Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Aston Villa vs. Chelsea (December 26)

The teatime kick-off on boxing day will see Aston Villa host Chelsea.

Since changing their manager earlier this season The Villans have looked much stronger. In his first five games as Villa boss, Steven Gerrard has picked up three wins. The Liverpool legend can be forgiven for falling to defeats at Anfield to his boyhood club and at Villa Park to Premier League champions Manchester City. Villa pushed both sides really close and will be confident of going one better against Chelsea.

Thomas Tuchel’s side had been the EPL’s frontrunner for a while but in the last few games, they seem to have veered off track. A loss to West Ham took them off of the top spot but they have continued to pick up points and wins since then, even if it has been in an unconvincing manner.

This game could be a significant one as Villa are very much capable of springing the upset that Chelsea will be desperate to avoid as they try to keep pace with City and Liverpool.

Everton vs. Newcastle (December 30)

Newcastle FC

A few days later we have a pivotal clash between two sides who have really struggled this season. The match is made more intriguing by the precarious position Everton manager Rafa Benitez finds himself in. A bad result against his former club Newcastle could well seal his fate.

After enjoying a blistering start to the Premier League season, The Toffees have desperately struggled for form. The crowd has unsurprisingly turned on the Liverpool legend who they never wanted at the club in the first place and Goodison Park is becoming more hostile towards him and the players with each passing week.

Luckily for them, on December 30 they’ll be facing what appears to be the worst team in the league. Despite the optimism surrounding their recent takeover, Newcastle has a very poor squad and Eddie Howe is struggling to put points on the board. They’ll undoubtedly dip into the transfer market in January but will be desperate to get a win in this one to kickstart their 2022 before it even begins.

Chelsea vs. Liverpool (January 2)

Two sides we’ve already mentioned will face off on January 2 in a game that will surely have a say about who will be the EPL winner come to the end of the season.

Right now, just one point separates these two sides who you’d expect to win all their games until they come up against each other in a couple of weeks’ time.

In terms of the 2021 Christmas fixture list, this is the glamour tie. The European champions against perhaps the best Liverpool side of all time.

This is simply a game that any self-respecting football fan will not miss.

What English Premier League games are you looking forward to watching over the festive period?

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Champions League Matchday Two Betting Preview https://soccerballworld.com/champions-league-matchday-two-betting-preview/ Sun, 26 Sep 2021 19:35:51 +0000 https://soccerballworld.com/?p=1808 Champions League

The biggest club competition in football is back in full swing and we have plenty of mammoth match-ups ahead of us this week. Join Soccerballworld.com as we preview, predict, and provide you with a champions league betting guide that will hopefully win us all some money.

Manchester City vs. PSG

The glamour tie of the 2021/22 Champions League group stage sees mega-rich Manchester City square off against PSG. Pep Guardiola’s side got off to a great start when they emerged victorious from a nine-goal thriller with RB Leipzig. PSG struggled on the road when they traveled to Belgium to face Club Brugge earlier this month. The game finished 1-1 and the French side was forced to head home with just on point for their efforts.

Surprisingly, despite playing at home PSG are 2/1 underdogs against City who are priced at 13/10. Meanwhile, a draw is found at odds of 5/2.

We just think there’s so much value in PSG. They’ve enjoyed a pretty perfect start to the season and City have looked good without looking so great that should be big favourites heading into an away game against one of the best teams in Europe.

AC Milan vs. Atletico Madrid

Another great tie from the action-packed Group B sees two of Europe’s biggest clubs square off at the world-famous San Siro. AC Milan did well to push six-time UCL winners Liverpool all the way at Anfield in game week one. Unfortunately, they came away from England without a point despite scoring twice. Atlético Madrid drew a blank when they hosted Porto at the Metropolitano Stadium two weeks ago.

Despite that Atlético are considered slight 29/20 favourites over Milan who you can find priced at 19/10. The draw is priced at 11/5 and probably your safest bet on this game between two well-matched teams.

Juventus vs. Chelsea

Another huge game so early into the competition sees Italian giants, Juventus, square off against the team who won the trophy last season, Chelsea.

Both teams currently sit on three points and appear to be strong favourites to qualify from Group H. Juve eased through what could’ve been a tricky trip to Malmo scoring on three occasions without reply. Thomas Tuchel’s men began their defence of the UCL with a scrappy 1-0 win against Zenit St Petersburg.

Despite playing at home Juventus are huge underdogs at 3/1. They haven’t started the season well at all and currently sit in ninth place in Serie A. Chelsea on the other hand are in fine form and totally deserve to be the 19/20 favourites in this game – we’ll certainly be betting on them to emerge victorious in game week two.

Manchester United vs. Villareal

Manchester United will have the opportunity to avenge their Europa League final defeat against Villareal just months after it took place.

The Spanish side scored a monumental upset to beat United and claim the trophy on penalties at the end of last season. When the two teams were thrown together in Group F it immediately became one of the most anticipated ties of the early stages of the tournament.

In game week one Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men suffered another huge upset when they lost to Young Boys. Villareal were forced to settle for a point after a four-goal draw with Atalanta.

Despite looking shaky in the past few weeks Man Utd are big 4/9 favourites heading into this match. Villareal are huge underdogs at 5/1. We’re expecting another tight game that will ultimately end in a draw and will be betting on it to do so at odds of 15/4.

Which Champions League games will you be betting on?

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Premier League Top Goal Scorer Odds: Who’ll Win The Golden Boot? https://soccerballworld.com/premier-league-top-goal-scorer-odds-wholl-win-the-golden-boot/ Thu, 16 Sep 2021 20:28:48 +0000 https://soccerballworld.com/?p=1802 The race for the Premier League is well and truly on.

Chelsea, Man City, Man United, Liverpool and Everton have all started strongly. Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s men currently top the table after four games but only by goal difference as three other teams also have 10 points on the board at this very early stage of the season.

Most players won’t admit it but individual accolades are just as important as winning as a team. That’s why each and every year several players battle it out to be named the Premier League’s Top Scorer.

Tottenham’s Harry Kane topped the goalscoring charts last season after bagging on 23 occasions. After just a few games it seems like the England international already has his work cut out if he hopes to retain the EPL Golden Boot.

Join us as we highlight some of the favourites to top the charts and hopefully pick this season’s big winner. If you looking for something that will bring a nice return before the end of the season be sure to check out the european casinos that accept uk players.

Romelu Lukaku 11/4

Chelsea fans rejoiced while the rest of the Premier League sighed when it was officially announced Romelu Lukaku was set to rejoin the London club where he made his name. The Belgian striker is currently the favourite to walk away with the EPL Golden Boot in May. Lukaku has started this season in prolific goalscoring form. The 29-year-old has bagged three times in three matches and is only kept off the top spot by West Ham’s Michail Anthonio who has scored four times but surely can’t keep this type of form up for the entire season.

Cristiano Ronaldo 11/4

CR7 followed the lead of Lukaku by returning to the English club that made him famous. Cristiano Ronaldo bossed Serie A last season scoring 29 goals in a pretty poor Juventus team. The 36-year-old may not have played in the Premier League for more than a decade, but he didn’t miss a beat when returning for his second Manchester United debut last weekend. Ronaldo bagged two goals in one game and established himself as a true contender for the Golden Boot.


Mohamed Salah 6/1

Mohamed Salah

For some weird reason, the bookmakers have Mohamed Salah at massive odds of 6/1 to top the goal-scoring charts in the 2021/22 season. ‘The Egyptian King’ finished just one goal behind Harry Kane last season and has been consistently at the top of the charts since joining Liverpool in 2017. Salah has been in great form at the start of the season and bagged his 100th goal in English football this past weekend. He already has three Premier League goals this season and will surely be in the running for the Golden Boot come May. We’ll be putting our money on him to win the whole thing.

Harry Kane 10/1

Last season’s winner is at massive odds of 10/1. Harry Kane is proven to be one of the most prolific goal scorers in world football. The England captain wanted to leave Tottenham in the summer but has been forced to stay at the North London club for at least six more months. The 28-year-old is yet to score in three Premier League games, but don’t count him out. Kane is more than capable of catching his rivals in the coming months.

Who do you think will win the Premier League 2021/22 Golden Boot?

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Premier League 2021/22 – Betting Preview https://soccerballworld.com/premier-league-2021-22-betting-preview/ Tue, 27 Jul 2021 21:30:01 +0000 https://soccerballworld.com/?p=1665 The English Premier League returns for another season on August 13.

After a tough year for football, it’ll be good to hopefully have fans back inside the stadium when Brentford and Arsenal kick off the new campaign.

Manchester City wrestled back the top trophy in English football with relative ease from an injury-plagued Liverpool side who ultimately did well to finish inside the Champions League places after a dismal campaign in 2020/21.

Ahead of the 2021/22 season, we are taking a looking at the top four favourites to win the Premier League. Join us as we preview and predict the upcoming campaign. If you’re going to be betting on football this season be sure to check out Bet365 for the best odds.

Manchester City (-163)

Manchester City Players Celebrating
Getty

Pep Guardiola’s side is really fancied by the bookmakers heading into the new Premier League season. It’s hard to argue against Manchester City winning another English title after they made it look so easy last time out. After 38 games, ‘The Citizens’ had established a 12-point gap at the top of the table while also maintaining an impressive UCL run that saw them make it to their first-ever European final. It promises to be another busy summer for the oil-rich club who are rumoured to be lining up Harry Kane to replace Sergio Aguero who left as a free agent this summer and has since signed for Barcelona. Whatever happens, it seems highly likely Man City will be involved in the title race come May and fairly likely they’ll win the league once again.

Chelsea (+500)                   

Thomas Tuchel’s men might’ve beat Manchester City in the Champions League final but the oddsmakers don’t really fancy their chances of matching the English champions over 38 games. Chelsea are the joint-second favourites to win the league but can be found at pretty big odds of +500. A squad littered with young talent and immense ability they may just be worth putting some money on this season.

Liverpool (+500)

Things can’t really go any worse for Liverpool in 2021/22. The Reds endured a torrid campaign that saw them compete without any recognized centre-backs for the majority of the season. The talismanic Virgil Van Dijk appears close to full recovery now as does Joel Matip and Joe Gomez. The signing of Ibrahima Konate has bolstered their defensive options further. Jurgen Klopp’s men rallied at the end of last season to salvage a third-place finish. They head into the new season as the team that finished the last campaign in the best form. Can they keep it going? You definitely cannot write this side off.

Manchester United (+800)

Manchester United pushed their neighbors closest but in reality, they were simply the best of a bad chasing pack who were nowhere near the eventual winners. ‘The Red Devils’ have been the busiest Premier League side in this transfer window and have bolstered their squad with the signings of Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane (subject to medical). It doesn’t look like they will be stopping the shopping spree anytime soon. A forward still appears to be a necessity in order for them to truly compete at the top of the table. While Paul Pogba’s future at Old Trafford seems to be uncertain, to say the least. The oddsmakers are probably right to count them out of the immediate title race as it may take Ole Gunnar Solskjaer another year or two to get this side in true fight shape.

Prediction

Ultimately, it’s hard to look past Manchester City. The odds are short, but they are a reflection of just how truly dominant they were last year. Pep Guardiola’s men are certainly the safest bet although you may have to bet big to see any type of worthwhile return.

We expect Liverpool to run them close. The Reds on their day are unplayable and very capable of matching this City team win for win.

Unfortunately, Klopp doesn’t have the same resources or squad depth at his disposal so will need a bit of luck with injuries in order to be a true competitor this season.

Who do you think will win the 2021/22 Premier League?

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England vs. Germany Preview – EURO 2020’s Last 16 Glamour Tie https://soccerballworld.com/england-vs-germany-preview-euro-2020s-last-16-glamour-tie/ Sat, 26 Jun 2021 12:25:05 +0000 https://soccerballworld.com/?p=1642 The biggest match of the EURO 2020 round of 16 will take place at Wembley Stadium in London on Tuesday evening. England will have home advantage as they take on their old enemy Germany for a place in the quarter finals.

England and Germany haven’t squared off in a competitive setting since the 2010 World Cup. The Germans ran out 4-1 winners, but the game was marred by a disallowed Frank Lampard goal that was chalked off despite the ball clearly crossing the line. This moment acted as a catalyst for the introduction of technology that we see in today’s game.

Since then, the two sides have played each other three times in what was supposed to be a friendly match but that’s never the case with these old rivals. Both teams have picked up one win, one draw and one defeat from the games. Do you have a strong pick for who’ll win this tiebreaker? If so head to www.gg.bet/en/betting to back your team and hopefully win some money.

Gareth Southgate

At EURO 2020, England have looked solid as they easily topped Group D but have failed to impress for the most part. Gareth Southgate’s side has picked up two wins, but each came by a single goal. They also failed to beat the low-ranked Scotland side whose only point of the tournament came against a team who is considered among the favourites to win the whole thing. Harry Kane appears to be out of sorts and the English fans are bemoaning their managers’ negative style of play.

Germany just about scraped the Group F which has become known as the Group of Death due to the fact they shared it with World Cup winners France and Portugal who are the current holders of the European Championship. Make no mistake this is not the best German side you’re ever going to see but they are still capable of grinding results out. They suffered a one-goal defeat to France before outscoring Portugal in goal bonanza of a game that finished 4-2 in their favour. It all rested on the final match against a plucky Hungary side buoyed by the fact they got the chance to play all of their games in front of a packed home stadium. Hungary twice took the lead but ultimately couldn’t hang on for the win with Germany secure a 2-2 draw and a second-place finish in the toughest of groups. Unlike their opponents on Tuesday, Germany have been free-flowing in front of goal scoring six times. They haven’t suffered at all from Timo Werner’s lack of goals with several other players stepping up to the plate including his Chelsea teammate, Kai Havertz who is the German top scorer with two goals at EURO 2020.

This game will be exciting no matter what happens. A newly conservative England side are set to battle it out with the free-scoring Germans. Who’ll emerge victorious? I guess only time will tell.

Who do you think will win on Tuesday? England or Germany?


 

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Euro 2020 Round Of 16: The Full Line-Up https://soccerballworld.com/euro-2020-round-of-16-the-full-line-up/ Thu, 24 Jun 2021 11:26:08 +0000 https://soccerballworld.com/?p=1639 The Euro 2020 group stage is over! After lots of thrills and spills the final 16 teams have been decided and they’ll all square off over the course of the next week. Here’s your full list of knockout fixtures for Euro 2020. 

WALES VS. DENMARK

Despite dropping to defeat in their opening game Wales finished second in Group A with four points from their remaining two matches. The Welsh side have looked full of fighting spirit as they did through their impressive 2018 World Cup run. Denmark failed to impress in their opening two games and seemed to be heading home before a 4-1 win over Russia turned things around. Despite picking up just three points they managed to finished second in Group B. They’ve now got the tough task of overcoming Gareth Bale and co at the Amsterdam Arena on Saturday.

ITALY VS. AUSTRIA 

Robert Mancini’s men have gone from an unfancied to many peoples pick to win the entire tournament after a perfect start to Euro 2020. Italy eased through Group A picking up three wins, scoring on seven occasions and not conceding at all. Austria appear to have their work cut out. Despite picking up six points and finishing second in Group C, they haven’t shown any sign of being able to derail Italian hype train. They’ll travel to London, England to try to do just that on Saturday evening. 

NETHERLANDS VS. CZECH REPUBLIC 

The Netherlands are another team who topped their group by winning all three games. Frank De Boers men eased through Group C scoring eight times and conceding just two goals. They’ll face what should be their toughest game of the tournament at the Puskás Stadium, Budapest, Hungary on Sunday. The Czech Republic finished third in Group D but gave World Cup finalists all they could handle in 1-1 draw. They also pushed England all the way in defeat while picking up three points against Scotland.

BELGIUM VS. PORTUGAL 

The first glamour tie of the Euro 2020 round of 16 will take place on Sunday evening. Belgium and Portugal are two of the got favourites to win the tournament, but someone must go home early. Belgium flawlessly emerged from the relatively straight forward Group B. Roberto Martinez’s men beat Denmark, Finland and Russia, scoring seven goals in the process and conceding just once. Portugal just about managed to emerge from what has been dubbed the Group of Death. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored five goals as Portugal picked up four points to qualify in third. They’ll be hoping he adds to his tally when Portugal meet Belgium at the Estadio La Cartuja, in Spain on Sunday. 

CROATIA VS. SPAIN 

Two really strong sides who have so far failed to live up to expectations at Euro 2020. Croatia laboured through Group D, falling to defeat against England and drawing against the Czech Republic. Ultimately that draw and a win over Scotland was enough to see them qualify in second. Spain may be unbeaten, but they have looked pretty poor. Despite being the hot favourite to top Group E they only managed to pick up five points and finish second. Perhaps they’ll finally hit form when they square off against Croatia at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark on Monday.

FRANCE VS. SWITZERLAND 

France began the tournament as favourites and it’s hard to look past them despite the fact they have only picked up five points from Group F. Two tough draws against a pretty brilliant Portugal team and the plucky Hungary side who can count themselves unlucky to be heading home. Although the points haul wasn’t impressive, France have managed to top the Group of Death and that cannot be overlooked. They seem to have the relatively straightforward task of getting by Switzerland who laboured through Group A, finishing in third place. They have a distinct lack of goal threat and like to play football which could see them come unstuck against the World Champions at the National Arena in Bucharest, Romania on Monday night. 

ENGLAND VS. GERMANY 

The biggest tie of the round will see old enemies England and Germany square off. Gareth Southgate’s men can count themselves unlucky to have topped their group and still find themselves running into the always dangerous German national side. On the plus side, they will have home advantage as the game will take place at Wembley Stadium in London on Tuesday evening. Germany will just be thankful to be through to the knockout stages after salvaging a late draw against Hungary in their final group game to secure a second-place finish. Picking a player to score in such a good isn’t easy with the plethora of talent on the pitch and this tie promises to deliver fireworks

SWEDEN VS. UKRAINE

Sweden have done tremendously well to top Group E which also featured Spain, Slovakia and Poland. They managed to pick up seven points from three games and appear to be the dark horses of Euro 2020. Their reward for such impressive performances is a much simpler tie against Ukraine who can count themselves lucky to be into the knockout round after only picking up three points and finishing third in Group C.

Which Euro 2020 knockout tie are you most looking forward to?

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Four Teenagers Who Could Star At Euro 2020 https://soccerballworld.com/four-teenagers-who-could-star-at-euro-2020/ Fri, 04 Jun 2021 12:48:22 +0000 https://soccerballworld.com/?p=1615 Ahead of the upcoming Euro 2020 tournament, we take a look at four of the brightest teenage talents that could make a serious impact for their respective national teams. The problem with young footballers is anticipating their performance levels is about as predictable as a spin on a crazy vegas roulette or any game on usa online casinos. In this list, we believe we’ve selected four young players who will deliver if given the chance at this upcoming tournament.

Jude Bellingham | England

Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham is the youngest player to make our list of teenagers who have the potential to enjoy a brilliant run at the upcoming European Championships. In 2020, the 17-year-old relocated to Germany after completing a surprise transfer to Borussia Dortmund. Despite his young age, Bellingham has featured heavily for Edin Terzić’s side, making 46 appearances throughout the 2020/21 campaign. After just three England caps he’s now in the squad for Euro 2020 and could actually get some game time in what isn’t the most stacked England midfield. If he does, expect Bellingham to light up the tournament as he has been doing in the Bundesliga all season.

Jamal Musiala | Germany

Jamal Musiala was at the centre of a tug of war between Germany and England who both wanted the young prospect to align with them ahead of Euro 2020. The 18-year-old played for both nations throughout his youth career but ultimately opted to pursue an international career with Germany. Despite his young age, Musiala has managed to break into a strong Bayern Munich team. The attacking midfielder made 37 during the last campaign, impressively scoring seven times including a goal against Lazio that made Musiala Bayern’s youngest goal scorer in Champions League history. Musiala will be hoping to add to a terrific season by adding to his two Germany caps at Euro 2020. It remains to be seen if he’ll be able to work his way into Joachim Low’s side.

Pedri Gonzalez | Spain

Pedro Gonzales who is better known as Pedri played 37 of 38 La Liga games for Barcelona this season at just 18-years-old. The central midfielder scored four times and assisted his teammates on six occasions throughout the campaign. Pedri was a shining light in what was otherwise a disappointing season for Ronald Koeman’s side who only walked away with on trophy for their efforts. Unfortunately for Pedri he has the tough job of breaking into one of the strongest midfields in world football. Thiago Alcántara, Sergio Busquets, Rodri, Koke, and Fabian Ruiz are all vying for a place in the Spanish midfield along with Pedri. Usually, if someone is good enough for Barcelona, they are good enough for the Spain team. Pedri will no doubt do a good job for his country, it’s just if he’ll be given the chance ahead of his more experienced teammates at Euro 2020

Ryan Gravenberch | Netherlands

The 19-year-old has enjoyed a breakout season at Ajax. After making 10 Eredivisie in the previous two seasons, Ryan Gravenberch made 32 this time around and 47 in all competitions. Gravenberch contributed effectively from the Ajax midfield to score five goals. So far in his Netherland career, Gravenberch has been utilized as an impact player, often coming off the bench for his national side. He’s very capable of impressing from this position and one good cameo could cement his permanent place in the Dutch midfield.

Which of these four teenagers do you think will have the biggest impact at Euro 2020?

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