F is for… finally, Euro 2020 is here! Now brush up on the remainder of your A-B-Cs with FFT’s alphabetical guide to this summer’s showpiece event
A - Azerbaijan
They've held a Europa League final but now Azerbaijan host their first-ever tournament football, with capital city Baku at 50% capacity for a selection of matches. The Welsh squad are based out in the country, too.
B - Bridges
Constantly noticing these while swotting up? That’s because they’re a key feature on the tournament’s logo. Each of the grateful host cities has a local bridge incorporated into its badge design, with London’s Tower Bridge, the Széchenyi Chain in Budapest and Amsterdam’s Magere Brug all featuring. Geography lesson over.
C - Aleksander Ceferin
UEFA’s president is the Slovenian lawyer in charge of his first major international tournament (the poor bloke). He’s been at the wheel of European football’s governing body since 2016 following the departure of Michel Platini on allegations of corruption. Always a tough act to follow...
D - Debutants
Finland and North Macedonia embark on their first major tournaments this summer. The former will be relying on Norwich hitman Teemu Pukki for goals, after he notched 10 in 10 qualifying matches; North Macedonia, meanwhile, are the smallest nation in the competition with a population of just over two million – or about a quarter of London.
E - Eder
Portugal’s match winner from the Euro 2016 Final has only started three times for the Selecao in five years since his heroics against France, and hasn’t made it off the bench since November 2018. The 33-year-old former Swansea striker only has five goals for Portugal… but certainly made one of them count.
F - Failure
No team has played more often at the European Championship without reaching the final than England, whose 31 matches have counted for zero appearances. But there’s a first time for everything, eh? Guys?
G - DJ Martin Garrix
The official song – as ever, the hotly anticipated/excruciating item (delete as applicable) of anticipation for any major tournament – comes from Dutch disc-spinner Garrix. The EDM icon, a three-time DJ of the year winner by the age of 22, can current boast over 24 million monthly listeners on Spotify. He’s no Robbie Williams, though, is he?
H - Henri Delaunay Cup
As ever, the trophy – to proffer its official title – will be awarded to the victorious nation. The former ref was also a UEFA official who originally came up with the idea of a European tournament to complement the World Cup. Well done that man.
I - Italian penalties
The Azzurri have suffered through more agonising penalty shootouts than any country in Euros history (five), losing three of them (though of course, not in 2012 against England). No nation can match their total haul of nine missed spot-kicks, four of which came in one epic showdown against Germany in 2016 (thanks, Simone Zaza). Mamma mia!
J - July 11
Don’t make any plans (as if you were going to from mid-June) – this is when the Euro 2020 Final will take place in London. The last time England’s capital hosted the event, Germany’s Oliver Bierhoff scored the first golden goal in senior international football history, crushing Czech dreams at Euro 96.
K - Harry Kane
The England striker failed to score at Euro 2016 after a bizarre tournament taking corners (badly), but heads into this summer after another lethal season for Spurs. Six goals at this tournament would make him England’s record scorer at major tournaments (Gary Lineker is the current holder with 10).
L - Joachim Low
This is the departing Germany boss’ seventh and final major tournament in charge of Die Mannschaft, after 14 years – he’s already got the European Championship record for games managed (17). Whatever happens this summer, it’ll be a fond auf wiedersehen to him and his leather trousers.
M - Moth attacks
The Euro 2016 Final was plagued by a swarm of silver Y moths, with one landing on a crushed Ronaldo as he sat injured on the Stade de France turf. Why? Someone had left the lights on the night before. The warm conditions and floodlights attracted thousands of the insects, giving Twitter something to do amid a rather dull encounter.
N - The Netherlands
Third time’s a charm! Having missed out on Euro 2016 and then the World Cup two years later, the Oranje return this summer. They’ve bounced back from that malaise and even made the Nations League Final in 2019. Fans are still mourning Virgil van Dijk but Frank de Boer’s side might well be dark horses if they can utilise the rest of the considerable talent at their disposal.
O - Stadio Olimpico
The home of Roma and Lazio is all set to host the opening ceremony – featuring the aforementioned Garrix – and opening game of the tournament: Italy’s clash with Turkey on June 11. Bring it on.
P - Portugal
Cristiano & Co are the defending champions, having sucker-punched France 1-0 in Paris five years ago. Portugal are the only nation to have reached the knockout stages of every tournament since Euro 96; they’ve also made the semis (at least) four times in their five attempts since then.
Q - Qatar Airways
Well, it wouldn’t be a major football tournament without the Arab nation sticking their well-oiled noses in. The nation’s airline is one of 12 companies sponsoring the event, with other major palm-greasers including Coca-Cola, Heineken and TikTok (nope, even here you can’t escape it).
R - Ronaldo records
CR7 already boasts the most appearances in the competition’s history with 21. This summer he can also become the tournament’s top goalscorer outright – he currently shares the honour with Michel Platini on nine goals – and also its record provider. Right now, he’s just two assists behind Czech midfielder Karel Poborksy’s tally of eight.
S - Skillzy
The official mascot for Euro 2020 is a top-knotted freestyler who’ll follow in the footsteps of 2016 creation Super Victor. ‘Skillzy’ (below right) – which must have been a painstaking naming process at UEFA HQ – has been described as a larger-than-life chap (no wonder, he’s bloody massive) inspired by street and panna culture. He probably uses TikTok, too.
T - Tie-breakers
Be prepared with pub ammo: if two or more teams are tied in the group, it’ll come down to this: (all head-to-head) points, goal difference, goals scored, (all overall) goal difference, goals scored, wins... then a shootout if the teams happen to be playing one another in the final game. If all else fails, qualifying ranking decides it.
U - Uniforia
Adidas’ official Euro 2020 ball claims to celebrate the mix of different cultures that the Euros will bring together. How did it get its name, we hear absolutely nobody ask? A combo of ‘unity’ and ‘euphoria’, of course, sounding like an acid trip at Glastonbury.
V - VAR
Urgh. For the first time in Euros history, video assistants will be on duty for every game. A unique VAR will be assigned to each of the 18 referees selected for the tournament, forming part of a four-strong team alongside the assistant refs and fourth official. In all, there will be 72 match officials overseeing matters. Best behaviour.
W - Wem-ber-leeey
England’s national stadium will host several matches at the tournament, including each of the Three Lions’ group games, both semi-finals and the final. While the old stadium played host to Euro 96 matches, this is the first time that the ground opened in 2007 will be used at a (non-Olympics) major tournament.
X - xG
Like it or love it, expected goals are likely to be a key focus of match analysis at Euro 2020. The formula describes the quality of a scoring chance and seems to drive certain football fans potty for reasons that remain unclear. Sadly for them, expect it to be regularly wheeled out on the Beeb and ITV nonetheless – you’ve been warned...
Y - Yvon Le Roux
His name is unlikely to ring any bells, but the former centre-back remains the only player to be sent off in a European Championship final (left), having seen red for France with five minutes left against Spain in 1984. It hardly mattered – Les Bleus scored again without him, wrapping up a 2-0 win against La Roja.
Z - Zlatan
A full five years after retiring from international football, Ibra was all set to return to Sweden’s national team for this summer’s competition. The straight-talking Milan striker is his nation’s record scorer – but he won't be taking part now, due to injury.
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