Euro 2012: How did the bald and bearded fare?

MADRID, SPAIN – JULY 02: Gerard Pique holds the UEFA EURO 2012 trophy aloft beside team-mate Fernando Llorente while celebrating with fellow players as they parade the UEFA EURO 2012 trophy on a double-decker bus on July 2, 2012 in Madrid, Spain. Spain beat Italy 4-0 in the UEFA EURO 2012 final match in Kiev, Ukraine, on July 1, 2012.

As the dust settles on Spain’s victory at Euro 2012, I thought it would be fun if I did a piece on two sets of players, all of whom were included in the squads to represent their various nations in Poland-Ukraine.

For this purpose, I have chosen to pit eleven bald players against eleven bearded ones.

My Bearded side includes the following players:

Michalis Sifakis (GK); Mikael Lustig, Gerard Pique, Olof Mellberg, Federico Balzaretti; Yann M’Vila, Sami Khedira, Xabi Alonso, Petr Jiracek, Daniele de Rossi; Hugo Almeida

My Bald side contains the following eleven:

Pepe Reina (GK); Theodore Gebre Selassie, Simon Poulsen, Giorgio Chiellini, Ashley Cole; Alou Diarra, Andres Iniesta, Arjen Robben, Ashley Young; Karim Benzema, Mario Balotelli.

My analysis of the bearded players comes first:

Michalis Sifakis (Greece): Sifakis was not first choice for Greece at the Euros, but was brought into action in Greece’s second group game against the Czech Republic after first choice custodian Kostas Chalkias was substituted injured, after he had conceded two goals inside 21 minutes. Sifakis went on to play the rest of Greece’s tournament. Though he conceded two more in against the Czechs, he kept a clean-sheet against Russia in the following game despite immense pressure from the Russian attackers. He conceded four against the Germans in the quarter finals as Fernando Santos’ side were knocked out of the tournament. Chalkias retired from international football after the Euros, which means that Sifakis now faces competition from Alexandros Tsorvas to make the number one spot his own.

Mikael Lustig (Sweden): The Celtic right-back featured in two of Sweden’s three games in Polkraine. He played all 90 minutes against co-hosts Ukraine who came from behind to win the game 2-1, before coming off the bench against England after 66 minutes of the game had elapsed, possibly to add more verve against the English who had just equalised through substitute Theo Walcott. Lustig did not feature for Sweden in their final group game against France, as they won 2-0, with coach Eren Hamren deciding to give some of the other players a run out in the tournament, once it was clear Sweden had been eliminated.

Gerard Pique (Spain): Pique was excellent throughout the tournament, featuring in every game at Polkraine as part of a Spanish side that conceded just one goal – against Italy in their group opener. Pique stood tall and commanding at the back, proving to be an able leader in the absence of fellow Barcelona team-mate Carles Puyol, which meant that he formed an intrepid but effective partnership with Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos – who normally plays at right-back – in the heart of the Spanish back four. His reward for his endeavours was fully merited in the end, as his side went on to defend their 2008 title.

Olof Mellberg (Sweden): The Olympiacos man was a shoe-in for this list. One of several veterans at the tournament, Mellberg led by example, both at the back, where he marshalled the Sweden defence, and in the attacking department, where he chipped in with two goals against England, which were unfortunately not enough to ensure his side’s passage to the knockout stages as they lost 3-2. Nonetheless, Mellberg was one of his side’s standout performers in what turned out to be his final international tournament.

Federico Balzaretti (Italy): Balzaretti was very solid for Italy at the back. Despite being asked to play in an unfamiliar right-back role, the Palermo man had an excellent tournament. He was superb in the tackle, and bombed forward with aplomb. Despite not playing in Italy’s first two group games as coach Cesare Prandelli opted for an unorthodox 3-5-2, Balzaretti stood for the Italians in the semis against Germany, where he was unlucky to not have a goal to his name. Certainly one who is worthy of the Italian shirt.

Yann M’Vila (France): Although France made it to the quarters of the Euros, Yann M’Vila had a tournament to forget. He was nearly omitted from the final roster when he suffered an ankle injury in France’s final warm-up game, and saw Alou Diarra preferred to him in the role of midfield anchorman. M’Vila featured against Ukraine (from the bench) and against Sweden, but failed to impose himself against Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Co. His game against Spain will be most remembered for refusing to acknowledge his substitution and shake his replacement’s hand, for which he is now facing a disciplinary hearing.

Sami Khedira (Germany): The Real Madrid man is now a mainstay of the German national side and it’s easy to see why. Khedira was one of the Mannschaft’s best players, snapping into tackles and shadowing opposition attackers. His hard work was one of the reasons Germany maintained a perfect record in the group stages. He also got on the scoresheet in the 4-2 win over Greece in the quarters, but was not as influential as he was in his previous outings in Poland-Ukraine against Italy in the semis. A mainstay of this side for many years to come.

Xabi Alonso (Spain): More influential than his fellow anchorman Sergio Busquets, Liverpool fans will be wondering why they let the Basque enforcer go to Real Madrid. His radar-guided long balls would’ve been perfect for Andy Carroll to head home. Alonso was imperious in the Spanish midfield, always present to help out the back four and orchestrate attacks with several pinpoint passes and over the top lobs that left opposition defences in sixes and sevens. Marked his hundredth game with a brace against France. A memorable tournament for one of Spain’s mainstays.

Petr Jiracek (Czech Rep.): Not much was expected of this Czech side which had failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2010, but Jiracek was a vital part of the side that topped Group A despite a 4-1 walloping at the hands of Russia. In the absence of Tomas Rosicky, Jiracek was expected to shoulder much of the burden of orchestrating the Czechs’ advances forward, and he did so with great zest. Scored for his side when it mattered the most in their 1-0 win over Poland, but cut a sorry figure as he was starved of possession against Portugal, who beat them 1-0. The Wolfsburg man, however, will have surely seen his stock rise during the tournament.

Daniele de Rossi (Italy): The man who wore an odd-sleeved jersey in the final of Euro 2012 was one of the main reasons Italy made it to Kiev on the 1st of July. While Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio ran the show in midfield, it was de Rossi who was instrumental in stopping opposition midfielders from doing the same. Blessed with an explosive shot, he wasn’t afraid to try his luck from distance, but those bazooka efforts were far and few between. Against the likes of Xavi and Iniesta in the final, however, there was nothing the man from Rome could do.

Hugo Almeida (Portugal): Helder Postiga’s injury meant Portugal’s third-choice striker was thrust into the limelight in Poland-Ukraine against the Czech Republic in the first half. He played the role of target man quite well, proving to be a fulcrum for the Portuguese attack. He also started the game against Spain, but his hard came came to nought as Portugal were dumped out of the competition by the reigning champions on penalties.

Here’s how the baldies fared:

Pepe Reina (Spain): I did try to get a keeper who played as many minutes as possible, but Reina played as many minutes at Euro 2012 as there is hair on his head. It is, of course, impossible to displace the likes of Iker Casillas from between the sticks. Even the great Santiago Canizares had to make way for the Real Madrid star. Had his services been required, though, the Liverpool man would’ve surely answered the call of his country with gusto.

Theodor Gebre Selassie (Czech Rep.): The ex-Slovan Liberec man has turned fans’ heads with his performances for the Czech Republic and was generally reliable in the group stages. Then he met Cristiano Ronaldo in the knockout stages, and the game against Portugal will prove to be a steep learning curve for the 25-year-old, whose outings at Euro 2012 have caught the eye of Bundesliga side Werder Bremen. Gebre Selassie is also the first player of African extraction to play for the Eastern European nation.

Giorgio Chiellini (Italy): Chiellini was one of several Juventus players who were included in the squad to represent Italy at the Euros, and his performances were characterised by him bringing his domestic form into the national side. Chiellini was Italy’s rock at the back, working very well with Juve team-mates Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci, despite the latter looking shaky at times. A hamstring injury kept him out of Italy’s quarter-final game against England, but he was back in the starting eleven as his side beat Germany 2-1 in the semis. Unfortunately his hamstring flared up once again in the final, leaving him to watch his team suffer defeat at the hands of Spain from the sidelines.

Simon Poulsen (Denmark): Denmark rocked the footballing world when Michael Krohn-Dehli’s strike gave them a shock 1-0 win over the Netherlands. Poulsen was one of the reasons the Danes were able to defend that lead (in addition to the Dutch players’ profligacy in front of goal). Sadly that was as good as it got. Despite their best efforts, Silvestre Varela’s late effort meant that Portugal had won 3-2, and a 2-1 loss in their must-win game against Germany meant the Danes were out of Euro 2012, but can still look back on their time in Polkraine with pride.

Ashley Cole (England): The Chelsea left-back has been England’s first choice for nearly a decade now, and that is a testament to how consistent his performance is at the highest level. Cole was very efficient on England’s left flank, as he went toe-to-toe with the likes of Franck Ribery, Ola Toivonen and Yevhen Konoplyanka before taking on Ignazio Abate in the quarters. Unfortunately England’s hoodoo in penalty shootouts continued to haunt them as they lost from the spot to eventual finalists Italy.

Alou Diarra (France): With Yann M’Vila recovering from a bruised ankle suffered before the Euros began, Diarra – who had never started a competitive game under Laurent Blanc – was pressed into the midfield enforcer role, and gave monsieur Blanc some serious food for thought. He was combative, efficient and composed in the heart of midfield, snapping into tackles and shadowing opponents when his team didn’t have the ball, and provided an outlet for the Les Bleus when they did. Overconfidence meant the French were beaten by Sweden, and there is only so much you can do against Spain, but Diarra left Poland-Ukraine with his reputation untarnished.

Andres Iniesta (Spain): The diminutive Barcelona man is the embodiment of tiki-taka in the Spanish side. He was unselfish, committed and hardworking in midfield. Voted Player of the Tournament ahead of Andrea Pirlo, Iniesta was credited with two assists in Eastern Europe: Cesc Fabregas’ equaliser against Italy in their group opener and Jesus Navas’ late, late winner against the Croats. In addition, Iniesta has not been booked even once in Spain’s last 22 games (competitive and otherwise). A mainstay of this Spanish side, and one who will retain his position in the Roja starting XI for many years to come.

Arjen Robben (the Netherlands): It is sad to see one of Holland’s most talented players leave yet another international tournament with nothing to his name, but Robben’s country’s exit is one for which he must shoulder a significant part of the blame. The mercurial Bayern man was full of running, but extremely selfish on the field, opting to go for goal himself when they were teammates in better positions than him. His body language suggested an unwillingness to cooperate with his teammates as he cut a frustrated figure at Euro 2012. He later did admit – along with Wesley Sneijder – that they were ego issues within the Oranje camp, and hopefully, he will have worked on that (and more) come Brazil 2014.

Ashley Young (England): The man signed by Manchester United last summer brought his club form with him into Euro 2012. His mid-season form, that is, when he had tailed off after an excellent start to his career at Old Trafford. Though he showed great willingness to work, he failed to track back to help his defenders, and his goal threat and creativity were only made conspicuous by their absence, despite setting up the winner for Daniel Welbeck in a pre-tournament game against Belgium. It is understandable, though, given that the Premier League is the most competitive and one of the most exhausting leagues in the world. There’s always next time, though.

Mario Balotelli (Italy): Opinions were divided as to how the colourful (metaphorically, I mean) Italian would perform at Euro 2012, and he seemed determined to prove his doubters wrong. Cesare Prandelli seems to have had a calming influence on the Manchester City man’s antics, despite Leonardo Bonucci having to cover the young striker’s mouth after doubling his side’s lead against the Irish. He was full of enthusiasm, working his socks off for his country. His hard work paid off as he was rewarded with a double against the Germans, which sealed Italy’s progress to the finals. Spain, however, closed him down, and there was nothing he could do against the Spanish back line despite trying his best. A striker that still leaves fans and pundits alike confused as to what his next course of action will be, but the best is yet to come from Super Mario.

Karim Benzema (France): Simply, put, the Benz did not have a good European Championship. The absence of a target man playing alongside him meant that Benzema was forced to lead the line on his own. It didn’t help that he had to track back into midfield to receive the ball either. While he was instrumental in his link-up with the French midfielders, Blanc’s formation meant he couldn’t contribute up front where it really mattered. Hopefully, he will shine under new French coach Didier Deschamps, because Benzema’s goals – had they come – could’ve given France victory when it really mattered.

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