Top nations disappoint and own goal festival

The Euro 2024 group stage came to an end with top nations such as England and France disappointing, Germany and Austria stepping up, and a festival of own goals and long-range goals.

While three-time champions Spain were the biggest winners of the Euro 2024 group stage, holders Italy and other top nations such as France and England were a disappointment despite making it to the last 16.

The first phase of the tournament also had holders Germany and Austria stepping up as potential title contenders and a Group E in which all four participants ended level on the same points - a first in European championship history.

Own goals and long-range stunners also played a big role in the first weeks of the tournament in Germany.

Spain convince, Italy, England, France disappoint

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente came into Euro 2024 with plenty still to prove as a top-level manager and a squad with several players without experience at big tournaments.

But they have become one of the top favourites to win the Euros in Germany after a flawless group stage, with three wins in as many games and no goals conceded - despite lining up an B team in the final group game against Albania.

Holders Italy and Euro 2020 runners-up England, meanwhile, have been a big disappointment so far.

The Italians were too flawed compared to the team that won the tournament three years ago and only made it to the last 16 thanks to Mattia Zaccagni's last-gasp goal against Croatia.

The other group games ended in a win against Albania and a defeat to Spain, after which coach Luciano Spalletti said: "The whole team disappointed."

Football fans have labelled England as an "unwatchable" team, despite the many star players in their squad, such as Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Phil Foden.

Gareth Southgate's side topped Group C but with only one win and two draws, and are yet to properly click, scoring only two goals in their three games to date.

The coach said that the England fans’ unrest is "creating bit of an issue for group," while Kane said that "for sure there’s more to come" in the knock-out stages.

France, meanwhile, still will have a lot to prove in their rocky road in the knock-outs after winning just one of their first three games and finishing second in Group D.

The talent pool led by Kylian Mbappé has also struggled to score, despite having attempted 49 shots. The 1-0 win against Austria in their Group D opener came thanks to an own goal, while their only other goal came from the spot with Mbappé

Germany and Austria step up

Hosts Germany started the home tournament with group stage exists at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups as a huge burden on their shoulders. The performances following the tournament in Qatar were far from convincing and culminated with coach Hansi Flick being sacked.

Former Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann took the job in September 2023 and, despite claiming wins against France and the Netherlands in March, his team only managed a goalless draw with Ukraine and an unconvincing triumph against Greece in the Euro 2024 tune-ups.

But Germany started the tournament with a 5-1 thrashing against Scotland. The enthusiasm and confidence helped them in a 2-0 against Hungary and to fight back for a late 1-1 with Switzerland. The hosts will now enter the knock-out stages as a favourite for the title.

"Last November, we were all happy that this Euros was taking place in Germany, because we probably wouldn't even have been able to take part in it if we had to qualify. It was absolutely clear that we would be allowed to play, but would definitely be knocked out in the group stage," midfielder Toni Kroos recalled.

Austria also went from underdogs to title challengers after topping a difficult Group D with top favourite France and the Netherlands. Coach Ralf Rangnick led the team to back-to-back qualifications to the Euros last 16, equalling their most successful campaign ever at the Euro 2020.

"The probability of us winning and France not winning (the group) would have made you a very rich man or woman. But that's the nice thing about football, we got rewarded by this brave performance," Rangnick said.

Group E sets new milestone

For the first time in Euros history, all four teams within a group have finished on the same points after Group E winners Romania were level with Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine on four points.

Ukraine, meanwhile, are the first team to finish bottom of a group while earning as many as four points and failed to advance to the round of 15 even though they had more points than Group C second-placed Denmark (three).

Belgium's days as title contenders at major tournaments seem to be long gone. Aside from some Kevin De Bruyne quality and moments of brilliance from Jeremy Doku, Domenico Tedesco's men have looked off the pace.

After a lacklustre performance in the 0-0 draw against Ukraine in the final group game, Belgium were booed by their own fans. Tedesco said "we have to accept the booing," while defender Wout Faes thinks the team doesn't deserve it.

Euro 2024 top scorer: Own goal

On social media, a table went viral for showing the tournament's top scorers. In first place, there was no Robert Lewandowski, no Kylian Mbappé and no Harry Kane, but "own goal."

With seven own goals scored in the group stage, the Euro 2024 continued a trend from the Euro 2020, when 11 own goals were scored by the end of the tournament.

These two editions alone account for 67% of all own goals in the history of the competition, totalling 18 out of the 27 own goals ever scored in the Euros, according to Opta.

Georges Mikautadze of Georgia is currently the player with most goals (three).

Goals in added time

Ten goals were scored after the 90th minute at Euro 2024, compared to nine eight years ago in France - a record in tournament history already.

Some of them were also very decisive, such as Niclas Füllkrug's equalizer against Switzerland, which secured Germany the group victory for Germany, while Mattia Zaccagni's last-gasp goal against Croatia ensured Italy progressed to the last 16 and Croatia were eliminated.

Long-range goals

Of the 81 goals scored in the group stage, 14 came from outside the penalty area, creating a festival of stunning goals in the competition.

Florian Wirtz set the tone with a goal from outside the area by putting Germany ahead against Scotland on the opening night.

That was followed suit by other screamers, such as Nicolae Stanciu's superb strike to give Romania the lead against Ukraine and Xherdan Shaqiri's unstoppable first-time effort to pull Switzerland level against Scotland.

According to the BBC, there were only 19 goals scored from outside of the box out of the entire 142 during Euro 2020, while at the 2022 World Cup only 12 of the 172 goals scored in Qatar were from outside the penalty area.

Many football experts are attributing the trend to the Adidas' ball used at the tournament. The Fussballliebe ("football love") was described by England captain Kane as "staying hit" once struck, meaning the stays true to its trajectory.