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June 30, 2008
Posted: 1229 GMT
VIENNA, Austria – So it’s all over. Spain are going home from Euro 2008 with the trophy and football fans are going home with some great memories from a colorful tournament. If there is one thing that myself and the rest of the CNN crew covering Euro 2008 will remember from this event, it is the fantastic atmosphere between all the fans. In Vienna, there were at least 20,000 people every day in the Fan Zone — and there were never any signs of tension or violence. Football supporters came from every corner of the globe to celebrate the beautiful game and rejoice together, no matter the score. This was especially visible during the final itself. On Sunday night the Fan Zone was packed with 70,000 people and it turned into one of Europe’s biggest parties. There was singing, dancing, laughing and crying as everyone got into the spirit. Joining the Germans and Spanish were fans from as far away as Mexico and Brazil — and they just added more spice to the mix. On the field, the tournament was also a success. From the drama of the Turkish victories to the anxiety of the penalty shoot-out between Spain and Italy and finally to the jubilation of Espana’s triumph, football fans were thoroughly entertained. Seventy-seven goals were scored in 31 matches – or an average of two-and-a-half goals per game, a statistic which shows the attacking philosophy most teams dsiplayed. UEFA picked Spain midfielder Xavi as its man of the tournament, but my vote goes to Marcos Senna, who was tireless in the center of the park. Whether tackling, passing or dictating the rhythm of the game, the Brazilian-born anchorman was a joy to watch. There are always disappointments at tournaments — and front and center this time round were Greece and France. The defending champions left the tournament without a single point and will have to go back to the drawing board. Their defensive philosophy looked outdated and was never going to hold up for another tournament. Les Bleus, meanwhile, looked old and tired as Raymond Domenech committed several mistakes in his squad selection. Phillipe Mexes, David Trezeguet and Mathieu Flamini should all have been playing. It doesn’t mean they would have transformed France into champions, but they would have helped. One final word on the fair play exhibited by most teams. There were only three red cards throughout the competition, and we didn’t see any career-threatening tackles being made. Overall, Euro 2008 was a success. The spotlight now shifts to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – and expectations will be high. Posted by: CNN International Sports Anchor, Pedro Pinto |
 
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