Euro 2016 is about to start. As we inch closer to kick-off, he is your ultimate guide to all things Chelsea: players, Antonio Conte and transfer targets.
After much anticipation and speculation, the 15th quadrennial European Championship is finally upon us. Although the mood in France has been rather morose, due to significant flooding in the north of the country and a nation-wide labour strike, the start of Euro 2016 should raise spirits and bring the country together, as only football can.
Yes, the Euros have always been exciting, but this tournament has the potential to truly dazzle. The 24 teams making up the 6 groups are the largest number ever assembled to compete for the Henri Delaunay trophy.
Some may argue that the increased number of teams will dilute the quality of the affair, with teams such as Albania appearing for a first time in a major competition, or Iceland – a nation of 300,000 – seeking to become bracket busters. But I don’t see it that way.
One of the reasons why we love football is because of its unpredictability. Where else could a 5000/1 underdog, Leicester City, become Premier League champions? Or that European tournament outsiders, Greece, could get the opportunity to write their names in the history books by beating Spain, France and Portugal as they did in 2004 on their way to lifting the cup?
Indeed, football is a tale of many twists and turns and the more characters involved the higher the drama. Would I like to see “Les Bleus” (France) waltz their way into the finals and achieve parity with Germany and Spain by securing a third European title? Of course. But that’s just not how football goes.
International tournaments give us the opportunity to revisit and reframe the notions of fear, loyalty, national identity and all the questions that it raises, while solidifying our beliefs that football is the greatest sport in the world. And that in itself is a great feat.
But for those out there, who are more locally inclined and find it difficult to buy into this globalization-underdog narrative, there still reason to tune in starting June 10.
Check out the performances of the 6 Chelsea players involved in the Euros along with that of incoming manager Antonio Conte, and that of a handful of potential signings for next season. So without further ado, let’s see what Euro 2016 has in store for the Blues.
Next: Gary Cahill