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The postponement of the Euro Cup and the Copa America to 2021 has not harmed everyone. Injured players who would have missed the tournaments now have another opportunity. But this may not be the case for veterans, while women's schedules will be affected as a backlash.
Benefited
- Long-term Injured:
From the infirmary, some had to breathe a sigh of relief when UEFA officially announced the postponement of the Euro Cup, moved to June and July 2021.
A clear example could be FC Barcelona winger and French national team player Ousmane Dembélé, who suffered a thigh tendon rupture at the beginning of February and had a six-month recovery period, according to the club.
Among the other favorites of the Euro Cup, the Netherlands was not sure if they could count on their star player, Memphis Depay, who had a cruciate ligament rupture since December. Similar case for the Belgian Red Devils, worried about their Real Madrid star Eden Hazard (shin fracture).
In Italy, the presence of emerging star Nicolo Zaniolo (right knee) was also uncertain, as well as that of Niklas Süle (knee) with the German 'Mannschaft', or Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford with England.
In the case of South Americans, the forced break will benefit Luis Suárez. The Uruguayan forward from Barcelona, 34 years old, underwent knee surgery in January and although he had planned to return for the final stretch of the European season and be ready for the Copa America, he will now have enough time to prepare for the South American tournament, although against him he will be one year older.
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Growing Players:
The continental tournaments came too soon for some young talents who still had a period of elite playing time to earn the trust of international selectors. This could be the case for Brazilian player Vinicius Jr from Real Madrid or Barcelona's Ansu Fati.
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Olympic Teams:
Paris SG had decided not to authorize its players to participate in the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled between July 24 and August 9, in order to avoid a summer full of competitions for them.
Without the Euro Cup, could Kylian Mbappé be an Olympian? This could also be the case for Spanish defender Sergio Ramos, who also wanted to do a 'double'.
The affected
- Thirty-somethings:
When the Euro Cup starts on June 11, 2021, players like French World Cup champions Blaise Matuidi and Olivier Giroud will be 34 years old. Will they still be starters for their clubs?
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo will be 36 years old. Although the Portuguese striker is a physical wonder and unless he is injured, he will be with the current European champions, it may not be the case for central defender Pepe, formerly of Real Madrid (38 years old in 2021).
In the American continent, the situation is similar after the postponement of the Copa America to 2021. Thus, stars like Brazilian Thiago Silva (36 years old in the tournament), Uruguayan Diego Godín (35 years old), or Colombian Radamel Falcao (34 years old) could be experiencing the last throes of their careers by that time, or even be overtaken by younger players in the squads.
Barcelona forward Leo Messi, 34 years old, seems to be able to arrive in shape for what could be his last major tournament with Argentina, with whom he has never won any title.
- Female footballers:
The postponement of the men's Euro Cup could push for a change in dates for its women's counterpart, scheduled from July 7 to August 1, 2021 in England, as hinted by UEFA on Tuesday.
As with men, a postponement could prevent the participation of some female players. This worries Jessica Fishlock, a 33-year-old French international, who wrote on Twitter: "Hey UEFA ... Do the men's Euro Cup and right after the women's Euro Cup (...). I'm too old for a postponement to 2022".
- Managers whose contracts expire:
Spanish Belgium coach Roberto Martínez's contract is set to expire in the summer of 2020. Could he renew for another year? This possibility was ruled out by his Danish counterpart Age Hareide, who will leave in a few months as planned.
- Fans:
Fans spent "several thousand euros" to follow their teams across several countries in the Euro Cup, including tickets, plane tickets, and accommodation, as revealed by Ronan Evain, director of the Football Supporters Europe (FSE) network. Now the aim is to "avoid fans paying twice for the same event," he says.
With the tournament in 12 countries, some have booked "maybe six, eight flights, with different airlines. It will be difficult to ask for all those refunds." As for accommodation solutions, often between individuals, "it remains under private control," he explains. (D)