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Perhaps the hottest topic of the ongoing UEFA Euro 2024 campaign has been the disappointing performances of the pretournament favorites, Both England and France headed to Germany this summer as the frontrunners however, neither side has even remotely impressed, and both appear to be stuck in first gear. Les Bleus finished second in their group and haven’t yet scored a single goal from open play, while England have failed to beat Denmark, Slovenia, and Slovakia inside 90 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite that, however, both sides have managed to make it to the quarterfinals. The Three Lions somehow remain the favorites, with <\/span>Bovada betting<\/span><\/a> pricing them as short as +350. Manager Gareth Southgate knows that all he has to do is beat Switzerland and either the Netherlands or Turkey to secure a trip to his second straight Euros final, and he will have done so in shocking fashion after playing some dreadful football. As these three will show you, however, it is possible to win the tournament without being easy on the eye.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Denmark’s victory in 1992 was nothing short of miraculous, especially considering the fact that they weren’t even supposed to be in the tournament. The Danes only got invited to neighboring Sweden because Yugoslavia was disqualified due to the ongoing civil war. Despite the short notice, they would make the most of their unexpected opportunity.<\/span><\/p>\n The approach of Richard M\u00f8ller Nielsen’s side was far from entertaining. Their style was built on disciplined defending, a solid midfield, and opportunistic counter-attacks. They employed a compact 3-5-2 formation that prioritized stability and defensive solidity over creativity and flair, as well as <\/span>taking full advantage<\/span><\/a> of the fact that the passback rule hadn’t yet been created.<\/span><\/p>\n The group stages saw Denmark manage just one win, a draw, and a loss, but it was enough to advance to the knockout rounds. In the semi-finals, they faced reigning champions Netherlands, a team brimming with talent like Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit. However, the Danes more than held their own, twice taking the lead through Henrik Larsen only to be twice pegged back through Dennis Bergkamp and Frank Rijkaard, with the latter netting four minutes from full time.<\/span><\/p>\n Denmark ultimately triumphed with goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel becoming the hero, saving the decisive penalty and booking a spot in the final against Germany. In the Gothenberg showpiece, Nielsen masterminded a defensive masterclass, keeping a clean sheet against a heavyweight Die Mannschaft and bagging two goals of their own, walking away 2-0 victors and European champions without winning many plaudits courtesy of their perceived negative style.<\/span><\/p>\n If Denmark’s win was unexpected, Greece’s triumph in 2004 was nothing short of a fairy tale. Coming into the tournament as ranked 200\/1 outsiders, their journey to the title was built on one of the most defensive strategies ever seen in international football.<\/span><\/p>\n Under the stewardship of German boss Otto Rehhagel, the Greeks adopted a rigid 4-5-1 formation that focused heavily on organization and discipline. Their game plan was simple: defend resolutely and capitalize on set pieces. This approach earned them the nickname “The Pirates” for their ability to steal victories from more fancied opponents.<\/span><\/p>\n In the opening game of the tournament, the Greeks set the tone for what was about to come, stunning hosts Portugal – who had a team that featured both Luis Figo and a teenage <\/span>Cristiano Ronaldo<\/span><\/a> – and running out 2-1 victors. They managed to secure a point against Spain in their second game but were defeated by Russia in their third. However, as the hosts beat their neighbours, it was Greece that progressed to the quarterfinals as runners-up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There they met defending champions France and were huge underdogs to progress. Les Bleus had the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Theirry Henry in their line up however, employing their trademark defensive strategy, Greece secured a 1-0 win courtesy of a headed goal from Angelos Charisteas.<\/span><\/p>\nDenmark<\/span><\/h2>\n
Greece<\/span><\/h2>\n