Premier League – In Berlin, Euro 2024 is showcasing a unique aspect of football: parity. Among the 24 teams competing, only Spain managed to win all three group games, while no team suffered defeat in all three matches—a testament to the unpredictability and appeal of major tournaments like this one. Unlike the dominant performances often seen in club football, where super teams routinely overpower lesser sides, international football offers a refreshing change with its level playing field.

Consider Liverpool’s third-place finish in the Premier League, where they won 63% of their matches. Contrast this with Euro 2020 finalists Italy and England, who didn’t achieve a similar win rate within regulation time, or Portugal, the 2016 champions, who famously won just one game in regular time throughout the tournament.

The current tournament in Germany has highlighted this parity further: in 30 out of 36 games played, teams were separated by just one goal with 15 minutes remaining—a setting ripe for unscripted drama that captivates fans.

However, international football doesn’t always match the tactical intricacies and fluidity of the club game. National team coaches have limited time to work with their players—typically a couple of weeks per international break—resulting in simpler, more standardized tactical setups rather than complex, bespoke systems seen in club football. Furthermore, the talent pool available to national teams is fixed; coaches must often compromise tactical preferences to accommodate the best available players.

It’s evident that the average player in Euro 2024 doesn’t match the caliber of those regularly seen in the top five European leagues or the Champions League. Even among the tournament favorites, there are starters from mid-sized clubs, while smaller nations may have only a handful of players who feature regularly in top leagues.

Yet, despite these disparities, the charm of Euro 2024 lies in its competitive unpredictability and the opportunity it provides for lesser-known teams to shine. The tournament format, criticized by some for its complexity in narrowing down 24 teams to 16, also offers redemption opportunities for teams after initial setbacks.

Premier League – As the knockout stage begins, traditional football powerhouses like England, Germany, France, and Italy are set to face off against underdogs such as Georgia, Slovenia, Romania, and Slovakia, each dreaming of an improbable run akin to Greece’s triumph in 2004.

In a football landscape often dominated by financial disparities and club hierarchy, Euro 2024 stands as a compelling antidote—an event where every team has a chance to make history, irrespective of their pedigree or resources.