EURO 2024 Talking Points: Stars are born & veterans perform as Group F opens with a bang
Guler destined for greatness
He may have signed for Real Madrid for €20 million at only 18 years of age and scored six goals in 12 games in his first season there, but the average football fan wouldn't have been too familiar with Arda Guler ahead of this tournament. They will be now.
Turkey's number eight scored the go-ahead goal in their 3-1 win over Georgia in stunning fashion, curling in an unstoppable left-footed strike from well outside the box, and that wasn't the only reason he impressed.
In his 80 minutes on the pitch, he also made five key passes and created two clear-cut chances. At just 19, he was roaming all over the pitch asking for the ball and getting it, with his teammates looking to him to create openings.
With his goal, he became the youngest player ever to score on his European Championship debut, beating a record set by a certain Cristiano Ronaldo in 2004, and is the first teenager to do so since the Portuguese legend.
It's far too early to say whether he can go and get anywhere near the heights Ronaldo reached but ask us again at the end of this tournament...
Age is just a number
From a rising star to a couple of seasoned veterans; Portugal started their tournament against the Czech Republic by fielding the oldest-ever player in European Championship history, 41-year-old Pepe, alongside 39-year-old Ronaldo.
Just by starting, Pepe broke the record mentioned above but Ronaldo couldn’t score the goal which would have made him the oldest scorer in the tournament’s history as his side came back to beat the Czech Republic 2-1.
He might yet do that but what mattered more was winning a tricky encounter. Ronaldo may not have got on the score sheet but he performed, playing the full 90 and recording a Flashscore match rating of 7.3.
It is remarkable that both Pepe and Ronaldo are still involved in the national team and at top-level football at all - especially given that Portugal do not lack talent.
The Portuguese squad is stacked with young stars but both Pepe and Ronaldo continue to defy their ages and justify their inclusions.
(Almost) A point of pride
From young to old and back to young again; the Czech Republic went to Germany with the youngest squad of any nation with an average age of 25.5. They don’t possess many household names but they showed against Portugal that do possess a fair chunk of fight and a huge dose of discipline.
You have to be well-drilled and focused to give up 70 per cent of possession in the match and keep a clean sheet for 70 minutes.
It wasn’t exactly petty viewing for Czechs fans - until they took a shock lead through Lukas Provod in the 62nd minute - but this was always the game in the group they would be happy to lose. What's more, they very nearly gained a point as the Portuguese only snatched the lead in the 92nd minute of play.
Discipline, check. Fight, check! But whether the Czechs (pun intended) have the invention and cutting edge to beat Georgia in their next match, and Turkey after that, remains to be seen.
It has to be said that the Georgians and Turks showed much more endeavour than the Czechs in their thrilling clash in Dortmund. Whether this young Czech side has another string to their bow will be an interesting discovery in the remaining fixtures.
One thing is for sure, Group F promises to be brilliant viewing in the next two rounds of action.
