By Scott Atkinson
And so it’s over……….Euro 2024 was nothing short of a thrilling spectacle, and for those that were in the sweepstake, the tournament was filled with nail-biting excitement, unexpected turns, and moments of sheer joy and disappointment. Let’s have a quick run through of the past month and how it panned out.
The group stage saw the teams eagerly drawn out live at the Humber Centre, each service holding onto a hopeful glimmer that their pick would go the distance. The early matches were a mix of predictable wins and shocking upsets, every match had stakes. The early games in this tournament were brilliant there were some great goals too!
Spain (Francis Willis Unit) and Germany showed early promise, cruising through their groups, while traditional powerhouses like Portugal (HNY PC) and Belgium (Cygnet Sheffield) faced unexpected hurdles. There was a buzz in my inbox regarding those that believed they were going to win it and the silence from those who thought they had no chance! However not all teams came away with their reputations in tact. Poland (Waterloo Manor) performed poorly and were the first team knocked out. Scotland (Humber Centre) were hammered in their opening match and were rated as the worst team in the tournament.
As the tournament moved into the knockout stages, the tension increased. Those who had drawn dark horses like Turkey (Roseberry Park) and Georgia (Newsam Centre) began to dream big, while others with England (Forest Lodge) and France (Stockton Hall) anticipated a steady march to the final especially as England had a very easy route. The knockout rounds delivered on drama mostly with a few games failing to deliver but with thrilling extra-time victories and nerve-wracking penalty shootouts. At this point Spain began to convince everyone that they were the business, a surprising underdog really and not a team that were considered a favourite at all before a ball was kicked.
The semi-finals were a rollercoaster especially if you had England (Forest Lodge). By this point, only a few of us were still in the running for the top prize
Francis Willis Unit V Stockton Hall
Amber Lodge V Forest Lodge
The matches were closely contested, and the tension was palpable. England played a little better and put enough moves together to get to the final but Spain’s tactical brilliance was a highlight, and for those who had drawn these teams, the anticipation of a potential sweepstake win was almost too much to handle…….I imagine.
The final was a culmination of weeks of excitement, and it did not disappoint. The match itself was a showcase of skill, strategy, and sheer determination. As the final whistle blew and Spain (Francis Willis Unit) lifted the trophy, the sweepstake winner was crowned. For the lucky service who had drawn Spain, it was a moment of celebration and a well-deserved reward. For the rest of us, it was a time to reflect and hope that next time we get Spain! Cheers to everyone for taking part. Below are the winners whose prizes will be with you shortly.
The Winners:
Francis Willis Unit 1st Prize
Forest Lodge 2nd Prize
Humber Centre 3rd Prize
Thank you for reading Scott…