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  A few notable figures in Copa America history were able to win the title as players and managers. Copa America 2024 has been underway. The reigning champions, Argentina, did not have much difficulty securing a win over Canada at the opener. Lionel Messi is aiming to lift the trophy for the second time, and so is his boss, Lionel Scaloni. Unfortunately, he never had a chance to do the same as a player. The former Lazio man never received a call-up for the regional tournament during his playing years. He is not as fortunate as these notable names who have won silverware as players and managers. One of them was even a World Cup winner while he was still actively playing in the 1990s. Lais (Brasil) The Brazilian midfielder was one of the few successful player-managers in South America. In Copa America 1922, he clinched the title with such a role. Brazil was the host and unbeaten throughout the championship. Lais’ men were held three times before finally dismantling Argentina 2-0.

  A number of top goal scorers in Europe became scoreless while playing in the UEFA EURO. Scoring goals is an incredible achievement for every footballer, especially in major competitions, either at the club or international level. For forwards, this is their main task, besides providing assists, opening the space in the final third, or going deep in the second line to help win the ball from the opposition sides. However, plenty of top goal scorers turn blunt in front of the goal when they compete in top-level international tournaments. France’s current star, Kylian Mbappe, is the most recent example. The top scorer in the 2022 FIFA World Cup as well as the Ligue 1 Golden Boot winner in the past few seasons has been unable to find the back of the net in EURO. He has been scoreless since the 2020 edition and has yet to open his account in Germany 2024 , despite helping Les Blues snatch a narrow 1-0 win over Austria at the opener. Mbappe is actually not the only name falling into s

Some goalkeepers from the clubs in the bottom half of the Premier League final standings in 2023/24 still make the cut in EURO 2024. The Premier League has been the elite domestic league in the world for years. When players, especially goalkeepers, manage to seal the spot in the line-up and continue to be the first choice in the EPL club, then they certainly deserve a place in the national team’s final squad for a major tournament like EURO 2024. Such does not only apply to the shot stoppers from the Premier League top teams but also to the ones playing for the mid- or lower-table sides. The England national team is one of them. They still count on Jordan Pickford between the sticks, despite having Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale and Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson. Pickford has been the key player in The Three Lions since the 2018 FIFA World Cup. His experience in major tournaments and mentality in the big game deserve special credit, despite only playing for the minnow, Everton. The Tof

  In EURO history, the pre-tournament favourites have had less of an advantage than the dark horses. Being pre-tournament favourites in major competitions can boost team confidence. However, it can also be burdensome . In EURO, the pre-tournament favorites do not always guarantee silverware in the end. In fact, this continental championship is frequently not in favour of the favorites. The underdog status may even be advantageous, as they face less pressure from the media and fans . Throughout the tournament history, the favorites only thrived and clinched the silverware in four editions, 1960, 1972, 1984 and 2012. In those editions, USSR, West Germany, France and Spain managed to live up to their fans and pundits expectations in the final round, whereas the other 11 editions have always produced unlikely champions , either from secondary or tertiary favourites or from dark horses. This can be strong evidence that betting on the favourite is still a risky business. Nothing is impo

  Only a few former Olympic team managers appointed to take charge of the senior team were considered the best one in history. The Paris Olympics 2024 are getting closer. The multi-event sport tournament starts its competition on July 26, but football starts slightly earlier on July 24 due to its stages in the competition. All 16 managers are still pondering who will be named in the final squad and which over-aged player can be called up and given permission by their clubs to compete in the Olympics, the global tournament that is not included in the FIFA calendar. So far, only the host France U23 and Argentina U23 have called up their players for the final squad. Les Blues have included Crystal Palace man Jean Philippe Mateta and former Arsenal man Alexander Lacazette as their only over-aged players enlisted in the team. France is led by Thierry Henry, while Albiceleste currently has Javier Mascherano at the helm of the team. Both are still at the early stages of their managerial

  The stars in the UEFA Euro Championship have not always been the mainstay but also the secondary players in the pecking order.  The summer tournament is coming soon. More and more teams have announced their squads, either provisional or final. Some teams have even held their friendly games as a team warm-up as well as a final stage for squad selection.  During this crucial time, some players might be injured due to the fixture congestion at the club level, which has been a common issue in the past few seasons. Consequently, they can be left out since they are likely to recover in time, or if they are still included in the final squad, those players would not be able to be in form on D-day. Should that happen, another name will take over their place on the team.  This week, England and Scotland have been concerned over the injuries of some key men. The Three Lions are likely to exclude their left back, who scored in the last edition final, Luke Shaw, while The Tartan Army might

  A number of great footballers in the past never had a chance to play in the UEFA EURO Championship in their careers. EURO is one of the major international competitions that are seen as important as the FIFA World Cup, especially for Europeans. It is a top-tier international tournament, and each player expects to make an appearance there at least once in their life. However, there have always been unlucky names who missed the competition. Surprisingly, they were the great players of their time. One of them was even a World Cup winner. Today, there is Erling Haaland, who has yet to lead his country, Norway , to qualify for any major tournaments, including EURO. Check out the other unfortunate top footballers who missed EURO (since its modern tournament format in 1980) in their playing careers. Roy Keane (Rep. of Ireland) He was one of the most legendary players at Manchester United and one of the top figures in the Republic of Ireland during his playing years. Keane was the sk