Euro 2020: 5 biggest disappointments of the tournament so far
The group stage of Euro 2020 has drawn to a close. We've seen several exciting encounters and the knockout stage promises to be even better with a blockbuster set of fixtures. Top players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kevin De Bruyne and Robert Lewandowski, among many others, have already made a mark on the tournament.
Teams are slowly getting into their groove and they will need to produce faultless performances from here on. With several of Europe's top nations pitted against each other in the Round of 16, it is time for the top players to put their best foot forward.
Some high-profile players are yet to hit their stride at Euro 2020
While several individuals have impressed, some players who were expected to shine have not been able to step up to the challenge at Euro 2020. They have failed to do anything of note and their teams will be hoping that it'll be a different story in the knockout stages.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the biggest disappointments at Euro 2020..
#5 Phil Foden (England)
Boasting one of the strongest and deepest squads in the tournament, England were expected to deliver some exciting performances. They haven't lived up to that billing yet and the only time they came close was in the first half of the game against Czech Republic.
Interestingly, that was the game where Gareth Southgate decided to shake things up for the first time at Euro 2020. The attacking trio of Phil Foden, Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling received a lot of stick for their drab showing against Scotland.
Foden was particularly colourless and it's been rather surprising because he finished the 2020-21 season with Manchester City on a great note. Bukayo Saka was introduced to the fray in place of Foden, whom Southgate didn't want to risk as he was carrying a yellow card.
But Saka improved England's attack and his quick turns and deft touches made him a constant threat in the final third. Southgate is certain to bring Foden back for the Round of 16 but he will need to step up as their opponents Germany will be hard to break down.
#4 Alvaro Morata (Spain)
Alvaro Morata is Spain's most experienced centre-forward at Euro 2020. However, Morata's recent record for the Spanish national side does not inspire a lot of confidence. He has scored just three goals in his last 11 international matches. But Luis Enrique has decided to bank on the 28-year-old's experience and it hasn't really paid off yet.
Morata's movement is top-notch but he is far from a clinical finisher. He often gets into great positions but his finishing has let him down a lot at Euro 2020. Except for a tap-in he scored against Poland in Spain's second match, Morata has had a nightmarish outing.
He missed a penalty in Spain's final group stage game against Slovakia. Morata failed to make the most of the opportunities presented to him and has produced a string of underwhelming performances so far at Euro 2020.