UEFA Futsal EURO 2022: What to look for
The UEFA Futsal EURO 2022 kicks off in the Netherlands on Wednesday, the first since the competition has moved from a two-year competition with 12 teams to a final tournament for 16 countries, played every four years.
The group stage will take place in Amsterdam and Groningen until January 29, before the capital Ziggo Dome will host the elimination matches, and the final will be on February 6. We have selected some key points that you can see at the biggest UEFA futsal event so far.
Groups
Group A: Netherlands (hosts), Serbia, Ukraine, Portugal (holders)
Group B: Kazakhstan, Italy, Slovenia, Finland
Group C: Russia, Poland, Slovakia, Croatia
Group D: Georgia, Spain, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Can anyone stop Portugal?
Probably for the first time since UEFA’s inaugural futsal tournament in 1996, Spain does not start as the favorite. In fact, in 2018, the Cup was not lifted for the fourth time in 11 editions in Ljubljana. The previous three occasions, when another country took the lead, were still expected from Spain and also won the tournament (they were the current world champions in 2001 and 2005, and their dominance in 2016 was far from unexpected).
This time, Portugal is not only the defending champion, but also the holder of the FIFA Futsal Word Cup, as it won this title in Lithuania last October. Ricardinho may have left the team after his last win against Argentina, but their team, which includes seven players from the UEFA Futsal Champions League, Sporting CP, is full of series winners.
Spain, however, is difficult to exclude. As in the EURO 2018 futsal final, Portugal needed extra time to beat their neighbors in the eighth round of the 2021 World Cup. In addition, the list of players who missed their Dutch team, including Juanja, Marc Tolrà, Solana, Bebe and Lin, suggests that Spain could name another list of 14 who would also be live, and highlights the strength of their challenge.
The other two teams are ranked in the favorites list. The Russians won their only title in 1999, but have since reached the finals in several euros, as well as the 2016 World Cup, and looked great in Lithuania last year before Argentina knocked them out in an epic penalty shootout. Kazakhstan is among the last four at the World Cup, as in both EURO appearances, and has more team depth than in previous challenges.
The two-time Italian champions are in the process of recovering, but without the burden of expectations they could come as a surprise, while Croatia’s qualifiers and Serbia’s World Cup run also suggest they could be a threat to the quartet of favorites. Ukraine, Slovenia and Azerbaijan do not lack experience either.
Full schedule of matches
Newcomers want to surprise
The hosts of the Netherlands, one of the pioneers of international futsal and runners-up in the first World Cup in 1989, the last major event they hosted, are returning to the finals after an eight-year absence as they prepare to try to capture their glorious days again. . However, the group does not offer a break with Serbia, Portugal and Ukraine. Not only are the Dutch returning welcome; the expansion of the finals allowed a record four teams to make their debut appearances.
Four years ago, France was the only newcomer and they came on the scene by holding Spain and leading Azerbaijan. However, Les Bleus are absent this time after being dropped by Georgia and could be debutants who could accompany them by chance in a group with Spain and Azerbaijan. Georgia boasts a team that includes the extremely experienced goalkeeper Zviad Kupatadze and pivot Eilsander, as well as the talented Roninho, Thales, Archil Sebiskveradze and the recently called up Vilian.
Group D also has the biggest surprise qualifiers, Bosnia and Herzegovina. They seemed to be in the most competitive section, with Serbia, Romania and Northern Macedonia, but secured a place in the final with two matches available as they won the opening four matches. Their close-knit formula – in some cases part-time – did not harm teams like Slovenia.
Many fans were also delighted when other newcomers earned places after so many recent misses in recent years. Slovakia has been a solid player in the past without a breakthrough, but has many chances in a very even Group C. Finland showed its ambition to rise from minnow status back in 2013 when it appointed experienced Croatian coach Mić Martić ; he remained at the forefront through numerous qualifiers and celebrations as they beat Belgium to earn a place in the finals were a testament to the hard work that finally took them to the big stage.
Where to watch games: TV / streams
Stars ready to shine
Since Ricardinho’s breakthrough in 2007 for the Portuguese hosts, he has stood out as the star of European futsal. However, as he has finally helped his team to the 2018 title, he will not be in the Netherlands as he retired from international futsal after returning from injury and won last year’s World Cup. But there are many other talents who are ready for star status.
Of course, the world and European champions themselves have several candidates. For many, Pany Varela, who scored both of Portugal’s goals in the World Cup final defeat over Argentina, was a standout player of the tournament. And especially after helping Sporting win last season’s UEFA Champions League season with his performances, 20-year-old pivot Zicky may have only the talent and charisma to have such a spectacular career as Ricardinho’s.
Spain has often had too many top players to make one of them stand out, but there are many who could still be heroes in the Netherlands: Adolfo and Raúl Campos, perhaps, Captain Ortiz, who is chasing a record-breaking fifth title, or Sergio Lozano, back again after a serious injury and between goals.
Once again, the heart of the Kazakh team will be the advanced goalkeeper Higuita and the versatile talent of Douglas Junior, perhaps the most perfect player of European futsal. Russian Sergei Abramov is at the top of his game and Ricardinho’s two-year-old player, Robinho, is showing no signs of slowing down after a great World Cup.
Some others (among many) are Azerbaijan’s Bolinho, Italy’s Alex Merlim, Slovenia’s Igor Osredkar, Croatia’s Dario Marinovic and Finland’s Panu Autio, who traveled to Portugal as a fan in 2007 and now leads his team in a tournament with more than 100 international goals on his behalf.