Euro 2024 social round-up: Tartan Army turns Cologne blue, no rest for Mbappe

By Sports Desk June 19, 2024

Day six at Euro 2024 brought more thrills and spills on the pitch, with Albania sealing a last-gasp draw against Croatia and Germany booking their place in the last 16 by beating Hungary.

Scotland, meanwhile, kept their hopes of progressing from Group A alive by earning a creditable 1-1 draw with Switzerland in the late kick-off.

There was also plenty going on outside the games, from the Tartan Army painting Cologne blue to Kylian Mbappe getting out on the turf two days after breaking his nose.

Here, we run through the best of Wednesday's social media posts from around Euro 2024.

Cologne turns blue for Scotland

One noticeable theme of this tournament has been the colour and noise brought by huge contingents of travelling fans, and an estimated 100,000 Scotland supporters brought the fun to Cologne on Wednesday.

"No Scotland, no party" was ringing around Munich last week, and on Wednesday, it was Cologne's near-800-year-old cathedral that played host to the Tartan Army.

#effzeh pic.twitter.com/R0fFFUnyEs

— 1. FC Cologne (@fckoeln_en) June 19, 2024

Those with tickets were then treated to a spirited performance as Steve Clarke's side went ahead through Scott McTominay, and they were arguably unfortunate not to win as they finished the game strongly after Xherdan Shaqiri's fine equaliser.

Cheesy humour from Swiss fan 

One Switzerland fan, meanwhile, took culinary inspiration for his outfit at the RheinEnergieStadion.

Fortunately for him, Murat Yakin's defence had fewer holes than the Swiss cheese he paid homage to, and they are now all-but guaranteed to make the knockout stages.

 

Hosts on the march

Germany strode into the last 16 of the tournament on Wednesday, a 2-0 victory over Hungary ensuring a top-two finish in Group A.

It's fair to say their performances have gripped the imagination of the German public, with Wednesday's fan march to the Stuttgart Arena a particularly impressive sight.

If Julian Nagelsmann's team can maintain their performance levels, they may just find themselves marching to the Olympiastadion on July 14...

Mbappe out on the grass 

It has only been two days since France captain Mbappe broke his nose in a nasty collision with Austria's Kevin Danso, but the forward is in no mood to rest.

He was out on the training pitch on Wednesday as Les Bleus prepare for Friday's clash with the Netherlands, wearing strapping across his nose.

His participation in that match remains in doubt, and a protective mask will be required for him to return to competitive action, but the sight of him going through his paces will have encouraged France's fans.

Cruyff turn celebrates big Five-O

France's next opponents also had something to celebrate on Wednesday, as it represented the 50th anniversary of Johan Cruyff first wheeling out his signature turn.

The Cruyff turn was born on this day in 1974, the Oranje legend having first performed the move on June 19, 1974, in a World Cup group-stage match against Sweden. 

Jan Olsson, the unfortunate defender on the receiving end of the move, probably remains bamboozled half a century on.

Gallagher in the hot seat

It was Conor Gallagher's turn to take part in England's diary room series on X, with the Chelsea midfielder discussing what he and his team-mates get up to on days off.

He then attempted to match a series of dogs with the Three Lions stars they belong to, posting a pretty good success rate.

The episode began, however, with Gallagher failing to prevent a Jenga set from crashing down around him. England will hope that is not a metaphor for their campaign...  

Memorable day for Gjasula

It initially looked like Wednesday would be a day to remember for all the wrong reasons for Klaus Gjasula. 

Having come off the bench with Albania 1-0 up against Croatia after 72 minutes, Gjasula saw Andrej Kramaric equalise before putting through his own net, all within just four minutes.

However, the midfielder – who plays his club football in Germany with Darmstadt – was in the right place at the right time to level five minutes into stoppage time.

His post-match Instagram post summed up how much it meant to him and his team-mates.

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  • Iordanescu blasts 'shameful' claims Romania and Slovakia wanted Euro 2024 draw Iordanescu blasts 'shameful' claims Romania and Slovakia wanted Euro 2024 draw

    Romania head coach Edward Iordanescu was left furious after suggestions his side could manipulate a draw with Slovakia to ensure Euro 2024 progression.

    With all four sides level on points heading into the final matchday, a point apiece in Romania's game would have ensured both teams went through to the last 16 regardless of Belgium's result against Ukraine.

    Iordanescu's men ultimately prevailed as unlikely Group E winners after their 1-1 draw with Slovakia, coupled with Belgium's goalless stalemate on Wednesday.

    Yet Iordanescu noted claims his team would play for – or attempt to manipulate – a share of the spoils, blasting those suggestions after the match.

    "I believe it was clear that both teams gave everything for 80 minutes," Iordanescu told reporters. "Everybody gave their best.

    "To speak before a game and to throw mud to the teams and to the players and to our work and to our dignity is shameful.

    "They should have waited and seen and then judged us, so this was shameful, it was not nice. They threw this garbage to us but not just to us but to the team, to our fans and to everybody.

    "We showed that we have character. Romania all the time fights with character and if we were going to lose and go home, we would have gone home but with our dignity intact."

    Former Romania international Danut Lupu had previously said in an interview with AS.Ro that a draw had been arranged and there was no point risking a loss.

    Any such suggestions were rubbished come kick-off as the pair fired 22 shots between them, with nine on target in a close-fought encounter in Frankfurt.

    Romania's reward will be a last-16 meeting with the Netherlands, while Slovakia will face England.

    Iordanescu is certain to have the backing of the travelling Romanians again.

    "Almost the whole stadium was yellow," he added. "They were so close. They followed us at the train station, at the hotel, when we went on trips, training, when we got back to the hotel.

    "That's absolutely incredible. And I really hope that this will continue."

  • Turkiye kept knockout stage promise after Czechia win, says Yilmaz Turkiye kept knockout stage promise after Czechia win, says Yilmaz

    Baris Alper Yilmaz said Turkiye kept their promise as a team of reaching the knockout stages of Euro 2024 following their 2-1 win over 10-man Czechia. 

    Vincenzo Montella's side left it late to secure second place in Group E, as Cenk Tosun's late strike set up a date with Austria in Leipzig next Tuesday. 

    It marked the first time that Turkiye had progressed from the group stage of the European Championships since 2008, with Yilmaz playing a starring role in their triumph. 

    "I want to be as useful to the team as possible," substitute Yilmaz said. "It was a really difficult match. We made it to the last 16, we are very happy."

    "When we talked with our friends before the camp, our only goal was to get out of the group. We kept our promise and left the group. Now we will proceed step by step."

    For Czechia, their winless run at the Euros continued, and have now failed to win a match in a single edition of the tournament for just the second time, after Euro 2016.

    Antonin Barak's early dismissal did not help their cause, although Tomas Soucek's equaliser provided the hope of staging an unlikely comeback. 

    "It is a disappointment because we all wanted to advance," Soucek said. "We were set up for it. I thought that was enough... and it is a disappointment because we didn't make it.

    "I said before the match that I hope it will not happen (the sending-off). It is the third match.... But of course there are many situations that we should have handled as a team."

  • Portugal 'more prepared' after Georgia loss, claims Martinez Portugal 'more prepared' after Georgia loss, claims Martinez

    Roberto Martinez is confident Portugal's defeat to Georgia on Wednesday was good preparation for the knockout stage at Euro 2024.

    Portugal had already made sure of top spot in Group F, although the result against Georgia would impact the identity of their opponents in the last 16.

    With Georgia 2-0 winners and advancing to the next round, Hungary were eliminated, leaving the Selecao to face Slovenia, who handed Martinez his first defeat in the job in a friendly in March.

    This was now his first competitive loss, but the former Belgium coach believes Portugal are in a better place as a result.

    "We made a lot of changes. The focus was on preparing all the players," Martinez said. "Now we are more prepared.

    "We had players on the bench today that we did not want to use, because we were first in the group and the goal was achieved.

    "It's a difficult way to prepare for the next game, because we don't like to lose. It's the first official game we've lost. But we're ready now."

    Martinez acknowledged the difficulty of facing a team in Georgia who so desperately needed to win, facing elimination without victory.

    "It was a day when we didn't have the same intensity as the opponent," he said. "For Georgia, this was a final; for us, it was one step before the round of 16. That was part of the final result."

    Even in defeat, winger Pedro Neto was confident Portugal showed they are a match for any team in the tournament, suggesting only the host nation have rivalled the Selecao so far.

    "We go to every game to win," he said. "We are confident because to this day I don't remember a team, other than Germany, that played as well as us. We are ready for the next game."

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