The Russian national team at the European Championship did not meet the expectations of the fans, their own hopes, and most importantly, they played much below their capabilities. While experts, commentators and fans were discussing which opponent is more convenient for the Russians in the playoff stage, the national football squad was eliminated at the stage of the group stage.
It seemed that Russia had secured its way to the quarterfinals, beating the Czech national team 4: 1 in good style and playing a draw with the hosts of the tournament, the Poles. After all, there was a match with the Greeks ahead, which no one took seriously with one single point. Alas, Russian footballers did not take them seriously either. To get out of the group it was enough for them to play a draw. Even a defeat in the event of a draw in a parallel match between the Czech Republic and Poland led the Russian team to the quarterfinals.
Neither happened. In the first half, our team had good chances to take the lead, but it didn't work out in the final phase of the attack. The Greeks defended their entire team and defended their gates. The trouble came at the very last minute of the first half of the meeting. The defender of the Russian national team Sergey Ignashevich unsuccessfully threw the ball to the opponent with his head, and the Greek midfielder Georgios Karagounis burst into the penalty area without hindrance and shot the gate of Vyacheslav Malafeev. In the second half, the Greeks lay down with bones on the outskirts of their goal. The Russians, mainly trying to break through the center, have not created anything worthwhile.
At times, at Euro 2012, the Russian national team showed attractive football, but at the most decisive moment they did not show the main thing - their fighting character. All talk about bad luck - in favor of the poor, because there is truth - luck to the strongest. The Greeks that evening showed a real athletic character, a willingness to die on the field and were stronger in spirit. The "academicians" of the Russian Football Academy of Sciences failed to cope with this.
Once again, football has shown that it is not played by the transfer costs of the players and not the salary lists, which in aggregate are higher for the Russian national team than for the rivals in the group. Mastery is nothing without character. For most of the players of the main team, due to their age, this was the last major tournament. Now you need to build a new team.
