UEFA EURO 2020 NATION PRESENTATION: TURKEY

 

NICKNAME: Ay-Yıldızlılar / The Crescent-Stars

MANAGER: Senol Gunes

Most successful manager in Turkey history is Senol Gunes. He led them to 3rd place in the 2002 WC. Gunes played as a goalkeeper for almost all career in Trabzonspor. 31 matches for the national team. From 1988 Gunes works as manager. He managed many teams in the Turkey league. This is his second stint as a national team manager.

MOST CAPS: Rustu Recber- 120 caps from 1994 to 2012

TOP SCORER: Hakan Sukur- 51 goal from 1992 to 2007

HOST NATION: -

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD: 5th EURO for Turkey. 

BEST RESULT: Turkey's best result is the semi-final in 2008 where they had several amazing wins or they have been really lucky. They were in group A with Portugal, Czech Republic and co-hosts Switzerland. Portugal was better than them in the first match. Turkey made great turnovers in the next two matches. First they were 1-0 down from co-hosts but managed to win it with Turan's goal in the last minute of the match. In the last group match Turkey was even 2-0 down but was lucky again or they didn't give up as they beat Czech 3-2 with two late goals from Nihat Kahveci. We saw another drama in the quarter-final against Croatia. Klasnić gave Croatia the lead in 119 min of extra time. Everybody thought it was over but Turks disagreed with that. Semih Senturk scored a last minute equaliser. Croatian players were in shock and Turkey won it on PKs. It wasn't over yet as Turkey faced Germany in the semi-final. Turks were in the result deficit two times (0-1 and 1-2). Again Semih scored an equalizer, this time in 86 minute of the match. Turkish luck stopped here as Germany scored a last minute winner. 

UEFA EURO 2020 NATION PRESENTATION: UKRAINE

 

NICKNAME: The Yellow and Blue

MANAGER: Andriy Shevchenko

Shevchenko, Ukrainian legend and one of the best strikers in the late 90s and 2000s. He started his career in Dynamo Kyiv and later became one of the best goalscorers in Milan history. Sheva also played for Chelsea. Winner of several major trophies in his career, most important Champions League in Rossoneri jersey and Ballon d'Or. Top scorer in Ukrainian history. 

MOST CAPS: Anatoliy Tymoshchuk- 144 caps from 2000 to 2016

TOP SCORER: Andriy Shevchenko- 48 goals from 1995 to 2012

HOST NATION: Yes. In 2012, together with Poland.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD: From 1960 to 1988 Ukraine was part of Soviet Union and in 1992 as CIS. This will be the 3rd EURO for Ukraine, first in 2012.

BEST RESULT: Both previous tournaments Ukraine finished in a group stage. In 2012 they were third in a group with England, France and Sweden while in 2016 4th in a group with Germany, Poland and Northern Ireland.

UEFA EURO 2020 NATION PRESENTATION: SWEDEN

 

NICKNAME: Blagult / The Blue and Yellow

MANAGER: Janne Andersson

Current manager of Sweden national team and former footballer who played for several amateur Swedish clubs. Before Sweden he worked in several clubs in his homeland.  

MOST CAPS: Anders Svensson- 148 caps from 1999 to 2013

TOP SCORER: Zlatan Ibrahimović- 62 goals from 2001 to 2016

HOST NATION: Yes. In 1992.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD: 7th EURO for Sweden.

BEST RESULT: Sweden was a host nation in 1992. That is also their first EURO tournament but also their best result as they reached semi-finals. They were in a group with Denmark, France and England. They won two of three with one draw and finished first in their group. Germany was better in the semi-final with 3-2.

UEFA EURO 2020 MANAGERS DURING THEIR PLAYING DAYS

Postponed UEFA EURO 2020 starts in less than a month. Here in this post you can see all national team managers during their playing days.

All of them played football professionally. Only missing picture is from a Slovakian manager Štefan Tarkovič who didn't play much for Tatran Prešov and later represented some smaller clubs. 

About half of them represented their national team both as footballers and now as managers. Franco Foda and Paulo Sousa played for one national team and now they are managers of another national team.

GROUP A:

Senol Gunes (Turkey): Most successful manager in Turkish history is Senol Gunes. He led them to 3rd place at the 2002 WC. Gunes played as a goalkeeper for almost all career in Trabzonspor. 31 matches for the national team. From 1988 Gunes works as manager. He managed many teams in the Turkish league. This is his second stint as a national team manager.

Roberto Mancini (Italy): Former Italian footballer who was very good forward in 80s and 90s most known for playing in Sampdoria. Mancini played there for 15 seasons and won one Serie A title plus 6 other major trophies. He later played 3 very successful seasons in Lazio.  In 2001 Mancini started his coaching career with Fiorentina. He later managed several great clubs such as Lazio, Inter, Manchester City, Galatasaray and Zenit. Since Italy failed to qualify for WC in Russia they appointed Mancini as their new manager. Mancini represented Italian national team 36 times during his playing career and was a member of EURO 1988 and WC 1990 squads.

Robert Page (Wales): New Wales national team manager after Giggs was charged with assault in April 2021. Former national team player previously worked as a manager of U21 national team. Page played for Watford, Sheffield United, Coventry City...

Vladimir Petković (Switzerland): Bosnian football manager who in late 80s moved to Switzerland where he played for several smaller clubs until his retirement in 1999. He was a less important player for Sarajevo when they won Yugoslavian title in 1985. At the end of his playing career he was working as a player-manager in Bellinzona. His biggest club in managerial career is Lazio where he won Coppa Italia. From 2014 Petković is a manager of Swiss national football team.

GROUP B:

Kasper Hjulmand (Denmark): Former Danish footballer who played for several smaller clubs in his country. Kasper started his coaching career in the late 90s with youth teams. He was later manager of Lyngby, Nordsjaelland and Mainz. His best success was Danish league title with Nordsjaelland. When Hareide's contract expired Kasper was appointed as manager of the national team.


Markku Kanerva (Finland): Kanerva is a former footballer and Finland national team player. He mostly played for HJK Helsinki. Since 2004 he has worked as a Finland U21 coach and as assistant coach of the A team. From 2016 he is the main manager of the A team.


Roberto Martinez (Belgium): Martinez is a Spanish football coach and a former footballer who played as a midfielder. Majority of his playing career Martinez was in British football playing for Wigan, Motherwell, Swansea... He started his coaching career in Swansea and later coached Wigan and Everton. From 2016 he is manager of Belgium national team. Spanish manager led them to 3rd place in the 2018 World Cup. 

Stanislav Cherchesov (Russia): Russian manager and former footballer. He played football professionally in Russia, Germany and Austria. He played for Soviet Union, CIS and Russian national teams. He represented CIS on EURO 1992 and later Russia in USA 1994 and England 1996. 49 matches in total. In 2004 Stan started his coaching career. He managed Spartak Moscow, Terek, Amkar, Dynamo Moscow, Legia W... In 2016 Cherchesov was appointed as Russian manager and led them to the quarter final of the last World Cup.

GROUP C:

Frank de Boer (Netherlands): Legend of a Dutch football. Started his career with Ajax and later played for Barcelona, Galatasaray, Rangers... Part of a great Ajax from the 90s where he won many trophies. Dutch international from 1990 to 2004 with 112 played matches. Frank started his coaching career with Ajax where he won several Eredivisie titles. Assistant manager to Marwijk in the 2010 WC where his team reached the final. Following Koeman's departure to Barcelona, Frank was appointed as a manager of the national team.

Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine): Shevchenko, Ukrainian legend and one of the best strikers in late 90s and 2000s. He started his career in Dynamo Kyiv and later became one of the best goalscorers in Milan history. Sheva also played for Chelsea. Winner of several major trophies ih his career, most important Champions League in Rossoneri jersey and Ballon d'Or. Top scorer in Ukrainian history. Ukrainian national team manager from 2016.

Franco Foda (Austria): Former German footballer who represented his nation on two occasions. He played for Kaiserslautern, Bayer Leverkusen, Sturm Graz... Foda also started his coaching career with Sturm amateurs. He won his only trophies with the first team of Sturm: cup and league titles. From 2018. he is the manager of Austria.

Igor Angelovski (North Macedonia): Macedonian manager and former footballer who except in his homeland played for clubs in Slovania and Serbia. Angelovski started his coaching career with Rabotnički where he won three major titles. From 2015 he is manager of the national team of Macedonia.

GROUP D:

Gareth Southgate (England): Former footballer and English national team player. Southgate played for three clubs: Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough. 57 caps for England. He represented them on two EUROs 1996 and 2000. Gareth was manager of Middlesbrough and England U21 team before becoming England A team manager in 2016. He led them to WC 2018 semi-finals.

Zlatko Dalić (Croatia): He played for several first division clubs but didn't win any cap for the national team. Dalić started his coaching career with Varteks. He became famous for his success with Al-Hilal and Al-Ain. Those results secured him a place as Croatian national team manager in 2017. He led Croatia to their biggest success: World Cup final in Russia 2018.

Steve Clarke (Scotland): Former footballer of St. Mirren and Chelsea. He gained six caps for Scotland. In 1998 Steve started his coaching career as assistant at Chelsea. From 2019 manager of the national team.

Jaroslav Šilhavy (Czech Republic): Former Czech footballer who spent most of his career in RH Cheb. He played four matches for Czechoslovakia. From 2018 Jaroslav is Czech national team manager where he already worked as assistant manager from 2001 to 2009. 

GROUP E:

Luis Enrique (Spain): Former Spain professional footballer who is currently in charge of the Spain football team. He started his career with Gijon and later played for both Spain giants Real and Barcelona. 62 matches for La Furia Roja. In 2008 he started his coaching career with Barcelona B team. Enrique made biggest success as Barcelona coach winning Champions League amnog other trophies. From 2018 he is manager of Spain football team.

Janne Andersson (Sweden): Current manager of Sweden national team and former footballer who played for seweral amateur Swedish clubs. Before Sweden he worked in several clubs in his homeland.

Paulo Sousa (Poland): Former Portuguese national team player and a new Poland manager. During his playing days Paulo represented many great teams and won several major titles including Champions League twice. 52 caps for Portugal. He started his coaching career in 2005 with the U16 team of Portugal. Champion of Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv and Switzerland with Basel. He replaced Jerzy Brzeczek earlier this year.

Štefan Tarkovič (Slovakia): Slovakian former footballer and now manager. Short football career so I couldn't find his photo during playing days. Štefan moved into a coaching career in 90s with Slovakian women's U19 team. Slovakian assistant from 2013 to 2018 and from 2020 major team manager.

GROUP F:

Marco Rossi (Hungary): Italian football manager and former player. Rossi mostly played in Serie A and B clubs. AC Lumezzane was his first club in coaching career. Hungarian national team manager from 2018.

Fernando Santos (Portugal): Former footballer who played for Estoril and Maritimo in first and second portuguese leagues. He retired at the age of 33 when he started his coaching career. Santos was manager of all three big clubs in Portugal, several clubs in Greece including their national team. From 2014 he is manager of Portugal. He led them to their only EURO title which happened in France at the last European championship.

Didier Deschamps (France): Great former France midfileder. As a national team captain, he led France to the EURO title in 2000. He was also a team captain at the World Cup 1998. Deschamps also won several other great trophies in his playing career. In 2001 he started his coaching career with Monaco. Since 2012 he is manager of France where he won the WC title in 2018 and was EURO runner-up, on home soil, two years before.

Joachim Low (Germany): Long time German national team manager where he first started in 2004 as assistant manager to Jurgen Klinsmann and after the World Cup in 2006 as his successor. Low led DFB to the EURO final in 2008, third place in South Africa two years later and to WC glory in 2014. He wasn't that successful as a player. Low gained four caps for the W. Germany U21 team and played for Freiburg, Stuttgart, Eintracht Frankfurt, Karlsruher...

UEFA EURO 2020 MANAGERS:

UEFA EURO 2020 NATION PRESENTATION: SWITZERLAND

 

NICKNAME: A-Team Nati, Rossocrociati / National Team, Red Crosses

MANAGER: Vladimir Petković

Bosnian football manager who in late 80s moved to Switzerland where he played for several smaller clubs until his retirement in 1999. He was a less important player of Sarajevo when they won Yugoslavian title in 1985. At the end of this playing career he was working as a player-manager in Bellinzona. His biggest club in managerial career is Lazio where he won Coppa Italia. From 2014 Petković is manager of Swiss national football team. 

MOST CAPS: Heinz Hermann- 118 caps from 1978 to 1991

TOP SCORER: Alexander Frei- 42 goals from 2001 to 2011

HOST NATION: Switzerland and Austria co-hosted EURO in 2008.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD: 5th EURO for Switzerland.

BEST RESULT: Best result for Swiss is round of 16 on last EURO in France. They won second place in a group with host nation France, Romania and Albania. Poland kicked them out in the first knockout stage. After 1-1 in regular time, Xhaka was the only player to miss on penalties.

UEFA EURO 2020 NATION PRESENTATION: SPAIN

 

NICKNAME: La Furia Roja / The Red Fury

MANAGER: Luis Enrique

Former Spain professional footballer who is currently in charge of the Spain football team. He started his career with Gijon and later played for both Spain giants Real and Barcelona. 62 matches for La Furia Roja. In 2008 he started his coaching career with Barcelona B team. Enrique made the biggest success as Barcelona coach winning the Champions League amnog other trophies. From 2018 he is manager of Spain football team. 

MOST CAPS: Sergio Ramos- 170 caps from 2005

TOP SCORER: David Villa- 59 goals from 2005 to 2017.

HOST NATION: Yes, in 1964.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD: 11th EURO for Spain.

BEST RESULT: Their biggest success is title. They won it three times: 1964, 2008 and 2012. Most titles by one nation. Germany also won it three times. In 2008 Spain was in a group with Russia, Sweden and Greece. They proceeded to the knock-out phase with all three wins. In the quarter-final Spain was better than Italy after PKs and in the semi-final from Russia with a 3-0 win. Torres scored the only goal in the final against Germany as Spain lifted their second EURO title.