Euro 2024 Data Analysis: Kroos Is Germany’s Backbone, Spain’s Offense Is Balanced, Ronaldo’s Efficiency Is Lackluster

With Turkey’s victory over Austria, the eight teams for the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 have been decided. The first quarter-final will be played on July 6th, featuring the host nation, Germany, against Spain. As Euro 2024 enters its final seven matches, UEFA’s official statistics provide a valuable summary of team and player performance.

In terms of minutes played, the four teams that went to extra time in the round of 16 naturally have an advantage. England’s Rice, Gueye, Walker, Stones, and Pickford, the five main players, have played all 390 minutes. The two key players, Bellingham and Kane, have played 371 and 354 minutes respectively. Compared to Portugal, who also went to extra time and won through a penalty shootout, only goalkeeper Diogo Costa played all 390 minutes. Southgate and Martinez’s team selection strategies are quite different.

Among the teams that did not go to extra time, De Bruyne, Neuer, Kimmich, Donnarumma, Van Dijk, and the French back five are the most frequent starters for their respective teams, demonstrating their strategic importance within their teams. Notably, none of the players from Spain, who have comfortably reached the quarter-finals, have played the full duration of all matches. Coach de la Fuente still appears to have plenty of options available.

This Euro hasn’t seen a standout goalscorer yet. Going into the quarter-finals, Mikotadze, Musiala, Gakpo, and Schranz lead the scoring charts with three goals each. Eight players have scored two goals each, including Malen, Bellingham, Kane, Füllkrug, Havertz, and Ruiz, who are still in the competition. The race for the Golden Boot remains fierce. It’s worth mentioning that Spain, having scored nine goals so far, second only to Germany, has distributed its goals across seven players from the front, midfield, and defense, making them a strong contender for the title.

Speaking of goals, one can’t help but mention “that man” who is synonymous with goals and celebrations – Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar is still trying, but his efficiency is debatable. In this Euro, Ronaldo has played 366 minutes and taken 20 shots but has failed to find the back of the net. He is the only player in the top five shot-takers to remain goalless (the other four are Havertz, Mbappe, Depay, and Kane). What makes it worse is that Ronaldo has played the most minutes out of these five (Havertz – 301 minutes, Mbappe – 269 minutes, Depay – 339 minutes, Kane – 354 minutes). Considering that he hasn’t even been as efficient as Depay, known for his long-range shots, the significance of Ronaldo missing his penalty in the round of 16 becomes even more evident.

While some are troubled, others are rejoicing. As Ronaldo gradually becomes a liability for his team, Kroos, who is playing the final chapter of his career, continues to shoulder the burden, ensuring that this captivating spectacle continues. “Toni the Teacher” has made 435 passes in the first four games, making him the only player in this Euro to have passed the 400 mark. His passing accuracy is 95.8%, making him the only player in the top 20 for number of passes to break the 95% mark. These two “onlys” are significant enough to explain why Nagelsmann insisted on bringing the 34-year-old Kroos out of retirement to play in his final act at home.

Furthermore, Bellingham’s 16 tackles put him at the top of the tackling charts, highlighting his rapid progress towards becoming a complete player. Pepe, at 41, has proven that age is just a number, making 30 tackles, placing him third on the list behind Gueye and Rüdiger. In terms of saves made by goalkeepers, the top two positions align with the perception of “weak team goalkeepers” – Georgia’s Mamardashvili (29) leads by a significant margin, and Romania’s Nita (16) is not surprising either. However, joint third (14 saves) are Slovakia’s Oblak, Belgium’s Casteels, and reigning champions Italy’s Donnarumma. The lackluster performances of Belgium and Italy in this Euro seem to be reflected in this particular statistic.