After two weeks of drama and tension among Europe’s top national football teams, the knockout stages of the UEFA European Championships (EURO 2024) get under way this weekend, with all the action available live across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) on beIN SPORTS. To mark the start of the Round of 16, we dive into some of the numbers surrounding the tournament so far. 16: Is the number of teams remaining at EURO 2024. The ‘Sweet Sixteen’ are now confirmed with nine out of Europe’s 10 top-ranked teams progressing to the knock-out stages. While Croatia crashed, Georgia, ranked a lowly 74 in FIFA’s world rankings, progressed after victory against Portugal on Wednesday. 15: Is the number of games remaining at EURO 2024™. beIN SPORTS is not only broadcasting every match live across the MENA region, but the network is also offering a special KNOCKOUT Package to subscribers if they sign up at bein.com/summer2024 using the promo code KO2024.14: is the date in June that the competition started, with Germany crushing Scotland 5-1 in Munich to record the highest-scoring opening match of a European Championships since the tournament’s inception in 1960. EURO 2024 will also finish on 14 July with the final taking place in Berlin.13: is the minute that Ferran Torres scored Spain’s only goal in their final group match against Albania to become the only team to progress with a 100 per cent record at this year’s tournament. The 2008 and 2012 European champions will face Georgia in their Round of 16 tie on 30 June.12: is the number of times Italy has missed from the penalty spot at the European Championships, including seven times during shootouts. Knockout football never fails to bring the prospect of penalties, but Italy should not be too pessimistic – with 29, they have also scored more than another team.11: is the number of different nations that have won the European Championships. The first tournament in 1960 crowned Russia as kings of Europe, while the most recent tournament in 2020 was won by Italy. Of the 16 teams remaining this year, have never won it – including much-vaunted England.10: is the shirt number of Luka Modric, Croatia’s indefatigable captain who was in tears after his seemingly match-winning goal against Italy was cancelled out in the dying seconds by Mattia Zaccagni‘s equaliser, ending both Croatia’s campaign and (probably) Modric’s international career. 9: is the record number of goals scored by Michel Platini at the 1984 tournament. If the Frenchman’s 40-year record is to be broken this summer, the players are going to have find their shooting boots – Platini finished the group stages with seven goals, yet in Germany Georges Mikautadze leads with only three.8: is the number of goals Germany scored in the group stage – more than any other team. Their five against Scotland, all scored by different players, were complemented by two more against Hungary and one against Switzerland. The most goals any team has scored at a European Championships is 13.7: is the number of times a country hosting the European Championships has reached the final, of which only four finished as victors. This year’s hosts Germany, who also welcomed the continent in 1988 and was one of 11 co-hosts in 2020, has never reached the final when playing on home soil... 6: is the record number of tournaments at which Cristiano Ronaldo has appeared. The 39-year-old Portuguese forward made his tournament debut in 2004 and arrived in Germany having scored in all five of his previous tournaments. He is still on the hunt for a goal this summer – Portugal face Slovenia on 1 July. 5: billion is the cumulative live audience expected to watch this summer’s month-long showcase according to UEFA, the governing body for football in Europe. In the Middle East and North Africa, beIN SPORTS is the only place to catch all the action live, broadcasting across 24 MENA markets. 4: is the number of teams that contested the first five European Championships before it was expanded to, first eight teams in 1980, and then 16 teams in 1996. The current format of 24 participants has been in place since 2016 and will remain in place until at least 2032, which will be held in Italy and Turkey. 3: is the number of times Germany and Spain have each won the European Championships. The two countries are on track to meet in the Quarterfinals on 5 July, but first they must beat Denmark and Georgia in their respective Round of 16 ties. Italy and France meanwhile are the two countries chasing a third title. 2: is the number of knockout ties played each day during the Round of 16 and Quarterfinals, starting 29 June. Switzerland face Italy in the first R16 match at 19:00 MECCA, followed immediately by Germany v Denmark at 22:00, while the second pair of Quarterfinals will take place on 5 and 6 July.1: There is only one place to watch the knockout stages of EURO 2024 live in the Middle East and North Africa. beIN SPORTS is broadcasting up to 15 hours of coverage every day in Arabic, English, and French across its beIN SPORTS MAX channels, as well on its beIN CONNECT digital platform.Football fans across MENA keen not to miss the knockout stages of EURO 2024 can subscribe for beIN SPORTS’ KNOCKOUT package at a special price. Visit bein.com/summer2024 and use promo code KO2024.
June 29, 2024 | 07:03 PM