The 2020 Euro Championship is nearly upon us! And while it’s always a fun and exciting tournament regardless of which teams are competing, we all know how much more engaging it is when Wales are involved. We tasted the thrill of participating in the Euro Finals for the first time in 2016, and what a run it was. If it weren’t for eventual winners Portugal, Wales would have made it to the final of the tournament at the first time of asking! Will they go one better this time? If you’re going to back Wales to win the competition, it’ll probably be best to use a free bet offer, since Belgium, England, and World Champions France are all looking strong. Still, there’s more to the tournament than who wins it. The whole competition is one long and fun (and perhaps slightly heartbreaking) ride.
In this blog, we’ll look at the ins and outs of the competition, including offering some advice on how you can enjoy it to the fullest.
Who Are They Playing?
Wales will play at least three games as part of their Euro 2020 campaign. They were drawn in Group A along with Switzerland, Turkey, and Italy.
Those games will take place on the following dates/times:
Wales vs Switzerland – Saturday, June 12, 2 pm.
Wales vs Turkey – Wednesday, June 16, 5 pm.
Wales vs Italy – Sunday, June 20, 5 pm.
Thankfully, two of those games take place at the weekend, so you’ll likely be free from work and be able to watch them. The Wednesday game might pose a challenge. For that, you might have to sweet-talk your boss into letting you leave the office early.
What Happens If Wales Progress From The Group?
To progress to the later rounds of the competition, Wales will need to finish in the top two of their group. A win and a draw with a good goal difference would likely be enough. They could also progress by being the best-performing third-placed team. But let’s not take any chances: it’ll all run much more smoothly if we just top the group!
If Wales do finish first in the group, then they’ll play the runners up of Group C, which includes Ukraine, Netherlands, and Austria. That game takes place on Saturday, June 26, at 8 pm.
If Wales finish runner-up in the group, they’ll play the runners up of Group B, which includes Belgium, Russia, Denmark, and Finland.
It gets a bit complicated to explain all the possibilities of who they might face if they make it to the Quarter-finals and beyond. All you need to know is that they will progress, and they’ll play in the final, which will take place at Wembley Stadium on July 11 (hey, we can dream!).
Key Players
So now we know who Wales will be playing. The question is: can they beat the teams they come up against? If they’re going to succeed, then they’ll need their best players to stand up and make a mark on the tournament.
The two best Welsh players are, of course, Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey. Let’s begin by looking at Ramsey. He was instrumental in the great run Wales had at Euro 2016, providing a joint-high four assists and being named in the team of the tournament. A lot has changed since then, with Ramsey now plying his trade in Italy with Juventus. But some things stay the same. Ramsey has a pretty poor injury record with the Welsh national team, and as he’s currently nursing a thigh injury, he currently can’t play. He’ll likely have recovered from that injury by the time the tournament rolls around, but will he be in the form that’s required to take on some of the best teams in the world? We’ll have to wait and see.
And then there’s Gareth Bale. His quality is never in doubt. You don’t become the all-time top goalscorer for your country without knowing how to play football! He’s had something of a stop-start season, but now that he’s hitting his stride — and he’s free of Mourinho’s shackles — he’s in a good position to hit peak form once the tournament rolls around.
The great thing about Bale is that he can always turn it on. He was “out of sorts” at Madrid but still scored two goals — including a world-class overhead kick — against Liverpool to win the Champions League final. If Wales need a goal, you can count on Bale to step up and make something happen.
Of course, there’s more to Wales than Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale. Joe Allen, Daniel James, Joe Roden, and Harry Wilson will all need to deliver their best if Wales are going to go far!
How To Watch
There will be plenty of ways to stay on top of all the action during the Euro 2020 competition. In the UK, matches will be shown on BBC and ITV, both on television and on their respective digital media channels (BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub).
So that’s easier enough. However, although it’s more than fine to simply tune into the action in peace, remember that the Wales national football team don’t find themselves in major tournaments all too often. So why not make the most of it? This is a great opportunity to invite some friends around, have a BBQ (hopefully the weather will be pleasant), and all follow the action together. Alternatively, you can swing by the pub. You know there’ll be a great atmosphere!
Can Wales Surprise Us?
So what can we expect from Wales? Nobody thought they’d do well at Euro 2016, yet they ended up going all the way to the semi-finals. While they’re in a tough group, you wouldn’t put it past them to sneak a few surprise results. They’re in good form at the moment, too, which bodes well for a decent showing at the tournament. Plus, you know they’ll have the backing of the whole country behind them — and that support counts for a lot!