Michael tops the Group phase as we move into knock-out football and Penalty Bonus

Morning Mates. We have now moved to the serious end of the competition whereby conservative tipping will need to be put to the side if you are hoping to turn your tournament around. For Michael A, our winner of the Group Matches, will it be a case of hanging on, or will he surge towards the title? 

Congratulations, Michael! However, we don't have an honours roll for Group winners 😉. 

We have to say that the tipping performance by all our Mates was pretty ordinary in the final round of matches; Nestor accumulated the highest tally with a meagre 16 points. We can argue that the tipping resulted from some inexplicable performances by teams including Belgium, England, France and Portugal. 

So what happens now?

When making your predictions, you'll need to consider Extra Time and Penalties. Remember that if a game goes into Extra Time, your prediction at 90 minutes of regular time will come to  nothing if the scoreline changes. 

Penalty Bonus; predict the Winner

This brilliant feature is active ONLY if you have predicted a draw, which is at the end of Extra Time. Hence, if you are going for the draw, HIGHLIGHT your penalty shoot-out winner on your sheets. Get this correct, and you will receive TWO BONUS points. Therefore, the maximum points a Mate can earn from now on is NINE points. Penalty Bonus will either send you into raptures of delight or have you thumping your fits on the ground as your nearest and dearest look at you with a WTF expression. 

Think wisely, and enjoy the knock-out phase. 

	Mates	G	B	Total
1	Michael A	57	10	67
2	Nestor	54	6	60
3	Alexander	45	10	55
4	Andrew J	51	4	55
5	Si Webb	45	8	53
6	Angelique	48	4	52
7	Aramis	39	8	47
8	Nico	39	8	47
9	John A	42	2	44
10	Michael P	36	6	42
11	Harry M	36	4	40
12	Yianni	33	2	35

Stop picking on Gareth.

Gareth Southgate makes some bizarre selections, but which ex-English player can do better?

Alright mates; is it the elephant in the room that the English press, including its illustrious list of failed internationals, chooses to ignore?  I wouldn't mind hearing your thoughts on our chat. But do we agree that the level of criticism being dished out at Gareth is a tad over the top? If ex-English players are so knowledgeable to give a brutal assessment of England's performances, I have a solution: 

Step right up boys, and let's see what you've got. 

For decades, this national team has come into a tournament with hype and expectation. However, this time around, the hype seems a little tense; the 'best squad' tag is becoming an issue.

Even the sophisticated, insightfully witty and deeply analytical Guardian and Athletic journalists are failing to address the elephant in the room. 

Perhaps England's consistent failure has nothing to do with its players or Gareth. Maybe the media should focus on their nation's severe inability to produce technically capable managers/coaches who can compete with their international contemporaries. Perhaps it's the ex-players who must take a very long, hard look at themselves.

For example, what happens after Southgate? Who is the next English potential that can take over? Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, Potter, who? In fact, where are England's managers? 

How is it that a team whose Press have for nearly six decades been labelled as potential European or World Champions failed to produce English managers once players from these teams hang up their boots? Since the creation of the Premier League thirty years ago, how many ex-Englishmen who have played in a league that is supposedly ‘the best in the world’ have been able to make a successful transition into football management? 

Manchester United dominated the game for two decades. Where are their ex-players? Most of them sit on panels bitching how bad their club is, revelling in their past glory days. Between United's dominance, there were periods of Arsenal and Chelsea under Wenger and Mourinho.  Where are any of these English players? The English press must get off players' backs and stop hacking into its current manager. Instead, look inside your game and ask, WHY? Where are your ex-players who played under fantastic managers? It's a very stimulating question, and this overhyped nation of football fanatics needs to address this if they are ever to see their men's football team claim the game's most converted international tournaments.  Lastly, maybe it's the ex-players who achieved nothing at international level who need to remember that, unlike any of us, they can step into the role and show the rest how it's done. 

MD 11: The gap closes at the top as the Azzurri push into the last 16

Croatia 1 Italy 1: Zaccagni's goal puts Italy through into the last 16

Del Piero goal against Germany; 2006 World Cup Semi-Final

The Modric marvel is undone, by the zest of the Azzurri. It's as heartbreaking as it gets if you are Croatian or are Mates who have gone for a Croatian victory. For Nestor, it doesn't get any better than this; watching a centre-back (Ricardo Calafiori) in a blue shirt steaming forward in the ninetieth eight minute of the match to lay off a pass to a right-footed Zaccangi to curl the ball into the top left corner of the Croatian net was utterly spectacular- it was the perfect strike, giving no chance to Livakovic. It brought back memories of one Del Piero at the 2006 World Cup Semi-Final against Germany. Five points to the veteran and, better still, Italy march on to face Switzerland in the Round of Sixteen. 

Football and Football4Mates; taking human beings to places they had not imagined. Drama and trauma in equal measure.

Nestor closes the gap on Michael who leads by his excellent Bonus record. Andrew is still in the mix as Alexander begins to slip. Si Webb has fifth, and World Cup Archon Nico sits in sixth position.

	Mates	G	B	Total
1	Michael A	51	10	61
2	Nestor	51	6	57
3	Andrew J	48	4	52
4	Alexander	42	8	50
5	Si Webb	42	6	48
6	Nico	39	8	47
7	Angelique	39	4	43
8	Aramis	36	6	42
9	Harry M	36	4	40
10	Michael P	33	6	39
11	John A	36	2	38
12	Yianni	30	2	32

MD 9: Ronaldo breaks record for most assists, and Michael A takes Round 2

Against Turkey, Ronaldo set another record as Bernardo Silva, Fernandes seal top spot.

Congratulations Michael A, who, with the completion of matches this morning, sits top of the table at the end of Round 2. The last two days have been a struggle for our Mates, but Michael has battled through the thickets of tight results. 

Alexander sitting in second, has relied on the two-point bonus, while Andrew and Nestor need to start converting their outcomes into bonus points if they are going to catch our leader. 

MD 7: Serbian fight back, English eh, Spanish supremacy, and a new leader emerges

 

Serbia fight back from brink with last-second leveller against Slovenia

England's lacklustre game against Denmark leaves fans, pundits baffled

Nico Williams leads majestic Spain into last 16 with win over Italy 

It was a wtf moment today when we scanned through the results and saw that Michael A pulled off two highly impressive score predictions (Slovenia v Serbia and Denmark v England). 

Michael rounded off an excellent morning by predicting the outcome of Spain v Italy to move into first place. Surprisingly, many of you flat-lined today, mainly caused by predicting an Italian win or draw. We want to thank John A, who lifted himself off the bottom of the ladder. 

The achievement of our newest member means that our Euro Archon, Yianni, has slipped to the bottom. Still, we have such a long way to go, and as our new leader has shown has shown, reaching the summit is within touching distance for any of our Matea when one nails a run of good results. 

	Mates	G	B	Total
1	Michael A	36	8	44
2	Alexander	33	6	39
3	Si Webb	33	4	37
4	Andrew J	33	2	35
5	Nestor	33	2	35
6	Angelique	30	4	34
7	Nico	24	6	30
8	Aramis	24	4	28
9	Harry M	24	2	26
10	John A	24	2	26
11	Michael P	24	2	26
12	Yianni	21	2	23

MD: End of Round 1 and Alexander moves outright into the lead

Portugal earns late comeback win vs Czech Republic (2:1) as Ronaldo starts in record 6th Euro

Very early days, Mates, but Alexander has pulled ahead with a two-point lead over Andrew and Si Webb. Since we are at the end of Round 1, congratulations are in order! 

Excellent tipping Alexander! 

At the bottom, Harry and John, don't sweat it Mates, there is plenty of time for you, and you are only a tip and bonus away from current Archons Nico and Yianni. 

Now that we have seen all the teams, let's gear ourselves for Round 2. Once again there are some tough/big games (Spain v Italy; Netherlands v France). Good luck!

	Mates	G	B	Total
1	Alexander	27	4	31
2	Andrew J	27	2	29
3	Si Webb	27	2	29
4	Michael A	24	4	28
5	Nestor	24	2	26
6	Angelique	21	2	23
7	Michael P	21	2	23
8	Aramis	18	4	22
9	Nico	18	4	22
10	Yianni	18	2	20
11	Harry M	18	-	18
12	John A	18	-	18

MD 3: Newbies Andrew and Michael A make a move

 

Jude Bellingham's goal secures England a 1-0 win against Serbia

Emotional Eriksen goal vs Slovenia in his Euro return

Weghorst winner gives Dutch late victory over Poland

	Mates	G	B	Total
1	Andrew J	18	2	20
2	Michael A	15	4	19
3	Nico	15	4	19
4	Si Webb	18	-	18
5	Alexander	15	2	17
6	Angelique	15	-	15
7	Aramis	12	2	14
8	Yianni	12	2	14
9	Harry M	12	-	12
10	Michael P	12	-	12
11	Nestor	12	-	12
12	John A	9	-	9

MD 2: Spain hit three, the Champions win and Si Webb has four from four

 

Alessandro Bastonis scores as Itay stay calm after an early scare against Albania

Carvajal celebrates scoring Spain’s third with Lamine Yamal

Breel Embolo of Switzerland celebrates scoring his team's third goal against Hungary

Archons, young aspirants, and for another, three decades of waiting.

  

And so here we are. The evening before it all kicks off, Germany v Scotland, and all eyes will be glancing over to our Mates and their predictions. Four new faces are joining us on this 57-game roller-coaster tipping competition. Welcome Harry, Andrew, John A, and Michael A (not to be mistaken with EPL Fantasy Football Legend Michael P); we hope you enjoy yourselves over the next four weeks. 

Like the mighty Azzuri, our Euro Archon, Yianni, is back to defend his title, as is our World Cup Archon, Nico, who is gunning to claim both titles during the same period. Aramis, runner-up in Qatar, is keen to put that World Cup Final nail-biter behind him, while Alexander aims for an improved performance in Germany. Angelique will be calculated as always, and Si Webb hopes to achieve something that no men's English football team has accomplished in 58 years: win something. 

Almost as desperate but without the overinflated hype and expectation is Nestor, winner of the first Football4Mates competition back in 1990. Third place at the 2022 World Cup was his highest finish in the 21st century. 

Enjoy the tournament and good luck.

Germany 2024; Football4Mates returns

         

There is a particular energy that pulses through the veins of a European Championship, for this is not just a football tournament; it's a grand spectacle of history, regional "we are so much better than you", and football philosophy and culture rivalries coming together. 

While the World Cup embraces the delightful diversity and beauty of our game, with people from all corners of the globe converging for a football festival, the Euros are something else, possessing a distinct allure. They are the mother of all derbies. 

Beneath that summer vibe which bring European football fans together, a simmering intensity lingers. European pasts usually bubble beneath the surface through politically correct pleasantries; smiles and shenanigans towards 'the other lot'. 

That is why within this simmering powderkeg which is the 17th UEFA European Football Champions, Football4Mates is back for our fifth Euro tournament. 

We are so ready to have you join us for another monumental football event, where every game means something; points and the quest to become a Euro Football Archon. 

Saturday, 5.00 am, 5th June 2024

Germany v Scotland