UEFA

Euro 2020: A “Data-Driven” Analysis

Who’s old? Who will win? Why aren’t players called Tom any more?

Euro 2020 kicks off on Friday evening and, in spite of Northern Ireland’s notable absence, it should be a hoot.

I’ve taken a look below at the wild, the wacky, and the just plain whimsical of Euro 2020 data.

😷 The pandemic effect

First, it’s being played in 2021 and it’s called Euro 2020. I’m sure that didn’t pass you by. The pandemic had quite the impact on that front.

But there are also some changes to the rules:

• Squads can contain 26 players, rather than the usual 23.
• Teams are permitted five substitutions per game, rather than the usual three.
• Stadium capacities are significantly reduced, typically to about 20–25% of the maximum. Budapest is a notable exception — Hungary will have sold-out crowds for their group games. But we’re not living in the 1950s, so that probably won’t affect the tournament outcome.

There are six groups of four teams; the top two from each go through. That gives us 12 remaining teams, so:

• The four best 3rd-placed teams also go through…