All eyes on Euro 2020 as sport takes cautious stride towards normality in Covid world

The delayed European Championships was always an ambitious project, even before a global pandemic kicked in

Spain's Euro 2020 plans were thrown into disarray when Sergio Busquets, right, tested positive for Covid-19. EPA

Two and half weeks ahead of Euro 2020, the England manager, Gareth Southgate told reporters he thought no other squad, preparing for a vast tournament under the constraints of a pandemic and a compressed schedule, had it as tough as his.

“Our situation is more complicated than any other country,” Southgate reckoned, looking at his long list of injured and unavailable players.

At least 23 men would have disagreed – the managers of every other nation readying themselves for what, in terms of scale and global audience, will be the most ambitious showpiece to be staged since the Covid-19 crisis upended the way live, elite sport is organised.

Southgate, who is always measured in his comments, believed what he said. But he would not currently envy the position of Luis Enrique, the manager of Spain, who tonight, in Spain’s last warm-up game, will field none of the players he has selected for the tournament.

The reason for that is Covid. Spain's captain, Sergio Busquets, tested positive at the weekend, and concerns about possible contagion within the camp means the national under-21 team will replace the seniors for a fixture, against Lithuania, now rendered obsolete for Luis Enrique. His players, isolating from Busquets and one another, will train individually over the coming days.

Elite footballers have had well over a year to get used to the protocols when there is a positive test in the squad ‘bubble’.

In the last 18 months, much has been learned about how to contain infection in team environments and even in stadiums with a thin spread of paying spectators allowed in.

But there have been few enterprises as ambitious as Euro 2020, whose organisers, Uefa, have insisted should keep ‘2020’ in its name, although it is scheduled to kick-off, on Friday in Rome, 12 months after the original start date.

ENGLAND RATINGS: Sam Johnstone - 8: West Brom goalkeeper on his full senior debut made first meaningful save with his feet just before break from Sorescu. Sensational stop to deny Ivan a certain goal from close range with 15 minutes to go. AFP

Ben Godfrey - 7: Everton defender was one of three standby players starting match and was alert to clear dangerous ball into box after quarter of an hour. Sliced left-foot shot wide in first half and was denied even better chance to score when club teammate Calvert-Lewin got in ahead of him just after the break. Getty

Ben White - 6: Another standby player making his first start, the Brighton defender slotted straight in, looked calm and assured at the back, although manager Southgate would have been concerned at how the defence was opened up so easily by Romania at times. Getty

Tyrone Mings - 5: Early miss-control gifted Romania corner and gave away a couple of other needless fouls in a far from convincing opening half. Slightly better after break, including one important block from Cicaldau shot, but England clearly need a fit Harry Maguire back in team. EPA

Luke Shaw - 7: Full-back determined to surge forward and link up with Manchester United teammate Rashford down left. Caught out of position just before half time and needed Johnstone save to stop Sorescu scoring. Getty

Kalvin Phillips - 6: Wild strike way off target in first 10 minutes but quickly settled into his usual solid performance in front of the back four, keeping things simple with the ball and the midfield ticking over. Reuters

James Ward-Prowse - 8: Southampton midfielder was one of three standby players looking to make his mark and should be really happy with his efforts here. Saw two excellent, trademark free-kicks into box almost result in goals for Calvert-Lewin and another easily saved by Nita. Reuters

Jack Grealish - 8: Crowd seemed to buzz whenever he was in possession and he ghosts past challenges with such ease. Told to calm down by referee in first half after becoming increasingly unhappy with Romanian challenges. Eventually brought down by one in second half to earn England penalty. At the heart of England’s best work at the Riverside Stadium. AP

Jadon Sancho - 6: Dortmund winger found himself some space on edge of area after 11 minutes but sliced chance high and wide. Much closer later in half when his lovely right-foot curler struck the bar. Getty

Marcus Rashford - 7: Captain for first time in absence of Harry Kane, produced some nice touches and his pace caused Romania problems. Shot wide with after good attacking run from half-way line on the hour mark. Calmly side-footed home from the spot after Grealish was fouled in box. AP

Dominic Calvert-Lewin - 7: Saw thumping header hit the bar after half an hour from Ward-Prowse’s free kick. Should have scored from another ball in from Southampton man but could only side foot straight to keeper. Brought down in clumsy fashion by Chiriches to earn England second penalty. A handful up front. AFP

SUBS: Jordan Henderson – (On for Phillips 46’) 6: A welcome return to action for the Liverpool midfielder making his first appearance since injuring his groin for Liverpool in February. Had second-half penalty well saved by Nita although was at good height for keeper. Reuters

Declan Rice – (On for Ward-Prowse 65’) 6: West Ham midfielder came on for last 25 minutes and is a likely starter for the first Euro clash against Croatia. PA

Jude Bellingham – (On for Sancho 65’) 7: Impressive cameo from Dortmund midfielder. Thought he’d scored his first senior goal but saw header deflected over bar. Reuters

Kieran Trippier – (On for Shaw 75’) 6: Late run-out for Atletico Madrid player who comes into contention for start at Euros with Alexander-Arnold now out. Reuters

Jesse Lingard – (On for Rashford 75’) 6: No chance to make mark. Ollie Watkins – (On for Calvert-Lewin 82’) N/A. Stabbed chance wide at back post in last five minutes. Reuters

It was postponed because of the ravaging effects of the disease during the spring of last year.

It was always an unusually unwieldy tournament, with no single host nation but 11 venues scattered from Spain in the west to Azerbaijan in the east.

England player ratings for final Euro 2020 warm-up against Romania

It was a concept originally designed to emphasise inclusion, so that supporters in places such as Baku, Budapest and Bucharest could be part of a tournament that is generally hosted only in the wealthier nations of western Europe. But sport in a pandemic is directly opposed to too much inclusion: People packed alongside one another in their tens of thousands invites cross-infection.

There will be crowds at Euro 2020. Hungarian public health authorities have given a green light to sell as many tickets as there are seats in Budapest’s Puskas Arena – 61,000 – provided spectators show they have been vaccinated against Covid-19 or have had a negative test. In the remaining 10 venues, capacity is restricted to try to maintain a level of social distancing.

The risks are significant, and the images of the event, which will be broadcast around the world, will remind many millions of watchers that Europe believes it has made greater advances than almost everywhere else in its battle against the pandemic, with the distribution of vaccines. Euro 2020, with its vibrant flag-waving fans, will certainly look like a very different sporting festival to most others – not least the Copa America, its South American equivalent.

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All the Euro 2020 kits ranked from worst to best

24) Austria. Getty Images

23) Czech Republic. Getty Images

22) North Macedonia. Jako

21) Hungary. Getty Images

20) Turkey. Getty Images

19) Ukraine. Getty Images/AFP

18) Sweden. Getty Images

17) Portugal. Getty Images

16) Wales. Getty Images

15) England. Getty Images

14) Poland. Getty Images

13) Russia. Getty Images/AFP

12) Croatia. Getty Images

11) Scotland. Getty Images

10) Spain. Getty Images/Reuters

9) Switzerland. AFP/Puma

8) Netherlands. Getty Images/Nike

7) France. Getty Images

6) Belgium. Getty Images

5) Slovakia. Getty Images

4) Denmark. Getty Images

3) Finland. Getty Images/Nike

2) Germany. Getty Images

1) Italy. Getty Images/Puma

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The Copa, a showpiece featuring stars such as Lionel Messi and Neymar, was also postponed for a year. It is now scheduled to begin on Sunday.

There is no absolute certainty it will. It was due to be jointly hosted by Colombia and Argentina, but given the alarming Covid contagion rates in both countries, and civil unrest in Colombia, it was moved last month, Brazil offering to take over the staging.

Brazil’s case for doing so is weak. The country has recorded the second highest rate of deaths from Covid-19 in the world, behind only the USA.

A Brazilian Senate Commission reported at the weekend that the country “does not have the sufficient health safeguards for an international tournament of this magnitude,” and criticised “a false sense of normality” that staging the 10-team, 28-match event would create.

Brazilian players have threatened to boycott the tournament and there have been discussions between senior players from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay about the viability of refusing to take part.

Somewhere between the bold optimism that will push spectators in stadiums at Euro 2020 and the ever louder voices protesting against Brazil’s Copa America are the arguments around the Tokyo Olympics.

The games are due to begin, having been delayed for a year, on July 23rd. Polls suggest as many as four out of five Japanese residents believe they should be cancelled or postponed again.

A vibrant, secure Euro 2020 might yet build faith in sport’s capacity to manage a vast event function with an acceptable level of safety. But nobody, not the managers of England and Spain nor anxious European governments, are pretending it is business as usual.