What have we learned then?

So what did we learn from Italy’s very impressive win over Germany to send them through to the European Championships Final to face Spain?

1 – Mario Balotelli has showed up at this tournament, and could well be the real deal. Putting his controversial persona aside, he’s banged in three great goals in this competition, and has proved that he might just be worth a gamble for any managers looking to acquire his services. It’s hard to believe that at the tender age of 21, he is not only competing with some of the best players in the world; he is showing them up. Granted – he’s volatile, cranky, and at times idiotic, but Spain should be worried. They have yet to be truly tested in this tournament, France didn’t turn up, Portugal were crap, and Italy held them to a draw before they even started to fire on all cylinders.

2 – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Spain are not the great team that the majority make them out to be. They were unbackable at such lousy prices prior to and during this tournament, and though they could well win the tournament on Sunday, there are still deep flaws in their style of play that will be exposed eventually. Many people will back Spain no matter the price, right up until the point where they lose a game, but trust me on this one – that day is edging ever nearer. Passing the ball around for hours on end and then blowing it when it comes to taking your chances, that doesn’t get results. A girl will get tired of all the foreplay eventually; she wants something more at the end of it all. Spain are shooting blanks.

3 – A European team will NOT the World Cup in 2014. Germany, Spain, Holland, Italy, Portugal – these teams just aren’t good enough in my opinion. Though the footy this summer has been entertaining, many of the so-called ‘bigger’ teams have flopped. England lack creativity, Germany lack focus, Portugal bank on one player’s ability, Holland lack, well… I don’t actually have a clue what they’re missing, and Spain have erectile dysfunction when it comes to banging it into the back of the net.

Looking at World Cup ante post, I’d be looking to get on teams like Chile 50/1, Mexico 80/1 and Paraguay 100/1. With a gun to my head I’d probably tip Argentina to be the dominant force in 2 years’ time going into that tournament, but they’re far too short a price at 6/1 for me.

A lot can happen in two years, but I think the decline of the European teams and the rise of the South American teams, and perhaps even the African countries, is upon us!