Euro 2008

I don't know why Italy and Germany's losses have to be regarded as upsets. In the last decade or so Holland and Croatia have put up some very strong squads that achieved less than what they could have with a little bit of luck. These matches were always going to be close and it shows in the amount interest they generate around the world.
What I cannot fathom is the ease with which Italy and Germany lost.
I started following football since 1982 when Paulo Rossi won the world cup for Italy. Subsequently Maradona and Mathaus ensured that the interest never died and love for game grew stronger. Never mind the fact that Bhutia's India IX rank on the wrong side of hundred in FIFA world rankings.
Talking of rankings here is an interesting statistic on football coaches. That is perhaps one reason why Croats should not have been taken lightly. Of course the team does the job but then they have produced some excellent footballers time after time. Davor Suker from the class of WC 1998 has retired, but this team is equally talented. Luka Modric is, according to the Croatian coach, 2nd best only to Kaka of Brazil. Germany had serious opponent to conquer and they failed.
The Germans and the Italians can still bounce back...Germany though has shown some problem areas. The difference between this side and that of the past is that it no longer reigns supreme in the air (headers). The ability to score from long range is missing and also their strong physical presence on the field has been tempered by the changes to the game that FIFA has implemented over the years.
Bastian Shweinsteiger's red card could come back to haunt Germany even if they qualify for the next round.
Holland v France , France v Italy , Turkey v Czech Republic are all going to be pretty close contests.