As Erling Haaland doesn’t really need this EURO on stage. The Borussia Dortmund striker is already one of the most sought-after players in Europe. Just having to watch the European Football Championship still causes frustration for the 20-year-old Norwegian. And while Haaland still has to wait for his first major tournament, world stars like Sergio Ramos (35) or Zlatan Ibrahimovic (39) have no chance of a major exit. The German press agency presents the most prominent missing from the EM.
Erling Haaland (20 years / Norway): According to the market values of the portal transfermarkt.de, the BVB striker is the biggest star who has to watch this EURO. With 110 million euros, Haaland is the third most valuable player there after the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé (160) and the Englishman Harry Kane (120). But despite Haaland, Norway missed its first European Championship participation since 2000. The frustration of the Champions League top scorer was correspondingly great.
“I am really angry. We had the opportunity, but that was just not good enough, ”he said and also complained that we weren’t involved well enough. But some TV experts were also critical of Haaland. “There was much praise for how emotional he is at Dortmund when things don’t go well,” said long-time national team captain John Arne Riise: “You can’t see anything here.” Haaland was able to play in just two qualifying games and the playoffs , a goal he did not succeed.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (39 / Sweden): When the old star announced his return to the Swedish national team at the beginning of the year, not only the fans at home cheered. Ibrahimovic is one of the world’s most famous, iconic and polarizing players. The 2004 Hackentor against Italy was one of the most beautiful in European Championship history.
With two assists in the first two appearances since the European Championships in 2016, the almost 40-year-old got back on track in the spring. But then a knee injury stopped him. “Of course it’s sad. Especially for Zlatan, but also for us, ”said coach Janne Andersson. And for many fans across Europe.
Sergio Ramos (35 / Spanien): The plan sounded appealing: Sergio Ramos could have become the record national player at the European Championship on the big stage. Worldwide. The tough Real Madrid defender has made 180 appearances, while the Egyptian record holder Ahmed Hassan has 184.
But Spain coach Luis Enrique has no use for the recently often injured Ramos and did not nominate him. Like no other real player. He made the decision difficult, said Enrique, “but I have to do what is best for the team”. It pains him not to be able to be there, said world and European champion Ramos: “But I will now be a fan and cheer from home.”
Ansu Fati (18 / Spain): For some he is no less than a talent of the century. When Ansu Fati shot onto the big football stage at FC Barcelona in late summer, at the age of 17, he quickly caused a sensation. Every 76 minutes he was involved in a goal in the Spanish league, the Champions League or for the national team. For Spain he is also immortalized as the youngest goalscorer. But in November Fati tore a meniscus. He hasn’t played a game since then.
Virgil van Dijk (29/Netherlands): For a long time Virgil van Dijk did not want to admit it. He hoped to be able to attend the European Championships after the cruciate ligament rupture in October. After all, it would be the first major tournament with the Netherlands for “Europe’s Footballer of the Year” in 2019 at the age of 29. But in the end, his Liverpool club coach Jürgen Klopp was right, who had dismissed the project as an illusion. “Of course I’m bitterly disappointed,” said the central defender: “It’s tough. But I have to accept it. “
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