BNP Paribas Economic Research’s Post

“UEFA was founded in 1954, when the Cold War was intensifying and Europe was divided into the Western and Eastern blocks. Unlike many organisations from that era which were only deepening the gap between polarised Europe, UEFA gathered West Germany and East Germany, the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom, Yugoslavia and Spain under the same umbrella. How come today—when the world is as globalised as never before—football can’t anymore unite what politics has separated? In other words, why has Russia been banned from all the UEFA competitions?” That’s the question I asked UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin yesterday at Weekend Media Festival. That question also marks the end of my investigation on the ‘influence of nationalism on football’. By the end of the year, I will publish my new book, which will include stories I wrote during EURO in Germany, just as new stories where I analysed political and sociological situation in Europe. That’s where you will also find Čeferin’s answer to the question from the beginning of this post. #UEFA #AleksanderCeferin #WeekendMediaFestival #Rovinj #Croatia

Europe’s most important football event is not only expected to contribute to the growth of the German economy, but also to the economy of the countries in the Play-Offs phase. Hospitality and retail sales are predicted to reach £386.9 million in the UK during the UEFA Euro 2024 Round of 16. Expectations are indeed high - both in football and revenues of the participating countries. ⚽📈 #TourismLab #thinktourism #HospitalityManagement #Euro2024

The initial assessment by the panel placed France as a one-goal favorite, which likely reflected not the difference in strength between the two teams, but rather the home-field advantage. However, in the early hours of today, the panel has already adjusted this to an even match. The fact that support for the French team on their home turf in the Olympic tournament has waned raises some concerns. Upon investigation, current data as of 1 PM on August 9th shows that 60% of participants in the betting market are opting for a draw. To reduce payout pressure, the panel had to adjust the data downward. Considering all factors, the prediction is that France is favored to win the match within the regular 90-minute time frame. Football Livescore - nowgoal15.com

Interesting article 

While European countries that ran major colonial empires have featured multiracial football teams for a long time now (France and Portugal were among the first to cap black players back in the 1930s, the Netherlands debuted black players in the 1960s and England in the 1970s), Spain, with its history of economic collapses in the recent past, has been a country of emigration rather than immigration till only a decade ago. Football is the great immigration success story of Europe.

England's Defeat at Euro 2024: A Reflection on the Decline of a Once-Great Empire England’s failure to beat Spain in the 2024 Euro Finals and win its first major trophy in 58 years is an indication that once an empire has collapsed, the killer instinct dies with it, and an attitude of accepting second best takes hold. Spanish football is in its zenith, with a football-mad Spain full of confidence, its people riding high as their team, which won all seven of its matches, triumphed for the fourth time, bringing the cup back to Madrid and fulfilling the wish of every Spaniard. It united a country that at times has fractures, but since the scandals of the former King, his son has managed to make things better for the Royal Family, and this feel-good atmosphere is now felt by the masses. Yes, there was the sex abuse scandal last year with the women's team, who are also world champions, but the continued victories at the international level with the men show a grit and determination that is sadly lacking with England. Inconsistency did not win an empire; determination, discipline, and consistency did. An attitude of superiority that the English have lost over time as their internal problems such as immigration, inflation, and Brexit have gnawed away at the country’s soul, bringing disappointment, anger, and frustration with continual failures throughout each generation since the World Cup victory in 1966. Losing is not what you are taught at school; it is unacceptable to the people who need to feel good about themselves and put so much faith in their team. England must look inward, heal its wounds, and once completely whole again, go out and conquer, returning with the same laurels earlier generations brought home. #EnglandVsSpain #Euro2024Finals #SpanishFootball #DeclineOfAnEmpire #BringItHome #Football #Euro2024 #Brexit #UKPolitics #RoyalFamily #FootballMadSpain

🌍 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐔𝐍 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐘𝐮𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 ⚽ Qualifying for the European Championship, travelling to the country where it will be played, and then, ten days before the start, being forced to go home due to a UN resolution. This is what happened to the Yugoslav national football team in 1992. 🌟 𝐀 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐝 The European Football Championship was expected to feature the talented Yugoslav national team, a squad that had demonstrated immense potential. After securing their qualification with a decisive win, Yugoslavia was ready to showcase their skills on the European stage, with a lineup that included players who had previously excelled in international tournaments. 🔥 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐬 However, the political turmoil in the Balkans disrupted these plans. The escalating conflict led to the United Nations imposing sanctions on Yugoslavia, resulting in their disqualification from the tournament. This decision dashed the hopes of a team that many believed had the potential to achieve greatness, highlighting the profound impact of geopolitical events on sports. ⚽ 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤’𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 With Yugoslavia out, Denmark, a team that had not originally qualified, was brought back into the competition just days before it began. In an extraordinary twist of fate, Denmark turned this unexpected opportunity into a historic victory, defeating the heavily favored German team in the final and claiming the European Championship title. 🌀 Geopolitical Twists in Sports The story of EURO 1992 illustrates a concrete example of how geopolitics can enter the world of sports and completely disrupt it. It underscores the lost opportunities for the talented Yugoslav players and the remarkable triumph of the Danish team, who seized their chance against all odds and made history. #FootballHistory #EURO1992 #Yugoslavia #Denmark #SportsMiracle #SportsandGeopolitics

Data for data's sense makes no sense. Did you know there is a football tournament happening at the moment in Europe. Switzerland just became the first qualifiers for the next round beating Italy 2-0. You don't have to be a football expert to know that England haven't been performing to their potential in the qualifying stage - but that can all change tomorrow (fingers crossed). As a non-expert I looked at the data to see if I could understand what makes Switzerland so good and where are England struggling: One Team has a possession average of 48% with a pass accuracy of 85.25% while the other has a possession average of 59.67% and pass accuracy of 90%. Do those measures mean that the team with the higher % are better than the team with the lower % - Well as it turns out not necessarily as the lower stats belong to Switzerland. So why are those stats being measured if they have no influence on the performance of the team? A lesson for us all there I think. Fully prepared now for all the Football experts to tell me what I am missing #ComeonEngland

🌍 Could Opting Out of National Duties Cost Players? As another international break unfolds, stories of players stepping back from national team duties are making headlines. Increasingly, top-tier players are opting out, citing reasons from fatigue to club commitments. Yet this trend may have career consequences that aren't immediately obvious. Consider Kylian Mbappé, who has now withdrawn from a France squad for the second time, suggesting a preference for major international competitions over routine matches. Similarly, in the October international window, Ghana’s Thomas Partey declined a call-up, citing illness. When Ghana’s FA requested an in-person assessment, he declined due to the travel involved. What are the long-term implications of such decisions? Recent award rankings suggest that choosing club over country may have a greater impact on players’ careers than they realize: - Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus—despite a stellar season with West Ham—missed out on a top-10 spot for Africa’s best players after Ghana’s poor AFCON showing. His exclusion underscores that club form alone may not suffice; international success still weighs heavily in these rankings. - In the Ballon d’Or race, players who balanced club and national duties often ranked higher. For example, Vinicius Jr. may have been edged out by Spain’s Rodri, whose contributions at both club and country level were key. Seventeen-year-old Lamine Yamal soared to 8th place, largely on the back of his impressive performances for Spain, while Cole Palmer, who contributed 40 goals across 45 matches, ranked lower—likely due to limited involvement in England’s Euro campaign. These examples reveal that national duties go beyond pride—they’re a strategic career decision. Players considering stepping back from international commitments may want to think twice, as missing out could cost them not only accolades but also visibility and influence on the global stage. #Football #InternationalBreak #BallondOr #PlayerAwards

G20 - 8 out of 20 GDPs in 2023 are from Europe