'After early surprises, this is when the big teams get going'

In nan first 14 days of Euro 2024 I’ve watched 13 different teams successful 9 games crossed 7 cities - and I've enjoyed each second.

It’s been a whirlwind circuit of Germany and I americium fresh for a remainder now nan group shape is over, but this is precisely what I wanted to do - spot arsenic overmuch of nan state arsenic possible, and watch arsenic galore matches arsenic I can.

I’ve seen a batch of happy faces connected my travels and I deliberation I speak for a batch of Germans erstwhile I opportunity things are going well. It's been astonishing to spot truthful galore group coming complete and enjoying themselves and, overall, nan tourney has lived up to my expectations too.

A batch of nan things I had hoped for beforehand, from nan behaviour of each nan fans to nan value of nan football, person go reality.

I cognize from first-hand acquisition that nan German train strategy is not arsenic bully arsenic group astir apt expected but hopefully that is nan only point that has been disappointing truthful far.

We saw rather a fewer astonishment results successful nan group shape and 1 of nan astir enjoyable things astir this tourney has been nan attack of immoderate of nan smaller aliases less-fancied nations.

I was astatine Romania’s tie pinch Slovakia successful Frankfurt connected Wednesday and, particularly successful nan first half, some teams conscionable went for it.

It was end-to-end because they some ne'er stopped going guardant and attacking. They made mistakes, but they made up for it by chasing each shot and it was truthful overmuch nosy to watch.

The ambiance was superb too. I was sitting correct successful nan mediate of nan Romania fans, and I americium still having problems proceeding now because of each nan sound they made.

I watched Georgia erstwhile I was pinch nan BBC successful Berlin past week and they were very similar. The measurement they play, location is nary holding backmost and it has been truthful refreshing to spot teams that really onslaught and don’t play a tactical game.

It’s why truthful galore group emotion watching them, and it has evidently worked because they besides sewage retired of their group.

The smaller nations who are present look to beryllium playing for thing bigger, aliases astatine slightest that’s what it feels like. That was decidedly nan lawsuit pinch Ukraine and it was specified arsenic shame that they went retired and vanished bottommost of their group contempt getting 4 points.

I cognize location is ever a statement astir shot and authorities and really they should beryllium separated but location are immoderate occasions erstwhile it's evident that you can't.

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky talked astir nan squad a batch successful nan past mates of weeks and you felt they were playing for thing much than conscionable winning a shot match, which is very special.

A batch of nan favourites person made a slower start, and person been a batch little exciting. But they play a different style of football, and they astir apt cognize rather good really to get acold successful nan tournament.

It is thing France ever look to do and England are different bully illustration of that.

They person not really impressed maine yet but their defence has been highly bully and it is really difficult to break them down, which is why from nan extracurricular I would opportunity they could spell further than their fans and critics astir apt expect them to.

It is not ever nosy to watch, but that is what nan bigger nations do. They are good organised, whereas if you expose yourself, for illustration nan smaller teams, it is awesome for nan fans but it is little apt that it takes you far.

Still, it makes it breathtaking erstwhile they spell up against each other, particularly now we are successful nan last-16 shape and these different systems and approaches meet each different successful a knockout tie.

One of nan themes of nan first fewer matches were long-distance shots and spectacular goals but they became less and less arsenic nan group shape went on.

I was expecting much games to beryllium decided by set-pieces but that did not really happen. Maybe we will spot much of that successful nan adjacent fewer rounds, but things will decidedly alteration erstwhile nan large teams really get going nan measurement I americium expecting them to.

Along pinch Spain, Germany person been nan squad that has looked astir convincing aft 3 matches.

I was definite aft Germany’s 2nd game, our triumph complete Hungary, that we had really arrived and nan squad was really rolling. It made maine deliberation we could spell very far.

Our 3rd game, against Switzerland, was overmuch harder and we struggled a spot to get a tie but possibly it was conscionable what we needed.

At first, Germany tried to spell done nan mediate each nan clip and nan Swiss conscionable overloaded those areas to extremity them. It took Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann a while to make changes and bring connected David Raum and Niclas Fullkrug, but it was bully to spot he has sewage a Plan B, and I deliberation he has sewage a Plan C and D if needed too.

It was bully to person that test, and respond to it, because Denmark could effort to play for illustration Switzerland did erstwhile we play them successful nan past 16. In nan past that caused Germany a batch of problem but now I americium reasoning possibly nan squad has progressed a small spot further than I had thought.

We person recovered immoderate consistency - Nagelsmann has named nan aforesaid squad successful each crippled present truthful acold - which is important and besides nan squad campy seems very relaxed. I went location earlier this week and though I did not spot nan players because they were connected a remainder day, I was speaking to immoderate of nan unit and it was a awesome atmosphere.

The guidance from nan German nationalist has been really affirmative excessively - nan TV viewing figures person been precocious and nan instrumentality zones person been busy. I’m pleased pinch nan measurement nan supporters person grown together pinch this team, which is what we've ever wanted successful nan past mates of years.

So, our communicative of this tourney truthful acold has been a happy one, but we don't cognize yet really it is going to end. That is nan aforesaid for everyone though - location are a batch of bully teams near successful Euro 2024 and I don't deliberation you tin prime 1 that is decidedly going to triumph it.

Thomas Hitzlsperger was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan successful Germany.