Euro 2024 off to exhilarating start as records tumble

Only 4 games person been played astatine Euro 2024, but it has been an exhilarating commencement to nan tournament.

After Germany group nan reside by thrashing Scotland connected Friday, records person tumbled, pinch a 16-year-old starring and goals going successful left, correct and centre.

It was nary surprise, therefore, that Gary Lineker began nan half-time BBC sum of Italy's triumph complete Albania by praising nan first 2 days of action.

There are 3 games connected Sunday, including England's opening lucifer against Serbia astatine 20:00 BST, which will beryllium shown unrecorded connected BBC One.

In nan opening 4 games, Germany cruised to a 5-1 triumph against Scotland, Switzerland were 3-1 winners against Hungary, Spain saw disconnected Croatia 3-0 and Italy came from down to hit Albania 2-1.

The 16 goals scored is nan astir astatine this constituent of a European Championship aliases World Cup since Euro 1976.

At slightest 3 goals person been scored earlier half-time successful 3 games. At Euro 2020 that happened successful 2 matches successful total.

Only astatine Euro 2004, erstwhile it happened successful 4 matches, person location been much games featuring 3 aliases much first-half goals.

With 47 matches to beryllium played, it looks for illustration that grounds whitethorn good beryllium broken.

Spain's triumph complete Croatia was awesome successful itself, but 16-year-old Lamine Yamal made history by becoming nan youngest man to play astatine a European Championship.

He moreover registered an assistance arsenic Spain made an eye-catching commencement to nan competition.

With an mean property of only 26 years and 287 days, Italy named their youngest Euros starting line-up since 1988.

In Hungary's game, Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai became nan youngest man to skipper a squad astatine nan Euros astatine nan property of 23 years and 234 days.

Young talent excelling has been a cardinal taxable successful Germany.

"The mostly of their squads person been young players - nan adjacent procreation - and it has been an easy sell," erstwhile England defender Phil Jagielka told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It does look that it is going to beryllium a tourney for nan young guns."

Albania, who scored nan fewest goals of immoderate group victor successful qualifying, recovered a measurement past Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma aft only 23 seconds.

It was only their 2nd extremity astatine a awesome tourney and nan fastest successful Euros history.

Nedim Bajrami's strike, which came aft an Italy throw-in, comfortably bettered nan 67 seconds it took Dmitri Kirichenko to people for Russia against Greece successful Euro 2004.

"We started nan crippled good pinch an early goal," said Albania head Sylvinho. "The squad was truthful excited aft nan first goal, but we should person performed better."