Two of the world’s most popular international soccer tournaments have been postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For starters, Euro 2020 is now Euro 2021. The UEFA European Championship was originally scheduled for June 12 – July 12 of this year, with matches taking place in 12 cities across 12 different European countries. The competition will now be held from June 11 – July 11 in 2021, as announced on Tuesday.
Multiple Sporting players could have played a part in Euro 2020, including Scottish forward Johnny Russell, Israeli midfielder Gadi Kinda and Hungarian duo Botond Barath and Daniel Salloi.
Russell has been a regular member of Scotland’s national team since joining Sporting in 2018, while Kinda’s sparkling start in MLS had generated buzz around his potential call-up to Israel. Coincidentally, Scotland and Israel are slated to meet in a Euro playoff match—exact date to be determined—with the winner advancing to the Path C playoff final against either Norway or Serbia.
As for Hungary, Barath has featured regularly for the Magyars over the last 18 months at the center back position. Salloi joined Hungary’s senior national team in the fall of 2018 and would have hoped to use the start of 2020 as a springboard back into the Magyars squad. Hungary are also in a Euro playoff, facing Bulgaria in the Path A semifinal with the victor meeting either Iceland or Romania.
Across the Atlantic, CONMEBOL announced Tuesday that Copa America 2020 has been postponed until next summer. Ten South American countries, plus Australia and Qatar, will participate in the tournament, which will be co-hosted by Argentina and Colombia. Sporting midfielder Felipe Gutierrez might have been involved this summer, as he was part of Chile’s senior squad for matches throughout 2018 and 2019.
