What to do while in Ukraine

Text of Euro 2012 song by Jim Daly: Another summer of football at an end Another summer where Spain win again They with no striker but had no problems scoring Some even had the nerve to label Spain a bit boring Balotelli always had a smile on his face (apart from in the final) Ronaldo's hair was rarely out of place (grease ball prat) His head had more grease than a piece of donna meat The Greece team collapsed quicker than their economy Some fans wore red and some fans wore blue When Ronaldo scored he fondled a pair of invisible boobs Karagounis was angry he's the same height as a small boy Joachim Low spent his time bullying ballboys Ireland were so shit their fans couldn't bear to see Thousands protested at Martin Keown's commentary The Poles started strong in their opening games And no-one could pronounce any of their names But then for Poland it all fell apart And Ukraine, well they also had a good start But Shevchenko and kids with terrible hair Co

With an average of 2.45 goals per game, Euro 2012 was the most low-scoring European Championship for 16 years, but what it lacked in rippling nets, it made up for in excitement and technical quality. After a build-up dogged by concerns about infrastructural problems and the potential for fan violence, the competition caught the attention from the opening game. Robert Lewandowski claimed the tournament's first goal for co-hosts Poland at Warsaw's National Stadium, but their opponents Greece secured a 1-1 draw in a breathless game that saw both sides finish with 10 men. Poland were to entertain again, sharing a thrillingly open 1-1 draw with Russia in their second Group A game before falling to the Czech Republic and exiting the competition. Fellow hosts Ukraine also bade their farewells in the group phase, but they could at least treasure the sight of 35-year-old national icon Andrei Shevchenko claiming a match-winning brace in the opening 2-1 defeat of Sweden. By

Swathed in the red-and-yellow colours of Spain, hundreds of thousands packed central Madrid to give a hero's welcome Monday to "La Roja" — the national soccer team that erased the country's gloomy mood by winning the Euro 2012 Championship with such flair. With the celebrated team back home on native soil, it was time to party for a second straight night. King Juan Carlos and members of the royal family congratulated players at the Zarzuela Palace outside Madrid within hours of their returning from Kyiv, where they crushed Italy 4-0 to defend their title Sunday night. The Iberia plane that brought them to the Spanish capital bore the logo "proud of our national team." Team captain and goalie Iker Casillas proudly held the tournament cup as he emerged from the plane in Madrid with coach Vicente del Bosque. In the palace gardens, the king, Prince Felipe, his wife, Princess Letizia, and one of the king's two daughters, Princess Elena, chatted a

Vicente del Bosque is primarily an organiser, a communicator and a father figure. His talents shouldn’t be underestimated – he’s won the World Cup, and did so because of some excellent strategic moves – but he is more concerned with creating a harmonious dressing room, and making the most of Spain’s cohesive footballing identity. According to him , Spain’s success has “foundations in many things – in the structure of our football, in the academies, and in better coaches.” He downaplays his own role: “When the players are good, the manager is good.” It’s his usual modesty, and it’s partly to deceive the opposition. But it’s also partly true. Prandelli is not dissimilar. He focuses upon getting his side to play a positive, attractive brand of football and avoids game-to-game switches based around the opponent. Granted, he’s changed formation completely from a 3-5-2 to a diamond in this competition, but in natural tactical terms, moving away from a three-man defence for the Ireland g

KIEV, Ukraine –   And so they meet again at Euro 2012. This time, however, Spain and Italy are playing for the European Championship and a place in the history books. The Mediterranean rivals meet Sunday in Kiev's Olympic Stadium, three weeks after they drew 1-1 in their opening match of the tournament's group stage. As the defending champion and World Cup holder, Spain is bidding to win a third straight major title, cementing its place as one of the greatest national teams. It would also match Germany's record of three European Championship titles. Only the unpredictable Mario Balotelli and a surprising Italy team — orchestrated by Andrea Pirlo — stand between Spain and what many see as its destiny. Even Italy coach Cesare Prandelli reckons that Spain is the best bet to lift the trophy. "At the moment, even if I open my eyes, I am still dreaming," Prandelli said after his side's 2-1 victory over Germany in the semifinals, when Balotelli scored