Perfect Scene for Perfect Soccer Wallpapers

What could be a perfect scene for soccer wallpapers but your very own stint to one of the most watched and hugely followed football meet such as the recently concluded 2008 UEFA Euro Cup championship finals?

For a huge footy fanatic, this is something more than a dream come true but what if you missed that golden ticket? This could be the end of the world. But not for the organizers, so they cooked up something as a way of extending their appreciation to their growing number of fans.

This year’s recently successful 2008 Euro Cup reportedly attracts an even bigger number of non-match ticket holders that swarms the hosting cities of Austria and Vienna. In generosity, the UEFA organizers in cooperation with the hosting country have agreed to select key cities to construct what they call fan zones. These are big venues that can hold thousands of spectators where they put up huge screens that will showcase the matches. They were Vienna, Geneva, Basel, Berne, Innsbruck, Zurich, Klagenfurt, and Salzburg. These places are the witness of another revolutionized way to unite people of different places with common passion.

Aside from the game, fans were treated with other fun activities such as live performances from famous artist and bands including the Vienna Boys Choir and Vienna Symphony Orchestra. The events were really turned into festivities for the not-so lucky fans. It also created a very nice scene that features the adoring crowd from different parts of the world in an unforgettable gathering as they cheer their favorite team. A great theme that shows something I know is worth appearing in soccer wallpapers – UNITY. I just wish I was there.

“The Azzurri will do just fine without me”- Cannavaro

After suffering a knock on his ankle that will see him missing world champions Italy Euro 2008 campaign due to a collision with teammate Giorgio Chiellini, the Italian captain and 2006 World Player of the Year Fabio Cannavaro has stated that Italy will do fine without him in their quest to be Champions of Europe and Champions of the World in Euro 2008.

The 34-year-old was on Wednesday successfully operated on in the Austrian capital of Vienna by Azzurri doctor Andrea Ferretti after which the Italian captain expressed his gratefulness to Dr. Ferretti following the operation.After he was discharged from hospital, Cannavaro joined up with the Azzurri, including his replacement Alessandro Gamberini, in order to offer them support during the Euros.

Cannavaro has openly refuted any such claims that Italy’s defense will struggle without him and stated that “We have players with great experience, such as Marco Materazzi, Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini and Alessandro Gamberini,” he outlined that are capable of getting the job done and further stated “I do not think I have to give out any great advice.” The world champions are in Group C which is called by many the “Group of Death” as it contains beaten world cup 2006 Finalist France, Romania and Netherlands which Italy will play on June 09 in their opener.

Euro 2008 Final

The Euro 2008 finals will be played on June 29 in Ausria’s capital city Vienna at the Ernest Happel Stadion.

Euro 2008 Knockout Stages

Unlike previous tournaments the knockout stages of this year’s Euro cup which includes the quarter-finals and the semi-finals is somewhat different as the teams in Groups A and B will be separated from the teams in Groups C and D until the final.

This was done to give each team the same rest periods, also its the first time in the history of the competition that only two(2) stadiums in the Ernest Happel Stadion in Vienna, Austria and the St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland will be used for the six(6) games to be played.

	Quarter finals				Semi finals				Final
	19 June – St. Jakob-Park, Basel
	Winner Group A
					25 June – St. Jakob-Park, Basel
	Runner-up Group B
					Winner of QF1
	20 June – Ernst Happel, Vienna
					Winner of QF2
	Winner Group B
									29 June – Ernst Happel, Vienna
	Runner-up Group A
									Winner of SF1
	21 June – St. Jakob-Park, Basel
									Winner of SF2
	Winner Group C
					26 June – Ernst Happel, Vienna
	Runner-up Group D
					Winner of QF3
	22 June – Ernst Happel, Vienna
					Winner of QF4
	Winner Group D
	Runner-up Group C

Euro 2008 Group Stages

The games in the group stages of this year’s tournament will be played in the two(2) host countries among eight(8) stadiums in eight(8) cities. Games played among the teams in Groups D and B will be played in Austria which is home to four(4) of the eight(8) stadiums used in the competition.

The stadiums in Austria are The Ernest Happel Stadion in the capital Vienna, the Hypo-Arena in Klagenfurt, the Wals-Siezenheim Stadion in Salzburg and the Tivoli Neu in Innsbruck.

games played among the teams in Groups A and C will be played in Switzerland which is home to the remaining four(4) stadiums being used in the competition.

The stadiums are the Stade de Suisse in Berne, the St. Jakob-Park in Basel, the Stade de Geneve in Geneva and the Letzigrund in Zurich.

Group A

Date Teams Venue June 7, 2008 18:00  Switzerland   v     Czech Republic St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 7, 2008 20:45  Portugal   v     Turkey Stade de Genève, Geneva June 11, 2008 18:00  Czech Republic  v     Portugal Stade de Genève, Geneva June 11, 2008 20:45  Switzerland   v     Turkey St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 15, 2008 20:24  Switzerland   v     Portugal St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 15, 2008 20:45  Turkey   v     Czech Republic Stade de Genève, Geneva

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Czech Republic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Portugal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Turkey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

 

Group B

Date Teams Venue June 7, 2008 18:00  Switzerland   v     Czech Republic St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 7, 2008 20:45  Portugal   v     Turkey Stade de Genève, Geneva June 11, 2008 18:00  Czech Republic  v     Portugal Stade de Genève, Geneva June 11, 2008 20:45  Switzerland   v     Turkey St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 15, 2008 20:24  Switzerland   v     Portugal St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 15, 2008 20:45  Turkey   v     Czech Republic Stade de Genève, Geneva

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Czech Republic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Portugal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Turkey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

 

Group C

Date Teams Venue June 7, 2008 18:00  Switzerland   v     Czech Republic St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 7, 2008 20:45  Portugal   v     Turkey Stade de Genève, Geneva June 11, 2008 18:00  Czech Republic  v     Portugal Stade de Genève, Geneva June 11, 2008 20:45  Switzerland   v     Turkey St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 15, 2008 20:24  Switzerland   v     Portugal St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 15, 2008 20:45  Turkey   v     Czech Republic Stade de Genève, Geneva

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Czech Republic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Portugal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Turkey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

 

Group D

Date Teams Venue June 7, 2008 18:00  Switzerland   v     Czech Republic St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 7, 2008 20:45  Portugal   v     Turkey Stade de Genève, Geneva June 11, 2008 18:00  Czech Republic  v     Portugal Stade de Genève, Geneva June 11, 2008 20:45  Switzerland   v     Turkey St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 15, 2008 20:24  Switzerland   v     Portugal St. Jakob-Park, Basel June 15, 2008 20:45  Turkey   v     Czech Republic Stade de Genève, Geneva

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Czech Republic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Portugal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0  Turkey 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Euro 2008: Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna, Austria

Match Schedule for Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna, Austria

Date	Teams	Championship Stage
June 08, 2008	Austria vs Croatia	Group
June 12, 2008	Austria vs Poland	Group
June 16, 2008	Austria vs Germany	Group
June 20, 2008	Winner of Group B vs Runner up of Group A	Quarter-final
June 22, 2008	Winner of Group D vs Runner up of Group C	Quarter-final
June 26, 2008	Winner of Quarter-final 3 vs Winner of Quarter-final 4	Semi-final
June 29, 2008	Winner of Semi-final 1 vs Winner of Semi-final 2	Final