If NFL franchises were EURO 2020 Teams: Part 3
By Tadhg Flynn
Continuing to compare NFL franchises to their EURO 2020 counterparts based on team history, current states, key players and so on.
There is still more than a month until the NFL preseason gets underway in August. And while fans eagerly await the Hall of Fame Game and even training camp before that, the truth of the matter is that everyone really can’t wait until September when the regular season kicks off. But for now, another type of football has barged into focus.
EURO 2020, the European soccer tournament, has been ongoing for a bit now as we’ve finally reached the knockout stages with 16 international teams remaining. But as NFL fans take notice of the European football being played, fans might be looking for advice as to which team best suits them.
We’ve already compared eight EURO 2020 teams to NFL franchises with Part 1 and Part 2 of this series. Now we have four more men’s national teams to make comparisons to.
4. Croatia – NFL Franchise Comparison: New Orleans Saints
Next game: vs. Spain, Monday, June 28
Croatia is a small country with a big soccer reputation. With a population of only 4 million people, Croatia punch far above their weight in tournament football.
This squad is Croatia’s best ever generation of players. After reaching the World Cup Final in 2018 and losing to France, the demands placed on their performances are higher than most small countries could expect. This is down to the quality of players in their squad.
The heartbeat of the team is Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric. He has won everything with Madrid, including the Ballon D’Or award for best player on the planet in 2018. With him playing well, all teammates feed off the energy and talent he provides.
It might be difficult for the fans to accept, but unfortunately, the 2018 World Cup might be the high point for this group of players. The majority of the squad is now aging into their 30s and are past their prime condition. This tournament might be the team’s last chance to capitalize on the talent available.
Fans of the New Orleans Saints contemplating this will know all too well the feeling of one last hurrah. The past few years have seen the roster of the Saints built around Drew Brees and his incomparable passing ability. They went all-in on their group, rewarding their best players financially with the hope of one more Super Bowl under Brees’ brilliance.
It sadly wasn’t to be, and now fans have to dread the prospect of a full rebuild with the news of Brees’ retirement. Croatia represent that same chance for silverware from a brilliant but aging team. New Orleans fans will flock to their support and hope Croatia can do for their golden generation what their beloved Saints could not: bring a trophy home.