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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Philipp Lahm

Romania captured the magic of Euro 2024: now we must follow their lead

Romania players on the pitch after their last-16 defeat by the Netherlands.
Romania were gracious after their defeat in the last 16 by the Netherlands. Photograph: Mickael Chavet/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock

You couldn’t wish for better guests than the Romanians. First they tidied up their dressing room, then they left a letter in it: “We are leaving Germany with the feeling that we have given everything for Romania and are grateful for everything we have experienced here. We are very happy that Germany was the stage. Every game, every emotion, every experience has united us and made us feel the magic of football. It was an honour to be part of the big family of European football.”

Uefa Euro 2024 will soon be over, so it’s time for a review. I couldn’t agree more vehemently with the Romanians’ conclusion. Before they went home, they thought about why they were here. It’s exactly what we were here for: to come together, to celebrate, to switch off, to give it our all, to be there. Nothing more and nothing less.

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