Euro 2024 data dive: Records for Guler, Ronaldo and Pepe as Group F begins with a bang

The first matchdays of each group at Euro 2024 are now over, after the final pool got started in style on Tuesday.

First, Turkiye and Georgia served up an unlikely classic in Dortmund, before Portugal beat Czechia 2-1 in Leipzig.

Records were broken in each of those matches, with Arda Guler and Cristiano Ronaldo making history.

But what other stats standout from Group F’s two opening games?

Turkiye 3-1 Georgia: Guler breaks Ronaldo record

In Kenan Yildiz (19y 45d) and Guler (19y 114d), Turkiye became just the second nation at the European Championship to start two different teenagers in a game, after Hungary against Denmark in 1964 (Zoltan Varga and Ferenc Bene).

And Guler, who was on the fringes at Real Madrid in 2023-24, showcased his immense potential with a superb all-round performance, capped off with a stunning, record-breaking strike.

He is the youngest player in the tournament’s history to score on their first appearance, and just the third teenager to do so, after Ronaldo for Portugal against Greece in 2004 and Ferenc Bene for Hungary against Spain in 1964.

Indeed, Ronaldo was the previous holder of the record, having netted on his debut at Euro 2004.

As well as scoring, Guler also became just the third teenager on record to create as many as five chances in a single game at the European Championship finals (since 1980), along with Wayne Rooney against Croatia in 2004 (18y 241d) and Pedri against Switzerland in 2021 (18y 219d).

1 – Along with being the youngest ever debut scorer at the European Championship finals (19y 114d), Arda Güler’s five chances created against Georgia are the joint-most by a teenager in a game in the competition (since 1980). Magician. #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/EDbIB7jtUe

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 18, 2024

Guler’s screamer followed on from Mert Muldur’s excellent volley, which was just his second international goal, and paved the way for substitute Kerem Akturkoglu to round out a 3-1 victory, but only after Georgia had hit the woodwork twice and seen an effort cleared off the line in what was a thrilling contest.

Georges Mikautadze made history with his first-half equaliser, bringing up Georgia’s first goal at a major tournament, in their first such appearance.

Turkiye won a Euros opener for the first time, having lost each of their previous five such games, while they have won four of their six encounters with Georgia in all competitions (D1 L1), with this their first win in a competitive game against them since a 5-2 victory in a World Cup qualifier in March 2005.

Portugal 2-1 Czechia: Records up for Ronaldo and Pepe

Pepe (41y 113d) and Ronaldo (39y 134d) both started for Portugal, and in the process became the two oldest outfield players to ever appear at the Euros.

Age truly is just a number for the gnarly Pepe, though. The defender won possession more times than any other player across matchday one (11).

Ronaldo also became the first player to feature in as many as six different editions of the European Championship finals (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024).

He could not get on the scoresheet to mark the occasion, though he did see a header rebound off the post before being tucked in by Diogo Jota. However, Ronaldo had strayed offside in the build-up and the would-be winner was ruled out.

Portugal went behind to Lukas Provod’s blistering opener, which was the 11th goal scored from outside the box at Euro 2024. That is now just one fewer than in the whole of the group stage at Euro 2020.

That goal came after Portugal had dominated proceedings. In fact, Roberto Martinez’s completed 368 passes in the first half of this match, their most in a single half of football at the European Championship finals on record (since 1980).

However, this was the first match of Euro 2024 so far to be goalless at half-time, and that dominance counted for nothing until Nuno Mendes’ header forced an own goal from
Robin Hranac.

The impressive Vitinha supplied the cross that was met by Mendes. Vitinha made 20 line-breaking passes against Czechia, with only Germany’s Toni Kroos (30 v Scotland) making more across the first round of group stage games.

Francisco Conceicao proved to be Portugal’s hero. He scored just 111 seconds after coming off the bench, becoming the first Portugal player to score as a substitute at the Euros since Eder in the 2016 final against France.