THE MINIMUM MISSION IS COMPLETE

Despite a successful start of the Azerbaijani national futsal team at the European Championship, it has failed to advance too far. After defeating the French national team (5:3) in the group stage, our team was qualified for the playoffs. But then it lost (0:1) to the Spanish national team and had to play with the future champion, the Portuguese national team, in quarterfinals.

By the way, the Portuguese had to catch up already on the 54^th second of the match. In fact, it was the goal-keeper of the opponents who missed the goal and made Azerbaijani fans enjoy the moment despite Gallo’s wonderful performance. The Portuguese have quickly recovered the balance in the second minute and brought the score to 5:1 before the end of the first time. By the final whistle of the referee, the difference reached seven goals. Thus, the final score was 1:8 and it was the seventh worst defeat of our team in the world and European championships. After the debut in the international arena in 1995, the Azerbaijani team was defeated six times.

The minimum mission of the national team was to qualify for the Euro-2018. The goal was to leave the group stage first, which was accomplished. However, it is still necessary to analyze the defeat in quarterfinals.

Although our team participates in major competitions, the level of its development leaves much to be desired. Even the Brazilian legionaries, which we have often replaced in recent years, have failed to recover the situation. The best Brazilian players are scattered around the world and play in the lineups of such giants as Russia and Italy, and even in the national team of Kazakhstan, which will fight for the final. They attempt to play in countries with strong futsal traditions and championships.

Araz FC is the strongest club playing in the championship of Azerbaijan. But the national team is a completely different level. Brazilians cannot show a decent game against stronger teams. However, our team went to the European Championship prepared inadequately, although it had two matches in December and January, and five friendly games with the strong teams of Russia, Iran, and Kazakhstan.

In fact, our team was better than the French national team in all respects, but it has dispersed the rest of its potential in the game with the Spaniards. Playing against the high-speed team of Portugal, Azerbaijani national team was forced to surrender.

Experts believe that the head coach of the national team, Jose Alesio da Silva, is responsible for taking the team to the continental championship without sufficient training. The only way out of this situation is serious reforms in futsal. Moreover, no international competitions are expected in the near future.

According to the changes approved by UEFA in March 2017, the next European Championship will be held not in two years, but in four years - in 2022 and in a new format. We have more than a year before the qualifying stage of the World Cup. The futsal federation should immediately start the process of changing generations by providing opportunities for younger people.

As for the current continental championship, the Portuguese team for the first time in its history became the champion of Europe. In the finals, Jorge Braz's team defeated the seven-time European champion, Spain (3:2). In general, the Portuguese have demonstrated unprecedented performance during the entire championship, sweeping away everyone on their way to the championship, and become the only team that achieved the maximum result. The Russian team was awarded the bronze medals after defeating Kazakhstan (1:0).