The looming knockout stages mean there is time to redeem themselves.
But, right now, we only need one word to describe most of the big names who’ve played in the Euros — flops.
While he’s finally come alive on the pitch, with his comments about Iceland and by throwing a reporter’s microphone in a lake, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo has hardly covered himself in glory off it.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic likes to tell us all how good he is but his performances might just have ruined his chances of a move to Manchester United.
Meanwhile, a man already at Old Trafford, Spain goalie David de Gea, flogged the jerseys when he was beaten at his near post for Croatia’s surprise winner the other night.
France’s pin-up boy Paul Pogba has already been dropped for one of the host’s games, as has rising England star Harry Kane.
His vastly over-rated team-mate Raheem Sterling can at least argue he’s been consistent but only because his form going into the Euros was awful and he’s maintained it.
Poland’s Robert Lewandowski hasn’t been at it, and another fancied to finish top scorer, Germany’s Thomas Muller, is still looking for his first goal in a Euro finals.
I’d argue that other than the excellent Gareth Bale for the Welsh side, one of the few big names to have lived up to his billing has been Wayne Rooney.
I love the irony in that.
He was the man many England pundits were calling for to be dropped from the starting line-up before the finals began.
It’s not the first time that’s happened and, as I’ve said before, why Rooney has his critics is beyond me.
He is England’s best player, one of the few in their squad who’d get a game for every other team in the competition.
To return to the flops, finding an explanation for their failures is difficult.
Tiredness has been put forward and, indeed, most of them have had long, hard seasons.
The same, though, can be said for most of the lesser lights who’ve shone brightly in the games so far.
My own theory is too many of these big stars have been taking qualification from the group stages for granted and, therefore, have been cruising along in third gear.
Hopefully they’ll now shift up.
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