Euro 2024 takeaways: Fast starts and slow trains, old and young stars, great goals and strong views

The opening round of group matches at the European Championship is complete.

Here are some things we learned:

Some of the best-performing players so far at Euro 2024 are making triumphant international comebacks.

Toni Kroos controlled the opening-night 5-1 win for Germany against Scotland. He was coaxed out of international retirement but will be hanging up his boots for good after the tournament.

N'Golo Kanté hasn't been seen in a France jersey since the Nations League in June 2022, with a hamstring injury ruling him out of that year's World Cup in Qatar before he made a move to Saudi Arabia. In the 1-0 win over France, the 33-year-old Kante was the star player — reminding the world of his energy levels and reading of the game.

A player half the age of Kroos and Kanté might be the other player to steal the headlines so far. Lamine Yamal became, at 16 years and 338 days, the youngest player to appear in a European Championship match and he took it in his stride with an assist in Spain's 3-0 victory over Croatia.

Pepe was an oldest-ever 41 anchoring Portugal's defense while Cristiano Ronaldo led its attack aged just 39 at a record sixth Euros.

Perhaps the most anticipated star was Kylian Mbappé, and the France forward might now miss one or more games because of a broken nose suffered on impact with an Austrian opponent's shoulder. Mbappé's return will be in a protective mask.

The top scorer at Euro 2020 leads the way again.

The O.G. of European Championship goal-getting these days is own goals. A tournament record 11 at the last edition and three already from the first 12 games in Germany. One from the host team's Antonio Rüdiger, Austria's Maximilian Wöber diverting Mbappé's cross in a 1-0 loss to France, and the Czech Republic's Robin Hranáč against Portugal.

The 34 goals shared among 34 different players included top quality strikes from outside the penalty area: Romania's Nicolae Stanciu, Switzerland's Michel Aebischer, Turkey's Arda Güler.

And the goals often came early. Not until the 12th game, between Portugal and the Czechs, did any game go in 0-0 at halftime, and it ended 2-1.

The fastest ever in tournament history was scored by Nedim Bajrami, after 23 seconds in Albania's 2-1 loss to defending champion Italy.

Forty-five places separated No. 3 Belgium and No. 48 Slovakia in the world ranking, making it — in theory — one of the biggest mismatches in tournament history. So Slovakia winning 1-0 was a huge shock, right?

Somehow, it didn't feel that way.

Belgium, with its so-called “golden generation” mostly no longer around, has been underwhelming for some time and didn't advance at the last World Cup. It kept a top-five FIFA ranking by being unbeaten since then.

This is no longer a vintage Belgium, especially with Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois not being selected.

The last time these stadiums hosted the Euros in 1988 the host was called West Germany, the Soviet Union reached the final, and the Berlin Wall fell within 18 months. Launching the Champions League in 1992 accelerated driving more wealth in European soccer toward the west.

Elements of a divide persist now: Only Leipzig of the 10 host stadiums is in the territory of former East Germany, and just three of the 24 teams — Austria, Croatia and England — based themselves there.

On the field, all six games at the weekend were match-ups of former east and west, and only Slovenia which held Denmark 1-1 avoided losing. Then Slovakia shocked Belgium on Monday.

However, teams and fans from the east have thrilled the tournament: Albania, Romania and especially debutant Georgia, the lowest-ranked team.

Players who perform weekly far from the spotlight of the Champions League, Premier League and La Liga have lit up this end-of-season stage.

They have mixed liberally at a tournament which, like the Eurovision Song Contest. is a cultural event shared and experienced across a diverse continent of 750 million people.

Ukraine players spoke of their home towns occupied and destroyed by the Russian military. Fans from Georgia, where there were street protests at home by pro-European Union citizens, chanted an insult about Russian President Vladimir Putin.

France players including Mbappé urged people at home to vote and keep far-right parties out of power in elections that start June 30. Slovakia great Marek Hamsik, now a team coach, hoped soccer could help unite a nation whose populist prime minister survived a recent assassination attempt.

UEFA also has opened disciplinary cases over offensive flags displayed by fans, including provocative maps showing disputed territory.

After 12 games in five days, there were 39 games and 26 days to go. Maybe enough time to get the overloaded trains and trams running to schedule.

AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024

Germany's Jamal Musiala celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Group A match between Germany and Scotland at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Munich, Germany, Friday, June 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Poland's Adam Buksa, left and Virgil van Dijk of the Netherlands challenge for the ball during a Group D match between Poland and the Netherlands at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr Josek)

Romania's Andrei Ratiu smiles during a Group E match between Romania and Ukraine at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Munich, Germany, Monday, June 17, 2024. (Peter Kneffel/dpa via AP)

Slovakia's Ivan Schranz, right, is hugged by teammates after scoring during a Group E match between Belgium and Slovakia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Frankfurt, Germany, Monday, June 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Albania's Armando Broja, right, and Italy's Lorenzo Pellegrini fight for the ball during a Group B match between Italy and Albania at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Romania team members celebrate in front of their fans after winning the Group E match between Romania and Ukraine at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Munich, Germany, Monday, June 17, 2024. (Peter Kneffel/dpa via AP)

England's Jude Bellingham, left, celebrates with England's Trent Alexander-Arnold after scoring the opening goal during a Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Soccer fans gather on train station ahead the Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Dancers perform during the opening ceremony ahead of the Group A match between Germany and Scotland at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Munich, Germany, Friday, June 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Soccer fans share a laugh in the 'Marienplatz' square, before a Group A match between Germany and Scotland at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Munich, Germany, Friday, June 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, right, duels for the ball with Czech Republic's Tomas Holes during a Group F match between Portugal and Czech Republic at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Leipzig, Germany, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Petr Josek)

Referee Jesus Gil Manzano of Spain, right, talks to Austria's Christoph Baumgartner during a Group D match between Austria and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Duesseldorf, Germany, Monday, June 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Germany's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Toni Kroos and Thomas Mueller, from left, react after a Group A match between Germany and Scotland at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Munich, Germany, Friday, June 14, 2024. Germany won the match 5-1. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Ukrainian players sing their national anthem prior to a Group E match between Romania and Ukraine at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Munich, Germany, Monday, June 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Kylian Mbappe of France holds his nose after suffering an injury during a Group D match between Austria and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Duesseldorf, Germany, Monday, June 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Romania's Nicolae Stanciu, fourth left, scores the opening goal during a Group E match between Romania and Ukraine at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Munich, Germany, Monday, June 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — The president of Bolivia, who was the target of a failed coup Wednesday, is a 60-year-old leftist whom many see as an opponent of Washington-backed free-market and neoliberal policies.

Luis Arce, who studied economics in London, was economy minister under President Evo Morales, whose time in office from 2006 to 2019 made him an icon of the Latin American left.

After Morales left office, Arce became president in November 2020, following Jeanine Añez's short time in office.

Bolivian television showed Arce confronting the apparent leader of the rebellion — the general commander of the army — in the hallway of the government palace Wednesday night.

“I am your captain, and I order you to withdraw your soldiers, and I will not allow this insubordination,” Arce said.

Arce named a new army commander, who immediately ordered the troops to stand down. Their retreat ended the rebellion after just three hours.

Arce's career has mirrored Bolivia's economic trajectory from boom to bust. He worked in the Central Bank from 1987 to 2006 and worked for Morales administering a bonanza in metals and hydrocarbons prices that came to be known as the “Bolivian Miracle.”

But by the time Arce took office, Bolivia was hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and social tensions set off by Morales' 2019 departure after street protests and extreme pressure from the military.

Neoliberal reforms in the 1990s helped Bolivia become a significant energy producer, and it moved from a low-income to a middle-income nation, according to the World Bank. The percentage of people in extreme poverty fell to 15%, the state built highways and cable cars, and cities grew.

But incomes began to fall in 2014.

Assuming the presidency, Arce described his country’s recession as the worst in 40 years.

He recently said gasoline and diesel production no longer covered national consumption, and that the country had to import 86% of its diesel and 56% of its gasoline because of a lack of exploration and production.

Households also have been forced to grapple with high food prices.

Meanwhile, tensions between Morales and his party continued to rise.

In November, Arce criticized his opponents and said they “dreamed of new coups d’état.”

Bolivian President Luis Arce raises a clenched fist surrounded by supporters and media, outside the government palace in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Armored vehicles rammed the doors of Bolivia's government palace Wednesday in an apparent coup attempt against Arce, but he vowed to stand firm and named a new army commander who ordered troops to stand down. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

Bolivian President Luis Arce raises a clenched fist surrounded by supporters and media, outside the government palace in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Armored vehicles rammed the doors of Bolivia's government palace Wednesday in an apparent coup attempt against Arce, but he vowed to stand firm and named a new army commander who ordered troops to stand down. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

Bolivian President Luis Arce, center, accompanied by Vice President David Choquehuanca, right, acknowledge supporters as they stand on a balcony of the government palace in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Armored vehicles rammed the doors of Bolivia's government palace Wednesday in an apparent coup attempt against Arce, but he vowed to stand firm and named a new army commander who ordered troops to stand down. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

FILE - Bolivian President Luis Arce attends an Indigenous ritual before delivering his annual state of the nation address at the presidential palace in La Paz, Bolivia, Jan. 22, 2024. Armored vehicles rammed into the doors of Bolivia's government palace Wednesday, June 26, 2024, as a top government official warned of a coup attempt. (AP Photo/Juan Karita, File)