An abundance of flags, Father Ted quotes and giant inflatable hammers can mean only one thing: Euro 2016 is here and Google is getting in the mood with some Google Doodles.
In the build up to Euro 2016 – which starts today (10 June), with hosts France taking on Romania – it seemed as if everything was going against the tournament’s organisers.
Floods, strikes and terrorism fears have mired the build-up to the tournament but, despite all these things, we are about to settle into an almighty month of football.
Now expanded to 24 teams – from the 16 that appeared in Euro 2012 – Ireland qualified with a big helping from Tipperary man Shane Long, and a goal against Germany that led to this classic moment of TV commentary.
While some Irish fans have already begun trickling over to Paris ahead of our first clash with Sweden, many legions of fans will be making their way across this weekend, hopefully prepared for whatever will be thrown their way with this handy list of apps.
But, of course, there’s more than one team in the tournament and, with the addition of eight new teams to it, we have a number of debutantes, including our neighbours, Northern Ireland, as well as some plucky underdogs like Albania, and a Hungary team looking to replicate its success during the 1960s.
So, to mark the occasion, Google has decided to celebrate in its own way with the launch of two new Google Doodles celebrating France and the month-long tournament.
With each Doodle being quintessentially French, we see the Eiffel Tower performing some impressive keepie-uppies despite being 300m tall, while a rooster shows off its heading skills.
It’s time to get excited.
Shane Long image via MediaPictures.pl/Shutterstock
