Google Marks Start Of UEFA Euro 2020 With Doodle

UEFA Euro 2020 tournament begins on Friday (local time) with Turkey taking on Italy in a Group A encounter at the Stadio Olympico in Rome. Google celebrated the tournament with a doodle, which had a whistle to mark the tournament kicking off. For the first time, the tournament is taking place in 11 cities across Europe -- instead of one or two countries -- despite the lingering shadow cast by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal are the defending champions but world champions France start the tournament as the favourites.

The tournament was delayed by a year due to the coronavirus crisis.

But despite the ongoing threat, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has been bullish, insisting Euro 2020 will be safe.

"It will be the first event of a global dimension to be held since the pandemic struck," he said.