RIP Kevin Campbell

Former Arsenal and Everton striker Kevin Campbell has died at the age of 54 after a short illness. Campbell scored 148 goals in 542 appearances across spells with eight clubs during his career. He won four major trophies with Arsenal before going on to play for Leyton Orient, Leicester, Nottingham Forest, Trabzonspor, Everton, West Brom and Cardiff. He was capped four times by England U21, scoring once and received a call-up to the England B team in 1991, for whom he earned one cap. Campbell made his final appearance as a player in February 2007 before moving into broadcasting.  earlier this month he became ill in May and was “very unwell” in hospital.

After coming through Arsenal’s youth set-up, Campbell made his senior debut for the club in 1988, following loan spells with Leyton Orient and Leicester. He scored nine goals in 22 appearances for the Gunners during their title-winning 1990-91 campaign. Campbell then helped the London club win the FA Cup and League Cup double in 1993, and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994. Forest signed Campbell in the summer of 1995, and he spent three seasons at the City Ground, scoring 22 goals in 39 games during his final term to help the club win promotion to the Premier League.

Following a short stint in Turkey with Trabzonspor, Campbell moved to Everton on loan in March 1999, scoring nine times in their final eight Premier League games to help the Toffees avoid relegation. He was rewarded with a permanent deal that summer, and stayed for more than five seasons. Campbell’s playing career came to an end with spells at West Brom and Cardiff. After his death was announced, Campbell’s former Arsenal team-mate Ian Wright posted a number of crying emojis on X and images of the pair together.

Tony Adams – Campbell’s former Arsenal team-mate and captain – wrote on X: “Super Kev: a goal machine, a giant of a man, with an even bigger heart. “An intensely private and a truly wonderful human being. I’m devastated for his loved ones, and all of us. Love you Super Kev, Skipper.” Alan Smith – another former team-mate – told Sky Sports News it was a “tragic day”. Campbell was featured on the Sky Sports series Where are They Now? in 2008, when he was the co-owner of security company T1 Protection, specialising in supplying bodyguards to celebrities and other wealthy customers whilst travelling abroad.

He also worked with Asia-based Sony TEN as a commentator for their Premier League and Champions League coverage. Campbell ran a record label, 2 Wikid, with the label’s first signing being rapper Mark Morrison, who had previously topped the charts with “Return of the Mack” in 1996. His son Tyrese is also a footballer. He plays for Stoke City.

Some Facts About The European Championships

The original concept for the European Championships was mooted in the 1950s by Henri Delaunay, the inaugural General Secretary of UEFA. In 1960, France hosted the first tournament, featuring four teams. It has now grown to a 24-team structure.

French football administrator Henri Delaunay had the idea for the UEFA European Championship in the 1920s, but the first took place in 1960. The Soviet Union won the inaugural edition after beating Yugoslavia 2-1 in the final.

There have been innumerable unforgettable moments and fairytales during the Euros. According to Goal, the 1992 edition saw the Danes win the tournament after being called up as a last-minute replacement for Yugoslavia. Greece also stunned the world by winning the 2004 tournament after defeating its host, Portugal.

The evolution of the Euro ball mirrors the broader shifts in football gear and technology, from the early days of using simple leather balls to the modern days of using highly engineered versions. The tournament ball’s style and name typically reflect the host nation’s cultural background.

The tournament has grown in size and appeal over the years. The number of teams increased from four in 1960 to eight in 1980, sixteen in 1996, and twenty-four in 2016. The qualification process has also changed over the years. Hundreds of teams fight in a demanding qualification campaign to participate in the final tournament, up from a handful initially.

Germany and Spain are the most successful teams in the European champions, with three titles each. The Germans won in 1972, 1980, and 1996, while the Spaniards lifted the trophy in 1964, 2008, and 2012. Michel Platini holds the record for most goals in a single tournament, scoring nine for France in the 1984 competition.

The record for a single match attendance was set in 1964 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid when 79,115 people watched Spain beat the Soviet Union in the final. The Netherlands’ 6-1 quarterfinal victory over Yugoslavia in 2000 was the most significant upset in the tournament.