European Championships
About European Championships
The European Championships is a multi-sport event which brings together the existing European Championships of some of the continent's leading sports every four years. The inaugural edition in 2018 was staged by the host cities of Berlin, Germany and Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom between 2 and 12 August.
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...More than 30 Wales football fans have been arrested in Armenia ahead of the European Championships qualifier, according to the FAW...
Stoke lottery winner's pool table purchase key to England call-up
... He was chosen to represent England in a Home Nations tournament earlier this year and will now fly to the European Championships next month to captain the England B1 team...
The former footballer scoring with his art
... As he fine-tuned his technique, he was inspired to create an artwork to mark the Scotland national men s team qualifying for their first European Championships in 22 years...
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... There are also questions over the 2026 European Championships, which are due to be held in Birmingham...
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... Supporters across the country have expressed their pride over a team which lifted the European Championships trophy last year, and had already made history by becoming the first England women s national team to reach a World Cup final...
Lauren Hemp: England star celebrated in her hometown of North Walsham
... " Last year, a mural of Hemp by graffiti street artist Mr Meana, appeared on the side of the town s Cafe Kitale after she assisted in the goal that won the European Championships...
Alex Scott: I will carry on despite sexist abuse
... She will be part of the BBC s coverage of the Women s European Championships next month...
World Cup: The joy and guilt for Wales fans over Ukraine win
... " We ve done it, especially for Bale, he s got the full set now, he s played in the European Championships, he ll play in a world cup, I couldn t be happier...
The former footballer scoring with his art
By Steven McKenzieBBC Scotland Highlands and Islands reporter
When Craig Black walked away from a career as a professional footballer he had no idea what to do next, until a chance meeting set him on a path to becoming an artist.
Growing UpContent ='JJ Lin'> in Greenock, Craig had two PassionsContent ='JJ Lin'> - FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> and drawing.
" There was a park right across from my home, " the 35-year-old said.
" I used to play there during The DayContent ='JJ Lin'> and, at night After DinnerContent ='JJ Lin'> when it was too dark to go back outside, I just found myself drawing anything FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> -related - badges, boots, names on The BacksContent ='JJ Lin'> of shirts. "
Today, this love of art finds him running his own studio with his wife, Ally. His work involves painting footballs and it has taken him to both the Qatar World CupContent ='JJ Lin'> and the 2023 Champions League Final in Istanbul.
Craig once had ambitions of playing FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> professionally and in his teens that dream looked to be coming true. He played for Greenock Morton's youth team and in his sixth year The ClubContent ='JJ Lin'> offered him a contract.
His mum and his school art teacher, Paul MurrayContent ='JJ Lin'> , both encouraged Craig to continue his school studies to keep his options open and an agreement was reached with The ClubContent ='JJ Lin'> that allowed Craig to finish his Advanced Higher Art and Design.
After that, though, it was FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> all The WayContent ='JJ Lin'> .
" For The NextContent ='JJ Lin'> Four YearsContent ='JJ Lin'> I didn't touch any art and design at all. In those Four YearsContent ='JJ Lin'> I played for Morton for about Five MinutesContent ='JJ Lin'> , " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .
Craig found himself stuck playing In YouthContent ='JJ Lin'> teams and the reserves, unable to secure a move or break into The FirstContent ='JJ Lin'> team.
" It was a challenging and frustrating time. I was determined to be a footballer but I wasn't enjoying it like I had when I was Growing UpContent ='JJ Lin'> .
" It just battered me down to be Brutally HonestContent ='JJ Lin'> . "
Craig decided he did not want to play any more. " I wanted to Do SomethingContent ='JJ Lin'> that put a smile back on my face, " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .
On The DayContent ='JJ Lin'> he left Greenock Morton, Craig went to the pub with some friends and bumped into his old art teacher. It was the First TimeContent ='JJ Lin'> he had seen Paul MurrayContent ='JJ Lin'> in Four YearsContent ='JJ Lin'> .
They chatted about his decision to quit FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> , and his future plans.
" Paul said 'why don't you try art and design?'"
Craig thought it was Good AdviceContent ='JJ Lin'> and joined a course at Glasgow's Cardonald College. It rekindled his love for drawing and design.
He played for Largs Thistle throughout his two-year course and while he thoroughly enjoyed playing he knew his future had moved away from FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> .
" While I studied I knew my goal was to be an artist, " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .
After graduating in 2013, he moved to London and worked for design agencies, specialising in typography, a form of art involving lettering. A High PointContent ='JJ Lin'> came in 2020 when he worked on a new typeface for Rangers FC.
Meanwhile, behind The ScenesContent ='JJ Lin'> of his day job, Craig was creating his own studio Back HomeContent ='JJ Lin'> in Greenock, with plans to launch himself as a visual artist.
He had been experimenting with acrylic paint, which is easy to mix and fast-drying, to create striking designs.
Craig struck on the idea of combining his PassionsContent ='JJ Lin'> for FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> and art by pouring the paint in coloured layers over a FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> .
As he fine-tuned his technique, he was inspired to create an artwork to mark the Scotland national men's team qualifying for their first European ChampionshipsContent ='JJ Lin'> in 22 years. In his flat, he gathered together paints of The TeamContent ='JJ Lin'> 's colours, and a FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> .
" I did my first paint pour and it blew me away. But it was the pandemic, so only Ally could see it. "
Craig felt confident he had a concept he could share with the wider world, and over six months before the Euros kicked off in 2021 he created Acrylic Fusion - a series of footballs in the colours of the different competing countries.
" I created Content - Video rolls and ImageryContent ='JJ Lin'> - showing how the balls were created and uploaded it the week before the Euros. It went viral. "
Craig was soon landing commissions from England's Premier LeagueContent ='JJ Lin'> and FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> governing bodies Uefa and Fifa, which invited him to the Qatar World CupContent ='JJ Lin'> in 2022.
" Fifa got In TouchContent ='JJ Lin'> nine weeks before The TournamentContent ='JJ Lin'> kicked off. It was just a life-changing moment, " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .
He was asked to create a ball for every one of the 32 competing teams and take part in live shows in front of players and staff.
In The FirstContent ='JJ Lin'> Two WeeksContent ='JJ Lin'> of The TournamentContent ='JJ Lin'> Craig gave demonstrations to audiences whose members include Welsh star Gareth BaleContent ='JJ Lin'> and former Dutch international Clarence SeedorfContent ='JJ Lin'> .
" The MostContent ='JJ Lin'> surreal moment for me was creating the Brazil FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> with legends Cafu and Roberto CarlosContent ='JJ Lin'> - footballers I had admired Growing UpContent ='JJ Lin'> - sitting in The AudienceContent ='JJ Lin'> watching me, " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .
Since then, Craig has performed in the hospitality village at this year's Champions League Final and been commissioned to paint balls for US basketball's NBA and American FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> Content ='JJ Lin'> body, the NFL.
Ally, 34, from Gourock, has also joined The BusinessContent ='JJ Lin'> full-time to manage The DayContent ='JJ Lin'> -to-day running.
She SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> : " It has always been A VisionContent ='JJ Lin'> and dream of mine to work alongside Craig and make it a Family BusinessContent ='JJ Lin'> in order to allow us a flexible and exciting lifestyle that works around our Little GirlContent ='JJ Lin'> Olivia who is three years old.
" The BestContent ='JJ Lin'> part of being a Family BusinessContent ='JJ Lin'> is being able to travel together and take our Little GirlContent ='JJ Lin'> along With UsContent ='JJ Lin'> . "
Early next year, The FamilyContent ='JJ Lin'> will travel to Australia for an eight-week solo exhibition starting on 15 January in Sydney's Vandal Gallery, which specialises in showcasing progressive art.
Being based in Inverclyde is something The BlacksContent ='JJ Lin'> are proud of. Ally said: " Being from Scotland is something Craig doubles down on.
" You don't have to go to New YorkContent ='JJ Lin'> or London to be successful. You can conquer anything from your Home TownContent ='JJ Lin'> . "
Craig said the couple have had to take risks by Striking OutContent ='JJ Lin'> on their own and investing in the studio.
" I'm a working class boy from Greenock and hopefully I can inspire others to chase their own dreams, " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .
Related TopicsSource of news: bbc.com
