This summer, Germany plays host to the highly anticipated 17th edition of the UEFA European Championship. With the tournament set to commence on Friday, June 14, football enthusiasts from around the globe are gearing up for a thrilling exhibition of skill and sportsmanship.
Among the participating teams is Serbia, which aims to make history with an impressive performance against their formidable opponents in this year’s championship. Despite losing all three of their matches against Denmark, and having just one victory in four all-time matches against Slovenia, Serbia is determined to turn things around and establish a winning track record against these two nations. Furthermore, the UEFA Euros 2024 will mark Serbia’s first encounter with England in this prestigious tournament, following their split from Montenegro back in 2006. The team boasts one of the most prolific goal-scorers worldwide, Aleksandar Mitrović, who has led not only the EFL Championship but also the UEFA Nations League tournament in scoring and finished second to Cristiano Ronaldo this past season in the Saudi Pro League.
England enters the 2024 Euros as a strong contender for success, ranking fourth in the world. Unlike their counterparts from Germany, Spain, Italy, and France, who have all won the European Championship multiple times, England has yet to clinch the trophy. The English national team almost reached this milestone in the last Euros but ultimately fell short in a penalty shootout against Italy during the finals.
The Netherlands, ranked No. 7 globally and fifth among European teams, has demonstrated an impressive ability to deliver consistent results. Their last 14 matches have all ended in either a win or loss, with not a single draw. While this streak includes victories over smaller nations, the Dutch have faced defeat at the hands of superpowers such as Italy, Germany, Croatia, and France twice. The Netherlands is coming off a Round of 16 appearance at the previous Euros but hasn’t claimed victory in a knockout match since 2004.
Austria enters the UEFA Euro 2024 with an impressive 11–2–1 record over their last 14 games, including wins against Germany and Italy. The team is captained by midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, who recently led Dortmund to the Champions League Final after leading the competition in assists. Despite his club success, Sabitzer has yet to replicate these achievements on the international stage for Austria, as evidenced by his mere eight assists across 75 appearances for the national team compared to 12 assists over just 44 UEFA Champions League games. During the last European Championship, the Austrians claimed their first-ever victory in the tournament and even managed to secure a spot in the Round of 16, winning twice during this run.
As the second-ranked team globally and the highest-ranked team in the UEFA Euro 2024, France is under immense pressure to claim the championship title this year. Having just come off a second-place finish at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, following their victory in the 2018 edition of soccer’s most prestigious tournament, the French experienced an early elimination in the Round of 16 during the last European Championship. The team boasts a pair of veteran strikers in Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann, who have combined for an impressive 101 international goals. However, all eyes will be on Kylian Mbappe as the key player to propel France towards success in this year’s tournament.