EURO 2024 Tournament Preview

The European Championship 2024, commonly known as Euro 2024, is set to be one of the most eagerly anticipated tournaments in recent memory. Hosted by a football obsessed Germany, the tournament promises to deliver thrilling football, passionate fans, and unforgettable moments. This preview covers the tournament format, stadium information, an analysis of the best teams and players, and predictions for the group stages and the overall winner.

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Euro 2024 will feature 24 teams divided into six groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stage, which consists of the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. The tournament will kick off on June 14, 2024, and conclude with the final on July 14, 2024.

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The Stadiums

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Germany has selected ten cities to host the matches, each with a rich footballing heritage and modern facilities:

Berlin (Olympiastadion): With a capacity of 74,475, this historic stadium will host the final. Known for its iconic architecture and atmosphere, it promises to be a fitting venue for the climax of the tournament.

Munich (Allianz Arena): Home to Bayern Munich, this 70,000-seater stadium will host key matches, including a semi-final. Its state-of-the-art design and passionate Bavarian fans make it a standout venue.

Dortmund (Signal Iduna Park): Known for its incredible atmosphere, especially in the famous “Yellow Wall” terrace, this 81,365-capacity stadium will be a fortress for any team playing here.

Hamburg (Volksparkstadion): This 57,000-seater stadium has been renovated to offer a top-notch experience for fans and players alike.

Leipzig (Red Bull Arena): A modern stadium with a capacity of 42,959, known for its vibrant fanbase and excellent facilities.

Frankfurt (Deutsche Bank Park): Hosting up to 51,500 fans, this stadium is well-regarded for its accessibility and fan-friendly environment.

Gelsenkirchen (Veltins-Arena): With a retractable roof and a capacity of 62,271, it’s one of the most versatile stadiums in the country.

Stuttgart (Mercedes-Benz Arena): This 60,449-seater stadium offers a perfect blend of tradition and modernity.

Cologne (RheinEnergieStadion): Known for its passionate local support, this 50,000-capacity stadium is a great venue for international matches.

Düsseldorf (Merkur Spiel-Arena): A multi-purpose arena with a retractable roof, capable of hosting 54,600 spectators.

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The Groups

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Group A

Germany
Scotland
Hungary
Switzerland

Group B

Spain 
Croatia
Italy
Albania

Group C

Slovenia
Denmark
Serbia
England

Group D

Poland
Netherlands
Austria
France

Group E

Belgium
Slovakia
Romania
Ukraine

Group F

Turkey
Georgia
Portugal
Czechia

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Best Teams

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France: The reigning world champions boast a squad brimming with talent, including Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann, and Theo Hernandez. Their depth and experience make them strong contenders.

Germany: As hosts, Germany will have the home advantage. With a mix of seasoned players like Manuel Neuer and Toni Kroos and emerging stars like Jamal Musiala, they are a formidable force.

England: Runners-up at Euro 2020, England has a young and dynamic squad. Harry Kane, Phil Foden and Kyle Walker are amongst their stars, with impressive young players such as Jude Bellingham likely to be crucial to their success.

Spain: Known for their possession-based style, Spain’s team includes exciting players such as Pedri and Ferran Torres. Their tactical acumen and technical skills are unmatched.

Italy: The Euro 2020 champions will look to defend their title with a strong squad featuring the likes of Federico Chiesa and Gianluigi Donnarumma.

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Best Players

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Kylian Mbappé (France): Known for his blistering pace and clinical finishing, Mbappé is one of the most feared forwards in the world.

Harry Kane (England): A prolific goal-scorer, Kane’s leadership and finishing abilities make him indispensable for England.

Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium): Arguably the best midfielder in the world, De Bruyne’s vision and passing are crucial for Belgium’s attack.

Toni Kroos (Germany): A player who has done it all, most recently the CL yet again, Kroos’ intelligence and work rate make him vital for Germany’s midfield.

Pedri (Spain): The young midfielder’s creativity and composure are key assets for Spain’s game plan.

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Odds

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England are favourites to win the title outright, despite having never won the European Championship. They came very close last time, losing to Italy in the final and have an impressive array of attacking talent. Their defence is a worry though, with a number of players suffering from various fitness issues. They should easily make it through their group but going any further is always a lottery. France are second favourites and it’s easy to see why, their squad depth is impressive and they possess arguably the world’s best player, Kylian Mbappé. Germany are third, the host nations should have a good shout at winning the trophy despite the fact their form over the last few years has been poor. Next up are Portugal, Spain and Italy followed by Netherlands and Belgium with Croatia and Denmark rounding off the top ten.

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Predictions

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With two teams definitely making it out of the group stages and with four third place teams also making it out, it means that it is unlikely we will see too many surprises in the early stage of the competition and the top seeds should all make it out. 

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Group Stage Winners

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Group A: Germany – With the home advantage and a strong squad, Germany is likely to top their group.

Group B: France – Their depth and talent should see them dominate this group.

Group C: England – A balanced and talented squad makes England favourites to win their group.

Group D: Spain – Their technical prowess and experience will help them navigate the group stage successfully.

Group E: Italy – As defending champions, Italy will aim to assert their dominance from the start.

Group F: Belgium – Led by De Bruyne, Belgium’s golden generation will look to make a statement.

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Tournament Winner

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Predicting the overall winner of Euro 2024 is challenging due to the high level of competition. However, based on current form, squad depth, and experience, France emerges as the favourite to lift the trophy. Their blend of seasoned veterans and exciting young talents, coupled with their success in recent international tournaments, positions them as the team to beat. Italy can never be written off, as we found out last time and Germany will be roared on by a passionate home crowd. An outside bet to do well at the tournament, although winning is perhaps too much, could be Hungary.

The current odds state that the tournament’s top goalscorer should be a straight fight between Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé. Whilst things are rarely quite that straightforward it is hard to look behind these two giants of the modern game. Both have had excellent seasons at Bayern Munich and PSG respectively and both form part of teams that are built to supply them with chances. A lot will depend on which of their two teams go further in the competition and whether Mbappé is played down the middle or on the left, but the Frenchman should just have the edge in this head to head. Another player to keep an eye on could be Romelu Lukaku, who was the top scorer in qualification matches for this tournament. 

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Player of the Tournament

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Best player of the tournament is a little more open with Kane and Mbappé also amongst the favourites alongside departing Germany legend Toni Kroos and young England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham. In fact, four of the top ten in this market are England players, Saka and Foden joining Kane and Bellingham on the list, which shows the amount of attacking flair that the Three Lions currently possess. 

Young player of the tournament is also a very interesting market with England’s Jude Bellingham once again one of the favourites, followed by two German players, Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala.

There are, of course, many many options available, including top goalscorer from each of the big leagues around Europe, the precise stage at which each team will be eliminated, which team will finish top goalscorer and which player will manage the most assists.

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Final Thoughts

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Euro 2024 in Germany is set to be a spectacular festival of football. With world-class players, passionate fans, and iconic stadiums, the tournament will undoubtedly produce memorable moments. Whether it’s the tactical battles, the individual brilliance of players, or the underdog stories, Euro 2024 promises to be an unforgettable event in the footballing calendar. Fans around the world will be eagerly watching to see who will be crowned the champions of Europe.

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Odds might have changed since the writing and publication of this article.

Last updated: 10.06.2024