Football is not coming home, in fact it has found a better home. A home where there is lots of sunshine and beaches to play the game without the freezing cold and rainy days. Yes folks, if you are reading this, England has lost yet another European Championship final and this time to the possession based football kings Spain, an incredible team who will now claim the crown as champions of Europe.

Whether you support England or Spain there is no denying the fact that the Spaniards were the better team in the final and throughout the tournament and deserved to win.

Let’s relive the final in quotes with reaction from players and coaches.

Mikel Oyarzabal:

“I have done my job. I did what I had to do at every moment to try to help,” Oyarzabal said after the match. “I was lucky enough to give the victory. Just the fact of being in the 26, you value it a lot here. To have the moment to help as it has happened to me is the best. It happened to me but could have happened to anyone.” [SOURCE]

Luis de la Fuente

“I couldn’t be happier. To see the fans, to see the players. A real team, European champions,” De la Fuente said. “I said I was proud and today I am even prouder. It confirms what we are. For me, they are the best in the world and today I confirm that definition.” [SOURCE]

Lamine Yamal:

“Very happy and looking forward to coming back to Spain and celebrating with all the fans. It is really the best present there is. It’s a dream. When we were drawing it was difficult. They pushed us hard, but I don’t know what this team is made of, but we always come back, we always win.” [SOURCE]

OptaJoe:

23 – Since the 2002 UEFA Champions League final, Spanish teams and the Spanish national team have played in 23 major finals (Champions League, UEFA Cup, Europa League, World Cup, European Championship) against non-Spanish teams and won the trophy on all 23 occasions. Campeones. pic.twitter.com/GBiCCCIYul

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 14, 2024

England FA:

17 – Aged 17 years and one day, Spain’s Lamine Yamal is the youngest ever player to feature in a FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championship final, surpassing Pele’s record from the 1958 World Cup (17y 249d). King. #ESPENG pic.twitter.com/wCD6wac3Zg

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) July 14, 2024

Cole Palmer:

“Spain have been brilliant all tournament and everyone can see what they can do. They are a great team and congratulations to them,” he told ITV Sport.

“We wanted to kick on but couldn’t and it hurts. We got to another final and everyone is gutted that we didn’t [win].

“The World Cup is in two years time and we need to remember this feeling and try to push on.” {SOURCE]

Harry Kane:

“Another tough moment for the team and for me personally. A tough tournament physically and mentally. You get so close to the highest of the highs, the pinnacle of our careers, now everyone is at the lowest of the lows.

“We haven’t found a way to win that trophy and it is going to hurt for a long time.” {SOURCE]

Gareth Southgate on his future:

“I don’t think now is a good time to make a decision like that. I’m going to talk to the right people,” Southgate told British broadcaster ITV after the final. “It’s just not for now.”

He added: “I think England are in a really good position in terms of the experiences they’ve got now, the age of the squad. Most of this squad are going to be around not just for the World Cup but the next Euros as well. There’s a lot to look forward to but at this moment that’s not any consolation.” [SOURCE]

Some History form OptaJose:

16 – Youngest players in history to score in EURO + World Cup:

1 – LAMINE YAMAL (16 years and 362 days).
2 – Pelé (17 years and 239 days)
3 – Manuel Rosas (18 years and 93 days)
4 – Gavi (18 years and 110 days)

Diamond. pic.twitter.com/3u3CET1pTm

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) July 9, 2024

2 – This is the first ever UEFA EURO or FIFA World Cup final to see two different teenagers start the match (Lamine Yamal and Kobbie Mainoo). Starboys. pic.twitter.com/UvbjS65JVD

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 14, 2024

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After three weeks of football, the stage is finally set for a thrilling Copa America final as reigning champions Argentina take on a determined Colombia side in Miami on Sunday. Argentina will be aiming to win their 16th Copa America, which will see them become the most successful team in this tournament’s history, while Colombia are seeking to win their first title since 2001.

Although the talismanic Lionel Messi has not had the impact he would have liked, the 37-year-old finally opened his Copa America account during his team’s 2-0 win over a plucky Canada side in the semi-finals. Argentina have shown, however, that they are more than just Messi as other players, such as Inter’s Lautaro Martinez, have really stepped up to help with the goal-scoring responsibilities, and now, Lionel Scaloni’s troops, who are also the reigning World Cup winners, have a great chance to make it a third major title in just three years. That’s after winning, of course, the last Copa America in 2021, followed by the aforementioned FIFA World Cup in 2022. If one includes the recently resurrected Artemio Franchi trophy, which is now known as the Finalissima or the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Nations, a win for Argentina on Sunday will make it four trophy wins in just three years.

Not a bad record for current Argentina boss Scaloni, who took over the team in 2018. At just 46, Scaloni, who mostly played as a right-back and occasionally a midfielder during his career with clubs like Newell’s Old Boys, Deportivo La Coruña, West Ham, Lazio, and Atalanta, has seen a total revival of an Argentina side who had failed to really make the grade in recent years – despite the quality of players at its disposal. Under his tenure, Argentina have become a mostly well-oiled unit, and have shown great fortitude to rally back when facing adversity. They have also been able to change from a team that totally depended on Messi to a team that is showing some signs that they just may be able to continue keeping the flag flying when the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner finally does hang up his boots.

Defensively, they have also looked quite solid, especially thanks to the strong showings of Emiliano Martinez in between the posts. The Aston Villa goalkeeper does attract a fair share of criticism for some of his antics on the pitch, namely during penalties, but even his harshest critics do have to admit that he is a vital and integral part of Argentina’s success over the past few years.

Standing in Argentina’s way as they seek to make it a 16th Copa America – which will help them pull ahead of fellow all-time winners Uruguay in terms of most successes in this contest – will be Colombia. La Tricolor have been in absolutely imperious form over the past two years, with their last loss taking place back in February 2022. Ironically, the last team to beat them was none other than Argentina. Since Nestor Lorenzo took over in June 2022, Colombia have gone a whopping 28 matches sans defeat, which is a new record for this side.

So far at the Copa America, Colombia have been quite impressive. They topped their quartet by two points after picking up 2-1 and 3-0 wins over Paraguay and Costa Rica respectively, meaning that a one-all draw against Brazil on the final matchday was all they needed to head into the round of 16 as group winners. That earned Lorenzo’s team a very comfortable draw in the first knockout rounds, where Colombia cruised to a 5-0 win over a Panama side who really did not pose any real competition.

Pitted against Uruguay in the semi-finals, Colombia managed to battle to a 1-0 win over the 15-time Copa America winners despite having to play well over half of the game a man down following Daniel Muñoz’s first-half dismissal. Skipper James Rodriguez has been a vital part of the team’s run to the final, and will be part of a midfield that also contains key players like Mateus Uribe and Jefferson Lerma. They, along with Liverpool’s Luis Diaz and others, will all need to be on top of their game if they want to successfully deny Argentina a chance at making history on Sunday.

Given that Argentina were the last side to beat Colombia over two years ago in February 2022, Los Cafeteros will have even more added incentive to defeat their bitter rivals in Miami on Sunday evening. Will Colombia’s long-standing unbeaten streak – which is the longest in international football at the moment – come to an abrupt end as Argentina continue to write history? Or will Los Cafeteros exact sweet revenge on a very familiar opponent, and in doing so, end their long wait for a major title?

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Just 90 minutes – or perhaps more – now stand in the way of both the Netherlands and England as the two sides vie for a spot in the UEFA EURO 2024 finals. With Spain having already booked their ticket thanks to a 2-1 win over France, all eyes will shift to this competition’s second semi-final, which will be taking place on Wednesday.

The Netherlands are back in the semi-finals of a European Championship for the first time since 2004. Arguably, the Oranje did not have the best performance during their group stage campaign, which saw them start off brightly with a 2-1 victory over Poland. However, a scoreless draw against France and a shock 3-2 loss to Austria meant that Ronald Koeman’s men only narrowly squeaked into the round of 16 as one of the best third-placed teams.

Perhaps that has turned out to be their saving grace. Finishing third in their quartet meant that the Netherlands got an easy draw in the round of 16 after Romania managed to top their group ahead of Belgium. As many expected, Romania proved to be no match for the Oranje, who cruised to a 3-0 win to secure a spot in the quarter-finals. While Turkey, who have really impressed so far in this competition, proved to be a much sterner opponent, the Oranje were eventually able to overcome a 1-0 deficit to claw their way back into that contest and secure a hard-fought, 2-1 victory to head to the semi-finals in the Euros for the first time in 20 years.

Next up for the Netherlands will be a match against England. Although the Oranje have a good track record against the Three Lions, with just one loss in their last nine meetings across all comps (W4 D4),  they have really struggled when it comes to featuring in the final four.  Indeed, the Netherlands have been eliminated in the semi-finals in all but one of their last five semi-finals ties, and will be hoping for a better result in what will be their sixth Euro semi-final on Wednesday.

England, for their part, have received – and continue to receive – their fair share of criticism due to their failure to really set the pitch alight. Nonetheless, Gareth Southgate’s troops are into the semi-finals of the Euros for the second consecutive tournament. That’s despite a very insipid group stage performance that saw England win just one of their three matches, but it was still enough to top their quartet and receive a seemingly favorable draw in the round of 16.

On paper at least, facing minnows Slovakia should have been a pretty straightforward task. Yet, England were woeful on the day, and after Slovakia grabbed an early lead, were looking quite set to suffer what would have been a shocking and embarrassing early exit. Fortune, however, smiled down on the Three Lions on that day, with late goals via Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane enough to help the team turn things around and have the opportunity to add another chapter to their Euro 2024 story.

As expected, Switzerland presented a much tougher opponent than Slovakia in the quarter-finals, but despite once again going a goal down, England were able to rally back. Bukayo Saka, who experienced great heartbreak during the last European championships, was one of the heroes on the day as he not only scored the vital equalizer, but also converted from the spot to ensure that the Three Lions are now just a match away from trying to achieve something they have long sought to: winning their first major title in nearly 60 years.

So, will England finally be able to “bring it home”? Well, first, they will need to see a way past a Netherlands side who also have been waiting quite some time to also add a trophy to their collection. The winner of this contest will take on a Spain team who have made history by winning all six of their games in this contest – and are looking like the heavy favorites to make it a lucky seven on Sunday.

But until then, all eyes will be on this contest to see whether it will be the Netherlands or England who will have the chance to compete for glory and potentially deny La Roja a chance to make further history in the showpiece final on Sunday.

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A mammoth showdown between two titans of world football will be on the cards when Spain and France match wits on Tuesday. La Roja and Les Bleus have had vastly different UEFA EURO 2024 tournaments so far, but now, both teams are just a match away from featuring in the showpiece final on Sunday.

Spain have looked absolutely imperious since the start of this competition. Luis de la Fuente’s men were placed in Group B, alongside reigning Euro winners Italy and perpetual major tournament dark horses Croatia, with Albania completing that quartet. The three time Euro winners not only topped their group without dropping a single point, but also did so without conceding a goal.

Despite finally conceding in the round of 16 against debutant side Georgia, Spain were quickly able to regain control of that tie to score four times sans reply and set up a mouth-watering clash in the quarter-finals against Euro hosts Germany. Like Spain, Germany have won this competition three times, and were expected to present the toughest opposition for La Roja in a quarter-finals tie that many felt would have the air of a final.

Fans and neutrals alike were definitely entertained as the two most successful teams in European Championship history battled for tactical supremacy over 90 minutes. Dani Olmo’s early second half goal was the only difference separating the two teams, before Florian Wirtz’s late goal restored parity for Germany and kept the hosts’ dreams of a fourth Euro title afloat. That also pushed the match into 30 more minutes of extra time, and for all intents and purposes, the clash appeared to be heading to penalties after neither side were able to find a breakthrough.

But substitute Mikel Merino, who had come on the 80th minute for Nico Williams, had other ideas as he powered a 119th-minute header home to snatch victory for Spain and sent La Roja into the quarter-finals. The goal wasn’t without controversy, as many observers noted the incidence of a handball in the build-up, but the goal stood regardless, meaning that Spain have won all five matches in this competition. Should they triumph against France on Tuesday, Spain will become the first team to win six consecutive Euro matches at the same tournament.

France, naturally, will have other ideas. Despite a rather dull showing so far, Les Bleus are nonetheless into the semi-finals. Notably, they still have yet to score a goal from open play – an amazing fact considering that they qualified for the round of 16 as runners-up in their group. Indeed, despite not yet getting out of second gear, France are literally just one game away from featuring in the final. Didier Deschamps’s squad failed to fire during a 1-0 win over Austria, but picked up all three points following an own goal against their opponents.

They played out to a scoreless stalemate against the Netherlands before picking up a point against an already-eliminated Poland on matchday three, with Kylian Mbappe scoring a penalty. In a highly-hyped battle against Portugal in the round of 16, it was France’s defense and shot-stopper Mike Maignan who really were the stars of the show, as they successfully shut down any offensive attempts by their opponents over 120 minutes before getting the job done on penalties to book their spot at this juncture.

Les Bleus’ style of play has expectedly earned them the ire of many critics, but it appears that Deschamps is merely focused on trying to get his side to Sunday’s final. They will, however, be facing an opponent who have won 15 of their last 19 games across all competitions, and notably, at this competition, have shown they clearly have no problems finding the back of the net. No team, whether it be Croatia, Italy, Albania, Georgia, or Germany, have been able to keep Spain from scoring, and it is expected that France will be under periods of sustained pressure from the get-go.

Will Les Bleus successfully stop this Spanish juggernaut? Or will La Roja steamroll past yet another opponent to take on either the Netherlands or England in the UEFA EURO 2024 finals on Sunday?

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It’s set to be a case of déjà vu when Argentina and Canada renew acquaintances in the 2024 Copa America semi-finals on Tuesday. The two sides faced off during this competition’s opener, which was, as many expected, won 2-0 by Argentina. What many did not expect, however, was for Canada to still be afloat in this contest. The Canucks are making their first-ever appearance in a Copa America, but unlike the USMNT and Mexico, Jesse Marsch’s men managed to get out of the group stage.

Since losing 2-0 to Argentina on matchday one, Canada have really improved, and come into this match having conceded just one goal in their last three Copa America ties. They successfully edged out Peru 1-0 before holding Chile to a scoreless draw to earn their ticket to the knockout rounds. Although they saw their defense finally breached during a one-all draw with Venezuela, the debutants showed great grit and determination to successfully navigate their way through a tense penalty shoot-out to book their ticket to the semi-finals. In achieving this, Canada are now the third Concacaf side to make it to the semi-finals of a Copa America on their debut after Honduras and Mexico.

While both Mexico and the USMNT crashed out in a poor showing, Canada have been flying the flag high for Concacaf. It has been well over 20 years since a Concacaf side got to the finals of a Copa America, with Mexico achieving that back in 2001. Of course, they will be the rank underdogs against an Argentina side who predictably have enjoyed the better head to head record over the years, but having already found a way past a slew of South American sides, including Peru, Chile, and Venezuela, Canada will certainly be hopeful that their Cinderella story just may have another chapter in it yet.

Meanwhile, Argentina successfully earned a spot at this juncture after surviving a rather nervy penalty shoot-out against Ecuador. La Albiceleste came into this contest as reigning champions and are seeking to successfully defend their Copa America title for the first time since 1993. Although they have not been able to rely on Lionel Messi, the South American powerhouse so far have done just fine without their talisman playing regularly in the starting XI.

Inter striker Lautaro Martinez has scored four of team’s six goals so far, despite not being a regular starter. Messi, for his part, did return to the fold during Argentina’s tie against Ecuador, but failed to convert from 12 yards out during the penalty shoot-out. However, Emiliano Martinez had another titanic performance in between the posts to thwart Argentina’s opponents, while Julian Alvarez, Alexis Mac Allister, Gonzalo Montiel, and Nicolas Otamendi all converted their efforts to secure a 4-2 win for Lionel Scaloni’s side.

Argentina have progressed to the finals in seven of their last eight semi’s appearances, and for all intents and purposes, are expected to make it yet another finals appearance as they aim to win a 16th Copa America. The winners of this tie will face either Colombia or Uruguay in the showpiece final on Sunday. Will Canada, who have already defied the odds to get to this juncture, continue to write their own history and fly the flag high for Concacaf? Or will Argentina, as anticipated, once again overpower their inexperienced opponents to set up a mouthwatering clash against either a free-scoring Colombia or fellow all-time Copa America winners Uruguay in Sunday’s highly anticipated final?

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An intriguing battle is certainly coming up on Saturday as England and Switzerland prepare to match wits for a coveted spot in the UEFA EURO 2024 semi-finals. On one side of the pitch will be a team who have not looked particularly bright and may be riding their luck just a bit too far, while on the other side of the pitch will be a team who have looked quite impressive and could be shaping up to be one of this tournament’s dark horses.

For well over 90 minutes during their round of 16 tie, it appeared that England’s hopes of “finally bringing it home” had come crashing down. The Three Lions, who have been quite disappointing so far at this summer’s European Championship, were 1-0 down against a Slovakia side who were very content to park the bus and hang on to a lead. A goal from Ivan Schranz was enough to give the minnows the result they needed, and despite their efforts, it seemed that England were destined for what would have been a rather embarrassing conclusion to what overall had been a poor tournament so far.

However, Real Madrid ace Jude Bellingham popped up just in the nick of time to save England’s blushes via a brilliant overhead kick. That appeared to finally wake Gareth Southgate’s troops out of their stupor, as it took just seconds into extra time for skipper Harry Kane to find the back of the net and turn the tie on its head. Slovakia, who clearly had run themselves into the ground with their ultra-defensive tactics, had no response, and just like that, England were through to the quarter-finals.

Nonetheless, the critics’ knives are still very much out for England and Southgate as pressure continues to mount on the Three Lions ahead of Saturday’s crunch tie.  England’s 1-0 win over Serbia on matchday one – courtesy of another Bellingham goal – remains the only match during which the Euro 2020 runners-up have won a match in regular time. They were held to frustrating draws against Denmark and Slovenia, and worryingly were unable to score in the latter match. As such, there are growing concerns that England, who were very fortunate to get a result against Slovakia, just may see their luck run out against a Switzerland side who have been steadily growing in confidence as this tournament goes on.

Unlike England, Switzerland looked pretty solid throughout their three group stage matches. Murat Yakin’s side kicked things off with a resounding 3-1 win over Hungary on matchday one, before stumbling somewhat during a one-all draw against Scotland on matchday two. Impressively, Switzerland managed to take a 1-0 lead over Germany, and although they ultimately had to settle for a stalemate after die Mannschaft snatched an equalizer, it was still enough to ensure that they headed into the round of 16 as Group A’s runners-up.

Pitted against Italy – the Euro reigning title holders – in the round of 16, La Nati got sweet revenge on the team that had humiliated them 3-0 during the group stages three years ago. The Azzurri have never really been able to get fully going at this summer’s competition, and with key players like defender Riccardo Calafiori suspended, were left looking quite unsteady at the back.

Switzerland had no issues securing a 2-0 win to knock Italy out of the competition, and while England fans certainly were gleeful at that result, they now will have to see their team face the same team that eliminated Italy about a week prior to this upcoming tie. La Nati, who have lost just one 18 matches since the 2022 FIFA World Cup, could now eliminate both the winners and the runners-up of the prior European Championship in the same tournament.

Still, Switzerland do have a bit of a hoodoo when it comes to playing England. They have not beaten the Three Lions in over 40 years, and ironically, current coach Yakin was part of the Switzerland squad who were beaten 3-0 by England at EURO 2004. As such, he will also have his own score to settle when his team face a Three Lions side who have yet to really get up and running. But will Switzerland be able to end their long and frustrating record against England and book a spot in the final four? Or will England, who managed to avoid an humiliating early exit by the narrowest of margins, finally roar to life as the stakes continue to get higher?

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Both Portugal and France will be looking to finally get their respective tournaments going when they lock horns in the EURO 2024 quarter-finals on Friday. This match will also be a rematch of the EURO 2016 final, which was won by Portugal by the narrowest of margins. Despite the caliber of players in their respective ranks, neither Portugal nor France have really impressed so far at this summer’s competition, yet, as it were, both are just a few games away from potentially lifting the trophy.

Portugal come into this match having started their group stage off well, with comfortable wins against the Czech Republic and Turkey to ensure that Roberto Martinez’s men qualified for the round of 16 with a game to spare. For some reason, they decided to then take their foot off the gas against Georgia – and were made to pay dearly as the debutants snatched a 2-0 win to pull off one of the biggest upsets so far at EURO 2024. But if one thought that result would wake Portugal up, it certainly did not. The Selecao were surprisingly inefficient against a very determined Slovenia side that were content with parking everyone behind the ball and soaking up pressure.

It was indeed a very frustrating day at the office for Cristiano Ronaldo, with the 39-year-old aiming to score in what is his sixth EURO appearance. The multiple Ballon d’Or winner finally did get a clear chance after Portugal were given a dubious penalty in extra time, and when he stepped up, there were quite a few who already were eagerly awaiting the veteran striker to perform one of his trademark celebrations.

However, Slovenia’s titan in between the posts, Jan Oblak, had other ideas. The Atletico Madrid shot-stopper is very well acquainted with Ronaldo, as the two have faced off time and time again at club and international level over the years and pulled off one of his trademark saves to keep Slovenia very much into the contest. The pressure appeared to be too much for Ronaldo, who shockingly burst into tears after failing to convert, but his tears soon turned to joy as he was able to redeem himself during the penalty shoot-out. With Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes both also converting from 12 yards out, coupled with Diogo Costa saving every single one of Slovenia’s attempts, Portugal now were through to the quarter-finals for the seventh time, where they will take on a France side who also have yet to really get up and running.

France, who are hoping to win what would be their third EURO title this summer, have been quite poor so far, especially on the attacking front. Les Bleus are still yet to score a goal from open play. Didier Deschamps’s team beat Austria 1-0 via an unfortunate own goal Maximilian Wober before being held to a drab, scoreless stalemate against the Netherlands. On matchday three, they were quite disappointing yet again as they managed to earn a point against Poland, with Kylian Mbappe converting from the spot.

Les Bleus showed no signs of real improvement in the round of 16, where they faced a Belgium side who have not impressed whatsoever in this contest. Yet, France’s misfiring attack were not able to find a breakthrough and once again needed an own goal from their opponents to finally decide that tie. That being said, despite their blunt attack, France overall have been solid enough on the defensive front, with only Robert Lewandowski’s consolation penalty for Poland being the sole instance they have conceded a goal so far.

Many eyes will be on Friday’s contest, and not just because it will be interesting to see if either of these two underperforming sides finally wake up. It will also see two star players facing off, with veteran Cristiano Ronaldo pitted against a Kylian Mbappe who is now in the prime of his career. Mbappe has made no secret of his idolization of Ronaldo, but any admiration will be put firmly on the backburner as he hopes to play a vital role in helping revive his team on Friday.

Interestingly, Portugal’s sole win from their last 13 matches against France was during that famous EURO 2016 final eight years ago. Will they pull off another similar result on Friday, or will France finally awaken and show everyone that they do deserve to be taken seriously as contenders for the coveted prize?

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A truly titanic tussle will be on the cards when Spain and Germany square off in the quarter-finals on Friday. La Roja and die Mannschaft are the joint-most successful teams in European Championship history, with each side having three titles. That means that the winner of this contest will have the chance to win an unprecedented four title – provided that, of course, they can find a way past two additional teams in the semi-finals and the final to lift the coveted prize.

The winner of Friday’s highly-anticipated contest will take on the winner of the Portugal-France clash taking place later on the same day. For Spain, who last won the EURO in 2012, it has been a triumphant return to a very familiar stage. Luis de la Fuente’s team were virtually flawless during their group stage campaign, winning all three matches against Croatia, Italy, and Albania, and did not concede a single goal during that run. In fact, it was not until an own goal from Robin Le Normand during the round of 16 that Spain finally conceded at this summer’s competition.

Despite being clearly shocked during that match, Spain quickly regained control of their round of 16 tie against debutants Georgia. As many expected, Georgia did put up a brave fight, but were overwhelmed as their opponents equalized through Rodri before netting three more times sans reply to win that tie 4-1. Fabian Ruiz, Nico Williams, and Dani Olmo all grabbed a goal each, while youngster Lamine Yamal was a live-wire throughout – despite not being able to find the back of the net just yet.

Spain’s success marks a tenth win at the European Championships, and they are the only team to come into the quarter-finals still boasting a perfect four wins from their four games played so far. They also have a very formidable record against Germany, with three wins from their last six competitive meetings (D3) and indeed, have not lost to die Mannschaft since 1998. Along the way, these successes include a 1-0 win over Germany in the EURO 2008 final as well as humiliating their opponents 6-0 during a November 2020 Nations League tie.

That being said, this record may come under threat. Curiously, Spain have struggled for good results when it comes to playing the hosting nation at a major competition – especially during the knockout rounds. Indeed, La Roja have never beaten the host nation in a knockout round match at either the World Cup or the European Championships dating back to the 1930s – which is something that Germany will hope can give them the added edge in what will be a tough test ahead for the home team.

Germany, who haven’t won the European Championship since 1996, are also looking to make some major amends after some disappointing showings on the international front as of late. Die Mannschaft cruised to a 5-1 win over Scotland on matchday one and secured their spot in the round of 16 thanks to a solid 2-0 victory against Hungary. However, they were literally just a few minutes away from losing top spot in Group A after Switzerland stunned many by taking a 1-0 lead – only for Niclas Füllkrug to save the day, literally.

Against Denmark, Germany successfully battled through some dismal playing conditions – including seeing the match stopped for a lengthy period due to a storm to secure a hard-fought 2-0 win. Despite Kai Havertz once again spurning several opportunities (albeit he did manage to score a penalty), Jamal Musiala, who has been one of the best players for Julian Naglesmann’s team so far, scored Germany’s second to ensure that the hosts earned a spot in the quarter-finals.

Germany may have struggled against Spain in recent competitive fixtures, but interestingly enough, die Mannschaft have done quite well when it comes to facing La Roja on home turf. They are unbeaten in their last eight meetings (W5 D3), and more significant, as hosts, may take respite in the fact that to date, no home team has ever been eliminated in the quarter-finals stage at a European Championship.

Unfortunately, one of these all-time Euro champions will not have the opportunity to make it a fourth title. Will Spain continue their steady march towards making history? Or will hosts Germany be the ones to take one step closer towards clinching their first Euro title in over 20 years with a win over a very formidable and familiar foe?

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Familiar opponents Argentina and Ecuador will renew acquaintances when the two sides square off in the 2024 Copa America quarter-finals on Thursday. La Albiceleste are the joint-most successful team in this competition (along with fellow quarter-finalists Uruguay) and Lionel Scaloni’s men come into this contest as the reigning champions after winning it in 2021. That was one year before Argentina ended their decades-long wait to clinch the World Cup, and now, they will be aiming to make it three major titles in three years by clinching what would be their 16th Copa America this summer.

As many expected, Argentina booked their ticket in the quarter-finals after a pretty straight-forward group stage campaign. Scaloni’s troops picked up three wins over Canada, Chile, and Peru to head into the knockout rounds without conceding a solitary goal. Although Argentina were quite fortunate to get an easier group than some other teams in this competition, their progression has been made even more noteworthy due to the absence of the talismanic Lionel Messi.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner suffered a groin injury during his team’s clash against Chile and now is in some doubt to feature against Ecuador. So far, however, the team have done just fine without him. Inter’s Lautaro Martinez has scored four of Argentina’s five goals, including the game-deciders against Chile and Peru, and has done so while mostly coming off the bench. Many expect the Nerazzurri striker to be finally given some more game-time after getting a full start on matchday three, during which he netted a brace against Peru and secured all three points for his team heading into this contest.

Argentina haven’t lost to Ecuador in nine years – since 2015 – and notably, the South American powerhouse have never lost to La Tricolor at a Copa America. Naturally, Ecuador, who, along with Venezuela, are the only CONMEBOL team never to have won the Copa America, will be facing an uphill battle against that frustrating record. Felix Sanchez Bas’s team had a rough start to this competition, as they were beaten 2-1 by Venezuela on matchday one. However, they rebounded by battling to a 3-1 win over Jamaica followed by successfully holding Mexico to a scoreless stalemate, which was enough to earn them a spot in the knockout rounds as Group B’s runners-up.

Youngster Kendry Paez, who netted in Ecuador’s 3-1 win over Jamaica to become the second-youngest goal scorer at a Copa America, has arguably been one of his team’s brightest stars. The 17-year-old, who will join Chelsea in 2025 after he turns 18, will need the support of his more experienced teammates, such as skipper Enner Valencia, to really step up if La Tricolor want to have even the slightest chance of overcoming a very formidable foe on Thursday evening.

For all intents and purposes, though, it would take a stunning turn of events to see Argentina heading home early. La Albiceleste looked mostly comfortable and assured during their group stage ties. In addition, the reigning Copa America winners clearly have the players – in both attack and defense – to get the job done whether Messi is fit to feature or not. Of course, fans in the United States and pretty much all over the world will be hoping to see the 37-year-old bring his spark to this competition, but for now, Argentina will be firmly focused on getting the job done and taking one step closer towards this year’s Copa America final.

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Germany will look to power past a determined Denmark side when the two sides square off in the round of 16 on Saturday. As hosts of UEFA EURO 2024, die Mannschaft are especially keen on making a good impression after disappointing showings on the international stage for the past few years. Currently led by Julian Naglesmann, Germany have had a pretty solid start to their tournament as they topped Group A with two wins and a draw.

The three-time Euro winners were given a huge shock on matchday three as they were nearly beaten 1-0 by Switzerland, only for Dortmund striker Niclas Füllkrug to once again show his knack for scoring decisive goals as he came off the bench to spare Germany’s blushes. Many will certainly be hoping that Füllkrug earns a spot in the starting XI, as it took him just minutes to find the back of the net via a brilliant header – something that Kai Havertz was unable to do all game, despite getting numerous chances. In fact, save for a penalty against Switzerland, Havertz has had a very quiet competition, so it will be very interesting to see if Naglesmann continues to persist with keeping him as the man to lead the line or opts instead to give Füllkrug the chance to take over those duties.

Saturday’s game will be the fifth meeting between Germany and Denmark. Each side have won twice, making this a pretty well-balanced series. Notably, Denmark beat Germany 2-0 back at the 1992 UEFA EURO competition to lift the title, but the Scandinavian side don’t have the best record when it comes to playing against the hosts of a European championship.

Indeed, Denmark have lost every single one of their last five Euro games played against the hosts, and that includes a 2-1 defeat to England at Wembley three years ago in the semi-finals. As for their showing at this summer’s tournament, it’s safe to say that Kasper Hjulmand’s team haven’t exactly set the pitch alight. They picked up three wins from their matches against Slovenia, England, and Serbia, and never scored more than one goal in any of those matches. While it was a delight for fans and neutrals alike to see Christian Eriksen mark his return to the Euros with a brilliant goal against Slovenia, overall, Denmark have not put in any kind of displays that have gotten anyone buzzing.

Sometimes, however, keeping it simple does get the job done. After all, despite scoring just twice in the group stages, they earned a ticket to this juncture fair and square, and do have plenty of quality players within their ranks capable of making the difference. They will have do make do without Morten Hjulmand – who scored against England – due to suspension, and there are concerns about Eriksen after he reportedly missed training on Friday due to a stomach ailment.

Germany, for their part, will be missing key defender Jonathan Tah due to a suspension, while the experienced Antonio Rudiger is dealing with a thigh injury and may be in doubt for Saturday’s tie. All in all, this could be a very interesting tie, given that both teams, especially Denmark, will know that a draw will not suffice in order to get to the next stage.

Will it be decided in 90 minutes? Possibly, but there is also plenty of precedent to show that extra time and penalties in the knockout rounds are not entirely out of the realm of possibility.

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Three-time Euro winners Spain will take on debutants Georgia as the unlikely opponents will fight for a quarter-finals berth on Sunday. Certainly, no one expected this match-up to be on the cards at the start of this competition, but the beautiful thing about football is indeed its unpredictability.

Spain, as many expected, finished top of Group B after earning wins over Croatia (3-0), Italy (1-0), and Albania (1-0). Luis de la Fuente’s team are the only side not to concede a single goal so far at this competition, and come into the round of 16 having won all three of their group stage matches since 2008 – when they won the Euro title. Impressively, de la Fuente fielded mostly a “B” team against Albania as Spain had already secured a spot in the round of 16, and La Roja nonetheless were able to get the job done thanks to a solitary goal from Barcelona striker Ferran Torres.

Spain will have stiffer opposition coming down the pipeline, as they might end up taking on Germany, who also have won three Euro titles, in the quarter-finals before potentially facing France in the semi-finals. That being said, Les Bleus have not been impressive at all, and it’s safe to say that Spain will be watching France’s upcoming round of 16 clash against Belgium to see if Didier Deschamps’s squad finally wake up out of their stupor.

Although on paper Spain’s upcoming match looks straight forward – after all, they have won six of their last seven meetings against Georgia – they will not be taking their opponents lightly. After all, Spain suffered a humiliating early exit at the hands of Morocco, who went on to become the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals, so despite their strong record against Georgia, which includes a pair of 7-1 and 3-1 wins during Euro qualifiers, they will be very wary of what the debutants may have in store on Sunday.

Georgia definitely will be hopeful of another major upset on Sunday after beating Portugal 2-0 to earn their first ever appearance in the round of 16. That win meant that Willy Sagnol’s men earned a ticket to the round of 16 as one of the best third placed teams, and it showed an admirable level of determination for the minnows to be able to fight back after a rough start to their first ever European championship. Although they lost their tournament opener 3-1, they rebounded excellently to secure a vital point in a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic, and then really got people taking following a 2-0 win against Portugal, who had already qualified for the round of 16.

Forward Georges Mikautadze has scored in every single one of Georgia’s three matches, and his three goals have made him an early contender for this summer’s Golden Boot. Meanwhile, Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia now has written his name into the history books when he scored 93 seconds after the game kicked off, and Serie A fans certainly will be well aware of what the talented attacker is capable of. The hopeful debutants have been dealt a huge blow due to key player Anzor Mekvabishvili’s suspension for too many cards, but will certainly be relying on shot-stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who has been very impressive in between the sticks so far for the minnows at this summer’s competition.

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Switzerland and Italy will have different goals in mind when the two familiar opponents kick off the round of 16 at this summer’s European Championships. For La Nati, revenge definitely will be on their minds, as this will be the second consecutive competition that they are facing Italy. Back at the last iteration of this tournament, Switzerland were humiliated as Italy cruised to a 3-0 win in the group stages. Although they managed to get to the knockout rounds where they beat France on spot-kicks, they were knocked out, once again on spot kicks, by Spain in the quarter-finals.

Compared to the last Euros, Switzerland have overall been much better this time around. Murat Yakin’s side kicked things off with a well-deserved 3-1 win over Hungary, but slipped up as they were held to a one-all draw against Scotland on matchday two. In their final group stage match, Switzerland managed to shock hosts Germany as they seized a 1-0 lead. For large spells of the game, it appeared that La Nati would really upset the odds to seize top spot in Group A, but it was not to be, as Niclas Fullkrug, who has become a sort of cult hero thanks to his knack of scoring vital goals, popped up off the bench to spare Germany’s blushes and secure a point for die Mannschaft.

Meanwhile, Italy, who came into this contest as reigning champions, will be desperate to redeem themselves after a very disappointing group stage campaign. The Azzurri were given a huge shock after conceding in just seconds against Albania, but were able to claw their way back into that match to secure a crucial 2-1 victory. Luciano Spalletti’s men arguably were placed in one of the toughest groups at this summer’s competition, with Spain and Croatia their opponents on matchdays two and three.

Given how Spain have performed so far at this summer’s competition – with La Roja cruising to a 3-0 win over Croatia on matchday one – many expected Italy to face a stern test on matchday two, and they certainly did. However, the Azzurri were mostly able to keep the three-time Euro winners at bay, with only an unfortunate own goal turning out to be the deciding factor to hand a 1-0 victory to Spain.

That loss meant that Italy would have to turn things around against Croatia, an opponent who were now desperately fighting to stay in the competition after picking up just one point from their first two matches against Spain and Albania. Predictably, once the Vatreni were able to go a goal up, they hung onto that lead for dear life, leaving Italy now as the side who looked set to be going home early. But as is the case in football, surprises are par for the course – and late subs really have proven to be the clutch players for various teams so far at this summer’s Euro tournament.

Mattia Zaccagni’s late goal after coming off the bench turned out to be the saving grace for Italy and their fans and a bitter blow for Croatia and their supporters. With four points, Italy had done just enough to squeak into the round of 16, but their job is far from done. Standing in their way is a Switzerland side who will be keen on getting some revenge following their 3-0 loss at the Euros three years ago, and this Switzerland team has shown that they are not afraid to bring the game to any of the heavyweights in this competition.

Italy’s propensity to concede first – they did so against Albania and Croatia – could be a real problem, as Switzerland will definitely be more than happy with hunkering down to hang on for a 1-0 defeat. At this stage, it doesn’t matter if a team wins 1-0 or 4-3 – a result is a result, and that is something that the Azzurri will need to keep in mind if they want to make it to the quarter-finals and perhaps beyond. Depending on how things go, it’s possible that Italy could end up facing Spain again at some point – as they did so back in at the 2012 UEFA EURO tournament – but for now, Spalletti’s troops will need to get into another gear in order to show observers that they deserve to be taken seriously as contenders for the title this summer.

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Both Turkey and Portugal will be vying for top spot in Group F when they lock horns on matchday two on Saturday. Each side come into this match having won their respective fixtures against Georgia and the Czech Republic respectively, but both teams had to work a bit harder than expected to achieve that result.

Turkey, who were on a bad patch of form leading up to this competition, were truly dealt a huge shock as they went a goal down to debutants Georgia. However, Vincenzo Montella’s men were able to restore parity, before scoring two more sans reply to secure a vital three points and put them in good stead to try to secure a round of 16 spot. Youngster Arda Guler wrote his name in the history books thanks to his stunning strike, which makes the 19-year-old the fifth youngest player ever to score at a Euro championship. In addition, the youngster, who is on the books at Real Madrid, interestingly became the first teenager to score on his Euro debut since none other than Cristiano Ronaldo did so back in 2004.

Speaking of Cristiano Ronaldo, the 39-year-old made history during Portugal’s match against the Czech Republic, alongside with veteran defender Pepe. Ronaldo is now the first player to feature at six Euro tournaments, having made his debut back in 2004, while Pepe is still going strong at 41, which makes him the oldest ever player to play in this competition. Both players were in the starting XI for Roberto Martinez’s men against the Czech Republic, and both, despite their advancing years, are expected to feature in Saturday’s match against Turkey.

Like Turkey, Portugal also had to come from a goal behind, but it did not take them long to restore parity. Less than 10 minutes later, they had pulled level following an awkward mix-up between Robin Hranac and shot-stopper Jindrich Stanek when the latter was unable to deal with Nuno Mendes’s header and instead parried it into his own teammate. Then, during extra time, Francisco Conceicao came off the bench to score the game winner in what surely will be an evening to remember for the rising star and his family, as the 22-year-old is the son of Portuguese icon Sergio Conceciao, who notably scored a hat-trick against Germany during the 2000 Euro competition.

Portugal and Turkey are no strangers to facing each other, especially in Euro tournaments. To date, Turkey have not had much luck when it comes to playing Portugal in this competition, as they have lost their last three encounters and are still hoping to score against their upcoming opponents for the first time. Given that both sides have struggled to keep clean sheets as of late, this game could be an open-ended affair as each team know that a win will certainly ensure that they not only progress to the round of 16, but will likely do so as group winners.

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Argentina will get their Copa America title defense underway on Thursday when they take on debutants Canada. La Albiceleste come into this competition as not only the reigning Copa America champions after their win in 2021 but are also the current World Cup title holders as well. Currently led by Lionel Scaloni, Argentina have been in excellent form since their win on penalties during the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, and have won all but one of their 14 matches played since then to set them up nicely for their hopes to retain the Copa America this summer.

For the second time in history, the Copa America is being hosted by the United States, which gives several Concacaf teams a chance to participate as well. That includes Canada, who are making their debut in this competition this summer. The Canucks have not had the best of luck on the world stage, but will view this tournament as an opportunity to test their mettle against some of the top teams on the international stage. This will be the first meeting between Argentina and Canada since the South American powerhouse cruised to a 5-0 win under then-manager Diego Maradona back in 2010, and Canada, who are now being managed by American tactician Jesse Marsch, will be naturally hoping to avoid the same kind of embarrassing result on Thursday evening.

In order to achieve that, however, Canada will need their big stars to have a strong showing, especially considering that the Canucks have a rather dire record when it comes to playing against CONMEBOL teams. To date, they have won just three of their past 24 meetings against South American sides, which does not honestly bode well for Marsch’s side.

Still, despite the clear gulf between the two teams, Canada do have some key players performing on the big stage. That includes Alphonso Davies, who plays his club football for Bayern Munich, while Lille’s Jonathan David has a very impressive goal-scoring record for his national side, with 26 goals in just under 50 appearances for Canada. Naturally, Canada will need more than just these two to show up – they will need Argentina to have a really bad day at the office in order to upset the odds.

As we did see at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Argentina are capable of having an off day. Just take a look at Saudi Arabia’s defeat of the South American powerhouse on matchday one that really sent shockwaves around the world. Of course, it turned out to be the wake-up Lionel Messi and his colleagues needed as they went on to eventually win the title, but all in all, it does show that even a top team with the number one player in the world is certainly not without reproach.

However, Argentina come into this competition having won all of their games so far in 2024, while Canada have experienced mixed results. Despite beating Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 to qualify for this competition, they were thoroughly outplayed in a 4-0 friendly defeat to the Netherlands before managing to hold France to a scoreless draw. Although the result against France may appear encouraging, Les Bleus did not have to make a single save throughout that match as Canada spent long spells merely trying to absorb as much pressure as possible.

That strategy isn’t likely to pay off against Argentina, whose fearsome attack is enough to make even higher-ranked teams a bit uneasy. As such, it will be very interesting to see how Canada manage expectations in what will be very likely a tough opening match in their first ever Copa America appearance.

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A mouth-watering clash is surely in store as Spain and Italy prepare to meet up once again at the European championships. La Roja and gli Azzurri are very familiar opponents in this competition, and will square off for the fifth consecutive Euros on Thursday with a round of 16 spot up for grabs for whoever wins this tie.

The stage couldn’t have been better set for what should be a great clash between two titans. Spain come into this game having made a huge statement following a resounding 3-0 win against Croatia, during which highly-rated youngster Lamine Yamal not only started, but also chipped in with an assist to help his side put the match to bed in what turned out to be a rather one-sided affair. On the opposite end of the age spectrum, Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal also made history as the oldest ever player to score for Spain during a Euro tournament, and now both players will be equally determined to play their part as they take on an Italy side who also come into this match having won their competition opener.

However, unlike Spain who looked largely untroubled during their clash against Croatia, Italy began their competition on wobbly footing as they were 1-0 down inside the first minute. Fortunately for the Azzurri, who are hoping to successfully defend their Euro title, they were able to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Albania to score two without reply and ensure that they come into this crunch clash also sitting on three points. Luciano Spalletti’s squad are hoping to become the first team since Spain to win back to back titles, but ironically, in order to do that, they will need to beat Spain – a team who have proven to be a very frustrating opponent for them across international competitions, to some extent.

Notably, Spain have ended Italy’s hopes in back to back Nations League tournaments, but it’s interestingly a different story when it comes to the Euros. Since beating Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final, it’s been the Azzurri who have gotten some modicum of revenge on La Roja as they eliminated them in the round of 16 during Euro 2016 and in the semi-finals during Euro 2020. Both teams, then, will have that on their minds when they square off in what possibly could be one of two meetings at a European championship – after all, they did meet in the group stages and the final at Euro 2012, so it is not totally out of the realm of possibility that fans may see another reunion between two top sides.

Both teams come into this match in solid form, with Spain suffering just one loss in their last 11 competitive games (seven wins) while Italy have gone even better, with just one loss from their last 12 ties (eight wins). In addition, the Azzurri have not lost in a Euro match since suffering a surprise defeat to Ireland back in 2016, and are now on a ten match unbeaten streak which interestingly started with a 2-0 win over Spain during that same competition.

With Croatia now on the ropes following a shock 2-2 draw against Albania, Group B’s winner looks set to be decided between Spain and Italy, and the stakes couldn’t be higher as these two European giants prepare to take to a very familiar stage on Thursday.

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Both Denmark and England will be aiming to take one step closer towards securing a round of 16 spot when the two sides square off on Thursday. The two opponents are no strangers to each other, having faced off 22 times prior to Thursday’s clash, including during the semi-finals of Euro 2020 three years ago.

Denmark come into this match having earned a point from their tournament opener against Slovenia. It was an emotional day for key man Christian Eriksen and his teammates, especially considering that the Manchester United star suffered a frightening health crisis during his team’s opening match at Euro 2020 that could have ended tragically. Fortunately for the player, his family, and supporters, he has since made a full recovery and marked his return to the Euros by putting his side 1-0 up inside the first 20 minutes. However, Slovenia had other ideas, and with Denmark unable to capitalize on their advantage, Kasper Hjulmand’s men were made to pay for their wastefulness as Slovenia pulled a goal back to keep their own tournament hopes alive.

Three years ago, Denmark overcame a rather traumatic start following Eriksen’s collapse to make a deep run to the semi-finals, where they were eventually thwarted by England following a 2-1 loss in extra-time. That result will definitely be on many players’ minds as they take on a very familiar opponent, and one that has caused them their fair share of frustrations over the years. To date, Denmark have won just four of their last 22 games against England, albeit the Three Lions have won just one of their most recent four in regular time (90 minutes or less).

England will definitely have that in mind as they prepare to try to book their spot in the round of 16. Gareth Southgate’s men weren’t at their very best, but thanks to a goal from Real Madrid ace Jude Bellingham, the Euro 2020 runners-up earned a well-deserved 1-0 win over Serbia. At points in the game, though, England were really put on the back foot as Serbia attempted to find a way back into the game, and there was an overwhelming sense of relief among England’s players and supporters when the whistle blew for full-time.

They will obviously need to do much better on matchday two if they want to achieve something they have never done at a Euro tournament – to win two group stage games in a row. England are unbeaten in the group stages at European championships since losing to France in 2004 (W8 D4), but the Three Lions will be facing an opponent who will likely not be broken down that easily. Despite their better head to head record against Denmark, only one of their last four meetings have seen more than one goal scored. That means that it’s highly likely that this game will be decided by the slimmest of margins – and in matches like that, anything is possible.

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Following a emphatic 5-1 win over Scotland on matchday one, Germany will be looking to secure their spot in the round of 16 with a game to spare when they face Hungary on Wednesday. After coming up short at recent tournaments Germany, who are the joint-most successful team in Euro competition history (alongside Spain who have also won three titles), are naturally determined to silence their critics and put on a good show in front of their home fans.

Julian Naglesmann’s men were in total control of proceedings as they cruised to a 5-1 result against a Scotland side who had to play much of the match with ten players following Ryan Porteous’s first half dismissal. Now, die Mannschaft will turn their attention towards an opponent who were beaten 3-1 in their own tournament opener. The win for Germany over Scotland set multiple records, including the highest ever opening match in this competition’s history, and saw promising youngsters Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala both open their respective accounts, while Niclas Fullkrug, Emre Can, and Kai Havertz all grabbed a goal each. 

As a result of their massive victory, Germany are now top of Group A ahead of Switzerland, who beat Hungary 3-1 on matchday one. This outcome means that die Mannschaft are not only in key position to qualify for the round of 16, but also could do so as group winners depending on the results from the Switzerland vs. Scotland match taking place later on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Hungary will be facing an uphill battle following a demoralizing 3-1 loss to Switzerland in their competition opener. The loss is only their second in their last 13 matches, but worryingly for the team and their fans, both defeats have come in recent weeks. It was a very frustrating day at the office for Liverpool ace Dominik Szoboszlai who was largely kept quiet throughout the clash against Switzerland. Indeed, despite providing an assist, his efforts were in vain as it turned out to be a mere consolation. 

As such, the 23-year-old team captain – the youngest ever in Hungary’s history – will be really keen on helping his colleagues to try to get something out of this match. Interestingly, Hungary are actually unbeaten in their last three encounters with Germany, albeit they will really need to step it up if they want to have avoid what would be another huge setback in their quest to avoid an early exit from Euro 2024.

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Austria will be hopeful of ending their frustrating Euro hoodoo as they prepare to take on title-contenders France on Monday. Although they have never gotten beyond the round of 16 in this competition, Ralf Rangnick’s squad have been in great form lately, and are unbeaten in their last seven matches across all competitions since narrowly losing 3-2 to Belgium during qualifiers back in October 2023. In fact, until they were held to a 1-1 draw against Switzerland in a friendly match on June 8th, Austria had strung together a series of six wins on the trot, and that includes beating fellow Euro 2024 participants Slovakia (2-0), Turkey (6-1), and Serbia (2-1).

This will be Austria’s fourth appearance at a European Championship and their third in a row. They will naturally hope to improve on their performance at last EURO tournament, during which they made it to the round of 16 for the first – and to date, only time in team history. Inter’s Marko Arnautović, who is also the country’s all-time top goalscorer, is one player who will need to have a big tournament for Austria if they want to have any hopes of getting out of their quartet, which also features Poland as well as France. They have, however, been dealt a huge blow due to long-term injuries to key players such as David Alaba and Sasa Kalajdzic, who have been ruled out of this competition due to ACL injuries.

Austria, who, not surprisingly, are no strangers to France, have won nine of their last 25 clashes against Les Bleus. It goes without saying that they will be up against a tough challenge against Didier Deschamps’s squad, who are viewed as one of the heavy favorites to win this summer’s tournament – especially with the caliber of players within their ranks. Kylian Mbappe, of course, has generated plenty of buzz and drama as is always the case, and now having secured his move to Real Madrid, he will obviously want to let his football do the talking after failing to win the Champions League during his time with PSG.

Meanwhile, veterans like Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud will be seeking to get their hands on a Euro title, especially in the case of Giroud who is set to call time on his international career at the end of Euro 2024. Certainly, as France’s all-time top goal-scorer, he’d want to go out with another winner’s medal around his neck after the disappointment France experienced eight years ago, when they hosted Euro 2016 and were defeated in the final by Portugal.

As expected, France had no issues cruising through qualifiers for this competition, and that included a record breaking 14-0 demolition of minnows Gibraltar along the way. However, they surprisingly were held to a scoreless stalemate against Canada in their last pre-tournament warm-up friendly, but nonetheless are expected to shake that off to lay down a clear marker in Monday’s match. After all, it’s been well over a decade (since 2012) that France lost in a group stage game at a European competition, and their two most recent meetings with Austria resulted in a draw and a win.

With many of the tournament favorites – including Spain, Germany, England, and reigning champions Italy – all battling to wins in their respective openers, eyes will be on France to see how Les Bleus kick off their campaign here. As for Austria, with the Netherlands winning their tie against Poland, they will be hopeful of trying their best to get something out of this match so as to put themselves in decent stead when they face Poland on matchday two.

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After coming painfully close to glory at Euro 2020, but coming up short as Italy beat them on spot kicks in the final, England will once again look to get their hands on the coveted title this summer. The Three Lions have never won a Euro title, and have been seeking a major trophy for nearly six decades since winning the World Cup back in 1966. First up on their journey to this summer’s UEFA EURO 2024 final will be a group stage clash against Serbia, who have won the European Championship twice (in 1960 and 1968) but never as an independent nation following the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

Dragan Stojkovic’s team hardly impressed in qualifiers and won just four of their eight matches. However, it was enough for Serbia to secure a spot at this summer’s competition by finishing as runners-up in their group behind Hungary. Since earning their ticket, the Eagles have earned mixed results in their pre-tournament friendlies, with losses to Russia and Austria followed up by wins over Cyprus and Sweden. Overall, despite boasting quite a few star players in their ranks, such as Dusan Vlahovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Dusan Tadic, Serbia’s form has not really inspired much, and they come into this competition having won just four of their last 11 matches across all competitions.

Despite this, England will not be taking their opponents lightly. The Three Lions eased through qualifiers, with six wins and two draws more than enough to ensure that they topped Group C by a whopping six point margin over Italy. However, their performance in their four most recent matches leading up to this contest have raised some eyebrows. A 1-0 loss to Brazil was followed by a two-all draw with Belgium, and despite beating Bosnia 3-0, England had to work a lot harder than expected for that result.

Losing 1-0 to Iceland – on home turf – was not exactly the kind of sending off Gareth Southgate had wanted to see from his squad heading into this competition, and it goes without saying that he, plus legions of England supporters, will hope that the performance against Iceland will just be nothing more than a bad day at the office and not a sign of some rather unpleasant results to come in Germany this summer. With many of the tournament’s biggest sides – including Spain, reigning champions Italy, and hosts Germany – already off to strong starts after picking up wins on matchday one, the onus will be on England to do likewise in their showdown against Serbia on Sunday.

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Italy will be determined to prove their doubters wrong as they prepare to take on Albania on matchday one of the UEFA EURO 2024 competition on Saturday. Although the Azzurri come into this competition as reigning champions, their failure to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup has many wondering if they will be able to really compete against the likes of England, France, Germany, Spain, and others at this summer’s event.

Currently under the tutelage of Luciano Spalletti, who took over the squad following his Scudetto-winning success with Napoli in 2023, this current Italy squad is a vastly different one than the team that beat England on spot-kicks to win Euro 2020. Still, they have plenty of quality, starting with skipper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who at 25, is no longer a rookie on the international stage. Atalanta’s Gianluca Scamacca, fresh off inspiring his team to a very impressive Europa League win this past season, will be also eager to make his mark in what will be his first international tournament at senior level.

Defending that Euro title won’t be easy, though. To date, only Spain have managed to achieve this feat, with back to back wins in 2008 and 2012. Should Italy defy many of the odds and clinch the coveted prize in July, they not only will match Spain’s achievement from the start of the 21st century but also will pull level with both La Roja and Germany in terms of titles won (three). The Azzurri will certainly be fancying their chances of getting proceedings off on the right foot when they face Albania on Saturday. Although Albania did manage to get through qualifying relatively smoothly to top their group, the Eagles have never beaten Italy in four prior encounters.

Indeed, with four meetings and four losses, the odds, on paper at least, don’t look good for a team who are still new faces in this competition. Albania have only once played in a European competition – back in 2016 – and they were promptly dumped out at the group stages without making much of an impact. Still, many of the team’s players do play their club football in Europe’s biggest leagues, and that includes Serie A, which, of course, is where the majority of Italy’s players also ply their trade.

But with Spain and Croatia in this group, the odds don’t look good for Albania’s chances to get beyond the first three group stage matchdays. The pressure, then, will be on Italy to pick up all three points as there is the possibility that one (or both) of either Spain or Croatia will end up dropping points in their tournament opener, so the Azzurri will be definitely keen on ensuring that they at least can temporarily go top of Group B by battling to a vital win on Saturday.

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