The seventeenth edition of the UEFA European Championship takes place this Summer, with the tournament more widely known as “Euro 2024” taking place in Germany across ten stunning venues.
The event will kick off on June 14th with the hosts Germany taking on Scotland in the opening contest. A total of 51 matches will take place in total, with the final played on July 14th at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
The last tournament was played in 2021, with Italy beating hosts England on penalties in the final at Wembley Stadium in a memorable final.
How Does The Tournament Work?
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Twenty-four qualifying teams are split into six groups of four teams, with each playing the other once, for a total of three matches apiece. The group winner and runner-up progress to the next round, while four third-placed teams with the best records, will go through to the knock-out stage.
In the knock-out stage, teams play one-off fixtures, with extra time and penalties deciding a winner, if the scores are tied. We continue the knock-out stage until the final two remain, with these sides battling it out to become champions of Europe.
Who Are The Contenders?
Using data from a wide range of UK Bookmakers (Read more here), five nations would be considered as genuine Euro 2024 contenders for the title.
England
The leading candidate according to sports betting odds are England, with the Three Lions looking to go one better than they did in the last tournament, having lost to Italy. The relatively young team have grown in stature over the last few years, with captain Harry Kane continuing his goalscoring feats, while the emergence of Jude Bellingham as one of the world’s top players only makes the side stronger.
France
Source: dailysabah.com
The most likely challenger looks to be France, who are second favourites to win the title. The side missed out on winning the World Cup in 2022 and will be looking to make amends by winning Euro 2024.
Les Bleus main star is of course Kylian Mbappe, one of the most recognisable players on the planet and star for PSG, however an impressive supporting case including Antoine Griezmann and Eduardo Camavinga only adds to the impressiveness of the French side, one which will be tough to beat.
Germany
Next up are the hosts, Germany. “Die Mannschaft” have had the luxury of not needing to qualify, thanks to its hosting commitment, but form has not been ideal over the last year or so, with surprising defeats to Colombia, Japan, Austria and Turkey in that time.
The team is going through something of a transitional period, as older players retire and new stars look to bed in, but it is hoped that the likes of Ilkay Gundogan and Leon Goretzka can galvanise the hosts and lead the nation to victory.
Spain
Spain are another team expected to go far in the tournament and like Germany, “La Furia Roja” is slowly building momentum after a flurry of international retirements in recent years.
Luis De La Fuente’s team eased to the top spot in qualification, although they did endure a loss away to Scotland, so there is room for improvement. However, any team with the talented Gavi and Rodri in midfield will surely be in the mix.
Portugal
The last of the “big five” is Portugal, with the “Seleção das Quinas” still dominated by one Cristiano Ronaldo. The legendary star maybe 39 years old, but his influence and ability know no bounds.
It would be unfair to call this a Ronaldo team, with Roberto Martinez also having the likes of Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Dias at his disposal, but if CR7 can perform, Portugal should go very far.
Dark Horses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG5u1uurPik
A “dark horse” can describe a person(s) who has a surprising ability or skill that was previously hidden or not acknowledged/respected. A famous dark horse in football history is Greece, which surprisingly won the 2004 UEFA European Championship, beating hosts Portugal.
Could we have another potential surprise on our hands in Euro 2024?
Now I don’t particularly believe we are going to see a monumental surprise as in 2004, but there are a couple of nations who have flattered to deceive in recent years, that may just come up trumps in Germany.
Belgium are without doubt one of the biggest disappointments in recent years, with the “golden generation” of players failing to live up to the mantle. A third place at the 2018 World Cup is all the side has to show for it so far, but could this year be any different?
Neighbours, the Netherlands are a side that has the weight of history and expectation on their shoulders but have struggled since finishing third in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. A team with a very strong backline led by Virgil Van Dijk has the potential to go far, but the lack of firepower going forward could be their downfall.
And finally, we come to the current champions, Italy. It’s a little unfair to call them dark horses, considering they hold the Henri Delaunay Trophy going into the tournament, but after winning in 2021, many of the Azzurri players retired from international football, leaving a big gap to fill. Manager, Luciano Spalletti has a big task on his hands to retain the title, but could they once again lift the famous trophy?
Source: Flicker.com
Will Euro 2024 Be On TV?
Football coverage is now big business, with many competitions selling exclusive rights to show the respective matches, such as UEFA Champions League or Premier League matches, but can you watch Euro 2024 on regular TV channels?
The answer is yes! Thankfully, like its predecessors Euro 2024 will be shown across the majority of domestic free-to-air channels around the world, meaning fans can watch their star players and watch the action unfold.
The last European Championship saw an estimated viewership of 328 million back in 2021 and that figure could be beaten this Summer.
