The Euro 2024 group stage is completed and dusted. Now it is time to take inventory heading into the knockout rounds. After sizing up the sphere within the lead-up to the event, that is how the 16 remaining title hopefuls stack up.
1. Spain 🇪🇸
Pretournament rank: 5
The one workforce to complete the group stage with a 100% report, Spain has performed with swagger and authority, ditching the oftentimes tedious play that hampered its progress in earlier tournaments for a extra progressive model of soccer. Nico Williams has added punch and urgency to Spain’s assault, and Fabian Ruiz has reworked its midfield with vertical passing and glorious runs down the intestine. Spain can be the one workforce that has but to concede a aim at these Euros.
2. Germany 🇩🇪
Pretournament rank: 4
Germany fell in need of an ideal report however dominated each significant statistical class, main the way in which in possession (68.7%), pictures (56), key passes (45), and, crucially, objectives scored (eight) throughout the group stage. Jamal Musiala has led the entrance line with confidence, and Niclas Fullkrug has supplied aid off the bench, scoring twice in three cameo appearances. Manuel Neuer additionally returned to his finest after some shaky performances. Whereas questions stay in protection, Germany appears like Germany once more.
3. Portugal 🇵🇹
Pretournament rank: 3
The loss to Georgia could have uncovered Portugal’s lack of depth, however at full power, A Selecao stays a powerful contender for the title. Portugal’s goal-scoring midfielders got here to the fore within the 3-0 win over Turkey that ensured prime spot in Group F, whereas Vitinha and Joao Palhinha introduced serenity to their play after coach Roberto Martinez gambled with no defensive midfielder within the workforce’s opening match towards Czechia. Pepe additionally confirmed he can anchor his nation’s backline at 41 years outdated.
4. France 🇫🇷
Pretournament rank: 1
Some issues about France by no means change. N’Golo Kante is similar freak of nature he is all the time been, and even with a damaged nostril, Kylian Mbappe continues to hold the offensive burden. However France has solely scored two objectives all event, one being an personal aim and the opposite a penalty. Les Bleus have began tournaments slowly earlier than and nonetheless had success, however their lack of manufacturing so far is alarming. That stated, they’re chock-full of expertise and may by no means actually be written off.
5. Austria 🇦🇹
Pretournament rank: 10
Austria has formally assumed dark-horse standing. Although an personal aim price the workforce towards France, Ralf Rangnick’s aspect secured wins over Poland and the Netherlands to clinch first place in Group D. Midfielder Marcel Sabitzer has been a Tasmanian satan on the pitch, whirring all over the place the motion is, however Austria is about a couple of participant. It assaults and defends as a unit, transferring in unison whereas selecting its moments to counter. If Austria retains issues slightly tidier on the again, it might make a deep run on the better aspect of the bracket.
6. Switzerland 🇨🇭
Pretournament rank: 13
Switzerland finds itself within the enterprise finish of a significant event for the sixth time in a row. And for good motive. Whereas the Swiss are hardly the most important draw, they’re accountable with and with out the ball. Ricardo Rodriguez, Manuel Akanji, and Fabian Schar make up a sturdy again three, and Granit Xhaka and Remo Freuler patrol the midfield like officers on responsibility. Additionally they have a wild card in Xherdan Shaqiri, whose time-honored custom of scoring surprise objectives on the worldwide stage by no means ceases to amaze.
7. England 🏴
Pretournament rank: 2
What on Earth has occurred to England? Certain, the pretournament favourite topped its group, however it confirmed not one of the sass and vigor lots of its star gamers promised to deliver to the Euros. Phil Foden appears misplaced on the left wing, Jude Bellingham has been all over the place and nowhere on the identical time, and Harry Kane cannot fairly get into scoring positions. The entire workforce is unbalanced, and coach Gareth Southgate does not appear fascinated with making sweeping adjustments. Happily for the Three Lions, they prevented the tough aspect of the bracket.
8. Netherlands 🇳🇱
Pretournament rank: 7
Coach Ronald Koeman stated the Netherlands was “terrible” and “appalling” in its 3-2 loss to Austria. Sadly, the Dutch have not seemed proper in a while. They appear to crumble each time they face an opponent of stature, having misplaced to France twice, in addition to Italy and Croatia within the leadup to the Euros. Koeman made a number of adjustments throughout the group stage, together with one embarrassing substitution earlier than halftime, and it hardly made a distinction. If Wout Weghorst is not bailing them out, who’s?
9. Italy 🇮🇹
Pretournament rank: 9
With out Mattia Zaccagni’s 98th-minute equalizer towards Croatia, the Azzurri would’ve been on a flight dwelling. They’re via, however they continue to be the identical ambivalent package deal they had been once they entered the Euros. Coach Luciano Spalletti has tried totally different techniques – together with a again three few of his gamers are literally conversant in – and none have labored. Particular person performances – together with standout defensive efforts from Riccardo Calafiori and Alessandro Bastoni – have stored the equipment from falling aside. Sadly, Calafiori, whose breathtaking run arrange Zaccagni’s surprise aim, will miss the spherical of 16 via suspension.
10. Belgium 🇧🇪
Pretournament rank: 6
Belgians roasted their workforce after the goalless draw towards Ukraine condemned the Crimson Devils to second in Group E. The boos even pressured Kevin De Bruyne to desert his makes an attempt to applaud the followers. However the criticism is warranted. Belgium has been a large number, not figuring out when to assault and when to defend. Romelu Lukaku had three objectives disallowed by video assistant referees within the group stage, and whereas he and his teammates seemed higher within the win over Romania, they performed scared towards Ukraine. Search for Jeremy Doku, the event’s main dribbler, to take cost.
11. Turkey 🇹🇷
Pretournament rank: 15
Turkey’s boom-or-bust soccer makes it one of the vital thrilling groups left within the event. It has scored twice from exterior of the world – many will keep in mind Arda Guler’s sensational effort towards Georgia – and flown into challenges. Turkey’s 16 yellow playing cards are by far essentially the most on the Euros and symbolic of the workforce’s blood-thirsty method. Coach Vincenzo Montella has his choose of electrical children, together with Kenan Yildiz, the 19-year-old ahead who performs his membership soccer for Juventus. However defensively, Turkey has points.
12. Slovakia 🇸🇰
Pretournament rank: 22
Slovakia confirmed spectacular defensive resolve in its upset win over Belgium, celebrating tackles as in the event that they had been objectives. Francesco Calzona’s aspect additionally maintained its composure underneath heavy rainfall to get the purpose it wanted from its group finale towards Romania. Star midfielder Stanislav Lobotka was named man of the match in these two video games.
13. Georgia 🇬🇪
Pretournament rank: 24
The bottom-ranked workforce on the Euros, Georgia wasn’t content material to simply make up the numbers. The gamers approached every match as if it had been their final. They had been courageous towards Turkey, battled arduous for a draw towards Czechia, and seized on each alternative towards Portugal to safe the most important win of their nation’s quick historical past. Georgia has scored very important objectives – Georges Mikautadze is main the Golden Boot race – but additionally conceded a ton of possibilities. Giorgi Mamardashvili’s 21 saves lead all goalkeepers.
14. Denmark 🇩🇰
Pretournament rank: 11
Considered one of two sides to advance from the group stage with three attracts, Denmark was a very robust watch early on. It beat out Slovenia to second place in Group C, however solely as a result of it had fewer yellow playing cards. Scoring did not seem to be a precedence for Kasper Hjulmand’s aspect, which created fewer possibilities than a number of of the groups that did not qualify for the knockout spherical. Manchester United ahead Rasmus Hojlund is Denmark’s key man, however discovering him has been tough.
15. Romania 🇷🇴
Pretournament rank: 20
Romania not solely reached the knockout phases of a event for the primary time in 24 years, it beat Belgium to first place in Group E regardless of shedding to the Crimson Devils earlier on. A shock 3-0 win over Ukraine and 1-1 draw with Slovakia paved the way in which to prime spot, however the victory over Ukraine stays Romania’s solely win in its previous seven matches. A workforce quick on star energy, Romania has Razvan Marin to thank for a lot of its offensive manufacturing. He scored two of his nation’s 4 objectives within the group stage.
16. Slovenia 🇸🇮
Pretournament rank: 21
Like Group C rival Denmark, Slovenia has collected three attracts, together with a goalless stalemate towards England, in its first Euro look in 24 years. The gamers rode a powerful wave of assist beginning in Stuttgart, the place they mounted a comeback to tie Denmark and confirmed their superiority on set-pieces, significantly throw-ins. Slovenia has prepared runners and the urge for food to chase balls and check its apparent limitations.
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