Group D
1st – France
After a heartbreaking loss to Argentina in the last World Cup final, there’s no doubt that France will be gunning for the top during this competition. They’ll certainly go far this year, not only because of their international record but also because of their history against the next-best team in the group, the Netherlands.
Alongside one of the best strikers in the world, France has Tchouaméni and Fofana in the midfield, and world-class defenders Upamecano and Pavard in the back. As for tactics, expect to see Les Bleus play with the same game plan from the World Cup, using quick triangles in the middle of the pitch to scramble defenders, and generating space out wide for wingers and full-backs. And although Didier Deschamps has received backlash for criticizing some of the talents on the team, namely William Saliba, there are certainly worse problems to have as a manager.
2nd – The Netherlands
Though they’ve gotten older, their talent hasn’t aged a bit, and for that reason, the Netherlands will finish second in Group D. Between a terrifying backline made up of Van Djik, Nathan Ake, and de Ligt, and an on-fire Donyell Malen, the Dutch continue to be a team of defensive excellence.
A larger concern for the team surrounds whether Arsenal will allow Jurrien Timber to participate in the Group games this June, having already missed qualifying matches after suffering an ACL Injury last August. But injuries aside, the team still looks capable of playing the ‘total football’ they’re known for, with fast and imposing offenses and constant defensive support from midfield players.
So despite the trouble they’ve had against offensive powerhouses like France and Germany, clean sheets against seven of their last twelve opponents prove that the Oranjes still stand above many others in this competition.
3rd – Austria
Austria’s talent is focused in their central and attacking midfield, with players like Baumgartner, Laimer, and Schlager, who all come from top Bundesliga teams.
Austria’s international team has been in great form recently, with their last loss dating back to October when a loss to Belgium (3-2) spoiled their plans for an unbeaten run in the qualifiers. That struggle against a team like Belgium makes it seem like dealing with capable attackers and organized offenses gives the defense a lot of trouble. They’ve generally remedied this by switching to a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 – instead of their typical 4-2-3-1 – but against teams like France and the Netherlands, they’ll be backed into a corner if the additional help in the defensive midfield prevents them from pushing back on offense.
4th – Poland
Poland fought tooth and nail against Wales in the Path A playoffs, until finally besting them in penalties to secure the spot in Group D. That being said, their work isn’t done, as Poland will struggle in this group of formidable opponents.
They have already shown that they struggle against teams like France after getting knocked out of the Qatar World Cup by them back in 2022, and since the Netherlands is known for being an imposing and physical defense, it’ll be hard to find opportunities to score, even if the team has Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski to lead the effort. On a lighter note, keep an eye on center-back Jakub Kiwior, whose recent presence in Arsenal’s starting squad has led to some improvement in his game, and perhaps a good performance this year will land him a lasting spot on the international squad.
Group E
1st – Belgium
Belgium hasn’t lost a match in quite some time now, and after their recent draw to England (2-2) they’ve shown they can run with the bulls again this year. However, the team is missing their biggest midfield talent, Kevin De Bruyne, who is recovering from an ongoing groin injury and was left out of the roster for the nation’s recent friendlies as a result.
As it stands, Orel Mangala is taking up the De Bruyne role, working as a defense-focused midfielder, while Lukaku, Trossard, and Doku make up the team’s physical and technical offense. So, even without their star midfielder, Belgium has adapted and used their offensive quality to separate themselves from the rest of the competition.
2nd – Romania
Romania was also undefeated in their qualifying matches, however, their matches against Switzerland shed some light on how this team wins matches despite the stats. Romania struggled against Switzerland due to constant offensive pressure that forced them to play defense for most of the game, being held to an average of 31%, with only 7 shots on goal over their two qualifying matches.
While that may seem like a bad position for most teams, they use a deep line with a wide midfield to contain those attacking threats and look to capitalize on turnovers with counter-attacks when teams are out of position. So it might not be the most exciting spectacle, but relying on counter-attacks, long balls, and crosses to score goals will likely lead them to the same success.
3rd – Ukraine
Joining Group E after their victory against Iceland, Ukraine has demonstrated their abilities even after a difficult qualifying group including Italy and England. Their ability to fire off a high volume of shots has helped them edge out victories in qualifying and playoff matches (North Macedonia and Bosnia & Herzegov.), but the accuracy of those shots – i.e. the number of shots put on target – has ultimately been the difference maker, for better or for worse.
Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk could play a larger offensive role when June comes around but, not all the pressure will fall on him. The team will also look to Girona’s striker Artem Dovbyk, who has landed himself in a three-way tie as one of La Liga’s top goal scorers this season.
Perhaps Chelsea star Mudryk will play a bigger offensive role for the team, especially after his recent late game-winner against Iceland. Not all the pressure will lie on Mudryk, though, as the team has Girona’s Artem Dovbyk, who’s currently tied for first as La Liga’s top goal scorer this season, and the combination of the two could be productive for this team’s offense especially if they find a rhythm in this group stage.
4th – Slovakia
Slovakia’s performances in the qualifying rounds were solid, but with the teams they are facing in June, their qualification for the next round seems unlikely. In head-to-head matchups, Slovakia are negative against all three of these teams, and even in their recent friendly matches, they’ve had trouble replicating the same form that brought them so much success during qualifiers. However, there’s a lot of time until the next set of international games so perhaps they will turn it around before it’s too late.
Group F
1st – Portugal
Home to the world-famous Cristiano Ronaldo, the 2016 Euro Champions have an easier group stage this year, having battled against France, Germany, and Hungary in the 2020 group stage. The team’s offense is a lethal combination of treble-winner Bernardo Silva, superstar Joao Felix, and world-class goal scorer Christian Ronaldo. Portugal isn’t only known for scoring often either, they can also rely on the world’s most expensive goalkeeper Diogo Costa (€45 Million), who has led them in conceding the least goals of any country in the qualifying round.
While players have the biggest role in a team’s performance, a lot of credit has to go to Portugal manager Roberto Martinez, who has used the massive pool of talent at his disposal to the fullest. Martinez has gone for a possession-based system that focuses on allowing his attacking players to position more loosely based on their strengths while utilizing a wide and deep defensive line to create more options and leave extra space for midfielders to work in. Teams playing against Portugal need to prepare for spectacular passes from the midfield and some of the best technical players in the world out on the wings, not to mention one of the best players in the world captaining the team.
2nd – Turkey
Since the 2024 Euro is hosted in Germany there will be a lot of traveling Turkish fans at these games who have come to support their team, and having supporters at big games like this could be the difference maker. As for the elephant in the room, their recent friendly matchup against Austria did not end well for the nation, losing 6-1. While it’s not a great note to end the international break on, it simply means the bar is set very low for them in June.
What’s more important is recognizing their past performances during qualifying and friendly rounds in 2023, when they beat both Germany and Croatia using a lot of physicality to keep defenders out of the way. With that in mind, Turkey will be physical and aggressive, winning balls in the air, playing balls down the wing to force one-on-ones, and taking shots from a distance when possible.
3rd – Czech Republic
The Czech Republic almost found its way in the top four in the 2020 Euro, but a loss to Denmark (2-1) knocked them out of the competition and landing them in 6th place, meaning experience is something the team doesn’t lack.
The talent sprinkled throughout the team makes their weakness more difficult to pin down. They can rely on capable attacks with guys like Patrik Schick as their lone striker, but can also fall back on players like Tomas Souček as a strong and composed CDM, and Vladimír Coufal for support in the wing-back position. Despite most of their players coming from smaller European leagues, they seem to have good chemistry, making them a dangerous opponent especially when high-level players can tap into that same connection.
4th – Georgia
This is Georgia’s first time in any international competition since joining FIFA and UEFA. From their international matches, they’ve stood out as a team that can score, thanks to Napoli’s ringer Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ajax’s Georges Mikautadze. Mikautadze has been on the rise at Ligue 1 side FC Metz as their current top scorer and Kvaratskhelia has had another exceptional season at Napoli after winning Serie A Player of the Year in 2023.
Expect some spectacular finishing between the two Georgians, and don’t be surprised if they manage to steal a point – or three – away from an unsuspecting team in this group.
