The Euro 2024 group stage is finished 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 match, that is how the 16 remaining title hopefuls stack up.
1. Spain 🇪🇸
Pretournament rank: 5
The one group 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 wonderful runs down the intestine. Spain can be the one group that has but to concede a aim at these Euros.
2. Germany 🇩🇪
Pretournament rank: 4
Germany fell wanting an ideal report however dominated each significant statistical class, main the best way in possession (68.7%), photographs (56), key passes (45), and, crucially, objectives scored (eight) in the course of the group stage. Jamal Musiala has led the entrance line with confidence, and Niclas Fullkrug has supplied reduction off the bench, scoring twice in three cameo appearances. Manuel Neuer additionally returned to his greatest after some shaky performances. Whereas questions stay in protection, Germany seems like Germany once more.
3. Portugal 🇵🇹
Pretournament rank: 3
The loss to Georgia might have uncovered Portugal’s lack of depth, however at full power, A Selecao stays a robust contender for the title. Portugal’s goal-scoring midfielders got here to the fore within the 3-0 win over Turkey that ensured high 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 group’s opening match in opposition to Czechia. Pepe additionally confirmed he can anchor his nation’s backline at 41 years previous.
4. France 🇫🇷
Pretournament rank: 1
Some issues about France by no means change. N’Golo Kante is identical freak of nature he is at all times been, and even with a damaged nostril, Kylian Mbappe continues to hold the offensive burden. However France has solely scored two objectives all match, 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 mentioned, 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 value the group in opposition to 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 in every single place the motion is, however Austria is about multiple participant. It assaults and defends as a unit, shifting in unison whereas selecting its moments to counter. If Austria retains issues just a little tidier on the again, it might make a deep run on the simpler aspect of the bracket.
6. Switzerland 🇨🇭
Pretournament rank: 13
Switzerland finds itself within the enterprise finish of a significant match for the sixth time in a row. And for good purpose. Whereas the Swiss are hardly the largest 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 obligation. 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? Positive, the pretournament favourite topped its group, however it confirmed not one of the sass and vigor a lot of its star gamers promised to convey to the Euros. Phil Foden seems misplaced on the left wing, Jude Bellingham has been in every single place and nowhere on the similar time, and Harry Kane cannot fairly get into scoring positions. The entire group is unbalanced, and coach Gareth Southgate does not appear inquisitive about making sweeping modifications. Fortuitously for the Three Lions, they prevented the tough aspect of the bracket.
8. Netherlands 🇳🇱
Pretournament rank: 7
Coach Ronald Koeman mentioned 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 at any time when 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 modifications in the course of 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 in opposition to 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 after they entered the Euros. Coach Luciano Spalletti has tried totally different techniques – together with a again three few of his gamers are literally accustomed to – 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 group after the goalless draw in opposition to Ukraine condemned the Purple 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 realizing 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 in opposition to Ukraine. Search for Jeremy Doku, the match’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 match. It has scored twice from outdoors of the realm – many will keep in mind Arda Guler’s sensational effort in opposition to Georgia – and flown into challenges. Turkey’s 16 yellow playing cards are by far probably the most on the Euros and symbolic of the group’s blood-thirsty strategy. Coach Vincenzo Montella has his decide of electrical kids, 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 below heavy rainfall to get the purpose it wanted from its group finale in opposition to Romania. Star midfielder Stanislav Lobotka was named man of the match in these two video games.
13. Georgia 🇬🇪
Pretournament rank: 24
The bottom-ranked group 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 in opposition to Turkey, battled arduous for a draw in opposition to Czechia, and seized on each alternative in opposition to Portugal to safe the largest win of their nation’s brief 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
One in all 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 appear to be a precedence for Kasper Hjulmand’s aspect, which created fewer possibilities than a number of of the groups that didn’t 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 levels of a match for the primary time in 24 years, it beat Belgium to first place in Group E regardless of shedding to the Purple Devils earlier on. A shock 3-0 win over Ukraine and 1-1 draw with Slovakia paved the best way to high spot, however the victory over Ukraine stays Romania’s solely win in its previous seven matches. A group brief 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 in opposition to England, in its first Euro look in 24 years. The gamers rode a robust wave of assist beginning in Stuttgart, the place they mounted a comeback to tie Denmark and confirmed their superiority on set-pieces, notably throw-ins. Slovenia has prepared runners and the urge for food to chase balls and take a look at its apparent limitations.
