All eyes will be trained on Munich where the EURO 2024 will kick off with hosts Germany taking on Scotland in the opening match of the 24 team tournament.
Scotland will be seeking to cause an upset in the group A opener. The group also consists Switzerland and Hungary.
Scotland are the lowest-ranked side in the group and will come up against a vociferous home crowd in Munich for the tournament opener.
It is just a fourth Euros appearance for Steve Clarke’s side but, after a strong qualifying campaign, they will hope to cause an upset.
The Scots lost just one of their eight qualifying matches, finishing second in Group A behind Spain, having taken four points from challengers Norway.
They ended a 23-year absence from major tournaments in 2021 and Clarke has now become the first manager to guide the Scots to successive European finals.
Meanwhile, Gareth Southgate’s men, England ranked fourth in the world, head to Germany as one of the big favourites having reached the final last time around.
Under Southgate, the Three Lions have made it through to at least the quarter-finals in all three major tournaments – but is this the year they finally go all the way?
Jude Bellingham is one of the stars of the tournament, having recently helped Real Madrid win the Champions League trophy, while captain Harry Kane had a brilliant individual campaign, netting 44 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions during his debut season with Bayern Munich. Manchester City’s Phil Foden was also named the Premier League’s Player of the Season after winning the title.
England face Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia in their group and will hope to get off to a strong start, having underwhelmed in their final warm-up match at Wembley – a shock 1-0 defeat by Iceland.
How The Teams could line up
Germany are hosting the Euros for the first time since 1988 – when a Marco van Basten-inspired Netherlands took the title – and do so as one of the favourites to bring home what would be a record fourth title.
After a mixed start to his tenure as head coach, Julian Nagelsmann seems to have settled on his preferred system and personnel, and the friendly run-in ahead of the competition took in victories over the Dutch, as well as France.
Toni Kroos will retire after the tournament, and hopes to add a European Championship to the UEFA Champions League he recently won with Real Madrid.
He will start in central midfield with Bayer Leverkusen’s Robert Andrich likely tasked with doing the dirty work alongside him. Nagelsmann has confirmed that Manuel Neuer remains his No.1, while Kai Havertz has pulled ahead of Niclas Füllkrug as his first-choice striker.
Elsewhere, Joshua Kimmich has been repurposed as a right-back for club and country. His Bayern teammate Jamal Musiala and Leverkusen starlet Florian Wirtz – two of the brightest prospects in world football – should both start in the final third. Emre Can was called up to the squad on Wednesday, after tonsillitis forced Aleksandar Pavlović to withdraw.
Scotland are the first of Germany’s Group A opponents, with Hungary and Switzerland also in the section.
They are a stronger proposition under Steve Clarke than they have been for many years, but recent form has been patchy, with one win, one draw and two defeats in their pre-tournament friendlies. Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay was their seven-goal top scorer in qualifying, and is expected to shake off a knee injury in time to start in Munich.
Striker Lyndon Dykes pulled up before the competition and will only travel to Germany as emotional support.
Otherwise, the Scots look shortest at right-back, with Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson both unavailable – good news, perhaps, for recent Germany call-up Maximilian Mittelstädt, who looks set to get the nod at left-back for the hosts.
EURO 2024 FIXTURES
Friday,14/06/2024
Germany Vs Scotland
Saturday,15/06/2024
Hungary Vs Scotland
Spain Vs Croatia
Italy Vs Albania
Sunday,16/06/2024
Slovenia Vs Denmark
Serbia Vs England
Poland Vs Netherlands
