‘Don’t be surprised if Hungary shock a big team’ (2024)

• Group A: Germany, Hungary, Scotland, Switzerland
• Group B: Spain, Albania, Croatia, Italy
• Group C: England, Denmark, Slovenia, Serbia
• Group D: France, Austria, Netherlands, play-off winner A
• Group E: Belgium, Romania, Slovakia, play-off winner B
• Group F: Portugal, Turkey, Czech Republic, play-off winner C
• Euro 2024 fixtures and schedule: Dates, draw and final venue
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“Hungary passed the test of a competitive Group G with flying colours. Though there were no outstanding sides to face, their opponents Serbia, Montenegro, Lithuania and Bulgaria offered few easy games. They finished top with 18 points and also beat England twice in the Nations League, including a raucous 4-0 win at Molineux. Depending on the draw, reaching the quarter-finals is realistic. Don’t be surprised if they shock a big team.

“And their key player? It’s hard to look past captain Dominik Szoboszlai. He has transitioned from Euro wonderkid into a key part of Liverpool’s new-look, revamped midfield this season and has the technical and mental attributes to shine on the highest stage next summer.”

Kristof Bakos

“England have legitimately been among the favourites to win the last two major tournaments they have been involved in and the same is true of Euro 2024. They are in a small group of teams along with France, Spain, Germany and Portugal who on paper have the quality to go all the way.

“We are used to England comfortably bypassing the group stages and then falling short when it really counts against a top tier team in a knockout stage match. Why could next summer be any different? Five words: Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.

“Yes, they have a great supporting cast in Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Declan Rice, but getting England's two best players to the tournament fit, fresh and in form will probably define their hopes. Will the fact they are not playing in the Premier League help England?”

Tim Spiers

“In terms of the squad, Turkey is well behind some of the big teams, such as France, England and Spain. The average age is 26 and there are some important players in the squad that play in the top European Leagues. On their day, Turkey can be a difficult opposition for any team in the competition with the head coach Vincenzo Montella getting the best out of his players. He took charge in September 2023, and his record in four matches is three wins and a draw.

“The team’s main handicap is there is no proven goal-scorer in the No 9 role. Against Wales, Barış Alper Yılmaz played in that role, but the 23-year-old Galatasaray player is more naturally a right winger. The top goalscorers in the Turkish Super League are all foreigners (with the exception of Aytac Kara) and this is an issue for the coach.”

Ziya Adnan, UEFA A Licensed Coach

“Spain are just behind France, Portugal and England when it comes to favourites. Their playing style is crystal clear and hasn’t changed much from Luis Enrique to Luis de la Fuente. They are perhaps the best team at defending with the ball, but they are still struggling when having to break down a team that defends deep. Just like we saw it at the World Cup in Qatar. They need a few of their attacking players to raise their level, if they are to win it.

“It is a team full of great potential and a good mix of young and experienced players, but there aren’t many of the players in the squad who we can consider absolutely world class. Rodri comes to mind, but for the attack to work they need someone with vision and creativity in their game. That player is Pedri. He has been struggling a bit at Barcelona after coming back from his injury, but he is the absolute key to success for La Furia Roja next summer. Spain needs Pedri at his best, if they want to go all the way.”

Nicolai Lisberg

“Scotland’s big target at Euro 2024 is to make it out of the group, after they only managed to pick up one point at Euro 2020.

“​This is a squad that will have learned from their first tournament and they have gained dozens of caps together over the past four years. They are coming into their peak and, although they missed out on being a pot 2 side, it may actually have worked in their favour given Croatia and the Netherlands are in pot 3 with them.

“To progress they’ll need to be much more confident in possession but a favourable draw and Steve Clarke’s strength in one-off games could come to the fore.”

Jordan Campbell

“The Seleção looks stronger than ever. Portugal have a different mindset with Roberto Martínez, tactically more capable and versatile and with a core of players at the top of their careers.

“Bruno Fernandes was the star of the qualifiers. Along with Bernardo Silva, they are the main men. Cristiano Ronaldo is still there but he’s no longer the key player.

“Portugal are surely in pole position (to win). But in the knock-out stages, small details can decide games. They are hot favourites along with Germany, Spain and France. But I believe 2016 could happen again.”

Carlos Machado

“World Cup runners-up, with a golden generation of players, strong competition across the team, a seasoned coach (in place since 2012) and one of the best two attackers in the world in Kylian Mbappe, France is — in my opinion — the hot favourites at the Euros.

“This group of players will be desperate to put the World Cup final defeat against Argentina behind them and add a title to their record.

“As for the key player, instinctively, the easy answer is Kylian Mbappé because he is an immense talent, who thirsts for glory. But Antoine Griezmann is an essential player in this setup. He has dropped deeper to become the metronome of the Blues, setting the tempo, keeping the ball when the team need to breathe and finding perfectly timed passes. At 32, he has reached footballing maturity and plays football like no one else.”

Florent Torchut

We are outsiders. We don’t have the sheer quality we used to have, like in 2018 when we finished third at the World Cup. Our defence isn’t at the same level anymore, but we have brilliant young shining players to play on the counter-attack, with Jeremy Doku’s dribbling and pace, Kevin De Bruyne’s passing range and Romelu Lukaku’s goalscoring attributes.

Our new national team manager, Domenico Tedesco, is unbeaten in his first year. But Belgium still needs to be tested. Is our defensive outfit with Timothy Castagne, Wout Faes, the old but reliable Jan Vertonghen and left-back-in-need Arthur Theate strong enough?

Kristof Terreur

Ahead of today’s draw at 5pm GMT, we’re delighted to have been joined by a selection of journalists from across Europe to preview their national side’s chances in Germany next summer.

And a reminder — we’d love to get your thoughts, too. Let us know what you think by emailing livebloguk@theathletic.com.

This is the third in a series about the 16 triumphant teams in the European Championship, ahead of the 17th edition in Germany next year.

So far, we’ve looked at the USSR in 1960 and Spain in 1964.

This time, it’s the turn of Italy.

This is the second in a series about the 16 triumphant teams in the European Championship ahead of the 17th edition in Germany next year.

Last time, the focus was the USSR in 1960.

Four years on, Spain are victorious.

The World Cup has a long, storied and very well-known history. Most football fans know lots of World Cup tales from before they were born — from Pele’s three triumphs to Dutch Total Football and Maradona’s handball.

The history of the European Championship, in comparison, feels somewhat less famous. Most know about Antonin Panenka’s chipped penalty and Marco van Basten’s volley, but many triumphs from the formative years of the competition seem somewhat unfamiliar, even to keen football observers.

So here begins an attempt to redress the balance — a fortnightly series on the 16 European champions, from the Soviet Union in 1960 to Italy in 2021.

Malta international Jodi Jones, a mate of James Maddison and an England fan, said the below in an interview with The Athletic's Paul Taylor in mid-November.

“It is easy to say they have an unbelievable team but they do — the team is ridiculous,” says Jones. “When you look at the players they have now, they should be winning things.

“It would be criminal if they did not go on to win a major trophy.”

Do you agree? Disagree? A bit of both? Let us know your thoughts in The Athletic's 'Discuss' tab at the top of the page.

If only for a short time, this was back to being a story of sport and its fine, agonising margins.

Switzerland held qualification for next summer’s European Championship in their grasp, defending a narrow 1-0 lead that would be sufficient for thousands of fans to start planning a summer of adventures in Germany. They were minutes away, almost within reach.

Then came the twist. Israel’s 88th-minute equaliser through substitute Shon Weissman brought a rush of joy to one bench and deflation to the other.

It was a moment to illustrate international football’s enduring charms, but the unlikely backdrop to it all revealed that bigger, more complicated picture.

While Virgil van Dijk's status on Merseyside is virtually untouchable, at home the conversation is rather different. Since 2022, for a few of the most outspoken pundits in the country at least, Van Dijk has become a lightning rod for the Netherlands’ supposed failings.

A popular Chinese proverb in the Netherlands is, “the higher the tree, the stronger the wind.” In football terms, this has equated to Van Dijk receiving the most criticism.

Supposedly, it doesn’t overly affect him — he accepts that it goes with the territory and is conscious that even the country’s most famous footballer, Johan Cruyff, was not immune.

Though his nation has secured qualification for next summer’s European Championship, the Netherlands’ position in the tournament would have been in doubt had Van Dijk not scored an injury-time penalty in Greece last month. So why the lack of love in Holland?

Fancy a one-stop shop for Premier League news, live updates, scores, and reaction with the latest on Arsenal, Everton and more?

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And, don't miss out on our fantastic coverage of Newcastle vs Manchester United in the Premier League.

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Especially when they put 14 - FOURTEEN - goals past an admittedly limited Gibraltar.

They have world-class cover in every position on the pitch. Wild depth.

Coming up later, we'll be hearing from pundits on each and every one of the 21 teams already confirmed to have qualified. And lots of them, unsurprisingly, predict France to win it.

Stay tuned for their unique insight and expertise.

I do feel architectural appreciation is an underused topic in these live blogs.

Anyway, thanks to Sebastian Stafford-Bloor for reminding me what a gorgeous building the Elbphilharmonie is from an aesthetic standpoint.

Many of the sport's great and good (and not-so-good) will be inside those angular walls later.

Just when Spain national coach Luis de la Fuente thought he had earned a break after a rollercoaster first year in the job, Sunday night’s final Euro 2024 qualifier crashed him straight into an unfortunate club vs country row.

A straightforward 3-1 victory over a limited Georgia ensured De la Fuente’s more functional than sparkling Spain side won Group A and will be first seeds for the draw in Hamburg on December 2.

“We’re one of the teams capable of battling to win the Euros trophy,” said De la Fuente in late November.

“We’re in the top 10 of the FIFA rankings and want to keep improving. France, Germany, England, Portugal, Italy, like Croatia, are also very competitive sides. And every team who makes the finals will have 11 very good players and you can’t discount a surprise either.”