EURO 2024 Preview: Squads and Key Players
With EURO 2024 kicking off in less than a week in Germany, national teams have confirmed their final 26-man squads. Here's a breakdown of how some of the top contenders are shaping up:
Group A
Germany: Hosts Germany made a single change from their provisional squad, dropping goalkeeper Alexander Nubel. Veteran midfielder Toni Kroos will compete in his final international tournament. Key players include Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, and Jamal Musiala.
Switzerland: Switzerland relies on the experience of Granit Xhaka and the creativity of Xherdan Shaqiri. They have a balanced squad with solid defenders like Manuel Akanji and capable forwards like Noah Okafor.
Hungary: Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool is the standout player in Hungary's squad. They will look to build on their previous European Championship experiences.
Scotland: Scotland's key players include captain Andy Robertson and midfielders John McGinn and Scott McTominay. They face a tough opener against Germany.
Group B
Italy: Defending champions Italy are dealing with injuries but still field a strong squad featuring Gianluigi Donnarumma and Nicolo Barella. Gianluca Scamacca will lead the attack.
Spain: Spain has a youthful squad with talents like Pedri and Lamine Yamal. Manager Luis de la Fuente made the surprising decision to leave out Barcelona's Pau Cubarsi.
Croatia: Croatia relies on the experienced Luka Modric, who is likely playing his final tournament. They have a mix of seasoned and young players, with Josko Gvardiol being a key defender.
Albania: Albania, led by Berat Djimsiti, returns for their second Euros. They have a mix of players from various European leagues.
Group C
Denmark: Denmark features a mix of experience and youth, with Christian Eriksen and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in midfield and Rasmus Hojlund up front. They aim to replicate their semifinal run from the last Euros.
England: Gareth Southgate's squad has notable omissions like Jack Grealish and Harry Maguire. Key players include Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Bukayo Saka.
Serbia: Serbia's squad features stars like Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic. They will be a formidable opponent in the group stage.
Slovenia: Led by Jan Oblak, Slovenia's squad includes promising forward Benjamin Sesko. They aim to make a significant impact.
Group D
France: France, led by Kylian Mbappe, has a star-studded squad with the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Eduardo Camavinga. Didier Deschamps opted for a 25-man squad, leaving one spot open.
Netherlands: The Netherlands features strong defenders like Virgil van Dijk and talented forwards such as Cody Gakpo. They aim to challenge for the title.
Austria: Austria's squad includes Marcel Sabitzer and Marko Arnautovic. They look to build on recent strong performances.
Poland: Poland will rely heavily on Robert Lewandowski. They suffered a blow with Arkadiusz Milik's injury ruling him out of the tournament.
Group E
Slovakia: Slovakia has experienced players like Milan Skriniar and rising talents. They aim to be competitive in their group matches.
With teams finalizing their squads and key players in place, EURO 2024 promises to be an exciting tournament. Each group features strong contenders and potential surprises, setting the stage for thrilling matches.
Here's a breakdown of the final squads for some key teams at EURO 2024, along with notable insights:
Group A
Germany
Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann, Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Defenders: Waldemar Anton, Benjamin Henrichs, Joshua Kimmich, Robin Koch, Maximilian Mittelstadt, David Raum, Antonio Rudiger, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jonathan Tah
Midfielders: Robert Andrich, Chris Fuhrich, Pascal Gross, Ilkay Gundogan, Toni Kroos, Jamal Musiala, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Leroy Sane, Florian Wirtz
Forwards: Maximilian Beier, Niclas Fullkrug, Kai Havertz, Thomas Muller, Deniz Undav
Key Points:
Toni Kroos will play his final tournament.
Alexander Nubel was dropped from the provisional squad.
Switzerland
Goalkeepers: Gregor Kobel, Yvon Mvogo, Yann Sommer
Defenders: Manuel Akanji, Nico Elvedi, Ricardo Rodriguez, Fabian Schar, Leonidas Stergiou, Silvan Widmer, Cedric Zesiger
Midfielders: Michel Aebischer, Breel Embolo, Remo Freuler, Granit Xhaka, Ardon Jashari, Xherdan Shaqiri, Vincent Sierro, Fabian Rieder, Ruben Vargas
Forwards: Dan Ndoye, Noah Okafor, Renato Steffen, Denis Zakaria, Steven Zuber, Zeki Amdouni, Kwadwo Duah
Key Points:
Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri are pivotal players.
Group B
Italy
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alex Meret, Guglielmo Vicario
Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni, Raoul Bellanova, Alessandro Buongiorno, Riccardo Calafiori, Andrea Cambiaso, Matteo Darmian, Giovanni di Lorenzo, Federico Dimarco, Gianluca Mancini, Federico Gatti
Midfielders: Nicolo Barella, Bryan Cristante, Nicolo Fagioli, Michael Folorunsho, Davide Frattesi, Jorginho, Lorenzo Pellegrini
Forwards: Federico Chiesa, Stephan El Shaarawy, Giacomo Raspadori, Mateo Retegui, Gianluca Scamacca, Mattia Zaccagni
Key Points:
Injuries forced Francesco Acerbi and Giorgio Scalvini out of the squad.
Spain
Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, David Raya, Alex Remiro
Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Jesus Navas, Aymeric Laporte, Robin Le Normand, Nacho, Dani Vivian, Alejandro Grimaldo, Marc Cucurella
Midfielders: Rodri, Martin Zubimendi, Fabian, Mikel Merino, Pedri, Alex Baena, Fermin Lopez
Forwards: Alvaro Morata, Joselu, Mikel Oyarzabal, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, Nico Williams, Lamine Yamal, Ayoze Perez
Key Points:
Luis de la Fuente emphasizes youth, leaving out Pau Cubarsi despite his excellent season.
Group C
Denmark
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel, Frederik Ronnow, Mads Hermansen
Defenders: Andreas Christensen, Simon Kjaer, Joachim Andersen, Jannik Vestergaard, Victor Nelsson, Alexander Bah, Joakim Maehle, Rasmus Nissen Kristensen, Victor Kristiansen
Midfielders: Christian Eriksen, Thomas Delaney, Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Christian Norgaard, Mathias Jensen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Jacob Bruun Larsen, Andreas Skov Olsen
Forwards: Anders Dreyer, Kasper Dolberg, Rasmus Hojlund, Jonas Wind, Yusuf Poulsen
Key Points:
Christian Eriksen and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg bring experience, with Rasmus Hojlund aiming to impress.
England
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale
Defenders: Lewis Dunk, Joe Gomez, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Luke Shaw, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker
Midfielders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Gallagher, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, Adam Wharton
Forwards: Jude Bellingham, Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins
Key Points:
Gareth Southgate made surprising cuts including Jack Grealish and Harry Maguire due to injury.
Group D
France
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola, Mike Maignan, Brice Samba
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konate, Jules Kounde, Ferland Mendy, Benjamin Pavard, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga, Youssouf Fofana, Antoine Griezmann, N'Golo Kante, Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouameni, Warren Zaire-Emery
Forwards: Bradley Barcola, Kingsley Coman, Ousmane Dembele, Olivier Giroud, Randal Kolo Muani, Kylian Mbappe, Marcus Thuram
Key Points:
Didier Deschamps takes only 25 players, with Kylian Mbappe leading the team post his move to Real Madrid.
Group E
Poland
Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczęsny, Marcin Bulka, Łukasz Skorupski
Defenders: Jan Bednarek, Bartosz Bereszyński, Jakub Kiwior, Bartosz Salamon, Tymoteusz Puchacz, Paweł Dawidowicz, Sebastian Walukiewicz
Midfielders: Przemysław Frankowski, Kamil Grośicki, Jakub Moder, Taras Romanczuk, Damian Szymanski, Michał Skóraś, Nikola Załewski, Jakub Piotrowski, Bartosz Slisz, Sebastian Szymański, Kacper Urbański, Piotr Zieliński
Forwards: Adam Buksa, Robert Lewandowski, Krzysztof Piątek, Kamil Swiderski
Key Points:
Arkadiusz Milik is out due to injury, leaving Robert Lewandowski as the key striker.
These squads reflect a mix of experienced players and young talents poised to make an impact in the tournament.
The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly known as UEFA Euro 2024, will be the 17th edition of the prestigious quadrennial international football tournament organized by UEFA for European men's national teams. Hosted by Germany, the tournament is scheduled to take place from June 14 to July 14, 2024. The competition will feature 24 teams, with Georgia making their first appearance in the European Championship finals. The winner of Euro 2024 will later compete in the 2025 CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions against the winner of the 2024 Copa América.
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