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June 20, 2024

Another surprise? Europe’s premier soccer tournament kicks off in Germany, and as always, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen – Saudi Pro League

With a returning Cristiano Ronaldo, a dynamic Kylian Mbappé, and a revitalized Germany, a Harry Kane-led England and the defending champions Italy, Euro 2024 is shaping up to be wide open.

And we can’t forget about the three-time winners in Spain.

The European Championship, which starts in Munich on Friday, is captivating because of its unpredictability. Surprises are always on the table, even with its expanded format of 24 teams.

This is the tournament famously won by the underdog Greece in 2004. In 1992, Denmark triumphed despite not qualifying initially, getting a last-minute entry after war-torn Yugoslavia was banned.

The host nation, Germany, aims to foster a welcoming and festive atmosphere for millions of soccer fans watching the matches in stadiums or fan zones across the country, reminiscent of the vibrant spirit of the 2006 World Cup.

However, this tournament will unfold in a different political landscape. It takes place as Europe’s largest sporting event since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, under the shadow of the most devastating conflict on the continent since World War II.

Ukraine is participating and can expect a warm welcome in Germany, which hosted the team’s home matches during the qualifying campaign. Conversely, Russia was excluded from the competition after UEFA and FIFA suspended it from all international tournaments.

Meanwhile, Georgia is debuting in a major soccer championship amid a deepening political crisis at home. The South Caucasus nation has experienced weeks of protests against a controversial law that critics argue would restrict media freedom and impede its efforts to join the European Union.

As the tournament begins, voters across the EU will still be processing the results of the recent elections to the European Parliament, the legislative body of the 27-member bloc. Early results indicated a rise in nationalist and far-right sentiments, often expressed in Europe’s soccer stadiums, especially among hardcore ultras.

As always, the threat of hooliganism looms over the European Championship, with clashes between rival fans becoming common. Even more concerning is the heightened risk of terrorism and political violence, particularly following a series of attacks on politicians in Germany.

German authorities are enhancing border controls during the tournament, with over 20,000 police officers deployed for security. Given the heightened tensions related to the Gaza war, UEFA and Germany managed to alleviate some security concerns when Israel was eliminated in the Euro 2024 playoffs.

Fans can anticipate an exciting match on the field tournament free from the COVID-19 restrictions that affected the previous Euros in 2021.

Among the favorites are England and France. Three years ago, England came agonizingly close to capturing its first trophy following the World Cup in 1966, falling to Italy in a penalty shootout in the final. Since then, manager Gareth Southgate has witnessed the rise of Jude Bellingham as one of the top talents in world soccer, while Phil Foden has been delivering on the promise he showed during his early days at Manchester City. Additionally, Harry Kane had an impressive season at Bayern Munich, scoring 44 goals in 47 matches.

France, too, experienced heartbreak after losing to Argentina in the World Cup final going into a penalty shootout in Qatar. While Kylian Mbappé remains the team’s star, he is supported by a wealth of top-tier talent, including Antoine Griezmann, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouameni, Ousmane Dembélé, and Kingsley Coman.

Ronaldo will be back competing in Europe after his stint in Saudi Arabia, where he played club soccer. Even at 39, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker remains a prolific goal scorer, netting 10 goals during Portugal’s flawless qualifying campaign.

Germany is an enigma following a series of disappointments in recent major tournaments. However, new coach Julian Nagelsmann has uplifted the host nation’s spirits for Euro 2024 with morale-boosting victories in friendly matches against France and the Netherlands.

Predicting Italy’s performance is tricky, given that the traditional powerhouse still needs to qualify for the last two World Cups but did win the Euros in between.

Spain aims to reclaim its former glory after dominating international soccer from 2008 to 2012, during which it won two Euros and the World Cup. Coach Luis de la Fuente has a wealth of talent at his disposal, including Man City midfielder Rodri, who is arguably the best in his position, and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, one of the squad’s emerging stars.

Other teams to watch include Croatia, which secured third place at the Qatar World Cup and still boasts Luka Modric performing at the highest level with Real Madrid. Although Belgium’s golden generation has primarily disbanded, the team qualified as group winners, with striker Romelu Lukaku finishing as the top scorer with 14 goals.

If this is the year for another surprise champion, potential contenders could be Ralf Rangnick’s Austria, which delivered an impressive qualifying campaign; Denmark, a semifinalist in the last Euros; or Serbia, which features some formidable attacking talent.

Anything seems possible in a tournament known for its capacity to produce significant upsets.

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