European Immortality

Euro 2024 is has kicked off as nations across the continent attempt to be crowned kings of Europe. There are so many interesting stories going into this tournament. Can England click when it matters most? Will Toni Kroos retire on a high? Italy to go back to back? With that in mind, I’ll offer my predictions, from the victors to the biggest flops and much more!

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Winners: France

I’ve gone with the French for several reasons. They’ve got the best player on the planet in Kylian Mbappe. We’ve seen already what’s he’s done at international tournaments in the past, this man is made for the big occasions. As a team, they’ve got that pedigree, having reached the final in three of the last four international competitions they’ve competed in. If you look at their squad, it’s arguably the most well-rounded from defence to attack, without any glaring weaknesses. All of the above means that it’s hard to look past them. Provided all goes to plan, only England and Portugal should be able to stop them, and I just think those two will either be let down by their coach (in the case of England) or won’t be able to gel when it matters (as might happen with Portugal).

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Top Scorer: Harry Kane

Fresh off his debut campaign at Bayern, I believe Kane will end the Euros as top scorer. He may not have the best record at tournaments but he’s the spearhead of England’s attack. I also think he’ll have a bit of a point to prove. Kane is undoubtedly one of the best strikers about, but his inability to win silverware, both at club and international level, must be weighing on him. In my lifetime, this is the best chance England have had to win a trophy and they’re expected to go far. Provided that is the case, I think Kane is a good bet to win the golden boot. There are other contenders who’ll be vying for this prize; Kylian Mbappe & Cristiano Ronaldo to name a couple. Ultimately though, I think these two will fall short and the Bayern forward will come out on top.

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Player of the Tournament: Antoine Griezmann

France’s squad is star-studded, so much so that Griezmann doesn’t always get the appreciation he deserves. Sure, Mbappe is the star of the show, but Griezmann in some ways is the glue that links everything together superbly. His time at Barcelona tarnished his reputation a bit but since moving back to Atletico he's been a man reborn. He’ll most likely play as the most advanced in a midfield three for the French, meaning he’ll be very involved in the attacking play. Once more, he’s normally been a standout performer for his country, playing a pivotal role in France’s World Cup 2018 win and their run to the final four years. I’ve always been a fan of the little Frenchman and it’s very possible that we’ll look back at Euro 2024 as the Antoine Griezmann show.

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Breakout Star: Lamine Yamal

Barcelona’s La Masia academy is famed for producing talented young players, and one of its most recent graduates could be the one to watch. This season for Barcelona, Yamal has emerged as a key member of the Catalonia team’s squad. He won’t even be 17 by the time Spain kick off their campaign, and he could become the youngest player ever to feature at a Euros competition. There’s a high chance as well that he’ll start for Spain in their first game, and if he performs well, it would be hard for him to lose that starting spot. At such a tender age, it’s rare to see that level of talent. Sure, he’s still very raw but we could see the makings of a true star in Germany.

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Surprise Team: Hungary

Hungary should not be slept on as they have some fine players. Péter Gulácsi and Willi Orbán, both of whom ply the trade at RB Leipzig. Dominik Szoboszlai, their captain and talisman, who plays for Liverpool. They went unbeaten in their qualification campaign and haven’t lost a competitive game in nearly two years. Bear in mind during that time, they have beaten England twice, they’ve beaten Germany and avoided defeat against France. People may say, the last time at the Euros it didn’t go well for them, what makes this time different? Well, at Euro 2020, they were in a group with Germany, France and Portugal. There was no way they were making it out of that group. This time around, they’re a team that are extremely well coached and possess a togetherness and comradery that could surprise their opposition. Look out for the Magyarok.

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Biggest Disappointments: Portugal

Portugal are one of the favourites to win it all and it’s felt like every major tournament they should do well, but this year’s edition could be more of the same. Ever since they triumphed at Euro 2016, they’ve never really been able to put it together when it matters most. Looking at their squad, it’s as good as they come. But for whatever reason, they can’t mesh well. Not to mention that they are managed by Roberto Martinez, who at international level, is most known for underachieving with Belgium’s Golden Generation. A lot of their hopes rest on Cristiano Ronaldo. At 39, this is surely his last major tournament. We saw his limited impact at the World Cup and this could bode badly for the Portuguese.

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This Week’s Hot Take

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m not hyped for the Euros at all. It might be since, for the most part, I can never really get that invested into international football. For me, it’s always been inferior to club football and the pace of the international game makes it a harder watch. It also feels like the media isn’t really hyping the tournament that much either. I’m hoping once the football gets underway, I can get into it, but right now, there isn’t much excitement.