Summary: The 2024 European Cup will bring together many stars and coaches, witnessing the farewell of veterans and the rise of new stars. Teams such as Germany, France, and England are the favorites to win the championship, and stars such as Kane and Mbappe are expected to compete for the Golden Boot. Dark horse teams such as the Czech Republic and Croatia are also expected to break through. The England team is the most valuable in the world and is eager to win the first championship in team history. Looking forward to this football feast!
Each European Championship has its own unique highlights. These highlights may come from an outstanding player, such as Michel Platini who scored nine goals in a single tournament in 1984; it may come from an extraordinary team, like the Danish team that realized the “Danish fairytale” in 1992; or it may be related to an outstanding coach, such as Fernando Bosque who led the Spanish team to victory in 2012.
As history continues to move forward, the 2024 European Cup in Germany will kick off on June 15. On this stage, veterans will compete with new stars, traditional giants will compete with dark horses, and outstanding coaches will also show their tactical wisdom. Who will be the focus of the 17th European Cup? Follow the analysis of the flag to take everyone to see
The last dance veteran
Time is like a rushing stream. Every hero has his day to leave the court, and a group of brilliant football players will also end their journey in the European Cup.
Late at night on May 21, German football star Kroos announced that he would end his career, and the upcoming European Cup would be the last stop of his career. We don’t need to force this player to stay, who has already announced his departure at the peak of his career. We just hope that he can go further in the European Cup and leave more wonderful moments in the football world.
Similarly, French football player Giroud also announced that he would retire from the national team after the European Cup. Unlike 34-year-old Kroos, 38-year-old Giroud retired from the national team to make way for young players. The new stars of the French team are so dazzling that they deserve to be the focus of the football world as soon as possible and receive praise from fans.
Modric and Ronaldo, 39, Pepe, 41… From now on, every European Cup could be their farewell match. Every European Cup is closer to their retirement than the last.
A newcomer
Football is a sport that is constantly changing. It always sees veterans retiring and newcomers emerging. This summer, many young talents will make their debut at the European Cup, where they will have to prove themselves on this stage.
In the host German team, Wirtz is the most watched player. This season, as a core player of Leverkusen, he helped the team win the Bundesliga and German Cup and personally contributed 18 goals and 19 assists. The 21-year-old player has become the backbone of the team, with a value of more than 100 million euros, and is expected to become the next superstar of the German team.
Palmer, who was selected for the England national team for the first time last November, has also attracted much attention. The 22-year-old Palmer has performed well in the Premier League this season and won the Premier League Silver Boot Award with 22 goals. On June 4, he scored his first goal for the national team in a warm-up match. Such performance makes him hopeful to continue to shine in the European Cup.
Yamal will be 17 two days before the final of this European Championship. This young player has the ability to become the main force of the Spanish team’s frontcourt and is expected to lead the Spanish team to a revival. Yamal, who has already proved himself in Barcelona, will undoubtedly become a real “supernova” if he can make a splash in the European Championship.
A sharp knife that can destroy cities and capture strongholds
France, England, Spain, Portugal, and host Germany are the favorites to win the European Cup. These teams have most of the top stars in European football, and the top scorer of this European Cup is likely to come from these teams.
The most watched player is undoubtedly the English star Kane. Last season, he won the European Golden Boot with 36 goals. On June 2, after the Champions League ended, he shared the Champions League Golden Boot with Mbappe with 8 goals. Kane’s current form will undoubtedly launch a fierce attack on the European Cup Golden Boot.
Kane is ranked second in the Golden Boot probability list, and no one dares to be first. However, the only one who dares to claim second place is probably Mbappe. This player who just joined Real Madrid and realized his “real dream” has performed well in the league and the national team. So far, Mbappe has played 14 times for the French team in the World Cup and scored 12 goals. If he can maintain the World Cup scoring efficiency in the European Cup, he will be expected to become a strong contender for the Golden Boot.
In addition, Ronaldo, who has scored 50 goals in all competitions this season and 35 goals in the Saudi League, and won the league’s Golden Boot, is also a strong contender for the European Cup Golden Boot.
The dark horse
In European football events, the strength of each team is balanced, especially the competition between the second-tier teams and the top teams is relatively small, which makes the European Cup an incubator for dark horse teams. Cases such as Denmark’s advance to the semi-finals in 2021, Wales’ first participation in 2016, and Greece’s victory in 2004 all prove this.
The Croatian team is led by experienced players such as Modric and Kovacic, who defeated the Brazilian team in the 2022 World Cup. Although the world’s tenth-ranked Croatian team is usually not considered a dark horse, if they can make it all the way to the final or even win the championship, the situation may change.
In addition, Romania and Slovenia are also worth paying attention to. Romania performed well in the qualifiers and advanced as the first in the group. They have every chance to create good results in the European Cup. Slovenia tied with Denmark in points in the qualifiers. Facing such a balanced team with no obvious weaknesses, the opponent may find it difficult to formulate effective targeted tactics, which may be the key for Slovenia to gain a foothold in the European Cup.
The King Who Never Was Crowned
There is a team that is unrivaled in terms of both value and honors, and that is the England team. As a regular in the World Cup and the European Cup, England’s only honor is the 1966 World Cup championship, which is a long time ago.
In the history of the European Cup, England has participated in the finals 11 times, but in most cases it could only stop in the quarterfinals or the round of 16. In the last European Cup, England advanced all the way to the finals and lost to the powerful Italian team in a penalty shootout, and finally won the runner-up. This is their best result in the European Cup.
In this European Cup, England is once again the favorite to win. In most lists of favorites, England’s chances of winning the championship are at the top. They have extremely high values and many stars, which gives them confidence in competing for the first championship in team history.
At present, the total value of the England team ranks first in the world and is far ahead of the second-placed France. Compared with the last European Cup, the England team’s lineup has not changed much. Kane, who is expected to hit the Golden Boot, still leads the lineup, and players such as Bellingham and Foden will also take on the offensive task.
Among the teams with the highest probability of winning the championship, England and Belgium are the only teams that have never won the European Cup. But compared with England, Belgium is less star-studded. Looking at other strong teams that have already won many honors, how can England not be jealous?
Conclusion
Finally, let us all look forward to the exciting start of the 2024 European Cup. By then, all the giants will gather together to present us with a wonderful and suspenseful football feast.
Whether it is a veteran team or a new team, they will all show their tenacious fighting spirit and excellent competitive level on the green field. Let us wait with bated breath to witness this exciting football event together and give the warmest applause and the most sincere blessings to the participating teams of the 2024 European Cup!
