32 May, Kathmandu. The 17th edition of the Eurocup football tournament known as the Mini World Cup is starting from Friday. In the first match, the host nation Germany is competing with Scotland. The match will start tonight at 12:45 PM Nepali time at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich.
24 teams are competing for the Eurocup title. All participating teams are considered as strong competitors as they have qualified for the Eurocup after passing through various group stages. Therefore, even if some teams have a little more chance of winning the title, all 24 teams are considered to be deserving of the trophy.
However, the chances of winning the title are reduced based on the past qualifying competitions, friendly matches, the performance of the players in the leagues, the coach’s strategy, the team balance, the ability to make a comeback, and the experience.
Based on this, we have prepared a report on who is the most likely to win the title this time. Main Contenders Top 10 Teams:
France
France is seen as a major contender for the Eurocup 2024 starting today from Germany. The 2022 Qatar World Cup finalists, France, are on the verge of lifting the Euro Cup trophy, erasing the stain of being the runner-up from the penalty shootout. This plan of France is not impossible.
Because France has a player like Kylian Mbappe. The dominance of very strategic, disciplined and physically fit players is found in the French national team.
Along with Mbappe, there are players like Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, and Dembele in the frontline. Karim Benzema, another influential forward, has retired from the national team and will not be seen.
In Euro 2020, coach Didier Deschamps has moved forward with the goal of winning the title, erasing the injury that left him in the quarter-finals.
In spite of this, France has also been plagued by injuries. Veteran goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, defender Varan, Lucas Hernandez are injured. France is a perennial contender for the Eurocup. Since winning the Eurocup in 1984 and 2000, France has not won the European Cup. After 24 years, France seems to be aiming to break the drought of the European Cup title. If France wins the title, France will be added to the group that will win the title 3/3 times along with Germany and Spain.
Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo’s team Portugal is seen as another strong contender. In 2016, Ronaldo won the European Cup for Portugal for the first time. However, due to injuries, he could not play the entire final match.
As it is probably his last Eurocup, the German Eurocup can be special for Ronaldo.
Portugal’s current record is also very good. They won all 10 of the 10 Eurocup qualifiers. Portugal scored 36 goals and conceded only 2 goals. If this momentum is maintained, it seems that Portugal can become the champion of Eurocup 2024.
Some football analysts say that it cannot be compared with the Eurocup. Football analysts believe that this result is expected because Portugal competed against teams considered weak in the selection stage.
Along with Ronaldo, players like Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Joao Felix, Cancelo are now in the Portugal team.
England
England, the runner-up of Euro Cup 2020, is seen as the third contender in Germany Euro Cup. England has stars and young players like Harry Kane, Judd Bellingham, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka. That’s why ‘Three Lions’ is seen very strongly this time.
England has the dominance of players who have made an impact in the league. Football experts say that the fact that players like Marcus Rashford, the main forward of Manchester United, are not included in the England team is a message of how influential England is.
England is an undefeated team in the qualifying matches of the European Cup. Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, who are the dominant players in England, are making an impact in the Champions League recently.
Germany
The host country Germany is the most successful team of the Eurocup. So far, only Germany and Spain have won the European Cup more than 3 times. But it has been a long time since Germany won the title. Since the last time they won the Eurocup in 1996, Germany has not been able to lift the Eurocup trophy.
2023 was very bad for Germany. In 9 friendly matches, Germany lost 5 matches, won 2 and drew 2. But Germany has started the year 2024 very well. In March, they showed their rhythm by defeating the Netherlands and France.
The Euro Cup is the last tournament for Germany’s midfield midfielder Toni Cruz. He has announced his retirement after the Eurocup.
Germany has the dominance of Bayern Munich players. Experienced players like Müller are also in Germany.
Talented players like Ilkay Gundogan, Jamal Musiala, Florin Richd can reach every part of the field. They also have the ability to score from midfield at any time. In addition, being the host nation, the more support of the audience will increase Germany’s morale.
Spain
Spain is another team that has won the Eurocup 3 times like Germany. Having created a sensation by winning the European Cup in 2008, the World Cup in 2010 and the European Cup again in 2012, Spain is now full of young players. Despite having very promising and young players, one question has always been hanging over the Spanish team – does more possession mean winning the game?
Because Spain is not immune to the problem of keeping the ball under control but failing to score. To confirm this, it is enough to look at the defeats against Russia in the 2018 World Cup, Italy in the 2021 Euro Cup and Morocco in the 2022 World Cup. Spain was eliminated from the penalty shootout with these three teams by playing football well, taking control and playing equal.
This time, Spain is in the ‘group of death’ of the Eurocup. Along with Spain, Croatia and Italy are in this group.
The Spanish team is dominated by Barcelona players. Spain’s midfield is considered the strongest. Rodri, the main midfielder of Manchester City, and Pedri from Barcelona are with Spain. Young players Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Williams, Morata will wear the frontline.
Belgium
In general: Belgian football experts consider it difficult to predict. Because Belgium is very excited about some results, but it seems that they should be disappointed with some results. Therefore, Belgium football prediction is not so easy.
Players like Kevin De Bruyne and James Doku, who play for Manchester City, are in the Belgian team. Ramelu Lukaku, the player who scored the most goals in the selection stage with 14 goals in the Eurocup qualifiers, is also in the front line of Belgium.
But as the main goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is not in the team, it may be very expensive for Belgium. Real Madrid’s very experienced and Champions League winner Courtois spent the entire season on the bench. In the final of the Champions League, he entered the field after being fit.
But it is said that he was left out of the team due to a bad relationship with coach Domenico Tedesco. This time, Belgium’s defense line is better than in the 2022 World Cup. Jan Vertogen, Arthur Thiet, Geno Debast, Vout Feis, Thomas Meunier are in the defense line.
Italy
Former champions Italy are in the ‘Group of Death’ of the EuroCup. There are big teams like Croatia and Spain in Italy’s group. Italy, the defending champion of 2020, failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
Italy, who performed disappointingly after winning the Eurocup, was even forced to change their coach after continuous poor performances. Italy is undefeated in 2024. Italy can become more powerful when Nikala Barela, who is in the dilemma of not playing even if he is in the team, is fit. Italy will rely mainly on Gianluca Scama on the front line this time.
Croatia
Croatia is an unlucky team in European football. He has not even won the knockout stage in four Eurocups. But it remains to be seen whether Croatia will be fifth time lucky or the same fate will repeat itself.
Croatia is in the same group as Spain and Italy. Croatia also has experienced players like Luka Modric. Some football experts say that Croatia is a mixture of two generations (experienced and young) players. When two generations are in harmony, Croatia can produce the same results as in the 2018 World Cup.
The Netherlands
Be it fitness or form, the Netherlands have had problems with both as this tournament is about to start.
Midfield mainstay Frankie De Jong is struggling with an injury. The trip to the Netherlands will also depend on the form of striker Memphis Depay. If RB Leipzig’s midfielder Xavi Simmons repeats the club’s form in the Eurocup, the Netherlands will be stronger. The Netherlands will be without players like Virgil van Dijk, Dumfries and Cody Gokpa.
Denmark
Denmark is the team that reached the semifinals in Euro 2020 by creating a sensation. Denmark had to play the rest of the game without Eriksson after the main player Eriksen collapsed on the field in the first game.
Denmark, who performed well in the Eurocup 2020, also performed satisfactorily in the World Cup. Many players are in the national team of Denmark in the Eurocup four years ago. That’s why most of their players are over 30 years old. Denmark is full of experienced players.
Denmark is considered as a balanced team as a whole rather than any notable player.
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