Euro 2024: Can England and Scotland Make an Impact?
Euro 2024 is finally here, and all eyes will be on England and Scotland as they represent the home nations in this summer’s tournament. Scotland finds themselves in a tough group with hosts Germany, Switzerland, and Hungary. As the lowest-ranked team in the group, they will face a vociferous home crowd in Munich for the tournament opener. However, after a strong qualifying campaign and their recent return to major tournaments after a 23-year absence, Scotland will hope to cause an upset under the guidance of manager Steve Clarke.
On the other hand, England, ranked fourth in the world, heads to Germany as one of the favorites. Under the leadership of Gareth Southgate, the Three Lions have consistently made it to at least the quarter-finals in all three major tournaments. This year, they have a squad brimming with talent, including stars like Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Phil Foden. Bellingham’s recent success with Real Madrid in winning the Champions League trophy adds to England’s hopes of securing their first major trophy since 1966.
According to Opta’s supercomputer, England is considered the top favorite to win Euro 2024, with France and hosts Germany following closely behind. France, who finished runners-up in the 2022 World Cup, boast the talents of superstar Kylian Mbappe and are ranked second in FIFA’s world rankings. Germany, with their rich history of major tournament success, will be looking to make amends for their early exits in the past two World Cups and their last 16 finish in the previous Euros. Spain, Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Croatia are also teams to watch out for in the competition.
Germany is hosting a major men’s football tournament for the first time since the 2006 World Cup, and there is immense anticipation within the country for Euro 2024. The tournament is expected to attract around 2.7 million fans, with each host city setting up fan zones to welcome approximately 12 million supporters overall. Scotland fans, determined not to miss the opportunity to witness their team kick off a major tournament, will have an estimated 200,000 supporters traveling to Germany. England, on the other hand, is expected to be backed by about 300,000 supporters, reflecting the nation’s hopes for success.
The BBC will provide extensive coverage of Euro 2024, with live broadcasting of 27 matches on BBC One or BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app. Presenters Gary Lineker, Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman, and Alex Scott will lead the coverage from Berlin, with live match commentary from all 10 host cities in Germany. Scotland’s group matches will be live on BBC One Scotland, while BBC Radio Scotland will cover all three group matches. BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds will provide coverage of all 51 matches in Germany.
The tournament will kick off with a special opening ceremony that pays tribute to German football legend Franz Beckenbauer. Beckenbauer, who passed away earlier this year, is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time. He captained Germany to victory in the 1972 European Championship and the 1974 World Cup, and later led the national team to success as a manager in the 1990 World Cup. Uefa will honor Beckenbauer by having his wife Heidi bring the European Championship trophy onto the pitch alongside Bernard Dietz and Jurgen Klinsmann, who captained Germany’s winning sides in 1980 and 1996 respectively.
As Euro 2024 gets underway, football fans around the world will eagerly await to see if England can finally bring home a major trophy and if Scotland can make an impact against tough competition. With a mixture of star players, passionate supporters, and a rich footballing history, it promises to be an exciting tournament filled with memorable moments.