(Munich) Germany welcomes soccer Europe from Friday, 24 nations vying to succeed Italy and hoping to climb to the roof of the continent at the end of the final scheduled for July 14 in Berlin.
It is in Munich, at 9 p.m. (3 p.m. Montreal time), that Euro 2024 will kick off with a poster between the organizing country and Scotland. Three years after an edition spread across 11 territories to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the competition, UEFA returned to a classic format with a single host, perfectly experienced in managing an event of this magnitude.
After the enormous success of the 2006 World Cup, still considered in the German collective unconscious as “a summer fairy tale” (Sommermärchen), the nation with four world champion titles hopes to relive the same emotions, especially since after a Euro 2021 contested in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic with reduced gauges, 2.7 million spectators are expected to attend the 51 matches scheduled in 10 stadiums.
The tournament will nonetheless be placed under very high security surveillance due to a still-present Islamist terrorist threat and possible repercussions from the conflict in Gaza.
On a sporting level, the density of the field leads us to be wary of hasty predictions, but three teams still clearly stand out from the crowd.
The France of Kylian Mbappé, vice-world champion, appears as a logical scarecrow. Despite the international retirement of several executives (Hugo Lloris, Raphaël Varane), coach Didier Deschamps has individualities that his counterparts envy and the qualifying course of the Blues commands respect (7 wins, 1 draw).
PHOTO FRANCK FIFE, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
France star striker Kylian Mbappé and Les Bleus coach Didier Deschamps
The inglorious elimination in the round of 16 in 2021 against Switzerland thus represents an anomaly for a country which has reached three finals in the last four major competitions (Euro 2016, World Cup 2018, World Cup 2022) and Deschamps will be keen to go and get the only trophy missing from his technical record.
It remains to be seen in what physical state the Blues arrive in Germany. The four friendly matches in 2024 left a very mixed impression (2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss) and the 0-0 conceded last Sunday against Canada during the final preparation meeting also left a stain.
The awakening of Germany
To make matters worse, France is questioning Mbappé’s athletic level, the captain having missed three training sessions for various problems (back, bruised knee) since the start of the rally on May 29. Enough to encourage caution as the Blues go into action on Monday against Austria, without two midfield executives, Aurélien Tchouaméni (left foot) and Adrien Rabiot (calf).
“I am well aware that with everything we have done, the expectation is greater and greater,” Deschamps declared to AFP in early May, warning however against a “tough group” including the Netherlands, Austria and Poland.
England appears to be the main threat to the French. Led by exceptional individuals like Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, the Three Lions intend to finally bring back a title after 58 years of drought and numerous places of honor in recent times (semi-finalist of the 2018 World Cup, finalist of Euro 2021 , quarter-finalist of the 2022 World Cup).
PHOTO THANASSIS STAVRAKIS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham during England training
“Are we one of those teams that can win? Yes, absolutely,” said coach Gareth Southgate when unveiling his list for the Euro, even if the 1-0 defeat against Iceland at Wembley last Friday dampened the enthusiasm somewhat.
But if French and English are scary on paper, how can we forget Germany? Quadruple world champion and triple European champion, the Mannschaft risks being formidable in front of its public.
After a catastrophic year in 2023, the arrival at the helm of Julian Nageslmann in place of Hansi Flick has awakened the Germans, who have once again become natural aspirants for the European coronation.
Miraculous in qualifying after having already missed the last two World Cups, Italy, title holder, is on the other hand not puffing out its chest and will already have to emerge alive from the group of death with two outsiders in weight, Spain and Croatia.
The format of the first round, which allows the first two of the six groups and the four best third places to qualify for the eighth, should nevertheless spare the big nations an unpleasant surprise. In 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, still there at 39 years old, even lifted the cup after finishing third in his group.