England, finalists in 2021, arrive at Euro 2024 again as one of the favorites to win the title, but will have to confirm this feeling on the field, starting by overcoming group C that also includes Denmark, Slovenia and Serbia.
Golden generation seeks end of fasting
The explosion of Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane’s incredible year in Munich and the maturity of players like Phil Foden and Declan Rice make the ‘Three Lions’ squad one of the most complete and with the greatest firepower in attack.
Will 2024 finally be the year in which the long-awaited international title takes place, the first since the 1966 World Cup? Since Gareth Southgate took charge of the team, England has taken a step forward in international competitions, but without achieving the ultimate goal.
On the field, the team will be led by Kane and Bellingham, who shone at their new clubs, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid respectively. The ‘Three Lions’ can also count on Foden, named Premier League player of the year, in attack.
Declan Rice also stands out in command of midfield, accompanied by Trent-Alexander Arnold, displaced by Southgate from the side, a position he usually occupies at Liverpool.
The theoretically most difficult match against the opponent will be in the second round, against Denmark.
Hojlund, the ‘Red Dynamite’ gunpowder
The players led by coach Kasper Hjulmand arrive in Germany led in attack by Rasmus Hojlund, who has just completed his first season at Manchester United, alongside veteran Christian Eriksen, one of the most identifiable faces in Denmark.
Young Hojlund, 21 years old, had a difficult start to the season at Old Trafford, but from February onwards he finally found his best version and ended the season at the club with 16 goals in the 43 games he played as the ‘Red Devil’.
Denmark, European champions in 1992, will need to prolong Hojlund’s great moment, who with ‘Red Dynamite’ scored 7 goals in the European Cup qualifiers, one of them against Slovenia, their first opponent in the tournament.
The ‘wall’ Oblak and the ‘killer’ Sesko
Back in the finals of the European Championship after 24 years of waiting, Slovenia appears as the weakest team in the group, but has two names on which it hopes to surprise.
Jan Oblak, one of the most solid goalkeepers in Europe with Atlético de Madrid, is also captain of his national team. On the bench, Matjaz Kek, in his second spell as coach, also has a striker with proven quality in the Bundesliga: Benjamin Sesko, scorer of 14 goals in the German championship for RB Leipzig this season, who also scored 5 goals in the Euro Qualifiers -2024.
The goalkeeper and the striker are Slovenia’s two biggest assets to dream of a historic first qualification to the round of 16.
Serbia bets on the unstoppable Mitrovic
As with Slovenia, Serbia also returns to the finals of the European Championship after an absence of 24 years. The tireless Alenksandar Mitrovic, 29 years old, shone again in the Qualifiers, scoring 5 goals.
The current Saudi Al Hilal player, the top scorer in the history of his national team with 57 goals in 90 games, has the passing of the baton between generations guaranteed thanks to two high-level strikers: Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus) and Dusan Tadic (Milan).
The calendar will give no respite to the players led by coach Dragan Stojkovic. They will begin their participation in the tournament against the favorites England and will close the group stage against Denmark, which makes a victory over Slovenia almost mandatory.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
