Star-studded England, France on course to dominate Euro 2024

With just nine weeks to go until the start of this year’s European Championship, football fans in Singapore have certainty on one thing – how much they will have to fork out to watch all 51 “live” matches of this quadrennial tournament.

Three local broadcasters – Singtel, StarHub and Mediacorp’s mewatch – are charging S$88 for all early-bird signups from now until May 26. After that, the price goes up by about 20 per cent to S$108.

The month-long competition kicks off on Jun 15 with host nation and three-time winners Germany taking on Scotland in Munich’s Allianz Arena. The final will be held at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on Jul 15.

Italy are the defending champions after they beat England in a penalty shootout at Euro 2020, which was actually played in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

BT Weekend checks out the four teams that the bookmakers feel are the leading contenders to hoist the Henri Delaunay Cup up high.

England

The Three Lions, beaten in the final at Wembley three years ago, are the joint favourites along with France to go all the way this time.

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Manager Gareth Southgate has an exciting and young squad at his disposal, with the likes of Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo in red-hot form for their respective clubs.

Together with seasoned players Harry Kane, Jack Grealish and Declan Rice, they are a formidable opponent to deal with. 

If England are to go one better than their Euro 2020 runner-up finish, they will have to improve on some lacklustre performances in their recent games. Their last three matches saw them draw 1-1 at lowly Macedonia in their final qualifying fixture, followed by a defeat at home to an out-of-form Brazil and a 2-2 stalemate against Belgium that was achieved only by a last-gasp equaliser from Bellingham.

England are in Euro 2024’s Group C where they will face Serbia (Jun 17), Denmark (Jun 21) and Slovenia (Jun 26).

France

The French are still smarting from their heartbreaking loss on penalty kicks to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final in Doha 16 months ago. Les Bleus are looking to redeem themselves by becoming European champions once more, a feat they last managed nearly a quarter of a century ago in 2000.

France also exited Euro 2020 on penalties but at a much earlier stage in the Round of 16, when unfancied Switzerland got the better of them.

Manager Didier Deschamps has the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders once more, and he will enter this tournament with a talented squad that boasts global superstars such as Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and William Saliba.

France are two-time winners of the Euros, having won their first trophy back in 1974. They are looking to join Spain and Germany as the most successful teams with three crowns. To do so, they will first have to navigate their way out of a tricky looking Group D where they will face Austria (Jun 18), the Netherlands (Jun 22) and Poland (Jun 26).

Germany

The host nation experienced a fresh low at the last World Cup when they crashed out in the first round. With redemption clearly on their minds and their home support roaring them on, it is no wonder Germany are fancied by many to go deep at Euro 2024.

To do so, however, they must overcome their recent run of slipping up to lower-ranked opponents at the major tournaments.

Germany lost to Mexico and South Korea in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup. Two years ago, they famously lost to Japan as they also bowed out in the opening round.

Manager Julian Nagelsmann, who took over in September last year after leaving Bayern Munich, is eager to impress at his first big tournament. He will be counting on players such as Ilkay Gundogan, Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz to lead the team to glory.

Germany will play the first match of Euro 2024 where they face Scotland (Jun 15), followed by Hungary (Jun 20) and Switzerland (Jun 24) in Group A.

Spain

Three-time winners Spain are undoubtedly in the toughest group of all at Euro 2024, as they will have to navigate their way past Group B opponents Croatia (Jun 16), the defending champions Italy (Jun 21) and Albania (Jun 25).

Spain have a new manager on board in Luis de la Fuente, who used to coach the country’s under-19, under-21 and under-23 squads. 

Now in charge of the full team, he has talent oozing out of every position such as Barcelona duo Lamine Yamal and Gavi, Manchester City’s Rodri and Atletico Madrid forward and national captain Alvaro Morata.

Spain last won the European Championship in 2012, although it is worth noting that they clinched the Uefa Nations League in 2023 by defeating two of their Euro 2024 group rivals – Croatia and Italy.