Euro 2024 - Group A

 

UEFA EURO 2024 – Germany

Group A Breakdown


Group A is a tricky group for sure. It consists of the hosts Germany along with Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland. We will first look at all the teams individually and then discuss what to expect from the group.



Euros Group A

Source - facebook.com



Germany

Squad

Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (TSG Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona)

Defenders: Waldemar Anton (VfB Stuttgart), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstädt (VfB Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)

Midfielders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Chris Führich (VfB Stuttgart), Pascal Groß (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ilkay Gündogan (Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sané (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)

Forwards: Maximilian Beier (TSG Hoffenheim), Niclas Füllkrug (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich), Deniz Undav (VfB Stuttgart)

Manager: Julian Nagelsmann


Germany

Source - fourfourtwo.com


Overview

The Germans are definitely among the top runners to win the entire thing and the home support is going to be massive for them. With the return of talisman midfielder Toni Kroos, the team looks stronger than ever. They would want to take this as a chance to completely overwrite their poor performances in recent international tournaments since 2016. They have talent all over the pitch with the likes of superstars like Manuel Neuer, Rüdiger, Kimmich, Musiala, Kroos, Wirtz etc. The striker position is going to be very important for them as they desperately need a dependable no. 9 to finish the tons of chances they create. The responsibility lies with Kai Havertz and Niclas Füllkrug to score for the team. Defense has always been a problem for them recently but they look well equipped at the back this time. The midfield couldn’t get any better. It gives 2014 Germany vibes where the midfield carried the team to a World Cup win. Can we see something like that again? This squad seriously has what it takes to win the entire tournament and let's see how they perform.


Scotland

Squad

Goalkeepers: Zander Clark (Hearts), Angus Gunn (Norwich City), Liam Kelly (Motherwell)

Defenders: Liam Cooper (Leeds United), Grant Hanley (Norwich), Jack Hendry (Al Ettifaq), Ross McCrorie (Bristol City), Scott McKenna (FC Copenhagen), Ryan Porteous (Watford), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Greg Taylor (Celtic), Kieran Tierney (Real Sociedad)

Midfielders:Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Ryan Christie (AFC Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ryan Jack (Rangers), Kenny McLean (Norwich), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Scott McTominay (Manchester United)

Forwards: Ché Adams (Southampton), Tommy Conway (Bristol City) James Forrest (Celtic), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts), Lewis Morgan (New York Red Bulls)

Manager: Steve Clarke



Scotland

Source - thescottishsun.co.uk


Overview

     Scotland is an interesting team with a good balance of experience and young talent. They do have some very talented players like McTominay, Robertson and McGinn to lead the team, but it will be a tough challenge for the team to make it past the group. A lot depends on how the youngsters perform. They definitely have the talent but can they use it to its maximum and make it out of the group… we’ll find out.


Hungary

Squad

Goalkeepers: Denes Dibusz (Ferencvaros), Péter Gulácsi (RB Leipzig), Péter Szappanos (Paksi SE)

Defenders: Botond Balogh (Parma), Endre Botka (Ferencvaros), Márton Dárdai (Hertha Berlin), Attila Fiola (Fehervar), Adam Lang (Omonia Nicosia), Willi Orbán (RB Leipzig), Attila Szalai (SC Freiburg)

Midfielders: Bendeguz Bolla (Servette), Mihaly Kata (MTK Budapest), Milos Kerkez (AFC Bournemouth), Laszlo Kleinheisler (Hajduk Split), Adam Nagy (Spezia), Zsolt Nagy (Puskas Akademia), Loïc Négo (Le Havre AC), András Schäfer (Union Berlin), Callum Styles (Sunderland)

Forwards: Martin Ádám (Ulsan Hyundai), Kevin Csoboth (Ujpesti), Dániel Gazdag (Philadelphia Union), Krisztofer Horvath (Kecskemet TE), Roland Sallai (SC Freiburg), Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool), Barnabas Varga (Ferencvaros).

Manager: Marco Rossi



Hungary

Source - fourfourtwo.cim


Overview

People know the Hungarian squad as a surprise package. They nearly caused massive upsets in the group of death last time around by drawing against Germany and France. But can they do it this time as well? Its looking difficult but if there’s anything we’ve learned from Hungary is that nothing is difficult. Their defense would have to carry them once again and let's see how they approach these group-stage matches.


Switzerland

Squad

Goalkeepers: Yann Sommer (Internazionale), Yvon Mvogo (Lorient), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund)

Defenders: Ricardo Rodríguez (Torino), Fabian Schär (Newcastle United), Manuel Akanji (Manchester City), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Monchengladbach), Silvan Widmer (Mainz), Cedric Zesiger (VfL Wolfsburg), Leonidas Stergiou (VfB Stuttgart)

Midfielders:Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen), Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire FC), Remo Freuler (Bologna), Denis Zakaria (AS Monaco), Michel Aebischer (Bologna), Fabian Rieder (Stade Rennais), Ardon Jashari (FC Luzern), Vincent Sierro (Toulouse)

Forwards: Breel Embolo (AS Monaco), Steven Zuber (AEK Athens), Ruben Vargas (FC Augsburg), Renato Steffen (FC Lugano), Noah Okafor (AC Milan), Zeki Amdouni (Burnley), Dan Ndoye (Bologna), Kwadwo Duah (Ludogorets Razgrad)

Manager: Murat Yakin



Switzerland

Source - reuters.com


Overview

Switzerland is a force to reckon with. They have excellent talent in the squad and are very dangerous. They have good depth as well in all positions. They are expected to easily make it out of the group but you never know. They have two solid goalkeepers in the form of Kobel and Sommer. The defense looks sorted with Akanji, Schär, Elvedi etc. The midfield led by Xhaka would readily do a job. They’ve good options for the forward as well with both Okafor and Embolo being available. They should at least make it out of the group like they always do and maybe even go on an underdog run.


Fixtures



Source - 90min.com

What to expect?

All we know so far is that it is surely a tricky group. We can expect some upsets for sure. It's difficult to predict how the group will end. Germany should take the top spot comfortably even though Switzerland might give them a run for their money. Scotland and Hungary could sneakily get the second spot with even one good result but they might finish third and fourth.

Stay tuned for a detailed prediction blog where I give my predictions for all the groups and knockouts as well

The next blog will be a breakdown of Group B.


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