Bundesliga | 5 reasons why Germany will win UEFA Euro 2024

>>> Discover more about Euro 2024 in Germany!

1) Home advantage

The Euros are always special, as the continent’s best outfits battle it out in search of Europe’s top prize. For Julian Nagelsmann and his players, though, playing in front of partisan crowds and a German public roaring them on will provide extra incentive.

This will be only the second time the tournament has been held in Germany, with the Netherlands of Marco Van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard reigning supreme by beating the Soviet Union 2-0 in the 1988 final, held in Munich. This summer, the hosts will also kick off the tournament in the Bavarian capital, albeit at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena rather than their former ground, the Olympiastadion.

Watch: The Euro 2024 host stadiums

>>> Discover the 10 host venues here!

History suggests that Germany supporters can expect their side to go deep into the competition. Portugal (2004), France (2016) and England (2021, playing all but one of their matches at Wembley) were beaten finalists on home soil, while Spain (1964), Italy (1968) and France (1984), were all victorious in front of their own fans. Germany will be looking to add to that list in just over a month’s time, reigniting memories of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in the country when their unfancied side made it to the semi-finals on a wave of home support, and there is no reason why they can’t prevail here.

2) German football’s feelgood factor

After an enthralling 2023/24 club campaign, German football is in a fantastic place right now. The stand-out outfit were, of course, Bayer Leverkusen, who became the first team to end a Bundesliga season unbeaten, while they also won the DFB Cup and reached the UEFA Europa League final. Florian Wirtz, Robert Andrich and Jonathan Tah, all of whom are part of Nagelsmann’s Euro squad, were integral to their achievements.

No fewer than five members of the VfB Stuttgart team that finished runners-up and qualified for the UEFA Champions League are also included – just reward for their brilliant campaign. It was an outstanding term for German clubs in European competitions, with only Serie A amassing more coefficient points as the Bundesliga secured one of the two bonus spots for next term’s Champions League, while Borussia Dortmund reached the final of this season’s edition – Leverkusen were beaten finalists in the Europa League.

Although BVB ultimately succumbed to Real Madrid, Toni Kroos and Antonio Rüdiger were triumphant, and they will be looking to build on that as soon as the Euros kick off. All in all, there is plenty of positivity around the Germany camp, which Nagelsmann will be eager to tap into.

Watch: Bayer Leverkusen celebrate clinching the double

3) Exciting youngsters

The hosts will enter the tournament with two of Europe’s most exciting youngsters at their disposal in Wirtz and Jamal Musiala. The former has enjoyed his best campaign since turning professional, winning the Bundesliga title, as well as the Player of the Season award. He was also the only player to rack up at least 10 goals and 10 assists in the competition and is now set to be a key creator this summer.

Watch: The story of Florian Wirtz

Musiala, meanwhile, has long since been established amongst the elite. At the age of 21, he is already a four-time Bundesliga champion, even scoring the winning goal as Bayern clinched the Meisterschale in dramatic fashion on the final day of 2022/23. Both are talented magicians, and the prospect of watching the duo in the same starting XI is a mouth-watering prospect.

They aren’t the only two youngsters set to light up the Euros, though. Maximilian Beier is called up on the back of 16 top-flight goals for Hoffenheim, while Aleksandar Pavlović has worked his way into the Bayern first-team squad at the age of just 20. The exuberance of youth could be a key weapon before 14 July is upon us.

Watch: Musiala and Wirtz – Germany’s future

4) Experience and successful core

Up-and-coming talent is all well and good, but it will not be enough on its own. Fortunately, Germany can call upon a plethora of experienced individuals who have been there and done it for both club and country.

There are three players who were part of the squad that lifted the 2014 World Cup. Manuel Neuer, Kroos – playing the final games of his career after recently announcing his retirement at the end of the tournament – and Thomas Müller have all featured over 100 times for their nation and will be able to lead by example for those younger than them.

All three have lifted the Champions League, too – multiple times, in fact – but they are hardly on their own in that respect. Joshua Kimmich, Rüdiger, captain İlkay Gündoğan, Marc-André ter Stegen and Kai Havertz have also stood on the top step of European football’s podium, while there are no fewer than 63 league winners’ medals amongst the group. Wherever you look, there are those who know what it takes to succeed at the highest level.

5) Winnable group

As the host nation, Germany will kick off proceedings against Scotland in Munich on 14 June. That will be the Tartan Army’s first match on non-British soil at an international tournament since 1998, while Germany have missed just five World Cups/European Championships in their history. Twenty-two places separate the two teams in the FIFA rankings, and Scotland have beaten Germany only once since 1964. As such, the latter are strong favourites to start strongly.

Second group opponents Hungary did beat them at Euro 2020, but they have previously enjoyed playing the Magyars and will feel confident of winning on this occasion too. And, although Switzerland are regulars at this level and have plenty of experience themselves, the fact the majority of their squad plies their trade in the Bundesliga should mean Germany know what to expect.

That is, therefore, a winnable group, and should Germany end up at the summit, they will face second in Group C. Harry Kane‘s England are most likely to top that pool, meaning Nagelsmann’s men would probably face one of Denmark, Serbia or Slovenia should they finish on top themselves. Another favourable encounter, regardless, you feel, and from the quarter-final stage, it really is anyone’s for the taking.

What’s the German for “It’s coming home”? You might need to learn that phrase.

>>> See what kit Germany will be wearing this summer