Euro 2024 kicks off today as the continent’s best face-off across four weeks in Germany.
The same two nations top the market for the Golden Boot, with Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane expected to rise to the occasion – but could anyone steal their thunder?
International tournaments always throw up surprise packages as players put themselves in the spotlight. Here, Standard Sport’s team of football writers try to predict the month ahead…
Who will win the tournament?
Dan Kilpatrick: France. A dull answer, I know, but they have the best player at the tournament in Kylian Mbappe, the deepest squad and a coach who knows how to win tournaments in Didier Deschamps.
Malik Ouzia: Germany. That used to be the cop-out answer but after three successive tournament flops there’s a lot of pressure on the hosts. I just fancy things have come together at the right time and they could ride a bit of a wave.
Simon Collings: France. Talent, experience and a manager who knows how to get over the line.
Nick Purewal: France. An obvious choice for a reason: talent and personnel for all systems and set-ups.
Dom Smith: I’m going France too. England have the best attack but France are a better-balanced side.
England came so close at Wembley three years ago
Pool via REUTERS
How far will England get?
DK: Semi-finals. For England to win it, so much has to come together for Gareth Southgate. They’ll need Marc Guehi to have a breakout tournament at centre-half, Trent Alexander-Arnold to grow into a top-class midfielder and a new-look attack to click.
MO: Semi-finals. I’d love to be proven wrong, but given the defensive injuries and midfield uncertainty, is this a better team than the one that lost to France in Qatar? They’re on collision course again in the last four…
SC: Semi-finals. The defence could prove their undoing.
NP: Semi-finals. Shortcomings in central defence and at the base of midfield could hurt Southgate’s men.
DS: As far as France get… before losing to them again.
Jude Bellingham (left) and Declan Rice (right) have been tipped to shine
The FA via Getty Images
Who will be England’s best player?
DK: Declan Rice. He will probably not stand out as he does for Arsenal but Rice has a clearly defined role in the side and will be crucial at screening the back four and driving England forward in transition.
MO: Rice. Or at least it’ll probably have to be if they’re to win the thing, given the defensive work he’ll have to get through in midfield.
SC: Jude Bellingham. Has shown at Real Madrid he is the man for the big moments.
NP: This is Bellingham’s time, and if he transfers his Real Madrid form to the international stage in Germany, then England will be flying.
DS: Jordan Pickford. Always performs for England. He could be busy given a dodgy defence.
Could the Dutch be dark horses?
ANP/AFP via Getty Images
Who will be the surprise package?
DK: Can I say the Netherlands? Perhaps they’re historically too strong to count as a surprise package but no-one really fancies them, and they have probably the best set of defenders in the tournament. A good defence can go a long way.
MO: Hungary. They made a good fist of an absolute horror draw in 2021 but have a much nicer group this time around and were impressive in qualifying.
SC: Ukraine. Helped by a kind draw, they have several players ready to shine like Girona striker Artem Dovbyk.
NP: Netherlands. If Ronald Koeman can finally mould a team in his image, the Dutch will be a danger.
DS: Everyone said Turkey ahead of Euro 2020 and that fell decidedly flat. Let’s have a laugh. Turkey.
Kylian Mbappe can celebrate with Real Madrid move with another individual honour
AFP via Getty Images
Who will win the golden boot?
DK: Kane. The England captain and Mbappe are the obvious picks. It is easy to take for granted just what an elite international goalscorer Kane is and he will be assisted by a glittered support cast in Germany.
MO: Bruno Fernandes. Portugal have got a pretty kind draw and if Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t play as many minutes as in previous tournaments he might even nick a few set-pieces.
SC: Mbappe. He has got better since winning the Golden Boot at the World Cup in Qatar.
NP: Mbappe. If France bring everything together then he will dominate the scoring charts, though Kane should fill his boots too.
DS: Kane. There’s a lack of elite strikers in the tournament and Kane should bag plenty.
‘A tournament in Germany should be great fun’
Getty Images
What are you most looking forward to seeing?
DK: Genuine jeopardy. Industrial-scale youth production is making international football more uneven but there is still an element of unpredictability which is increasingly absent from the club game.
MO: A tournament in Germany. For various reasons, the last few major tournaments have been slightly strange or asterisked affairs (and more coming down the track) but this should be great fun.
SC: The Cristiano Ronaldo swan song. However it ends, it will be compulsive viewing.
NP: Variety. Manchester City’s brilliance has begun to homogenise the Premier League. Some novel tactics and ploys please.
DS: My second prediction being proven gloriously wrong as England end 58 years of hurt.