Euro 2024: Group A - Analysis of Member Teams

Members of Group A

In Group A of Euro 2024, we have four teams with notable histories and varying current rankings. Let's take a closer look at each team:

Germany: With a remarkable record, Germany has won the World Cup four times and the European Championship three times. They have also claimed victory in the Confederations Cup. However, their current FIFA world ranking stands at 16th, indicating a slight dip in performance recently.

Switzerland: Switzerland has shown strength in past tournaments, having reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup three times. Presently, they hold the 19th position in the FIFA world rankings, signifying a competitive standing among international teams.

Hungary: Hungary has achieved impressive feats in the World Cup, finishing as runners-up twice. They have also secured a second-place finish in the European Championship. Additionally, Hungary has reached the quarter-finals of the European Championship on three occasions. Their current FIFA world ranking is 26th.

Scotland: With a respectable participation record, Scotland has appeared in the World Cup finals eight times and the European Championship finals three times. However, they currently hold the 39th position in the FIFA world rankings.

Prediction of the performance of each team in Group A: Germany is assured of promotion but not guaranteed to win the title. Hungary faces considerable difficulty in advancing, and their chances of becoming a surprise dark horse are limited. Scotland has the ability to advance to the next round but lacks the hope of winning the title. Switzerland, with its solid foundation, is likely to become a formidable obstacle for many strong teams in their championship race.

Strength analysis of Group A in the European Championship

Germany

Most of the 26 players in Germany's squad play for the top 7 clubs in the Bundesliga, with additional players from La Liga giants like Kante, Kroos, Rüdiger, and Ter Stegen, as well as the superstar midfielder Havertz from Premier League club Arsenal. Unfortunately, the outstanding midfielder Hummels from Dortmund was not selected. 

The total value of the 26 players' squad reaches 788 million euros, the highest in Group A.

From the perspective of the venue, Germany is the host of this European Championship, enjoying a natural advantage that no other team can match.

In terms of the squad, Germany boasts excellent players in every position, from forwards, midfielders, defenders to goalkeepers. They are young, experienced, and well-equipped with skills, speed, and experience, truly a six-sided team.

Coach Nagelsmann, who took over the German national team in March last year after leaving Bayern Munich, has led the team to 6 matches, winning 3, drawing 1, and losing 2.

Especially in the first two warm-up matches, Germany defeated France 2-0 and the Netherlands 2-1, setting a good omen for this European Championship. The luxurious squad also provides the coach with more and more flexible options on the field.

Switzerland

Switzerland's initial 29-man squad for the European Championship includes 7 forwards, 9 midfielders, 10 defenders, and 3 goalkeepers. According to UEFA regulations, the final squad can have no more than 26 players, meaning Switzerland will have to cut 3 players from this list to meet the requirements.

The players in Switzerland's squad come from a wide range of clubs, including European superpowers like AC Milan, Manchester City, Inter Milan, as well as non-European clubs like Chicago Fire. Of course, most players still come from the top five European leagues.

While Switzerland's squad may not be as luxurious as Germany's, it still boasts players from various European champions, such as midfielder Xhaka from Leverkusen, defender Akanji from Manchester City, goalkeeper Sommer from Inter Milan, and goalkeeper Kobel from Dortmund, a member of the UEFA Champions League final (unfinished). The strength of Switzerland's squad is evident.

In the previous European Championship qualifiers, Switzerland finished second in their group with 4 wins, 5 draws, and 1 loss. On paper, Switzerland is second only to Germany in Group A, but whether they can stand out in the group stage will depend on coach Yakin's lineup strategies. 

The Swiss army knife is in hand, and how much territory it can carve out depends on the wielder. Compared to Germany's coach Nagelsmann, Swiss coach Yakin seems to lack some experience in major competitions.

We have not seen any outstanding coaching achievements from him in major competitions in the past two years, which may add a layer of mystery to the Swiss team. Let's look forward to the charm of the Swiss army knife.

Scotland

With a limited strength and the loss of core players due to injuries, the Scotland team seems to have little chance. Their attacking line is not outstanding, the coordination of midfield is still uncertain, and the defense line is suffering from a sharp decline in physical strength and performance due to aging. It is really difficult to be optimistic about this team.

However, that's not the case. Scotland still has a chance to win in the group stage. If the left back Robertson from Liverpool and Tierney from Real Sociedad can initiate attacks brilliantly, and if the midfielders McTominay and McGinn can drive the team forward, combined with the precise passing or shooting of forwards Dykes and Adams, it will not be difficult to organize an effective attack.

It is worth noting that Scotland's coach Clarke, who learned from Mourinho, is very good at defensive counterattacks. While strengthening the defense line, he creates counterattack opportunities, often achieving unexpected results.

In the 2023 European Cup qualifiers, Scotland successfully advanced to the finals by ranking second in the group with 5 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss, even defeating the strong opponent Spain 2-0, which was a big surprise. This time, in Group A, Scotland will definitely not be a mere participant. Let's wait and see.

Hungary

Hungary's total team value is 166 million euros, ranking fourth in Group A. From the perspective of player lineup, we may think that Hungary is the weakest team in Group A. Many players come from leagues outside the top five, and many people may not have heard of these clubs. But is Hungary really weak? We won't talk much about Hungary's glorious past.

At the 2021 European Cup group stage, under the guidance of coach Rossi, Hungary drew with popular seeds France and Germany in consecutive games. And in this European Cup qualifiers, Hungary finished in first place in the group with 8 undefeated games and advanced to the finals. Such achievements are enough to make people proud. In this group stage, Hungary should not be underestimated.

Euro 2024: Group B - Analysis of Member Teams