By Andrew Warshaw
December 4 – Perhaps no group of death as such but plenty to get one’s teeth into. The draw for next summer’s Euro 2024 finals has thrown up some intriguing ties with a couple of heavyweight clashes that are bound to get the pulse racing.
Possibly the toughest group sees defending champions Italy facing 2008 and 2012 winners Spain alongside World Cup semi-finalists Croatia, with surprise finalists Albania – managed by a Brazilian – making up Group B.
The draw also ensures a rematch of the England-Denmark Euro 2020 semi-final in a group that includes Slovenia, homeland of UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, and Serbia.
The meeting of France and the Netherlands is another heavyweight tie of the opening phase. They were in the same section in qualifying, with France winning both encounters. The two nations are in Group D along with vastly improving Austria and a play-off winner, which will be one of Poland, Wales, Finland or Estonia.
Hosts Germany qualified automatically while 20 teams advanced through the European qualifiers and three finalists are still to be decided and will come through the playoffs in March.
If England top their group, and France also finish first in their section, the two sides would find themselves on the same side of the draw in the knockout phase and would be on course to meet in the semi-finals – a repeat of France’s quarterfinal victory in Qatar last year.
The month-long Euros, played in 10 cities across Germany, will conclude with the final in Berlin on July 14. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the last 16, along with the four best third-placed sides.
So what about the host nation? Three-time European champions Germany are on a dire run of form at present and open their account against Scotland on June 14. The Germans certainly have a point to prove having lost six of 13 friendlies this year and will not play a competitive game until facing the Scots.
Portugal, still led by an ageing Cristiano Ronaldo who will be 39 by the time the tournament starts, was the only team to come through qualifying groups with a perfect winning record. They will meet Turkey, the Czech Republic and the playoff winner from Georgia, Luxembourg, surprise Euro 2004 champions Greece, and Kazakhstan.
Belgium, still seeking that elusive first major men’s trophy, are in a very winnable group with Romania, Slovakia, and the playoff winner from Israel, Iceland, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ukraine.
France, as ever, look ominously dangerous and will be many people’s favourites, especially with a fit and firing Kylian Mbappe in their ranks.
As for England, after more than half a century of disappointment, could it finally be their time after a couple of agonising recent near-misses?
Meanwhile UEFA say they are investigating after sex noises were transmitted during the live broadcast of the draw on Saturday.
Lewd sounds could be heard just as Switzerland were drawn in Group A with Scotland, Hungary and hosts Germany.
A YouTube prankster Daniel Jarvis has claimed responsibility for broadcasting himself live on X, formerly Twitter, ringing a mobile phone at intervals to trigger the noises.
Draw host Giorgio Marchetti, UEFA’s deputy secretary, did his best to downplay the embarrassment telling the audience: “There is some noise here that… has now stopped. No noise anymore.”
Euro Draw:
Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland
Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania
Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England
Group D: Play-off winner A, Netherlands, Austria, France
Group E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Play-off winner B
Group F: Turkey, Play-off winner C, Portugal, Czech Republic
Play-off A: Poland, Estonia, Wales, Finland, Estonia
Play-off B: Israel, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, Iceland
Play-off C: Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg
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