Following England’s unexpected loss to Italy at the 2021 UEFA European Championship soccer final, the field is wide open for this summer’s Euros.
The Euros will take place from June 14 to July 14. There are 24 countries participating in this year’s tournament, including the hosts, Germany.
Also participating in the competition are Belgium, Portugal, Scotland, France, Spain, Turkey, Austria, Hungary, England, Slovakia, Albania, Denmark, Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland, Serbia, Czech Republic, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Georgia, Ukraine, and Poland.
As England has an ongoing streak of qualifying for the Euros yet leaving the competition empty handed, this year’s tournament will likely lead to a similar result. Their stars – Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, and Cole Palmer – will take them far, but they will fall short toward the end of the tournament.
Portugal could challenge for the title. Having won their first Euro Championship in 2016, they will definitely be working towards winning another.
They have game-changing players such as Diogo Jota, Rafael Leao, Joao Felix, Bruno Fernandes, and Ruben Dias. Ballon-D’or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is also set to play in this year’s competition, although Ronaldo has long ago reached his peak as he is nearing 40 years of age and no longer plays in European club football.
But it seemed most likely that France, the champions of the 2018 World Cup and two-time champions of the European Championship, will leave the tournament victorious. As of late, they have excelled in international competitions.
They also have quality players who serve as pivotal figures on their individual football clubs. These include many European all-stars, like highly acclaimed midfielder N’golo Kante and forward Kylian Mbappe, who is called one of the best players in the world.
Overall, the Euros are going to be a great way to jump-start the summer for sports fans, as viewers tune in to see who will take it home for their country.
