Arne Slot: Why Liverpool got fiery Dutchman to replace Klopp

Alonso & Nagelsmann gone - what now for bruised Bayern?

Kicked out by Pep & mistakes at Barca - what next for Cancelo?

Respect Bruno! Man Utd captain up there with Odegaard & KDB

Erin Cuthbert: From unsung star to Chelsea's UWCL hero

Explained: How much promotion is worth to Wrexham

Guardiola opens door to Barcelona return - but there's a catch

Done deal! Feyenoord boss Slot to replace Klopp at Liverpool

Foden joins Haaland and Messi by reaching special milestone 

Tuchel responds to fan petition pleading for Bayern stay

Terry says Ferdinand still blanks him over racial abuse claims

Foden is lethal! Midfielder runs the show in big Man City win

The qualifying rounds for Euro 2024 are finally done and dusted, with Poland, Ukraine and Georgia progressing via the play-offs on Tuesday night. Consequently, we now know the identity of all 24 teams that will be competing in Germany this summer - and it's fair to say that some nations secured their spots in more impressive fashion than others.France looked formidable during the qualifiers, England proved that they definitely have the talent to end their wait for a first major trophy since 1966, while Portugal are absolutely flying under new coach Roberto Martinez. Obviously, Spain and Belgium will also fancy their chances, given the quality at their disposal, but what about the hosts? Germany are showing timely signs of revival under new boss Julian Nagelsmann.Below, GOAL ranks and rates the top contenders to triumph at Euro 2024, which gets underway on June 14 in Munich...Previous update: December 2, 2023.<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

Euro 2024 Power Rankings: Resurgent Germany storm up the standings but England and Scotland both fall

The unlikeliest of qualifiers, Georgia won just two games in Group A and finished fourth, with just eight points from their eight games. However, they sneaked into the play-offs via the Nations League.Two goals from Budu Zivzivadze saw them past Luxembourg in the Path C semi-finals before Nika Kvekveskiri held his nerve in the penalty shootout with Greece to convert the spot-kick that sent Georgia to a first major international tournament, sparking beautiful scenes of celebration in Tbilisi.Little will be expected of them in Germany, of course, particularly as they're going into Group F alongside Portugal, Turkey and Czech Republic, but while they'll just be ecstatic to be there, it is worth remembering that in Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, they have a wing wizard capable of producing moments of magic.

Georgia (New Entry) 🌟

The revelation of the qualifiers, Albania picked up the point they needed in Moldova last November to reach the European Championship finals for the just the second time in their history.What's remarkable is that the Eagles, who are coached by former Arsenal and Barcelona full-back Sylvinho, were beaten in their first qualifier, losing 1-0 to Poland. However, they then claimed 15 points from a possible 21, with a sensational 3-0 rout of Czech Republic the undoubted highlight of a historic seven-match unbeaten run in Group E.Still, while Albania also beat Poland at home in the qualifiers, and boast some decent Serie A players, such as Elseid Hysaj, Berat Gjimshiti and Nedim Bajrami, it would be a huge surprise to see them make the knockout stages in Germany as <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">the draw could not have gone any worse for them,</a> with Spain, Italy and Croatia for company in Group B, while back-to-back losses during the March internationals, to Chile and Sweden, have done nothing to raise expectations.

Albania ⬇️

A fifth consecutive Euros for Poland but they'll do well to avoid a fourth group-stage exit, given Robert Lewandowski &amp; Co. were pretty fortunate to even make it to Germany.Despite being drawn in a pretty easy group, they ended up finishing third, after losing away to Albania, Czech Republic and Moldova. The Nations League play-offs offered a shot at redemption and they took it, by the skin of their teeth. After routing Estonia in the Path A semi-finals, they scraped past Wales on penalties in Cardiff.<a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/devastation-wales-daniel-james-missed-penalty-poland-euro-2024-qualification/blt9d254c5452524c72" target="_blank">Veteran Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was the hero in the shootout</a>, saving from Dan James, and one imagines he'll be a busy man at the Euros, even if Poland can call upon Arsenal's Jakub Kiwior in defence.Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski is a class act who carries a real goal threat while the legendary Lewandowski will lead the line. However, time is very clearly catching up with the 35-year-old, who scored just three times across the entire qualifying campaign, meaning it's impossible to see Poland getting out of a group containing Netherlands, France and Austria - arguably the toughest in the whole competition.

Poland (New Entry) 🌟

It's very hard to shake that suspicion that Serbia were very lucky to have been drawn in one of the weakest groups in qualifying. They claimed just 14 points from a possible 24, were beaten twice by Hungary and conceded nine goals in eight games. However, they still managed to guarantee a second-placed finish in Group G after striking late through Srdan Babic to nick a 2-2 draw at home to Bulgaria.It's also a historic achievement for the country, which hadn't qualified for the Euros since being renamed Serbia in 2006. The fans will also believe the side capable of finishing ahead of Denmark and Slovenia in Group C, given they have quality attacking players, such as Aleksandar Mitrovic, Dusan Vlahovic and Dusan Tadic.However, a chastening 4-0 friendly loss to Russia during the March international break only added to the doubts surrounding the true strength of this Serbia squad.

Serbia ⬇️

After a devastating defeat against Ukraine in the World Cup play-offs, Scotland came storming back to qualify for the Euros with two games to spare. In the end, progression was sealed thanks to Spain's win in Norway, but Steve Clarke's side fully deserved to go through after beating La Roja at home before pulling off a sensational comeback to triumph 2-1 in Oslo. Scott McTominay was the surprise star of the campaign, outscoring Erling Haaland with seven goals, while captain John McGinn was also excellent alongside the Manchester United midfielder.Truth be told, though, Scotland don't have anything like enough quality or strength in depth to challenge for The Henri Delaunay Trophy - they've absolutely nothing up front and Andy Robertson's injury issues are a major concern, given the captain is their only world-class player. Even just getting out of <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">a pretty competitive group will be difficult,</a> as underlined by their 4-0 hammering by Netherlands and 1-0 loss at home to Northern Ireland during the final international break before the Euros.The Scots could cause problems in Germany but a run of five defeats in seven winless matches suggests they'll be heading home early.

Scotland ⬇️

Are Romania on the rise again? Edward Iordanescu has worked wonders with a team that had failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, after also missing out on Euro 2020 and Russia 20218. Romania drew four of their first eight qualifiers, but finished with a flourish, beating Israel 2-1 to book their ticket for Germany before then defeating second-placed Switzerland to ensure top spot in Group I.Iordanescu doesn't have an especially strong squad - as illustrated by his side's inability to win either of their March friendlies, against Northern Ireland and Colombia - and he lacks a prolific goalscorer. Still, Denis Alibec, Valentin Mihaila and captain Nicolae Stanciu all scored three times apiece in qualifying, while the defence has been immense, breached just five times in 10 games.Romania also benefited enormously from being in Pot Two for the draw, as <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">their competition for second spot in Group E - which will likely be won by Belgium - comes from Slovakia and Ukraine.</a>

Romania ⬇️

Slovenia had to wait right until the final matchday to secure automatic qualification for the Euros, but their 2-1 victory over third-placed Kazakhstan actually saw them finish level on points with Denmark at the top of Group H. They also scored more goals than the Scandinavians and conceded fewer, but ended up second because of an inferior head-to-head record, with the 2-1 loss in Copenhagen proving decisive. Not that the nation's football fans will really care.Germany 2024 will be just Slovenia's second appearance at the European Championship, coming 24 years after their first, and hopes will be high that RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, who scored five times in qualifying, will make a big impact at the tournament.The brilliant Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak is likely to prove even more crucial, though, to Slovenia's chances of getting out of their group, which contains England, Denmark and Serbia. Still, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/fans-accuse-cristiano-ronaldo-ghosting-portugal-attacking-referee-erupts-fury-tunnel-slovenia-loss/bltef96a107faf2c31b" target="_blank">a friendly win over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal</a> proved that they should not be underestimated.

Slovenia ⬆️

Czech Republic qualified with a rather routine 3-0 win over 10-man Moldova, but the circumstances surrounding the game were nothing if not eventful. Just 24 hours before kick-off in Olomouc, manager Jaroslav Silhavy sent home three players for breaking curfew to frequent a nightclub. Then, immediately after the Group E encounter, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/czech-coach-silhavy-quits-due-barrage-criticism-2023-11-21/#:~:text=PRAGUE%2C%20Nov%2021%20(Reuters),him%20by%20critics%20and%20fans." target="_blank">Silhavy announced that he and the rest of his coaching staff were stepping down.</a> "We had already decided before the game not to continue," he explained. "The pressure was already enormous - sometimes I didn't even understand it. This also contributed to our decision."Consequently, a team that played in fits and starts in qualifying, taking four points off Poland but just one off Albania, had to go looking for a new boss just over seven months before the start of Euro 2024. The search ended on January 4, with <a href="https://apnews.com/article/hasek-czech-coach-966c38ce3a0c12f385b0d3d2c738e0fe" target="_blank">Ivan Hasek returning for a second spell as manager</a>, having previously been in charge for five games more than a decade ago. The former national team midfielder had been out of work since being sacked by Lebanon in 2022 but his tenure has got off to a decent start, with the Czechs beating Norway and Armenia during the March international break. Despite the previous turmoil, then, they will be quietly confident about their chances of getting out of a group containing Turkey, Portugal and Georgia.

Czech Republic ⬆️

Low-key qualification experts, Switzerland have only failed to feature at one major international tournament over the past two decades (Euro 2012) and booked their flight to Germany courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Kosovo in Basel.However, as that result suggests, the Swiss haven't exactly impressed in qualifying, drawing five of their six outings after opening their campaign with three consecutive wins, and then losing 1-0 to Romania in what was effectively a play-off for top spot.Still, veteran goalkeeper Yann Sommer is excelling at Inter this season, Fabian Schar and Manuel Akanji are fine defenders, the Granit Xhaka-led midfield is nothing if not experienced, while Zeki Amdouni appears to have answered the fans' prayers for a goalscorer (even if he isn't exactly tearing up the Premier League with Burnley).The Swiss certainly won't win the Euros, but they'll likely be a chore for Germany, Hungary and Scotland to play against in a low-quality but evenly-balanced Group A.

Switzerland ⬆️

Let's be honest, Slovakia were blessed by the draw for qualifying, as underlined by the fact that their closest competition for second place in Group J was Luxembourg. However, Italian coach Francesco Calzona has still done an incredible job since taking over in November 2022, which is why Napoli hired him on an interim basis until the end of the season.Slovakia collected 22 points in total in qualifying, and although they were beaten home and away by Portugal, it was only by a solitary goal on both occasions. Furthermore, while Calzona's squad is unlikely to strike fear into any opponents in Germany, he can call upon two quality players in Paris Saint-Germain defender Milan Skriniar and Napoli midfielder Stanislav Lobotka.The draw didn't go too badly for them either. Belgium should run away with Group E, leaving Slovakia to battle it out with Romania and Ukraine for second spot.

Slovakia ↔️

The feel-good story of the qualifiers, Ukraine somehow managed to make it to Germany despite having to play all of their games on foreign soil because of the horror unfolding back home.Ukraine were agonisingly beaten to an automatic qualification spot by Italy, who claimed the point they needed from the two sides' final-round meeting in Leverkusen to progress on account of their superior head-to-head record. Serhiy Rebrov's men demonstrated even more remarkable resolve from that point on, though, coming from behind to beat both Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina and Iceland to reach the Euros via Nations League play-off Path B.Simply by securing qualification for the fourth time, Ukraine have already lifted the spirits of a people devastated by the Russian invasion, but there's now every chance that they could reach the knockout stage in Germany. Belgium will obviously be the hot favourites to top Group E but neither Slovakia nor Romania will hold any fear for a Ukraine side featuring the likes of Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who scored the winner against Iceland, Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin and Arsenal utility man Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Ukraine (New Entry) 🌟

Turkey's hopes of reaching a third consecutive Euros appeared in real danger of going up in smoke after a 1-1 draw with Armenia. However, the decision to sack Stefan Kuntz as coach after a 4-2 friendly loss to Japan proved a masterstroke, with Vincenzo Montella leading his new team to a massive 1-0 victory over Croatia in Osijek - the latter's first-ever home defeat in a Euro qualifier.Turkey followed that up with a 4-0 rout of Latvia that saw them go through with one game remaining, as Montella became the first foreign coach to qualify the nation for a major tournament, and a 3-2 friendly win over Germany in Berlin in November only added to the sense of excitement surrounding the squad.However, that's been tempered by a humiliating 6-1 loss to Austria that even had some journalists asking Montella if he would resign. This is no time for making hasty decisions, though. Turkey appear seriously unlikely to deny Portugal top spot in Group F but they should still fancy their chances of finishing second ahead of Czech Republic and Georgia.

Turkey ⬇️

The emergence of Rasmus Hojlund has gone a long way towards helping Denmark get over the bitter disappointment of an embarrassing first-round exit at the 2022 World Cup. The Scandinavians had been widely touted as dark horses, but scored just one goal in picking up a solitary point in Qatar.Being placed in an incredibly soft qualifying group was, therefore, just the ticket for the Danes, who were able to shrug off some dreadful displays - most notably in the 3-2 loss to Kazakhstan and the 2-1 win over San Marino - to qualify with one game to spare thanks to a deserved 2-1 win over Slovenia.Still, a painfully poor loss in their final group game, in Northern Ireland, hammered home why nobody will be talking up Kasper Hjulmand's side ahead of Euro 2024 - even though they should, in theory at least, finished second to England in <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">a weak Group C, where they'll once again face the Slovenians, as well as Serbia.</a>

Denmark ⬆️

Things were looking grim for Croatia after back-to-back losses to Turkey and Wales in October, with captain Luka Modric admitting, "We haven't been this bad in a long time." However, Zlatko Dalic's side are nothing if not resilient, and they won their final two games, against Latvia and Armenia, to sneak into second place in Group D.Doubts persist, though. Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic haven't exactly impressed at Manchester City this season, while many of Croatia's most influential players now the wrong side of 30, including Modric, defensive midfielder Marcelo Brozovic and Andrej Kramaric, the nation's top scorer in qualifying with four goals. Consequently, it feels like Euro 2024 will signal the end of a golden era for one of the game's great over-achievers, who have been bracketed with Spain and Italy.

Croatia ⬆️

A 4-0 drubbing in Paris and a 2-1 loss at home to a Kylian Mbappe-inspired France have hammered home the fact that this is not a vintage Netherlands side, and cast considerable doubt on whether bringing Ronald Koeman back for a second spell as coach was really the right call. At the end of the day, though, qualification was the primary objective, and it was realised with one game to spare thanks to a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland.The Dutch are not short on quality - Cody Gakpo was outstanding at the World Cup, Xavi Simons is one of the most exciting talents to come out of Netherlands in the past 10 years, while captain Virgil van Dijk looks back to something approaching his brilliant best.There are concerns over the central striking berth. Memphis Depay obviously has a fine record at international level but his club form has been up and down for some time now, and Wout Weghorst has never been a reliable goalscorer at the very highest level, so we'll only find out in Germany - <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">where Netherlands will once again face France, a resurgent Austria and Lewandowski's Poland</a> - if Koeman's boys are really capable of beating strong opponents.

Netherlands ⬇️

After a tough start to life under Ralf Rangnick that included relegation to the second tier of the Nations League, Austria have become an entirely different prospect under the former Manchester United boss and sealed qualification for a third consecutive Euros in October by beating Azerbaijan 1-0 thanks to a penalty from Marcel Sabitzer.The Austrians have lost captain David Alaba to injury and only took one point from their two games against Belgium, which suggests that they're unlikely to be title contenders in Germany. However, right now, Rangnick is being hailed for not only the results he has achieved, but the exciting and expansive approach he has adopted, which has resulted in the fans falling back in love with a team they had grown weary of watching under former boss Franco Foda.Certainly, their 6-1 friendly rout of Turkey was a joy to watch and while <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">getting out of a group containing France, Netherlands and Poland might prove beyond the resurgent Austrians, they will most definitely give it a real go.</a>

Austria ⬆️

They may have rather stumbled over the finishing line, but there's no denying the incredible progress Hungary have made since missing out on the 2022 World Cup. Marco Rossi's men clinched qualification for a third consecutive European Championship by drawing 2-2 in Bulgaria thanks to a last-minute own goal from Alex Petkov.However, star man Dominik Szoboszlai turned on the style in his country's final group fixture, with the classy Liverpool midfielder scoring twice in a 3-1 win over Montenegro that put the seal on an unbeaten campaign. Hungary definitely don't have the strongest squad, but home-and-away wins over Serbia show that they shouldn't be discounted. They certainly don't have anything to fear from <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">a weak Scotland side, toothless Switzerland or even hosts Germany.</a>

Hungary ⬇️

The reigning champions earned the right to defend their title - but only just. Italy needed a point from their final fixture against Ukraine to progress as runners-up to England in Group C and they got it thanks to a 0-0 draw in Leverkusen. However, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/watch-mykhailo-mudryk-denied-penalty-ukraine-italy-euro-2024/blt5d855005991022fe" target="_blank">the Azzurri were extremely fortunate that VAR inexplicably refused to intervene after what looked like a clear, injury-time foul by Bryan Cristante on Mykhailo Mudryk in the penalty area.</a>Luciano Spalletti didn't care, of course. As he quite rightly pointed out, <a href="https://football-italia.net/spalletti-now-italy-can-really-get-to-work/" target="_blank">qualification was all that mattered to Italy</a> after missing out on last year's World Cup in Qatar. He also took over in difficult circumstances, with Roberto Mancini, the man who led the nation to glory at Euro 2020, sensationally stepping down during the summer to take over Saudi Arabia.Spalletti is well aware that Italy are not regarded as one of the favourites - particularly after being <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">bracketed with Spain and Croatia</a> - but he does have some excellent players in Nicolo Barella, Federico Chiesa, Federico Dimarco and Alessandro Bastoni, while the hope is that Genoa's Argentine-born attacker Mateo Retegui, who has scored four goals in his first six outings for his adopted nation, might just be the goalscorer that the Azzurri so desperately needed.Perhaps most importantly of all, though, Spalletti showed with his historic title triumph at Napoli that he is capable of working wonders with undervalued squads.

Italy ⬆️

Enormous credit must go to Luis de la Fuente for the way in which he managed Spain’s qualifying campaign. Some supporters and pundits argued that the former Under-21s coach lacked the top-level experience to lead the national team after a shock 2-0 loss to Scotland that Rodri and countless others did not take well.However, after lifting the Nations League trophy in June, La Roja then went on a six-game winning streak in Group A and sealed qualification after gaining revenge over the Scots before triumphing 1-0 in Norway. Fair to say, then, that confidence in De la Fuente has now been restored.Spain are far from flawless - as we saw in their 1-0 friendly loss to Colombia and 3-3 draw with Brazil - and <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">the draw has not been kind to La Roja</a>, who are in with reigning champions Italy, the always-dangerous Croatia and surprise package Albania.However, while <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/worst-case-injury-scenario-gavi-barcelona-confirm-midfielder-tore-acl-spain-surgery-knee/blt80432f5c0e489dca" target="_blank">the loss of Gavi to a season-ending injury is a disaster that could have easily been avoided</a>, Spain will still travel to Germany with an exciting young side that should future budding superstars Pedri, Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal, the peerless Rodri, and captain Alvaro Morata, who is enjoying one of the more productive periods of his career.

Spain ⬇️

To say Germany's preparations for Euro 2024 have been less than ideal would be a colossal understatement. After failing miserably to reach the knockout stage of last year's World Cup, Die Mannschaft went into total meltdown, losing four of their first six games in 2023 - which led to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/hansi-flick-sacked-germany-head-coach-ultimate-price-japan-mauling-rudi-voller-france-friendly/blta83c535739be82d7" target="_blank">Hansi Flick being fired as coach after a shocking 4-1 defeat at home to Japan.</a>Caretaker coach Rudi Voller then led Germany to a morale-boosting friendly win over France before Julian Nagelsmann picked up a win, over the United States, and a draw, against Mexico, in his first two outings as the new head coach, only to then suffered seriously concerning November losses to Turkey and Austria.However, things might just be coming together for the new boss, who saw his side beat both France <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/germany-jamal-musiala-shines-julian-nagelsmann-win-over-the-netherlands/bltc7606bf5c9ab345a" target="_blank">and Netherlands during the March international break.</a> It's also worth remembering that for all their recent travails at major tournaments, Germany still have some quality players.Antonio Rudiger, Joshua Kimmich and Ilkay Gundogan are proven performers at the highest level and have been once again joined in the squad by Toni Kroos, who has been tempted out of international retirement, while Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz are potential superstars.Nagelsmann obviously still lacks a world-class striker but Niclas Fullkrug has a good record for his country - 10 goals in 15 appearances - and could do some damage in <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">a soft group featuring Switzerland, Scotland and Hungary.</a> The opportunity really is there for Germany to build up some momentum early on.

Germany ⬆️

Is football finally going to come 'home'? Well, you certainly wouldn't bet against Gareth Southgate's side triumphing in Germany. They've got the talent and, at this stage, they've also got the experience, having reached the final of the last Euros.Qualification was secured with two games to spare after a very impressive, come-from-behind win over Italy at Wembley. However, after concluding their campaign with two dire performances, against Malta and North Macedonia, there are still some doubts, mainly surrounding the manager, who has a worryingly poor record in big games against strong opposition, as the friendly loss to Brazil and lucky draw with Belgium made painfully clear.Southgate has long been criticised for his perceived conservatism and he's admitted himself that England weren't quite at their best during qualifying, which is something of a concern given they boast arguably the most exciting crop of attackers in world football.However, if Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are both fit and firing, the Three Lions should at the very least cruise into the semi-finals thanks to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">the softest of draws</a>, which would give them a serious edge over more battle-weary rivals.

England ⬇️

Belgium's 2022 World Cup campaign was a complete catastrophe, with <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/de-bruyne-both-victim-cause-belgium-world-cup-breakdown/bltdb69aab57facb08c" target="_blank">star man Kevin De Bruyne causing quite the controversy by effectively dismissing many of his team-mates as too old before the tournament began.</a> The inevitable dressing-room divide played a big part in the Red Devils' humiliating group-stage elimination - as did Romelu Lukaku's poor finishing, in fairness.However, the Roma forward is fit and firing again, with Lukaku scoring a record-breaking 14 goals in qualifying. New coach Domenico Tedesco is also doing a fine job of rejuvenating the squad, with the Belgians unbeaten since he succeeded Roberto Martinez after the Qatar debacle, and although they were disappointed not to beat England at Wembley in a friendly, their performance was hugely encouraging.All things considered, De Bruyne might actually enjoy this summer's tournament in Germany, with <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/euro-2024-draw-england-denmark-european-championship-scotland-germany-italy-group-of-death-spain/blt8a185be68132da36" target="_blank">Belgium having been placed in a very winnable group at the finals</a> alongside Romania, Ukraine and Slovakia.

 Belgium ⬆️

Things couldn't have gone much better for Portugal after replacing Fernando Santos with Roberto Martinez following <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-sa/lists/messi-completed-football-winners-losers-2022-world-cup-mbappe-runs-riot-ronaldo-ruins-reputation/blt27b495756fd7733b" target="_blank">a calamitous World Cup campaign that ended with the familiar sight of a frustrated and tearful Cristiano Ronaldo storming down a stadium tunnel.</a>Indeed, the Seleccao won all 10 of their Euro 2024 qualifiers, scoring 36 goals (Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes bagged 16 between them) and conceding only twice. Given their wealth of attacking options, Portugal simply have to be considered serious contenders to triumph in Germany, particularly now that they've been placed in one of the weaker pools, with no real rival for top spot.However, while Portugal should progress without any problems, it's worth pointing out that their group was absolutely atrocious and a 2-0 friendly loss in Slovenia suggests they might not be as strong as their qualification campaign suggests. Perhaps even more importantly, it also remains to be seen if Martinez is actually capable of delivering in a major tournament, given the way in which he wasted Belgium's 'Golden Generation'.

Portugal ↔️

A feeble friendly loss to Germany raised eyebrows but France remain the highest-ranked European team in the world right now - and with good cause. Les Bleus have some weaknesses, most notably at right-back, but boast a deep pool of players, a potent mix of outrageously exciting youngsters and evergreen veterans who have seen, done and won it all.First-choice No.9 Olivier Giroud may be getting on a bit but issued another timely reminder of his enduring quality in the 3-2 friendly win over Chile and, besides, Marcus Thuram and Randal Kolo Muani make for excellent alternatives up top.Elsewhere, goalkeeper Mike Maignan is a miracle-worker, the defence is so good that William Saliba still isn't a certain starter, an already formidable midfield has been boosted by the emergence of generational talent Warren Zaire-Emery, link-man Antoine Griezmann is in the form of his life, while Kylian Mbappe is quite simply the most terrifying attacker in world football.Greece may have ruined France's hopes of finishing with a perfect record in qualifying by holding a much-changed Bleus to a 2-2 draw in Athens, but after beating Netherlands both home and away with impressive ease, the 2022 World Cup runners-up won't have any fears about facing the Dutch again in Germany.

France ↔️

Euro 2024 Power Rankings: Resurgent Germany storm up the standings but England and Scotland both fall | Goal.com

Resurgent host nation Germany are on the rise in GOAL&apos;s latest Euro 2024 Power Rankings but England and Scotland have both fallen

Editors' Picks