Rahul SahaIn this comprehensive overview, we take a deep dive into UEFA EURO 2024, examining the teams that have secured their spots in the tournament. With anticipation running high across the continent, we meticulously explore the unique paths each nation traversed to qualify. From longstanding football powerhouses to emerging talents, we meticulously analyze the diverse array of teams poised to leave their mark on the grand stage of Euro 2024. Additionally, we delve into the gripping narratives and intense battles that unfolded as teams fiercely competed for entry into the main event. Join us as we unravel the compelling storylines behind each qualified team’s journey to the pinnacle of European football excellence. Which teams had the highest odds on exit from sports bookmakers, and which were not believed in until recently.
Which Teams Have Qualified For EURO 2024?
Here is the comprehensive list of all 24 teams that have qualified for EURO 2024, each accompanied by relevant information about their journey to qualification.
Albania
Sylvinho, formerly of Arsenal and Barcelona, assumed leadership of the Albanian national team in January 2023, leading them to their second EURO appearance in history. Albania secured their spot in the final stage during the penultimate round, earning a crucial point in a tough match against Moldova. Their debut in EURO came in 2016, where they clinched third place in their group with a decisive goal from Armando Sadiku against Romania in the final group stage match.
Austria
Austria, led by the experienced Ralph Rangnick since May 2022, secured their place in the final stage alongside Belgium with an important away win over Azerbaijan on October 16. This marks Austria’s third consecutive EURO appearance and fourth overall. Notably, Austria co-hosted the final stage with Switzerland in 2008. With the 2024 tournament taking place in Germany, it’s noteworthy that Rangnick, a German national, coaches the Austrian team, which predominantly comprises players from the German Bundesliga.
Belgium
In February 2023, Domenico Tedesco succeeded Roberto Martinez as Belgium’s head coach. Securing their spot in their third consecutive EURO tournament, and their first under Tedesco, Belgium defeated Austria, their main Group F rival, on October 13, 2023, with a score of 3-2. Despite reaching the quarter-finals in the last two EURO tournaments, Belgium faced disappointment in the 2022 World Cup, failing to progress past the group stage. Belgium’s most notable EURO achievement remains their runner-up finish in 1980.
Croatia
In 2017, Zlatko Dalic assumed leadership of the Croatian national team, becoming renowned as their most accomplished coach to date. Croatia has secured their spot in the EURO final stage for the sixth consecutive time, with Dalic guiding them to their second qualification. The team earned their ticket to Germany in the final round, clinching a narrow victory over Armenia. Despite reaching the round of 16 in the last two EURO tournaments, Croatia aims to surpass this hurdle in the upcoming competition. This tournament will also mark the ninth major competition appearance for team captain Luka Modric.
Czechia
Ivan Hašek, a former midfielder for Czechoslovakia, has a varied coaching resume that includes stints in France, Japan, and the UAE, as well as managing the national teams of Gabon and Lebanon. In January 2024, he returned to lead the Czech national team for a second time. Czechia earned their eighth consecutive spot in the EURO finals by defeating Moldova in the 10th round. In their past seven EURO appearances, they have reached the quarter-finals twice, the semi-finals once, and the final once. Notably, in 1976, the Czechoslovakian team, featuring the iconic Antonín Panenka, won the championship.
Denmark
Under the leadership of Kasper Hjulmand since 2020, Denmark’s journey has been marked by ups and downs. Despite starting their qualifying campaign with a surprising loss to Kazakhstan, they rebounded to secure consecutive EURO appearances for the first time since 2004. At EURO 2020, Hjulmand guided the team to the semi-finals, their best performance since their historic victory in 1992.
England
Since September 2016, Gareth Southgate has been in charge of the England national team. Their qualification for the EURO finals in Germany marked their ninth appearance in the last ten tournaments, clinched after a 3-1 victory over Italy at Wembley Stadium. With hopes of progressing further, Southgate aims to lead his team beyond their EURO 2020 final defeat to Italy on penalties, which took place at the same venue.
France
Didier Deschamps holds a revered position in French football lore, revered as both a player and a coach. He captained the French national team to victory in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and EURO 2000 before assuming the role of head coach, leading them to clinch the 2018 World Cup and reaching the finals of EURO 2016 and the 2022 World Cup. France, boasting two EURO titles, has maintained an unbroken streak of qualifying for final tournaments since 1988. Despite their loss to Portugal in the EURO 2016 final, under Deschamps’ guidance since 2012, the team has remained formidable. Their journey to Germany was cemented on October 13 with a triumphant 2-1 victory over the Netherlands.
Georgia
Former French national team right-back and five-time German champion with Bayern Munich, Willy Sagnol, transitioned into coaching and took over as the head coach of the Georgian national team in 2021. Under his leadership, Georgia made its debut appearance in a major international tournament. Finishing fourth in Group A, which comprised five teams, Georgia secured positive outcomes against Scotland, Norway, and Cyprus. However, they suffered a significant setback with a 1-7 defeat against Spain at home. Despite challenges, Georgia made history by clinching their first major tournament qualification through playoffs, where they defeated Luxembourg and Greece.
Germany
Julian Nagelsmann has risen to prominence as one of football’s most coveted coaches, showcasing his managerial prowess with successful stints at Hoffenheim and Leipzig in the German Bundesliga. In September, Nagelsmann was appointed head coach of the German national team.
As hosts of EURO 2024, Germany secured automatic qualification to the final stage of the tournament.
Hungary
Marco Rossi, previously a player who achieved success with Sampdoria, has been at the helm of the Hungarian national team since 2018. After a 44-year absence from the final stages of the EURO tournament, spanning from 1972 to 2016, Hungary has qualified three times consecutively. Their entry into EURO 2024 was confirmed following a 2-2 draw against Bulgaria. In EURO 2020, Hungary finished last in a challenging group featuring France, Germany, and Portugal, securing two draws in the process.
Italy
In September 2023, Luciano Spalletti assumed leadership of Italy’s national team. Their journey to EURO 2024 was challenging, navigating through a difficult group. Ultimately, they clinched their spot in the final stage after a hard-fought draw against Ukraine in the last match of the qualifiers. This marked a significant achievement for the defending champions, who began their qualification campaign under Roberto Mancini’s guidance and concluded it with Spalletti at the helm.
Netherlands
Ronald Koeman, the team’s head coach and celebrated as one of the finest attacking central defenders in history, played a crucial role in the Netherlands’ journey to winning EURO 1988. The Dutch secured their spot in the final stage with a home win against Ireland. Koeman, leading the team for the second time, previously tasted EURO glory as a player in 1988. Under his leadership, the Oranje reached the UEFA Nations League final in 2019 and claimed bronze in 2023.
Poland
Michal Probierz assumed leadership of the national team in September 2023, following a prosperous tenure with the youth squad. Poland claimed the third spot in Group D, trailing Albania and the Czech Republic, necessitating their journey to a fifth consecutive EURO through playoffs. Guided by Michal Probierz, the team navigated past Estonia with ease in the semifinals but encountered tense moments in the pivotal match against Wales. Ultimately, they clinched victory in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout after 120 scoreless minutes in Cardiff.
Portugal
After assuming command in January 2023 following his tenure with Belgium, Roberto Martinez now leads Portugal’s national team. They clinched their place in the final tournament under Martinez’s guidance with a 3-2 victory over Slovakia on October 13. Cristiano Ronaldo, set to make his sixth EURO appearance, holds records for both goals (14) and matches played (25) for Portugal.
Romania
Edward Iord?nescu has established himself as a demanding coach, leading Romania’s national team to their fifth qualification for the final tournament after being appointed head coach in January 2022. Despite missing out on EURO 2020, Romania secured their place in EURO 2024 by defeating Israel in Hungary. With aspirations to emulate their achievement in 2000, when they advanced from a challenging group that included Portugal, England, and Germany, Romania aims to make an impact in the tournament.
Scotland
Since joining the national team in May 2019, Steve Clarke had spells with West Bromwich Albion and Reading. Scotland’s entry into the final stage came after Norway’s failure to defeat Spain at home on October 15. This marks Scotland’s second consecutive appearance in the EUROs. Historically, they exited the group stage three times without winning a match since EURO 1996.
Serbia
After playing for the Yugoslavian national team, Dragan Stojkovi? began his coaching career in Asia. Returning to Europe in 2021, he took charge of the Serbian Football Federation. Following a 24-year absence, Serbia team is back in the final stages of EURO. Their qualification for Germany came in the last round, with a 2-2 draw against Bulgaria. With a squad featuring many prominent names, Serbian fans are hopeful for a strong showing in Germany.
Slovakia
Francesco Calzona, an Italian coach with extensive experience in Serie A as an assistant, assumed the role of head coach of the Slovakian national team in August 2022. Their qualification for the final stage of the EURO for the third consecutive time was sealed with a 4-2 victory over Iceland at home. Although Slovakia remained in the third group during EURO 2020, their notable achievement dates back to 1976 when they clinched the championship as part of Czechoslovakia. Their strongest showing as Slovakia occurred in 2016 when they advanced to the Round of 16, eventually falling to Germany.
Slovenia
Matjaž Kek has taken charge of the Slovenian national team for the second time, leading them through an impressive qualifying campaign. Under his guidance, Slovenia suffered just two defeats in 10 matches and sealed their qualification with a crucial 2-1 win over Kazakhstan, securing the second spot in the group. This marks Slovenia’s fourth appearance in a major tournament and their first since the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, they have yet to progress beyond the group stage in previous tournaments.
Spain
Luis de la Fuente took the helm of Spain’s national team in December 2022 after guiding the U19, U21, and U23 squads. Securing victory in Group A, Spain has frequented the EURO final stages almost as much as Germany. Their passage to Germany was clinched with a slender win over Norway in Oslo on October 15. Under Luis de la Fuente’s leadership, Spain is eyeing a historic fourth EURO triumph, currently tied with Germany at the top in this regard.
Switzerland
Murat Yakin, once a player for Switzerland at EURO 2004, now takes on the role of coach, leading the team to the European Championship two decades later. A crucial draw against Kosovo secured Switzerland’s ticket to their fifth EURO appearance in the last six tournaments. Their standout performance came in the previous EURO, advancing from the group stage and stunningly defeating France in a penalty shootout to reach the quarter-finals, where they were eventually ousted by Spain in another shootout.
Türkiye
Renowned for his striking prowess, Vincenzo Montella assumed the helm of the Turkish national team in September 2023, ensuring their third consecutive qualification for the European Championship. Their ticket to the tournament was sealed on October 15th with a resounding 4-0 victory over Latvia, securing the top spot in Group D. While Turkey has previously struggled to advance beyond the group stage, their standout performance came in 2008, reaching the semi-finals before narrowly succumbing to Germany in a gripping 2-3 clash.
Ukraine
Sergiy Rebrov and Andriy Shevchenko, once star strikers for Kyiv’s Dynamo, now team up again: Rebrov as the national team coach and Shevchenko leading the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF). Despite narrowly missing out on the second spot in Group C to Italy, Ukraine team showed resilience in the playoffs. They secured hard-fought wins against Bosnia and Herzegovina, then Iceland, sealing their fourth consecutive Euro appearance under Rebrov’s leadership.
