Claiming Your Bonus: A Step-by-Step Guide
Matthew Southgate makes a superb eagle during the BMW International Open final round in Munich, following his namesake Gareth Southgate’s success in leading England to the Euro 2024 semi-finals in Germany.
Spain became the first nation to dump the hosts out of a European Championship at the quarter-final stage after Mikel Merino’s 119th-minute header snatched an epic 2-1 win over Germany in Stuttgart.
Merino, who made 25 appearances for Newcastle in the 2017/18 season, rose to meet Dani Olmo’s cross to send Spain into a semi-final against either France or Portugal on Tuesday night in Munich.
Substitute Olmo’s strike lit the blue touch paper moments into the second half after not initially being selected from the start – replacing the injured Pedri after just eight minutes.
Julian Nagelsmann turned to Niclas Fullkrug, who immediately caused the Spanish defence problems and struck the near post when he outmuscled Nacho to meet Florian Wirtz’s cross.
There would be late drama as Germany refused to let the opportunity of a home Euros slip them by with Wirtz converting Joshua Kimmich’s header back across goal following Maximilian Mittelstadt’s deep cross.
Spain feared the prospect of a shoot-out against a nation who haven’t lost one since 1976 – but Merino’s dramatic winner ensured there would be no further heartache from 12 yards having gone out of the last three major Championships in such fashion.
Dani Carvajal was shown a second yellow card in the final seconds of the match but La Roja held on.
Germany only got going after Olmo’s intervention. Their coach Nagelsmann threw everything he could at resuscitating his below-par charges, but Spain appeared far too too savvy in the eye of the Stuttgart second-half storm.
They had never won against the host team in a knockout match in the Euros or the World Cup. At the 10th attempt, that changed.
The Spaniards have been in imperious form at this tournament in recording five straight wins with electric duo Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal a constant menace for opposing defences down the channels. Replicating the achievements of 2008 and 2012 is coming into sharp focus.
After a feisty first half which saw Kai Havertz come closest to breaking the deadlock with half chances – one header straight at Unai Simon and another that lacked power on his right foot – Spain seized their moment.
On the eve of this contest, Pedri had hoped this would prove Toni Kroos’ last game as a professional, but the Barcelona midfielder was forced off following a firm challenge from his Real Madrid counterpart inside five minutes. The Spanish federation later confirmed that the player had suffered an internal lateral sprain to his left knee.
The game lost a supreme talent but gained another in Olmo, whose intelligence shone throughout. While playing here for RB Leipzig last season, he was part of a 5-2 hammering against Stuttgart.
But it was the clever timing of his run onto Lamine Yamal’s low ball which appeared to have settled this tetchy contest six minutes after the restart.
Germany were only then in a hurry as Wirtz and Fullkrug were summoned off the bench. Havertz failed to capitalise on a poor clearance by Simon as his attempt from distance landed on the roof of the net. It was one of 11 attempts in normal time after Olmo’s opener.
Spain retreated, they wasted time. They thought they had won. But Wirtz had other ideas as he kept his composure to steer Kimmich’s header back across goal into the far corner via the post.
Nearly an entire additional 30 minutes passed of shots being traded without a knockout blow – until Merino crushed the dreams of the majority inside the MHP Arena with his well-placed header from Olmo’s cross.
There was still time for Carvajal to receive a second bookable offence for cynically hauling down Jamal Musiala, already in the knowledge he was suspended in the event of a semi-final.
That could so easily have been snatched away from Spain moments earlier when Fullkrug met Thomas Muller’s cross at the near post but headed wide.
Spain have become the supercomputer’s favourites to win Euro 2024 but they face their biggest test so far on Friday as they take on hosts Germany in a mouth-watering quarter-final.
There is no doubt Spain have been the most convincing team at the tournament. Luis de la Fuente’s side have a 100 per cent record with Robin Le Normand’s own goal in the 4-1 last-16 win over Georgia the only goal they have conceded so far.
Such is Spain’s fluidity that they had 35 shots against Georgia – the most in a match at either the World Cup (since 1966) or Euros (since 1980).
La Roja have been an exciting watch and are everything England should be with their attacking talent clicking. But their opponents on Friday night in Stuttgart possess the weapons to hurt them and a midfield to rival them.
Germany have not quite hit the heights of Spain but Julian Nagelsmann’s side have shown glimpses of their electrifying quality with Jamal Musiala at the heart of it.
This is surprisingly Die Mannschaft’s first quarter-final at a major competition for eight years, but expectations will be high as the host nation.
And that home advantage could well give Germany the edge in what has been a tight affair in recent years between these two sides, with their last five meetings producing one win for each team and three draws.
It does feel like that whoever wins this heavyweight last-eight clash could well go on to win the whole thing.
Declan Olley
A 34-year-old Toni Kroos has rolled back the years in the Germany engine room this summer, but now he meets his toughest opponent with retirement on the line.
Kroos has made the most successful passes (386) with a 95 per cent completion rate and has created the second-most chances at the tournament. He has been untouchable.
Robert Andrich plays the enforcer role alongside him with 11 tackles and eight fouls placing him among Euro 2024’s toughest midfielders, while the silky Ilkay Gundogan brings guile and composure in between the lines.
The Germany midfield is balanced nicely, although, with a combined age of 96, the younger Spain trio can stretch their creaking legs.
Rodri anchors the midfield like he does at Manchester City with Pedri and Fabian Ruiz playing ahead of him, feeding the wingers and breaking into the box.
Ruiz has been particularly impressive, scoring and assisting in two of his three games and having eight shots – the most of any midfielder. He does his fair share of dirty work too, winning possession the second-most at the tournament (29).
There would be no shame in Kroos’ illustrious career ending against this opposition. He is playing well enough to stop it from happening though.
David Richardson
Spain have been enjoying the calm before the storm.
With three tournament wins each, they and Germany are the most successful nations in European Championship history, but the prospect of Friday’s showdown was put on the backburner this week as De la Fuente took his squad out to the tranquil setting of the Black Forest.
Blocking out a growing cacophony surrounding the exploits of their enterprising young wingers will prove difficult, however.
The 4-1 victory over Georgia was the first time since Italy were hammered 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final that Spain have won a knockout-stage game in normal time at a major tournament, but the reason they have now been installed as favourites of this edition is down in large part to two young men.
Lamine Yamal was heavily tipped to shine over the course of the month but Nico Williams’ star has reached new heights. His performances have already reportedly attracted interest from Chelsea, although Spanish publication SPORT claims the Athletic Bilbao winger would prefer a move to Barcelona.
“They are playing at a very high level,” Mikel Oyarzabal said of the pair. “They’re making a difference for us and that’s positive for the team. They’re different, it’s getting more and more difficult to find players like them. They’re young, they’re fearless, they’re going to do what they have to no matter the rival.”
Germany have Musiala – the joint-top scorer on three goals – and Florian Wirtz to call on, so this is also the clash of the wonderkids. Spain will look to their two precocious wide talents to deliver another display full of skill and swagger.
Ben Grounds
The best forwards in the world on either side, France vs Portugal has all the makings of being a classic fixture. Or does it?
Incredibly, a France player is still yet to score from open play in this tournament so far. Les Bleus’ top scorer at this Euros is ‘Own Goal’ with two.
Portugal, meanwhile, are not much better. They come into this game having failed to score in the last two and have statistically the most wasteful player in the tournament so far in their talisman and captain.
Cristiano Ronaldo has produced the most shots in the tournament so far with 20, but is still yet to score. His negative xG differential of -2.75 is the worst record in the competition too. Second in the list is France’s Antoine Griezmann, who is also without a goal despite producing 1.92 of xG.
With Kylian Mbappe also showing signs of wastefulness, both teams could do with getting their shooting boots on – as the games are getting bigger and the margins are getting smaller.
Sam Blitz
France’s goal stats are not the sort you would associate with potential champions, but at the other end of the pitch, their extremely robust defence – which has conceded just one goal, a penalty from Robert Lewandowski – gives them every chance.
At the heart of that defence is a player that many did not even expect to start at this tournament.
Didier Deschamps was expected to start Dayot Upamecano alongside Ibrahima Konte at the heart of the France defence, but William Saliba finally got his chance, won over Deschamps and is starring for Les Blues, who are yet to concede from open play at the tournament.
This will not be a surprise for Arsenal supporters and watchers of the Premier League. Saliba has been a vital cog in Mikel Arteta’s side over the past two season. His injury towards the end of the 2022/23 campaign was pushed by many as a reason for the Gunners’ failure to get over the line and win the Premier League title.
He has now transferred his club form to the national stage and his performance up against Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku in the last 16 was Saliba at his dominating best. He showed every one of the qualities he possesses up against the physical Lukaku.
He won everything in the air, showed he was up for the physical battle, read the game superbly and on the ball, his passing was superb. Lukaku, a thorn in the side of so many over the years, never had a sniff.
A new challenge now awaits Saliba with Ronaldo next up to battle the 23-year-old, but it would be no shock to see France’s surprise package shackle Portugal’s talisman and lead France into the last four.
Oliver Yew
Frustration in front of goal has been the main theme of France and Portugal’s Euro 2024 as both sides gear up to face each other in Hamburg.
Those struggles in front of goal have best been summed up by the off-colour displays of the two country’s captains, Mbappe and Ronaldo, giants of the game who have scored just once between them so far in the tournament and even that was a penalty from the France forward.
Mbappe, who joins Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, six years after Ronaldo departed the Santiago Bernabeu, has scored 48 goals in 82 appearances for Les Bleus and a mind-boggling 256 times in just 308 appearances before leaving the French capital.
After breaking his nose in France’s opening group-stage win over Austria, though, Mbappe has since been required to wear a protective mask over his face, something his manager Didier Deschamps says he is still “getting used to”.
And if France are to get their hands back on the Henri Delaunay Trophy for the first time since 2000, you feel their masked man will need to start firing up front, starting against a Portugal team whose own main man has also been misfiring in attack in Germany this summer.
Ronaldo’s 20 efforts on goal for the 2016 champions are more than any other player in the tournament and the 39-year-old has failed to find the net as yet.
That includes an extra-time penalty saved by Slovenia’s Jan Oblak on Monday night, though a tearful Ronaldo did score in the shootout that followed.
Ronaldo has already confirmed to O Jogo this “is, without doubt, my last Euros” and having scored in every one of the other tournaments he has featured in, the forward will be desperate to continue that run against France in what could come down to a battle between one former Real great and a potential future Madrid star.
Richard Morgan
Why England must be wary of dark horses Switzerland
Switzerland are without question the tournament’s dark horses. They have mustered just 46 attempts at goal, with Saturday’s opponents England the only team to register less shots than them at Euro 2024 (45).
Meanwhile, Switzerland’s passes (1,543 completed of 1,872) and completion percentage (82.4) are the lowest of the eight quarter-finalists and they are also the only remaining team with less than 50 per cent possession in their games so far (46.8).
But they are undefeated and have proved their credentials at this tournament, earning wins against Hungary and well-fancied Italy. Bologna striker Dan Ndoye could be one for England to watch, with the 23-year-old enhancing his burgeoning reputation with a goal against host nation Germany.
Dev Trehan
Having arrived at Fenerbahce aged just 13, Arda Guler was hailed as the ‘Turkish Messi’. At Euro 2024, he is making a name for himself.
The start to his Real Madrid career was blighted by a knee injury, but he returned stronger to become the youngest player to score on their European Championship debut with his goal-of-the-tournament contender in Turkey’s opening group game against Georgia – breaking a record held by Ronaldo.
There is a self-confidence and maturity to Guler behind his restless, indomitable will to win on the grandest stage. Through the heavy rain, the hostility and the hailstorm of beer cups, it was 19-year-old who conducted a masterpiece in how to embrace the pressure against Austria.
Head coach Vincenzo Montella said it took ‘soul’ to reach the last eight, and with their partisan supporters now descending on Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate will be painted red. The momentum is reminiscent of how Morocco reached the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar.
One of Turkey’s greatest strengths is an intangible, unrelenting energy from the stands, but their 18 yellow cards to date is only one shy of a tournament record. Montella will look to Guler to provide a calming influence.
With Xavi Simons playing so well centrally for the Netherlands against Romania, this quarter-final could again demonstrate how Germany ’24 has been the Championship owned by the next generation of playmakers before their time.
Ben Grounds
Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo heads into Saturday night’s quarter-final clash with Turkey in Berlin as the joint-leading goalscorer at Euro 2024, although that will not come as any surprise to Liverpool fans.
That is because Gakpo also finished last season in impressive form for Jurgen Klopp’s side and was one of the few standout players in the stuttering end to the Reds’ league campaign, contributing two goals and two assists in their last six Premier League games.
The 25-year-old has continued where he left off for Liverpool, scoring three and assisting another in the Oranje’s passage through to the last eight, meaning he and Musiala, who also has three goals to his name, are the favourites to win the tournament’s Golden Boot.
Gakpo has been a real threat so far at the Euros cutting in from his starting position on the left-hand side of the Netherlands’ front three, from where he has scored all his goals, including a 121km-per-hour strike that flew past Romania goalkeeper Florin Nita at his near post to open the scoring in Tuesday’s last-16 win in Munich.
All of which means Gakpo has now joined former greats Johnny Rep (1974 and 1978 World Cups) and Dennis Bergkamp (Euro 1992 and World Cups in 1994 and 1998) as just the third Netherlands international to score three or more goals in two major tournaments after also netting three times at the 2022 World Cup.
In fact, across the past two international tournaments, the only European with more goals than Gakpo’s six in nine games is Mbappe, who has nine in 10 matches.
Richard Morgan
Germany reached their first quarter-finals in four attempts at a major tournament as goals from Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala secured a 2-0 victory over Denmark in a storm-delayed encounter in Dortmund.
On the eve of the Saturday night encounter at Signal Iduna Park, meteorologists had warned that inclement weather conditions in the Ruhr region could disrupt proceedings – and referee Michael Oliver was forced to suspend play for 20 minutes during the first half as a precaution.
By then, Germany had seen Nico Schlotterbeck’s header ruled out after Andreas Skov Olsen was blocked by Joshua Kimmich.
Rasmus Hojlund was guilty of missing two good chances late in the first half, but the game’s big flashpoint centred on Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen in a matter of minutes.
First, the centre-back thought he had scored the first goal for his country when he swivelled and found the bottom corner but Thomas Delaney was deemed to have been fractionally offside in the build-up.
As Germany celebrated their reprieve, VAR Stuart Atwell spotted a handball from Andersen moments later in blocking David Raum’s cross. It seemed harsh given the proximity of Andersen to the cross, but Havertz stayed composed to beat Kasper Schmeichel from 12 yards.
There was nothing controversial about Germany’s second, however, which killed the contest as Schlotterbeck picked out the run of Musiala, who breezed away from Andersen to fire across Schmeichel and set up a quarter-final against either Spain or Georgia.
Scotland captain Andy Robertson admitted they haven’t been themselves and they will face Switzerland with “belief” after showing “fear” in their Euro 2024 defeat to Germany.
Scotland must take something in Cologne on Wednesday night to keep alive their chances of progressing beyond the group stage of a major tournament for the first time.
Scotland impressed in qualifying but have won one of their last 10 games and Robertson knows there has to be a change.
“We just have to get back to being us,” he said.
“We definitely weren’t ourselves on Friday and we need to realise what got us those results in the past and what we were good at when we got to the pitch because the message off the pitch hasn’t changed.
“We have to get back to trusting ourselves in the game, trusting each other, and if we do that we’re a better team. You saw that in abundance in the qualifying campaign.
“You saw a team that was full of belief and ready to fight for each other. Maybe on Friday we played a wee bit with fear which we didn’t want to. It’s not an easy task opening a tournament against the host country, I’ll tell you that, but we had enough experience on the pitch to do better.
“We want to look forward. We’ve got a big game coming up [against Switzerland] which we’re all excited about and we want to show this tournament what Scotland are all about. If we do that I believe that’s the best way for us to get a result.”
Steve Clarke said after their 5-1 defeat to Germany that he may have given the squad “too much information”, which could have “clouded the players”.
But Robertson said it was down to the players.
“Everyone assessed themselves after that game and maybe the gaffer was a bit harsh on himself,” the Liverpool defender added.
“I believe the information he gave was clear and I just think maybe the occasion got to some of us, some of us didn’t have our best game.
“I don’t think we went to the pitch and did what we’ve done to get here.”
Steve Clarke targeted four points from the final two group matches but insists only victory is on his mind against Switzerland.
“Difficult opponent, I expect a difficult game,” he said.
“For us, it is to regroup and go again. It’s that simple. It is about doing better, exactly that.
“The players want to go back and play better and I think that is pretty standard when you play so poorly and let yourself down.
“As I said when I spoke to a lot of you on Sunday, it is about doing better, working better into the game.
“We thought we were well prepared for Germany, obviously we weren’t. So this time I think it is better not to say too much and hopefully with our actions on the pitch we will show that we prepared well and a positive result would be lovely.
“To go into the game thinking you only need a point is dangerous. We go there to win, to be as positive as we can and we see where that takes us.
“It is more about making sure we perform as well as we can and if we can do that I am pretty confident we can get something from the game.
“It is a big challenge, a good team, a lot of good players, very strong down the spine of the team, defend well, don’t give too much away and have a lot of pace up front. So we expect a difficult night.”
Wednesday’s match will be just the second meeting between the sides at a major tournament. Scotland won 1-0 in the group stages at Euro 1996 with Ally McCoist scoring the only goal.
That is Scotland’s only win in their last five games against Switzerland.
They last met in a friendly at Hampden Park in March 2006 with the visitors running out 3-1 winners.
Kenny Miller scored Scotland’s only goal on that occasion – Steve Clarke will be hoping for a better result this time or they could be heading for the plane home from Euro 2024.
Matjaz Kek won just one cap for Slovenia as a player but during two spells as manager of the national team the former Maribor defender is having a far more significant presence.
Victory over Algeria at the 2010 World Cup is their only success at a major tournament and came under Kek, who embarked on his second stint in 2018 and has engineered the latest qualification.
Participation in Germany will mark only the fourth major international tournament for the former Yugoslav republic, who have been playing as an independent entity since 1992.
As well as Euro 2000, where they drew two games and lost the other in the group phase, Slovenia also qualified for the World Cup in 2002 and 2010 but have yet to go beyond the group stage.
This time round they will be hoping to make more of an impact in Group C where they meet qualifying rivals Denmark first in Stuttgart on June 16 and then Serbia and Euro 2020 runners-up England.
“We are a relatively young national team and the potential is huge,” Kek told the media. “There are quite a number of players who have come through the youth ranks and are already now senior regulars.
“Jaka Bijol has evolved into a fantastic player, [as has Adam] Gnezda Cerin. It makes you think that we won’t have to wait another 24 years or even 12 to 13 years to qualify for our next big competition.
“I’m convinced that Slovenia won’t be at [Euro 2024] to do sightseeing. We are not going there as tourists. We are going there to compete. I want the guys to be competitive and they will take that attitude. Why should we not think about progressing through the group stage?”
Slovenia made the most of a favourable draw in the qualifiers for Germany 2024 to reach their second European Championship, 24 years after their debut appearance at the tournament.
They lost only twice as they finished second in Group H, level on points behind Denmark and ahead of Finland, Kazakhstan, Northern Ireland and San Marino, to book a place at the finals.
Slovenia collected seven wins and 22 points in qualifying, both records for them in a major tournament qualifying campaign.
Kek, 62, leads a team with little in the way of experience, save for captain and goalkeeper Jan Oblak, but with several exciting prospects.
The best of the lot is 20-year-old forward Benjamin Sesko, who scored five goals in the qualifying campaign.
“He is the modern striker par excellence. I don’t know where he will play next season, he will decide but, for now, I’ll enjoy him this summer,” Kek told Italian reporters.
“We’re talking about a physically strong centre-forward who has made great progress also technically, month after month.
“He came to [the national team] when he was just a lad: a 17-year-old boy, and since then I have been watching him grow into a man. He has become a very important part of the team. Despite his youthfulness, he carries a sort of energy – the character of a diligent boy who would train day and night to achieve his goal.
“From time to time, I have to stop him a bit and calm him down: it’s just the amazing energy [that he has]. He is like a magnet, and such a positive one. It is clear that his likeability and splendid public appearances are making it known to little boys and girls that there is a lot of work, training, and sacrifices behind this [success].”
The 31-year-old Oblak is regarded as one of the best keepers in world football and in his 10 seasons at Atletico Madrid has won the Europa League and been to the Champions League final. But this is a first major tournament for him.
Escaping Group C would represent success for a national team without a nickname.
A return to the Euros after a lengthy absence is a source of much pride for the Slovenes and a 2-0 win over Portugal in a March friendly will have made opponents sit up and take notice.
“We are happy, delighted, and proud. It’s well-deserved for this generation of footballers; they have restored faith in Slovenian football,” added Kek.
A triumphant return at a European Championships would most likely coincide with a successful tournament for Sesko, who provided two assists to accompany those five goals in nine qualifying appearances – the most goals and assists combined of any Slovenian player.
All seven of those goal involvements came in his five home games, so he will need to show he can produce the same output on foreign soil.
The good news is that the tournament is taking place in Germany, where he plies his trade with RB Leipzig.
The 21-year-old forward scored 18 goals in all competitions for Leipzig last season, including goals in each of the last seven Bundesliga matches of the campaign.
It has sparked plenty of interest from Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United but uncertainty surrounding his immediate future has been put to bed.
Sesko was said to have a release clause in his deal that would have made him available for £55m until the end of June. He has now signed a new contract with the Bundesliga club.
Comparisons have been drawn with Erling Haaland, who also played for Red Bull Salzberg before dipping a toe in the Bundesliga, Haaland at Borussia Dortmund and Sesko at Leipzig.
Sesko played his way into the German side’s starting 11 in the second half of his debut season, and his 14 goals in 31 league matches helped clinch a Champions League berth for Leipzig.
The forward, who was eligible to play for either Slovenia or Bosnia & Herzegovina – his mother was born in the latter – has scored 11 goals in 28 internationals since making his debut in 2021.
Sesko has downplayed comparisons to Haaland, while saying his boyhood hero was former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is the same height.
“Personally, I don’t think much of comparisons,” Sesko said after signing for Leipzig.
“Erling is an absolutely world-class striker. I enjoy watching his games on TV and obviously pay attention to what he does in different situations in the game but as I’ve already said I am a completely different type of player.”
Sky Sports senior football journalist Peter Smith spoke to Damir Krznar – who is head coach of Slovenian champions Celje – about the country’s chances of success at the tournament.
“It’s not so common to reach a Euros or World Cup so there is real euphoria,” said Krznar. “You can feel it in every town in Slovenia. They really believe in their team. The group is quite good for them. And the crowd expect a lot.
“They had Denmark in the qualifying group. It was not equal for sure. Denmark, especially in Denmark, was one step ahead, they were the better team. But in Slovenia it was a draw, so they can expect a lot.
“They expect a lot in the game against Serbia. They believe that they can pass the group and everything after that is quite a bonus for them.
“Slovenia is tactically and, as a group, a dangerous team, for sure.”
“Throughout the qualifiers they played 4-4-2,” says Krznar. “This functions very well. Defensively, they are very stable, with Oblak in the goal, with good structure. Every team had a problem with them in offensive parts. So they’re very good in defensive shape and they try to cut all the good stuff from the opponent team. And they’re quite successful in that.
“Offensively they are fast and from this defensive block they can be very dangerous.”
“Zan Karnicnik will play at right full-back,” says Krznar about his Celje defender. “I use him more at left full-back. He’s an excellent player in the offensive phase. Defensively, he can have some problems but he’s a very clever guy and can prevent one-on-one situations.
“He is good in making decisions when he attacks and when he runs back, he waits for support, so he’s a very good player. And what is very good for him, in front of him, as a winger, he has [Petar] Stojanovic, who is also originally a full-back and that is where he plays in Italy for Sampdoria.
“Kek uses him in the national team as a winger. So they’re a very good team on this side with Karnicnik and Stojanovic. They were both very good during the qualifying campaign.”
Krznar has previously coached Josip Ilicic during their time together at Maribor. The 26-year-old has re-emerged from a time away from the game with depression, starring for Maribor back in his homeland and then making a goal-scoring return to international duty last month. He is now a part of his nation’s final 26-man squad for the Euro 2024
“He’s like new spring,” said Krznar. “He rises again. Excellent player. Everybody knows him from Atalanta. He’s a huge player, great player, and this spring he was for sure player number one in the whole league [Slovenian PrvaLiga for Maribor].
“He reached an excellent level. I’m so happy for him. I hope he can be a very good surprise for Slovenia in the tournament because for him 10-15 minutes is enough to solve the game.
“His individual quality is, maybe, the quality of top 20 in all of Europe. It’s only about the physical, the timing, but, he’s also a very clever guy. Tactically, very smart guy. Good in finishing but in assists even more.”
Goalkeepers: Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid), Vid Belec (APOEL), Igor Vekic (Vejle).
Defenders: Petar Stojanovic (Sampdoria), Jaka Bijol (Udinese), Miha Blazic (Lech Poznan), Jure Balkovec (Alanyaspor), Zan Karnicnik (Celje), David Brekalo (Orlando City), Erik Janza (Gornik Zabrze), Vanja Drkusic (Sochi).
Midfielders: Timi Max Elsnik (Olimpija Ljubljana), Jasmin Kurtic (Sudtirol), Benjamin Verbic (Panathinaikos), Sandi Lovric (Udinese), Adam Gnezda Cerin (Panathinaikos), Jon Gorenc Stankovic (Sturm Graz), Tomi Horvat (Sturm Graz), Adrian Zeljkovic (Spartak Trnava), Nino Zugelj (Bodo/Glimt).
Forwards: Josip Ilicic (Maribor), Andraz Sporar (Panathinaikos), Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig), Zan Celar (Lugano), Jan Mlakar (Pisa), Zan Vipotnik (Bordeaux).
Former Scotland striker Kris Boyd labelled his country’s performance “embarrassing” after their 5-1 hammering at the hands of Germany in the Euro 2024 curtain raiser.
Scotland were always up against it against the European Championship hosts, who came into the tournament on the back of friendly wins over France and the Netherlands.
Even so, lax defending and poor ball retention saw Steve Clarke’s side 2-0 down inside 20 minutes, with a third netted before the break from a Kai Havertz penalty once Ryan Porteous had been sent off for a rash challenge on Ilkay Gungodan.
Scotland restored some pride after half-time and would have drawn the second 45 minutes 1-1 before Emre Can netted an injury-time fifth, but the damage was long-since done.
“They were embarrassing,” Boyd told Sky Sports News. “They deserve enormous credit for getting there but we can’t keep getting to competitions and freezing. That’s exactly what happened.
“Germany were very good, but at the end of the day you’ve got to track your runners, you’ve got to stay with them and show more confidence on the ball when you get it.
“I’d be astonished if Scotland had any more than 10 passes put together in any phase of play. At this level, if you’re going to get anything, that’s one thing you need to do.”
Jamal Musiala was named player of the match as the Germany midfielder impressed on the international stage again, while Florian Wirtz capped his own tournament debut with a fine opening goal, with Gundogan pulling the strings in midfield.
But Boyd felt Germany’s quality was allowed to shine by Scotland’s static defending and said Clarke’s side must use the chastening defeat as a lesson ahead of facing Switzerland in Cologne on Wednesday.
“Scotland really struggled with the movement of the front players of Germany, albeit they were quality, and they switched off at key moments,” he said.
“It’s been a bad night but there’s no doubt these players have given the feel-good factor back to the country and hopefully they can bounce back in the next two games, but it’s going to be very, very tough.
“Switzerland and Hungary aren’t going to be easy games. You’ve got to erase this result, it’s done now and you can’t affect it now. What you can do is go and look at the next two games and try and cause problems in them.
“Steve Clarke might be angry in himself but I don’t think he can take it out on the players because you don’t want to lose them, you need to ask them to go again on Wednesday.”
Manager Clarke, whose side have only beaten Gibraltar in their last nine games, urged the Tartan Army to “keep the faith” despite the dispiriting opening defeat, after a number of fans left the Allianz Arena long before the full-time whistle.
“It was a difficult night,” he admitted. “We didn’t play to our standard and I thought the German team were excellent.
“We’re disappointed, we feel as though we’ve let ourselves down. We’re better than that and hopefully we can show that in the next two games.
“This was always going to be a tough night to get something. We need four points from the next two games and that’s what we focus on.
Asked if it was his toughest night as Scotland manager, he added: “No, I’ve had tough nights before. I’ll get over it.
“I’ve never ever doubted my players.”
Captain Andy Robertson said Germany’s first-half performance worked “a million times better” than Scotland’s during their painful drubbing in Munich.
“First half we got it all wrong,” the Liverpool defender told ITV. “We didn’t really show up, weren’t aggressive enough. Let good players on the ball.
“They had a game plan, we did, and theirs worked a million times better than ours.
“But it wasn’t because of the plan, it’s because we didn’t put it together on the pitch. When big occasions come like this, you have to do that.
“Second half, down to 10 men, I thought we dug in well. We lost a sloppy goal late on, but we could’ve drawn the second half.
“It’s no consolation, though, we’re well backed over here. Today was hugely disappointing.”
Denmark’s previous triumph as rank outsiders in the 1992 European Championships means they cannot be underestimated by England in Group C.
In the last tournament, the Danes reached the semi-finals where they were eliminated by Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions, before Kasper Hjulmand’s swashbuckling side breezed through qualifying for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Things have been tougher since, however.
They crashed out at the group stage in Qatar after failing to fire and, although they topped Euro 2024 qualifying Group H, they did so only on goal difference ahead of Slovenia.
What can we expect from Denmark this time around? Solid and unpleasant is how they have been described while Hjulmand showed during the qualifying campaign a tactical flexibility having changed formation on numerous occasions.
The Danes have a good chance of escaping their group, but they are not expected to replicate the feat of three years ago. Mikkel Damsgaard, who scored a brilliant free-kick in the semi-final defeat by England, has seen his career stall at Brentford on these shores.
Christian Eriksen’s powers also appear to be on the wane while it was a surprise to Celtic supporters to learn that Matt O’Riley hadn’t been included in the squad despite scoring 19 goals and providing 18 assists this season.
On O’Riley’s omission, head coach Hjulmand said: “I have chosen six other midfielders but it was tight. Damsgaard and Andreas Christensen can also cover positions in the midfield. It has gone beyond Matt, but it was a difficult choice. I know he will play a lot of international matches.”
Pressed on what O’Riley could have done differently for Celtic to earn a spot, he responded: “He couldn’t have done anything differently. He could hardly do better than what he did this season.”
“We had a difficult 2023 in the qualifying campaign – finally, in the end, we qualified, which is the main thing, but we struggled in certain games,” Denmark assistant coach Morten Wieghorst said.
The former Denmark midfielder said his side went into qualifying knowing they would enjoy a vast amount of possession, but, as in Qatar, they often struggled to break down teams.
That, however, is unlikely to happen in Germany, where they take on England, Serbia and Slovenia in Group C, none of whom are likely to just sit back against the Danes.
“The term ‘easier’ I wouldn’t use but the games are going to be different,” Wieghorst said wryly.
There have been the highs of winning Euro 1992 to the moment which transcended the sport in the last tournament when midfielder Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest.
Despite Eriksen’s heart issue, and him not being as fleet-footed as he once was, the 32-year-old is still expected to play a key role for a team in which he has been the dominant creative force for more than a decade.
“He can find that space and time to exploit the defences of the opponents, so that’s his major strength. And then in terms of pressing, we have to accommodate a player of his stature,” Wieghorst explained.
Another major strength for the team will be the estimated 50,000 Danes expected to attend the games over the border in Germany, an asset Wieghorst does not underestimate.
“We want to make it exciting, we want to give them something to shout about, and to have a great party and a great time in Germany,” he said.
Denmark topped their qualifying group with 22 points, the first time they had topped a European qualifier group since the 2012 edition. The Danes won all five home games in this qualifying campaign but lost two of their five away from home (W2 D1).
Experience could be key in Germany. Croatia’s squad have the most caps in the tournament, 1,169, with Luka Modric (175) one of four centurions. Portugal are 39 behind with Switzerland and Denmark the other teams above 1,000. England’s 651 is the seventh-lowest total with Scotland ninth-lowest on 744.
Surprisingly, Denmark – along with Albania – are the only teams without a domestic-based player in their respective squads.
England have a tournament-high 24 home-based players, with Madrid star Bellingham and Bayern striker Kane the only exceptions, while Italy have 23 – Jorginho and Guglielmo Vicario play in England with Gianluigi Donnarumma at PSG.
Denmark wrapped up their Euro 2024 preparations with a 3-1 win over Norway at Brondby Stadium that saw Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg score for the third international game in a row, with Erling Haaland grabbing a consolation goal for the visitors.
Midfielder Hojbjerg got Saturday’s proceedings underway with a 12th-minute strike from his powerful right foot, and the Danes added a second when defender Jannick Vestergaard headed home Andreas Skov Olsen’s corner nine minutes later.
With Denmark making a slew of second-half changes, Haaland had a goal chalked off after a VAR review in the 65th minute but there was no stopping him seven minutes later when a superb Martin Odegaard pass teed him up to reduce the deficit. Youssef Poulsen netted a third in second-half stoppage time.
It capped a successful week of warm-up matches after Eriksen scored a stunning late winner in a 2-1 victory over Sweden at a sold-out Parken stadium four days earlier.
It cemented his spot as the Danes’ most potent creative force ahead of the tournament in Germany, where they will face Slovenia, England and Serbia in Group C, with the Slovenians up first in Stuttgart on June 16.
Rasmus Hojlund will be motivated more than most to wrestle top spot off England after a rather indifferent first season in the Premier League as part of a dysfunctional Manchester United side.
The 21-year-old scored 10 league goals in 30 appearances following his £72m move from Atalanta – three more than he scored in qualifying for the Euros – and at international level, he has rarely let his country down.
His hat-trick against Finland in March made him the youngest (20 years and 47 days) hat-trick scorer for Denmark in a Euro qualifier since a 19-year-old Michael Laudrup in 1983 against Luxembourg.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, manager Hjulmand said on Hojlund: “I played with Rasmus’ father and have known and seen Rasmus since he was very young. I’ve watched many of his matches as a youth player and know where he comes from. His great quality is his personality.
“He is one of those young players who looks around every single day and thinks: ‘What can I learn? How can I improve?’ He has such an open mindset that revolves around: ‘I want to be better.’ That’s what shapes Rasmus. He constantly wants to become better, and he wants to be told that as well.
“He wants to be challenged, and thrives on getting better. When he didn’t make it to the World Cup, for example, which I thought was just too early, I went down to him in Bergen and showed him some clips regarding running and heading the ball in those situations.
“And then suddenly, one winter day, I was told that he was training hard. And then I saw, for example, that match against Finland where he scored three goals. He moves incredibly well and it’s not by chance that Rasmus takes steps forward because it’s his mindset, it’s his personality.
“It’s about leveraging the things that are around him for the better. That personality can take him a long way. We’re already very pleased with him but there’s more to come.”
Denmark have produced more than their fair share of goalscoring wingers with the ability to captivate fans and the latest is Skov Olsen, who is set to step out of the shadow of players such as the Laudrup brothers.
After breaking through at FC Nordsjaelland and spending three seasons with Bologna, the 24-year-old from Hilleroed has rediscovered his best scoring form this past season at Club Brugge in Belgium, with 26 goals in all competitions.
Skov Olsen’s breakout scoring season in Belgium comes at an intriguing time for Hjulmand’s side and may well prompt a positional shake-up from the Denmark manager in Germany.
Previously playmaker Eriksen occupied the space on the right of midfield that Skov Olsen prefers but the latter’s pace, close control and lethal left foot make him a huge threat as he cuts in from the wing.
As an added bonus, Skov Olsen is also more than capable with his right foot as shown by some deft chipped finishes in his club career.
To truly prosper in Germany, Skov Olsen will need to show that he is able to score against high-level opposition – he netted only three times in 70 games for Bologna and his last international goal came in September 2022 against France.
Like many of Denmark’s top players, demands will be placed on Skov Olsen’s intelligence and tactical flexibility as his side seek to navigate their way out of a difficult group.
If he stays clear of injury, Skov Olsen may well be the latest in a long line of Danish attackers to excite the team’s fanatical supporters.
By the way, keep an eye out also for holding midfielder Morten Hjulmand. There’s no relation with head coach Kasper, in case you were wondering.
The 24-year-old arrives off the back of a stellar season with Sporting as part of Ruben Amorim’s Portuguese league title-winning team.
Hjulmand only made his Denmark debut in September, so is a bit of a late bloomer on the international stage.
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Anderlecht), Frederik Ronnow (Union Berlin), Mads Hermansen (Leicester City).
Defenders: Andreas Christensen (Barcelona), Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace), Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester City), Victor Nelsson (Galatasaray), Alexander Bah (Benfica), Joakim Maehle (Wolfsburg), Rasmus Kristensen (Roma), Victor Kristiansen (Bologna).
Midfielders: Christian Eriksen (Manchester United), Thomas Delaney (Anderlecht), Morten Hjulmand (Sporting Lisbon), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham), Christian Norgaard (Brentford), Mathias Jensen (Brentford), Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford).
Forwards: Jacob Bruun Larsen (Burnley), Andreas Skov Olsen (Club Brugge), Anders Dreyer (Anderlecht), Kasper Dolberg (Anderlecht), Rasmus Hojlund (Manchester United), Jonas Wind (Wolfsburg), Yussuf Poulsen (RB Leipzig).
Scotland should not view their Euro 2024 opener against Germany as a “free hit” and can feed off any early-tournament nerves among the hosts to cause an upset, according to Chris Sutton.
The Scots get the competition up and running when they take on the hosts in Munich on Friday night, with Steve Clarke’s side also having to negotiate Switzerland and Hungary in Group A.
Scotland are the underdogs for the curtain-raiser, but Sutton believes there is no reason to fear the three-time European champions.
“What an opening game it’s going to be against Germany,” he told Sky Sports. “I flew over to Munich yesterday and I sense there isn’t a great level of expectation among the German public, which there normally is going into a major tournament.
“I think Scotland can view this as an opportunity and there are people out there thinking that this is a free hit for Scotland. I don’t view it that way.
“Under Steve Clarke, people will talk about their recent form in friendlies and they’ve won one out of their last nine games but they had some tricky fixtures in there and actually tested themselves.”
Scotland will be hell-bent on demonstrating they are not just in Germany to make up the numbers.
In their first and only previous meeting with the tournament hosts at a European Championship, the Germans ended Scotland’s hopes of Euro 92 progression with a 2-0 victory in Norrkoping.
Avenging that defeat will be in the back of the minds of those setting up camp in Munich, but manager Clarke must decide on a couple of selection conundrums, according to Sutton.
“We’ve learned from qualifying that Scotland are a really well-balanced team,” added the Sky Sports pundit. “There are areas of concern, of course.
“Scotland have a centre-back dilemma like England. Grant Hanley hasn’t played a lot of football at Norwich City this past season.
“But Clarke likes him and I suspect he will start. The other question mark is over who starts up front: Lawrence Shankland or Che Adams.
“I suspect Clarke will go with Adams, who is probably a better leader of the line but Shankland is a phenomenal finisher.”
“I’m looking forward to the game as Clarke and the players will view this as an opportunity and if Germany are slightly off it, I think they can get a positive result.
“If Germany are on form, at home, I can’t see how they don’t beat Scotland but you just never know.”
Much was made of Germany’s indifferent form last year.
Being a host nation means no qualification games and in 2023 they played 11 friendlies and won only three – against Peru, France and the United States – while losing six.
Amid that run, new boss Julian Nagelsmann took over in September and, since the turn of the year, Germany are unbeaten in four matches.
Wins against France and Netherlands preceded a goalless draw against Ukraine, which came before a victory over Greece last Friday.
Even if performances have still been patchy, then they look to have found the way to get results just in time.
“Nagelsmann has come in quite late in the day and they had a couple of morale-boosting wins in March against the Netherlands and France. He’ll be hoping they can carry on that form.
“We’ve seen in recent years that Hungary can be a very awkward team and they’ve got some phenomenal players, led by Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai.
“The Swiss, albeit you feel they’re on the decline and have an ageing team, they’re still very capable. Clarke will have to make a decision on his midfield balance in those games.
“Will it be Billy Gilmour or Ryan Christie? Scott McTominay had a phenomenal qualifying campaign in terms of goals while John McGinn and Callum McGregor are both wonderful footballers.
“Scotland’s midfield stands up to most in this competition so it’ll come down to how brave they are on the ball, how are they going to get up the pitch and whether they can pray on a little bit of German hesitation if they’re not quite at it.”
Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd:
“It’s been a long time coming. We’re looking forward to it, Steve Clarke has done an incredible job. I’m sure the boys will be ready.
“Whatever happens, the Tartan Army make the tournament. Everybody has travelled. They will be well behaved and have the banter that goes with the kilts.
“We have to go there with belief to get out the group – that would be success although it’s a difficult group. It’s going to be a great occasion on Friday night but the two games after that will be just as difficult. Hungary have been at the last three Euros and Switzerland qualify for every tournament. The other two nations have some big names and all this Germany on home soil.
“We need to get away from Scotland just being happy to turn up. It’s a negative mindset. We have to go and enjoy it but Clarke won’t be speaking to the players like that. There’s a chance for Scotland to get out of this group.
“John McGinn is one goal behind Ally McCoist and level with Kenny Miller, so it’s an unbelievable achievement for a midfielder. Since Clarke has come in, McGinn’s levels have gone through the roof. Scott McTominay has been Scotland’s best player, even when playing for Manchester United he’s done well.
“It’s a fresh start for the players. These players are under pressure every week with their clubs. Andy Robertson, under pressure. Callum McGregor, under pressure. It will be the same for Scotland. The fans will expect.”
Germany are packed full of world-class players starting in goal with 38-year-old Manuel Neuer, albeit he recently made a high-profile blunder in Bayern Munich’s Champions League semi-final defeat to Real Madrid.
The defence can boast experience in Antonio Rudiger of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich.
Germany have also been boosted by the return of midfielder Toni Kroos after a long absence. The midfielder has 109 caps and will finish his football career after this tournament.
Captain Ilkay Gundogan of Barcelona and Leroy Sane of Bayern Munich both had spells at Manchester City while Pascal Gross is a team-mate of Billy Gilmour’s at Brighton.
Arsenal’s Kai Havertz scored in last week’s friendly win over Greece and evergreen 34-year-old forward Thomas Muller has a remarkable 45 goals in 129 caps.
On the face of it, Scotland’s record against the Germans is not too bad – winning four and drawing five of their 17 meetings.
However, Scotland have never beaten them in a competitive game.
In tournament finals, Germany won the 1986 World Cup encounter 2-1 and recorded a 1-0 win at Euro 92.
Scotland’s last victory in the fixture was in 1999 when Don Hutchison, earning his second cap, scored the winner in a 1-0 friendly win in Bremen.
The most recent meeting between the sides was in September 2015 when Germany won 3-2 in a European Championship qualifier at Hampden.
Grant Hanley and James Forrest remain from the Scotland squad while Germany had Neuer, Kroos, Muller and Gundogan in their line-up. Muller scored twice and Gundogan got the winner.
Brighton are close to finalising a deal to appoint 31-year-old St Pauli boss Fabian Hurzeler as their new head coach, according to Sky in Germany.
There has been progress in discussions over a compensation fee for Hurzeler, who would become the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history.
Brighton are ready to offer Hurzeler a three-year-deal to succeed Roberto De Zerbi after the Seagulls secured a work permit for the German.
Hurzeler guided St Pauli to promotion to the Bundesliga after winning last season’s Bundesliga 2 title.
Brighton have identified Hurzeler following their data-led analysis.
Sky Sports News reported last week that former Seagulls boss Graham Potter would not be returning for a second spell as head coach despite talks between him and the club.
The Englishman is now interesting Leicester with Potter on their shortlist to replace Enzo Maresca, who left the newly-promoted Premier League side to become Chelsea boss.
It is probably not the first time you have seen his age mentioned and it definitely will not be the last. That is to be expected considering the seven-year gap between Hurzeler and the next-youngest manager in the league, Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna.
Hurzeler had never been in charge of a first-team side until he took the St Pauli job in December 2022. With only 18 months of management under his belt, he may look like a fledgling in the game, but his coaching exploits began in his early 20s before his retirement at 23.
Read William Bitibiri’s feature on Brighton’s potential new boss here.
Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg:
“Hurzeler was a former professional footballer and only started his managerial career a few years ago. I would say he’s one of the hottest coaches in German football. Many German clubs are interested in him as well.
“On their way to promotion, St Pauli played sensational football. Hurzeler is a good character and a good guy. He’s a bit like Julian Nagelsmann – they’re both very modern, very confident, very brave. Hurzeler loves to attack, he wants to have the ball. He’s not a defensive coach.
“I can understand why Brighton have kept an eye on Hurzeler and I think they’ve got a good chance to sign him. Hurzeler is very ambitious and for sure, 31 years of age is very young, but he has nothing to lose.
“He has a great connection with the players, he’s a leading figure despite his age, and he was absolutely accepted around the club with the fans.
“For Hurzeler, he has to ask himself if it’s the right step for him right now, but from the way he manages the team and the way he wants to play football, he could be the perfect solution and a very brave solution for Brighton at this stage.”