Europe gets ready for another round of exciting football action, with the road to EURO 2024 laid as the teams enter the next qualifying round this summer in line with the 2024 tournament set to kick off in Germany.
With double-header match weeks coming up, football fans may not feel the absence of Premier League or domestic club football action as the head-to-head matchups for this time’s qualifiers look daunting.
While we build up to the EURO 2024, here’s the latest from the qualifier rounds that will set June ablaze.
Does Mbappe need more focus?
Kylian Mbappe’s focus and performance will be crucial for the French national team as they face Gibraltar and Greece in their Euro qualifying matches.
Despite the buzz surrounding Mbappe’s future, his teammates, such as Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate, have noted that he has remained unchanged in terms of behavior and attitude within the team.
France brought out a heart-throbbing fight to Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2023 final against Leo Messi’s Argentina, all thanks to Mbappe’s brilliance on the field. Hence, the demand for Euro 2024 tickets in France’s qualifying games has been high.
Mbappe was appointed as France’s captain before the Euro qualifying matches and has continued displaying his usual joyfulness and teasing. France has had a solid start to their qualifying campaign with victories over the Netherlands and Ireland, and consecutive wins against Portugal and Greece would put them in an excellent position for qualification.
The French team will hope that Mbappe’s focus remains intact as they aim to secure their spot in the tournament.
With Kylian Mbappe’s contract running out with PSG at the end of 2024 and with him indicating that he will not be extending his contract, opening up another speculation with a move to Real Madrid.
According to the information provided by Sky Sports News, Kylian Mbappe’s current contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was initially a three-year deal with the option of a further year. However, the additional year is a player option, which means, ultimately, Mbappe decides whether he wants to activate it.
Mbappe is heading into the final year of his contract with PSG. He was in a similar situation last year, but PSG persuaded him to extend his contract.
If it follows the expected course and Mbappe chooses not to trigger the extra year, he will be eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with a club outside of France starting in January. This would allow him to secure a move to another club on a free transfer once his contract with PSG expires.
England – once again, favorites
England’s national football team had a strong start in Group C, securing a 2-1 victory against Italy in March and defeating Ukraine. With a perfect record, they will be expected to continue their winning streak and distance themselves from Italy, who are participating in the Nations League finals. Their upcoming matches include an away game against Malta, a team ranked low in Europe, followed by hosting North Macedonia at Old Trafford.
Unfortunately, midfielder Jude Bellingham, who recently completed a transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid, is currently injured. However, manager Gareth Southgate may give a debut opportunity to Crystal Palace winger Eberechi Eze, who has had an impressive season with his club.
Eze had previously encountered setbacks, including withdrawing from England’s provisional Euro 2020 squad due to an Achilles injury. Nevertheless, he has shown resilience and performed well throughout the season with Crystal Palace.
Gareth Southgate will be delighted to have the likes of the treble winners’ Manchester City in his squad as the players return to training after three heavy days of celebration.
Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Phil Foden, and Kalvin Phillips have all reported for international duty with the England national team at St George’s Park. They arrived on Tuesday night and will undergo assessments before attending a light training session.
According to reliable sources, the Euro 2024 tickets in the qualifier round game for England against Malta are not expected to sell out, with Malta sitting at 172nd in the FIFA Rankings. Expect Southgate to get his reserve team players some game time for the next round in September to assess his options before he opts to make his final squad.
Ronaldo is back in Portugal’s colors
Cristiano Ronaldo has been included in Portugal’s squad for their upcoming Group J matches against Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Iceland. The 38-year-old forward joins the team after a successful stint in the Saudi league, where he scored 14 goals in 16 games for Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo expressed his excitement about returning to his home country, posting on Instagram earlier this week. Despite initial doubts about Roberto Martinez’s decision to call him up, Ronaldo proved his worth by scoring two goals in each of Portugal’s previous qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.
Fans worldwide have been excited ever since Martinez added the legendary striker back to the national squad in the previous qualifying round, and this round’s fixtures are expected to have more fans purchasing Euro 2024 tickets for the Portugal games since this might be his last Euro tournament.
Euro 2024 might also be Ronaldo’s last international stint.
The upcoming fixtures will be more challenging, but Ronaldo aims to add to his remarkable international goal tally of 122 for Portugal. Additionally, he currently holds the men’s international appearance record of 198 and could reach 200 if he participates in both matches.
Golden boy Haaland is back!
Erling Haaland could not participate in Norway’s previous qualifiers in March due to injury, and his absence was noticeable as the team struggled, losing 3-0 against Spain and drawing 1-1 with Georgia.
As Norway prepares to face Scotland on Saturday, they will be eager to have Haaland back in the lineup. Scotland currently has a perfect record with two wins in Group A, adding to the importance of Haaland’s potential return.
However, there may be concerns about Haaland’s availability following the wild celebrations that followed Manchester City’s victory in the UEFA Champions League final.
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has acknowledged the attention surrounding Haaland but remains focused on his own team’s preparations.
For Norway, it is essential that the side wins all the games to stand a chance to make it to the main tourney, and Haaland’s contribution will be crucial.
Rasmus Hojlund, the 20-year-old Danish forward, had an impressive performance in Denmark’s opening qualifiers in March. He scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory against Finland and added two more goals in a surprising 3-2 defeat against Kazakhstan.
Hojlund had a successful season with Atalanta in Serie A, scoring nine goals. Now, he will be looking to continue his excellent form for the Danish national team as they face Northern Ireland and Slovenia in Group H.
With his goal-scoring prowess and young age, Hojlund has the potential to be a key player for Denmark as they aim to secure positive results in their upcoming qualifiers.
As we near the business end to decide who makes the cut, expect the qualifiers to get more intense, and it will be different football action from your everyday schedule. Euro 2024 tickets are already out, and the chances of you securing one for the games in March seem highly likely, thanks to reseller platforms.
