The excitement in the football world is palpable. After all, the UEFA Euro 2024 Cup is in the offing! Many teams are already gearing up for the games starting on 14th June. As always, fans cannot help but compare the teams in the group stages. And this time, Slovenia will be going up against England – the odds have thus been quite competitive, with punters using sites such as this Bet365 alternative link to place their wagers. What’s more, football community forums have witnessed increased debates regarding the teams that will head to the knockout stage, with some terming England as a favorite. So, does Slovenia have a shot at winning? Let’s find out:
Slovenia in Euro 2024
Slovenia will be in group C, which will also feature Denmark, Serbia, and England. So, how do these teams compare?
- England
Everyone knows that England is a formidable team. It qualified for Euro 2024 by winning in Group C. Before 2024, this team had appeared in 10 other tournaments, including 2020, 2016, and 2012. In 2020, England was in Group D and played against Scotland, Croatia, and Czech Republic, where it won by garnering 7 points. It proceeded to the knockout phase, where it beat Germany, Ukraine, and Denmark before proceeding to the final game, where it lost to Italy at the penalty stage.
Let’s consider the team’s form in the past year. In international friendly games, it has won against Australia and Scotland, drawn with Belgium, and lost to Brazil. In the European Championship qualification, it won against Malta, North Macedonia, and Italy and drew with North Macedonia and Ukraine.
The last time England played against Slovenia was in the UEFA World Championship Qualification in 2017, where it beat Slovenia (1-0). Before that, Slovenia had drawn against England.
- Denmark
Slovenia will also be up against Denmark, a strong team that qualified for Group C after winning in Group H. Before 2024, this team had made 9 appearances in the Euro tournaments, including in 2020 and 2012. Denmark has a previous win record that dates back to 1992. In 2020, it came in second in Group B and proceeded to the knockout stage, beating Wales and the Czech Republic before losing to England (1-2) in the semi-finals.
So, how has Denmark been doing? In its past international games, it has won against the Faroe Islands and drawn with Switzerland. On the European Championship Qualification front, it has won against Slovenia, San Marino, Kazakhstan, Finland, and Northern Ireland. It has also drawn with Slovenia and lost to Northern Ireland. Denmark last faced off with Slovenia in 2023 during the qualification. When it was home, it beat Slovenia 2-1, but when it was away, it drew with Slovenia 1-1.
- Serbia
Serbia made it to Group C after coming up as runner-up in Group G. Before 2024, Serbia had made 5 appearances in the tournament, with the last appearance being in 2000. This time, the independent nation will be making a comeback.
How has it been performing? Serbia has won against Cyprus and Jordan and lost to Russia and Belgium in its international friendlies in 2023 and 2024. In the European Championship Qualification, it won against Montenegro and Lithuania, drew with Bulgaria, and lost to Hungary.
The last time Serbia played against Slovenia was in 2022 during the UEFA Nations League. Serbia beat Slovenia 4-1 in one match, and the teams drew in the last match.
- Slovenia
Compared to other teams in the group, Slovenia has had the least appearances in the tournament. Before 2024, it had only played in the UEFA Euro tournament once in 2000. It qualified for the 2024 games by coming up as runner-up in Group H.
Let’s consider its performance in 2023 and 2024. In its friendly games, it won against Portugal and the USA, and drew with Malta. In the European Championship Qualification, it won against the following teams:
- Kazakhstan,
- Northern Ireland,
- Finland, and
- San Marino
In its games against Denmark, it lost once and drew once.
The Expected Outcome
This group has strong teams, all motivated to move on to the knockout stage. Serbia will be angling to regain its glory, having been out of the group stages since 2000. England will be working hard to make it to the finals again and claim the title. On the other hand, Denmark, which lost in the semi-finals, will be eyeing the finals this time. Slovenia will be working hard to remain in the game, as it has only featured in the tournament once and intends to establish a winning streak. Slovenia did not fare well against the other teams during the qualifications round. But it performed well enough to make it to the group stage. It has a good chance of beating Serbia and Denmark. However, it must pull out all the stops to beat England, which is already the favourite for most bookies.
Is backing Slovenia a good choice? The odds are too close to call at this point. While it may seem like the underdog based on its tournament history and qualifications stats, this team has a good chance of surprising people, just like it did when it made it to the 2024 group stage!
