Which nations have been overlooked so far ahead of Euro 2024?
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This summer’s Euro 2024 has the makings of a brilliant tournament, with so many talented sides capable of lifting the coveted trophy in Germany this summer.
While the hosts, alongside England, France, and Spain, all arrive as favourites amongst Euro 2024 winner odds, there are a number of sides that have been overlooked and could be dark horses.
The qualifying rounds go a long way to building momentum for the Euros, although there have already been some controversial omissions when it comes to squad selection – like Germany leaving out the likes of Leon Goretzka and Marcos Reus, while England kept Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford at home. That being said, some of the best sides remain a tight-knit group and could well cause an upset.
With that in mind, let’s look at a few dark horses ahead of Euro 2024 and assess which sides could go further in the competition than expected.
Hungary
Kicking things off with one of the most in-form nations in the world, Marco Rossi’s Hungary were dominant in qualifying and have an exciting blend of experienced players and European stalwarts. With Germany, Switzerland, and Scotland in their group, Hungary has a chance to qualify and make an impact.
Captained by Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, the Hungarians have lots of senior players to support the 24-year-old, with players like Willie Orab and former Anfield resident Péter Gulácsi ensuring that Rossi’s side are tough to break down.
Austria
Known for their committed playstyle, Austria fights for every ball and presses relentlessly. They might spring a surprise at Euro 2024 if they can keep their key players fit.
The biggest challenge they’ll face, besides being placed in the toughest group with the likes of France, Poland and the Netherlands, is the injuries their star men have faced pre-tournament.
Indeed, David Alaba was ruled out for Real Madrid’s Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund, missing out on a place in the squad after suffering an ACL tear.
While it means Austria are missing their leader, it allows other key players like Marko Arnautovic and Maximilian Entrup to shine under the experience of Ralf Rangnick, who is known for winning tournaments in the Bundesliga.
Turkey
At Euro 2020, Turkey were considered one of the tournament’s dark horses, but flattered to deceive and were unable to pick up a single win, exiting at the group stage. This time however, they performed admirably in qualifying, topping a challenging group, and could cause some upsets to Euro 2024 betting offers if they can carry on their good form.
Having won five of their qualifying matches, they managed to finish ahead of World Cup semi-finalists Croatia, and have a great side that includes Inter Milan’s Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Burak Yılmaz to lead their attack.
Turkey’s only concern, and a reason why they perhaps aren’t being spoken about more, is their manager. Vincenzo Montella has only been in charge since September of last year, but has managed to win 50% of his matches in charge, showing he can get his side over the line in a group with Georgia, Portugal, and the Czech Republic. If they find their form, they could surprise everyone.