source : Unsplash
The 2022 FIFA World Cup culminated just three months ago, but the world of football has
already moved on. In Europe’s elite leagues, Arsenal and Manchester City are locked in a title
battle for the ages, while Napoli look to have wrapped up a first Scudetto in 33 years, despite
there being 8 games still remaining in the current Serie A season. In Germany, Borussia
Dortmund and Bayern Munich are going head to head for the Bundesliga, and oddschecker,
which compares
odds and offers on European football, makes the reigning champion Bavarians
the favorites for the crown, despite them currently being a point behind their rivals.
It isn’t just club football which has moved on either. The world of international football has also
continued in its stride, and Euro 2024 qualifiers begin at the end of March. With the recent
showdown in Qatar being pushed back to the winter courtesy of the Arabian Gulf State’s soaring
summer temperatures, Europe’s finest nations need to wait just 18 months before their next
major tournament gets underway. As the host nation, Germany have already qualified. Which
other teams should we be looking out for in Euro 2024 qualifying?
Norway
Ever since the European Championships expanded to a 24-team format back in 2016, the
tournament has been easier than ever to qualify for. Courtesy of there being eight extra
qualifying spots up for grabs, we have seen the likes of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland,
Finland, North Macedonia, Hungary and Albania all qualify in recent years. One nation that still
hasn’t qualified for the continental showdown is Norway.
The
Scandinavian nation hasn’t reached a major tournament since they were eliminated at the
group stages of Euro 2000. But that will surely come to an end this year. In Erling Haaland, The
Norwegians have the finest out-and-out striker in world football in their ranks. Arsenal captain
Martin Ødegaard is one of Europe’s finest playmakers, and he too represents the Drillos Løven.
Their 24-year baron spell will surely come to an end at next summer's tournament.
source : Unsplash
However, they will have to navigate a somewhat tricky-looking group in order to progress. Spain
are the favorites to top Group A. Then it looks like a three-way fight between Norway, Scotland
and Georgia, who have one of Europe’s finest players in Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
representing them. They will all be fighting it out for the runner-up spot and safe passage to Euro
2024.
All three of Norway’s nearest rivals are guaranteed at least a playoff spot courtesy of their UEFA
Nations League performances, so the pressure is on Haaland and the team to ensure they finish
as runners-up at the very least.
Ukraine
Group C is perhaps the tightest of all ten qualifying groups. Four of the five nations in the group,
namely Italy, England, Ukraine and North Macedonia all made it to Euro 2020, but this time
around, only two of them will progress. Many would expect that to be the reigning champions
Italy, along with the team they beat at Wembley two years ago to earn the title, England. But
don’t rest on the laurels of the Ukrainians.
Italy have underwhelmed in the two years following their finest hour, and they even lost to
Group C rivals North Macedonia in the playoffs to reach the 2022 FIFA World Cup. England are
the in-form team, but how will they respond to more penalty spot World Cup heartbreak? If
either of those two teams falters, the door will be wide open for the Ukrainians to storm through.
The Ukrainians will be more motivated than ever to reach the European Championships. They
were without a doubt the best team in their playoff route to the most recent World Cup, but they
couldn’t find their way through a stubborn Welsh defense, leaving Gareth Bale and co. to qualify
for the showdown in Qatar at their expense. But the Synʹo-zhovti won’t make the same mistake
twice.
The Ukrainians have a team full of stars. Mykhaylo Mudryk recently joined Chelsea for £80
million, while Oleksandr Zinchenko has been one of the stars of Arsenal’s title challenge.
Atalanta’s Ruslan Malinovskyi has been one of Europe’s finest midfielders for some time now,
and Dnipro-1 striker Artem Dovbyk has netted 17 times in 26 games so far this season. Write
them off at your peril.
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Euro Qualifying 2024