Explainers

THREE-TIME winners Germany will host the Uefa European Championship this summer.The tournament is set to kick off Friday, June 14 with hosts Germany playing the opening match against Scotland – at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena.Scotland face hosts Germany in the opening game of the Eruo 2024 championshipCredit: Kenny RamsayThe tournament will continue for a month and conclude on Sunday, 14 July at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.This will be the first time that Germany has hosted the tournament since the country’s reunification, with the 1988 edition held in West Germany.Can third place qualify for the knockouts?The format will be the same as for Euro 2020. The top two in each of the six final tournament groups will proceed to the round of 16 along with the four best third-placed finishers.READ MORE IN EURO 2024The tournament then enters into knockout football with a round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-final and final.What happens if teams are tied on points?If two or more teams are level on points at the end of the group stage, a head-to-head record is used as the first tie-breaker to determine their final rankings.This is followed by goal difference and goals scored in the matches between the teams in question, followed by most wins and then disciplinary records across the group as a whole.Should two teams be tied on points, goals scored and conceded at the end of the group stage – with no tiebreaker separating them from any other team – a penalty shootout will dictate their final placings.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSCan teams from the same group meet again in the knockout stages?The tournament is laid out to prevent teams from the same group from playing again until later in the knockout stages.How many teams qualify for Euro 2024?A total of 24 teams will compete in the UEFA Euro 2024.What are the groups?Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, SwitzerlandGroup B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, AlbaniaGroup C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, EnglandGroup D: Poland, Netherlands, Austria, FranceGroup E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, UkraineGroup F: Turkey, Georgia, Portugal, Czech RepublicPLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament. More

GARETH SOUTHGATE knows England’s chances of Euro 2024 glory depends on having not just the best team ON the pitch but the best one OFF it as well.That is why the FA has assembled an outfit of coaches both new, and experienced, to try and help the Three Lions lift the trophy this time around.Gareth Southgate has an impressive backroom staff, including assistant manager Steve Holland, leftCredit: GettyBut who are they? Here SunSport gives you the lowdown on who’s in Southgate’s team.Steve Holland: AssistantInjury forced a premature end to Holland’s playing career but that enabled him to focus on coaching from an early age.He has worked alongside a host of top managers at Chelsea before assisting Southgate part-time with the England Under-21s.That turned into a permanent assignment with the senior side in 2016.RED MORE EURO 2024 NEWSAfter England reached the Euro 2020 final in 2021, Holland was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours, for services to football.Steve Holland reportedly fell out with Ben White during the 2022 Qatar World CupCredit: GettyPaul Nevin: AssistantNevin returned to the England national team for a second time under Southgate a month after the Three Lions suffered heartbreak in the final penalty-shootout defeat to Italy at Wembley.The 54-year-old juggles England duties with his role as first team coach at French Ligue 1 club Strasbourg, after leaving West Ham in 2023.Martyn Margetson: Goalkeeping coachCame on board when Sam Allardyce was boss but stayed on under Southgate.Most read in FootballMassively experienced and knows England No 1 Jordan Pickford well from their time together at Everton.Martyn Margetson poses with England keepers Aaron Ramsdale, Sam Johnstone and Jordan PickfordJimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: Technical coachThe Chelsea legend replaced Chris Powell, whose contract expired, in March last year.The appointment continues the FA’s commitment to improving diversity in football, by giving opportunities to more Black coaches within England’s teams.Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink joined England last yearCredit: The TimesKatie Sorensen: Insight analystSorensen, 28, previously worked for Manchester City U18s, and was appointed under Southgate in July 2021.She does something called ‘coding’, which is basically cataloguing video clips of action so they are easy to find and analyse.Steve Kemp: Performance managerA familiar face for the England players, Kemp was previously the head physio from 2016 to 2023.He was then promoted to the Head of Physical Performance, Medicine and Nutrition.Previously worked for Preston, Wolves and Busan Icons in South Korea. Steve Kemp has been with England four eight yearsCredit: GettyChris Jones: Performance coachThe FA drafted in the former Chelsea and Everton Head of Performance Chris Jones to help boost their Euro 2024 bid.Jones knows England assistant Holland well from their time together at Chelsea.READ MORE SUN STORIESJohn McDermott – Technical directorSelf-proclaimed ‘Guardian of the Game’, McDermott said his role as director has pushed him to leave English football in a healthier state than when he first started.Previous experience as a manager for Tottenham U18s and the Spurs academy, where he spent 15 years.McDermott has been technical director of The FA since July 2020Credit: Getty More

THE full line-up of the 24 teams who will take part in this summer’s Uefa Euro 2024 is now complete.England and Scotland are among the teams that qualified but Wales were denied a spot in the European Championship after an agonising penalty shootout defeat to Poland, with Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland also missing out.England will return to the European Championship this summer in GermanyAlbaniaManaged by the ex-Arsenal and Manchester City star Sylvinho, Albania emerged as the shock winners of their qualification group.They surpassed Czech Republic and Poland to secure a spot in only their second major tournament.During Euro 2016, Albania did not make it past the group stage yet they finished their campaign on a high, securing a 1-0 victory against Romania in their final match.AustriaUnder the stewardship of Ralf Rangnick – ex-Manchester United caretaker – Austria clinched second place in their qualifying group.But they face the prospect of competing without their talisman David Alaba, who is in danger of being sidelined for the tournament due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament.At Euro 2020, Austria reached the Round of 16, marking their deepest run in the tournament’s history.They were narrowly defeated by the tournament winners, Italy, in an intense extra-time battle at Wembley Stadium.BelgiumBelgium breezed through the qualifiers with ease under the guidance of their new Italian-German coach, Domenico Tedesco.Most read in Euro 2024BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThis confirmed their spot at a third successive European Championship.Having reached the quarter-finals in the last two tournaments, Belgium are aiming to progress even further this time.Although their current squad may not have the same level of star power as the famed golden generation, it is still replete with a host of promising young players – including Man City’s Jeremy Doku and Everton’s Amadou Onana.CroatiaCroatia are eager to secure their inaugural major title after coming in second at the 2018 World Cup and the 2023 Nations League.They also reached the semi-finals at the most recent World Cup in Qatar.Skipper and Real Madrid icon Luka Modric, 38, is set to participate in his ninth significant international event.Czech RepublicIvan Hasek’s side secured their spot at an eighth consecutive European Championship, finishing second in Group E.The team boasts the inclusion of West Ham standouts Tomas Soucek and Vladimír Coufal.Alongside the up-and-coming talent of the Bayer Leverkusen star Adam Hlozek and team-mate Patrick Schick.DenmarkDenmark tasted defeat at the hands of England in the semi-finals of Euro 2020 and emerged victorious in Group H to qualify for this year’s tournament.The Danish team are remembered for their victory at Euro 92 which came about after they were called up to replace Yugoslavia.In Germany, the Danes will rely on Man Utd pair Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund.EnglandThe Three Lions had no doubts about qualifying as they secured two victories against Italy and garnered four points in their matches with Ukraine.With Gareth Southgate at the helm, England enters Euro 2024 as one of the teams to beat.Despite an underwhelming performance during the March international break, the quality of the Three Lions makes them strong contenders to win this summer and end a six-decade-long drought from the winners’ podium.FranceFrance ranks next to England as one of the sides most likely to triumph.They are on a quest to claim their first European Championship title since the turn of the millennium.Les Bleus, experienced the bitter taste of defeat as finalists on their own turf in 2016. However, they bounced back from that setback to capture World Cup glory in 2018 but failed to retain the title as they lost to Argentina in an agonising penalty shootout in the final.Georgia Georgia finished the qualifiers in fourth place and earned a play-off opportunity thanks to their commendable displays in the Nations League.They clinched their inaugural entry into a major tournament as an independent country through a nail-biting penalty shootout triumph against Greece. The Napoli standout Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is poised to be one of the standout talents at Euro 2024.GermanyHaving secured their spot as the host nation, Germany parted ways with their previous manager Hansi Flick in September 2023.This followed after a series of underwhelming performances that resulted in only four victories out of 17 matches.New boss Julian Nagelsmann will lead the team until the 2026 World Cup.HungaryAfter a 44-year absence from the European Championships, Hungary has successfully qualified for their third consecutive tournament.At Euro 2020 Hungary held their own managing to draw twice in a challenging group with France, Germany, and Portugal. Despite these commendable efforts, unfortunately ended the tournament at the bottom of their group.ItalyThe reigning champions are set to encounter stiff competition in their bid to advance to the knockout stages.Italy experienced the mid-qualifying campaign resignation of Roberto Mancini, and ended up second to the Three Lions – he was replaced by Luciano Spalletti.They clinched their place in Euro 2024 by drawing with Ukraine on the last day of the qualifiers.NetherlandsThe Netherlands secured the runner-up spot in the qualifiers behind France and are expected to be strong contenders for the title in Germany.Their squad brims with exceptional talent, including stars such as Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong and Xavi Simons.Ronald Koeman is in his second tenure as manager and brings a wealth of experience, having triumphed in the tournament as a player in 1988.PolandPoland finished a distant third behind Albania and Czech Republic in the qualifiers and had to contend with a play-off spot to keep their Euro 2024 hopes alive.After a decisive 5-1 victory over Estonia in the play-off semi-final, Poland narrowly secured their qualification by winning against Wales in a penalty shootout.Portugal Portugal clinched a victory in all ten matches during the qualifiers netting 36 goals, and conceding a mere two.Under the guidance of ex-Belgium coach Roberto Martinez, Portugal is aspiring for a storybook farewell for Cristiano Ronaldo.The Al Nassr star, 39, is set to participate in his 11th — and potentially final — major international competition.RomaniaRomania emerged as the leader of Group I in the qualifiers, marking their return to a major tournament for the first time since 2016.This marks their sixth appearance in the history of the European Championship.ScotlandSteve Clarke guided Scotland to a commendable second-place finish in their qualifying group, securing consecutive European Championship participations. Their campaign begins with the tournament opener against Germany.Scotland’s track record at major tournaments has seen them never progress beyond the group stage. Their efforts to overturn this history will likely hinge on pivotal matches against Switzerland and Hungary.SerbiaSerbia will make their first Euros appearance since 2000, despite having been contenders in four World Cup events during that interval.Historically, Serbia achieved runner-up status in the 1960 and 1968 competitions as part of Yugoslavia. The current squad boasts an array of skilled players, including Dusan Vlahovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and the ex-Fulham forward Aleksandar Mitrovic.Slovakia Slovakia finished behind Portugal in qualifying, with boss Francesco Calzona combining his role with the national team whilst also being the manager of Napoli in his native Italy.They won the European Championship in 1976 as part of Czechoslovakia.PSG star Milan Skriniar is the captain and key player for the team.SloveniaSlovenia suffered only two defeats in the qualifiers and secured a spot as group runners-up.Euro 2024 marks their return to a major tournament, the first since the 2010 World Cup.In their group fixture against England on June 25, the spotlight will be on RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko. The 20-year-old striker is widely regarded as one of the most promising young strikers on the continent and has attracted attention from some of Europe’s premier clubs.SpainLa Roja are among the tournament favourites having topped their group in the qualifiers – winning seven in eight.This is Spain’s 12th European Championship and are second only to Germany in terms of participation.Following his appointment in 2022, Luis de la Fuente succeeded Luis Enrique after Spain’s exit in the World Cup Round of 16.Alvaro Morata is the captain of a relatively young squad that includes Man City star Rodri.SwitzerlandSwitzerland are set to make their fifth appearance in the final stages of the last six European Championships at Euro 2024.In a memorable display during Euro 2020 the Swiss team kicked out France through a penalty shootout only to be eliminated themselves by Spain in the quarter-finals also via penalties.Granit Xhaka is the captain with the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri still expected to be in the squad.TurkeyUnder the leadership of Vincenzo Montella, Turkey secured top spot in Group D outperforming Croatia and Wales.Although Turkey has been eliminated during the group stages in their recent two competitions, they are renowned for their remarkable journey to the semi-finals in 2008.They were narrowly defeated by Germany with a score of 3-2 in one of the European Championship’s most memorable clashes.UkraineUkraine fell short of direct qualification due to a goal difference with Italy.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut victories against Bosnia and Iceland including Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk’s decisive goal in the 84th minute against Iceland secure Ukraine’s Euro 2024 spot.This marks their significant return to international competition for the first time since the Russian invasion in 2022.What are the groups for Euro 2024?
Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland
Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania
Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England
Group D: Poland, Netherlands, Austria, France
Group E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine
Group F: Turkey, Georgia, Portugal, Czech Republic More

ENGLAND will be aiming to put an end to their near 58-year wait for a trophy at Euro 2024 this summer.Gareth Southgate’s side will be hoping they can go one better than the Wembley heartbreak of Euro 2020.England are favourites heading into Euro 2024Credit: REUTERSThe England gaffer left some regulars out of his 26-man squad, with the likes of Harry Maguire and Jack Grealish not on the plane to Germany.Southgate has opted for some new names this summer as he aims to be the man to guide the Three Lions to their first tournament win since the 1966 World Cup.SunSport details every scenario of how football can, in fact, come home…England’s route to Euro 2024 finalFirst up for England in Germany will be taking on the three other teams in Group C:READ MORE IN EURO 2024Sunday, June 16 – Group C: Serbia vs England (Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen – kick-off 8pm BST, BBC)Thursday, June 20 – Group C: Denmark vs England (Waldstadion, Frankfurt – kick-off 5pm BST, BBC)Tuesday, June 25 – Group C: England vs Slovenia (RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne – kick-off 8pm BST, ITV)Who can England play in the Round of 16?Should the Three Lions make it out of the group, here are their three scenarios:Most read in Euro 2024If England finish top of Group CSunday, June 30 – England vs third-placed side in Group D/E/F (Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen – 5pm BST kick-off)If England finish runner-up in Group CSaturday, June 29 – England vs Group A winners (Westfalenstadion, Dortmund – 8pm BST kick-off)If England finish as one of four best third-place teamsOne of:Monday, July 1 – Group F winner vs third-placed side from Group A/B/C (Waldstadion, Frankfurt)Tuesday, July 2 – Group E winner vs third-placed side from Group A/B/C/D (Allianz Arena, Munich)EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSWho can England play in the Quarter-finals?*Key: 1A = top of Group A, 2A = runner-up in Group A, 3A = 3rd in Group AIf England finish top of Group C and win their round of 16 gameSaturday, July 6 (Merkur Spiel-Arena, Dusseldorf – 5pm BST kick-off) – England vs winner of 2A vs 2B If England finish runner-up in Group C and win their round of 16 gameFriday, July 5 (MHPArena, Stuttgart – 5pm BST kick-off) – England vs winner of 1B vs 3A/D/E/FIf England finish as one of four best third-place teams and win their round of 16 gameOne of:Friday, July 5 (Volksparkstadion, Hamburg – 8pm BST kick-off) – England vs Winner of 2D vs 2E Saturday, July 6 (Olympiastadion, Berlin – 8pm BST kick-off) – England vs winner of 1D vs 2FSemi-finalsIf England finish top of Group C, win their round of 16 game and win the quarter-finalWednesday, July 10 – kick-off 8pm BST (Westfalenstadion, Dortmund) – England vs Berlin quarter-final winner.If England finish runner-up in Group C, win their round of 16 game and win the quarter-finalTuesday, July 9 – kick-off 8pm BST (Allianz Arena, Munich) – England vs Hamburg quarter-final winnerIf England finish as one of four best third-place teams, win their round of 16 game and win the quarter-finalOne of:Tuesday, July 9 – kick-off 8pm BST (Allianz Arena, Munich) – England vs Stuttgart quarter-final winnerWednesday, July 10 – kick-off 8pm BST (Westfalenstadion, Dortmund) – England vs Dusseldorf quarter-final winner.FinalSunday, July 14 – kick-off 8pm BST (Olympiastadion, Berlin) – Berlin semi-final winner vs Dusseldorf semi-final winnerREAD MORE SUN STORIESPLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament.
Who’s in England’s 26-man squad?Here is the Three Lions’ squad for Euro 2024:1 Jordan Pickford2 Kyle Walker 3 Luke Shaw4 Declan Rice5 John Stones6 Marc Guéhi7 Bukayo Saka8 Trent Alexander-Arnold9 Harry Kane10 Jude Bellingham11 Phil Foden12 Kieran Trippier13 Aaron Ramsdale14 Ezri Konsa15 Lewis Dunk16 Conor Gallagher17 Ivan Toney18 Anthony Gordon19 Ollie Watkins20 Jarrod Bowen21 Eberechi Eze22 Joe Gomez23 Dean Henderson24 Cole Palmer25 Adam Wharton26 Kobbie Mainoo More