Euro 2024 power rankings: Why England are not No 1... yet
With the Euro 2024 qualifying groups finalised, Telegraph Sport ranks the 21 teams who have secured a place in the final, from worst to best. Three more countries will join them through the play-offs.
21) Romania
Finished unbeaten and top of their qualifying group, ahead of highly ranked Switzerland, although they also only drew against Kosovo, Belarus and Israel during the campaign. George Pușcaș, the former Reading forward, will lead their attack while at the back they have Radu Drăgușin, 21, who was a youth-team player at Juventus before moving to Genoa permanently this season after a successful loan.
20) Czech Republic
What can be expected of them after coach Jaroslav Šilhavý announced live on television this week that he was stepping down? He was still on the pitch at the time and said the pressure on him had been too much. They had just won against Moldova to secure a place in the finals.
19) Albania
They are the lowest ranked team who have qualified for the tournament, standing at 59th on FIFA’s list. Recent draws against Moldova and Faroe Islands will hardly inspire confidence of getting out of the group in Germany but they also have Chelsea striker Armando Broja looking to make a name on the international stage. Have a Premier League feel to their management with Sylvinho assisted by Pablo Zabaleta.
18) Slovakia
Only Portugal defeated them in qualifying, with Iceland and Bosnia their tough opponents and Luxembourg pulling off shock victories. Their solidity will come in the form of Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Milan Skriniar, who has been on the radar of Premier League teams while previously at Inter Milan, and partner David Hancko from Feyenoord, while in midfield they have Napoli’s Stanislav Lobotka.
17) Slovenia
Pushed all the way by Kazakhstan earlier in the week and it needed Benjamin Verbic’s late goal to secure the victory and a runners-up place in their group behind Denmark on head-to-head records. They have not been at the tournament since 2000 and their last major tournament was the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, so reaching the finals is a huge achievement for the team captained by Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Benjamin Sesko is their potential star.
16) Turkey
Finishing top of their group ahead of Croatia shows what they are about, after a hugely disappointing Euro 2020 when they were tipped as dark horses but ended up losing all three group games. Former Italy striker Vincenzo Montella has been head coach since September and will be encouraged by the friendly win over Germany which came after beating Croatia.
15) Serbia
Finished second behind Hungary in their group. Aleksandar Mitrović and Sergej Milinković-Savić are now in Saudi Arabia but will be looking to show their class at the highest stage, while an attack with Dusan Vlahovic and Dusan Tadic will be trouble for most defences.
14) Hungary
They qualified from Group G without losing a match, albeit from a group they would be expected to qualify from. Victory against England home and away last year, including the 4-0 win at Molineux, are the benchmark for his team who are captained by Dominik Szoboszlai, the Liverpool midfielder who has looked at home in the Premier League after his summer move from RB Leipzig.
13) Switzerland
After reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup, they are not there to make up the numbers next year with their squad full of experience but also quality. Granit Xhaka has gone to Bayer Leverkusen and is a key part of their unexpected Bundesliga title charge. Xherdan Shaqiri and Denis Zakaria add to their quality, while Fabian Schar and Manuel Akanji are familiar to those watching Premier League football.
12) Austria
Only finished a point behind Belgium in qualifying and while David Alaba is their only Galactico, there is quality through the spine of their team with their captain playing behind a midfield that contains Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich), Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig) and Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund). Marco Arnautovic, 34, is still in the set-up and will be at the tournament on the back of a season on loan at Inter Milan.
11) Denmark
Their place in next year’s finals was secured before the shock defeat to Northern Ireland during the current international break. The Danes have plenty of Premier League experience in Kasper Schmeichel, Joachim Andersen, Andreas Christensen, Christian Eriksen and Pierre-Emile Hojberg in their ranks. They also have Rasmus Hojlund, who has saved his best Manchester United performances for Europe.
10) Scotland
Victories have been hard to come by recently but the hard work was done earlier in qualifying by beating Spain, Norway and doing the double over Cyprus. It shows they are a match for any team when it clicks for them. They will be hoping Scott McTominay is dangerous in his advanced role and John McGinn and Billy Gilmour give them control in midfield.
9) Croatia
Luka Modric may be 38 but no country will relish playing against him. Marcelo Brozović is also the wrong side of 30 and playing in Saudi Arabia, yet writing off Croatia in any match would be dangerous, even if they were beaten by Wales and Turkey in October. They also boast Joško Gvardiol, who has looked at home at Manchester City as one of the most promising defenders in Europe.
8) Netherlands
Question marks over an out-and-out striker, given Wout Weghorst scored the winner at the weekend against Ireland to secure a place at the finals. He did show he liked the big occasion at the World Cup. Ronald Koeman has exciting players in Xavi Simons and Cody Gakpo. Virgil van Dijk has had his captaincy style questioned by Dutch footballing royalty in Marco van Basten.
7) Germany
Have not been involved in qualifying as they are tournament hosts but the worrying friendly defeats have led to Hansi Flick’s dismissal and Julian Nagelsmann being appointed, although defeat to Turkey at the weekend hardly raised expectations. The new coach at least has two exciting talents in 20-year-olds Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala. Beating France, albeit in a friendly, showed they are still capable of the big wins.
6) Italy
The holders showed in their two qualifying defeats to England they are capable of moments brilliance but are also beatable. Luciano Spalletti’s impact could take time after losing Roberto Mancini to the riches of Saudi Arabia and they have the Serie A betting scandal hanging over them, denying them Sandro Tonali.
5) Spain
They are understated by comparison to previous competitions, with Luis de la Fuente in charge after taking charge of Spain’s youth teams. They are among the top seeds but victory against Georgia came at a cost – Gavi suffered a serious knee injury. They are Nations League holders but the defeat to Scotland showed they can collapse during matches too. In transitional phase after Luis Enrique’s departure.
4) Belgium
There are still players remaining from the Golden Generation, even though Eden Hazard has retired from football. Jan Vertonghen, at 36 and back in his homeland with Anderlecht, is still in the squad and their attack is still led by Romelu Lukaku. Injuries to Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring) and Thibaut Courtois (anterior-cruciate ligament) have been concerning, although it should not be forgotten that Belgium were ranked No.1 in the world up to March 2022. Jeremy Doku is their most exciting young talent.
3) Portugal
Their attack will all go through Cristiano Ronaldo, who is not talking about retiring yet but surely is in Last Dance territory with the competition he won in 2016. Roberto Martinez has a wealth of talent in all other areas: Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes – and they are just the ones based in Manchester. Joao Palhinha is a potential star of the tournament going under the radar.
2) England
Gareth Southgate has set his sights on being the No.1 ranked team in the world and the feeling in his squad is that only winning Euro 2024 will be classed as success. This is the result of reaching the final in 2021 and having a settled team and squad, plus the small matter of Harry Kane scoring goals and Jude Bellingham emerging as the best young talent in Europe.
1) France
It takes ruthlessness to win 14-0 against any opponent, which they did against Gibraltar. After coming so close to winning the World Cup they have been unstoppable in qualification, the friendly loss to Germany the only blemish. With Kylian Mbappe they can win any game, also have a Galactico engine room in Eduardo Camavinga and Aurélien Tchouaméni.
