The UEFA European Championships 2024 group stage draw has been conducted, setting the stage for the tournament. The draw took place in Hamburg, and here are the groups:

Group A:
– Germany
– Hungary
– Scotland
– Switzerland

Group B:
– Spain
– Albania
– Croatia
– Italy

Group C:
– England
– Denmark
– Slovenia
– Serbia

Group D:
– France
– Austria
– Netherlands
– Play-off winner A (Poland, Estonia, Wales, or Finland)

Group E:
– Belgium
– Romania
– Slovakia
– Play-off winner B (Israel, Iceland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, or Ukraine)

Group F:
– Portugal
– Turkey
– Czech Republic
– Play-off winner C (Georgia, Luxembourg, Greece, or Kazakhstan)

The tournament is set to begin on June 14, 2024, with Germany hosting Scotland at the Allianz Arena at 8 p.m. BST. The top two teams from each group will advance to the last 16, joined by the four best third-place teams. The remaining three finalists will be confirmed in March after the conclusion of the play-offs.

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Before taking any action, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has reminded Tottenham manager Antonio Conte that he has to “expand” on his complaints about the team.

At a fiery news conference following Spurs’ 3-3 draw with Southampton, Conte accused his players of being “selfish” and ill-equipped to handle the pressure that comes with aspiring for success.

According to sources, The club executives think Conte’s job is no longer tenable as a result of his outburst, which might finally result in his resignation.

The first Spurs player to openly address Conte’s comments was Hojbjerg, who is currently on international duty with Denmark.

“I think we’ve all seen it. Very honest and very open press conference he gave. It is because he is not satisfied. You don’t do that if you’ve reached the quarter-final of the Champions League and if you’re in the semi-final of the FA Cup,” he told a press conference.

“It comes from the fact that, unfortunately, we did not get the results we as a team and club wanted. We are still where we want and need to be in the Premier League. But yes, it’s hard, I should say.

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“I understand that if you want to be successful as a team, you need 11 men who are committed to a project and a culture. But I think he has to elaborate on how he feels before you as a player can start measuring and weighing.

“The coach has not been satisfied, and that is what I will take with me. You do what you can to please him. What I do know about myself is that I am an honest player. I am a player who always gives 100% of myself for the team.”

Hojbjerg also revealed Conte did not warn the players before speaking to the media.

“Let me put it this way: He didn’t tell us what he wanted to say at the press conference,” the midfielder explained. “But it is clear that you work with each other every day, you want the best for each other and you want to be successful together. And sometimes the waves go high in football.”

Finally, asked whether he was offended by Conte’s words, Hojbjerg stressed: “That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that if that’s how he sees it, then you have to be a little more precise in order for you as a player to take it to heart.”

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Polish referee Szymon Marciniak has been appointed and given the whistle to officiate the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France.

Marciniak becomes the first Poland native to be given the honour and will be joined by fellow Poles Pawel Sokolnicki and Tomasz Listkiewicz on the sidelines.

He was heavily involved in the Champions League in 2021–2022, officiating four games in the group stage and two in the round of 16, before presiding over Chelsea’s 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in the quarterfinal and Liverpool’s victory over Villarreal in the semi–final—the first time a Polish official had ever presided over a significant European semi–final.

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Marciniak has presided over two games this winter, and he has already refereed matches involving both France and Argentina.

He was in charge of the whistle during the group stage as France defeated Denmark 2-1, issuing three yellow cards as Kylian Mbappe’s late strike gave Les Bleus the victory.

After that, Marciniak oversaw Argentina’s 2-1 triumph over Australia in the round of 16.

Thus, the 2022 World Cup final will be overseen by the Polish referee.

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FIFA rejected France’s appeal about the outcome of their World Cup match versus Tunisia.

The protest was filed following their last group match against Tunisia, which the North African team won 1-0 on the strength of a goal from Wahbi Khazri.

It was a game that ended in controversy, though, with substitute Antoine Griezmann believing he had scored an equaliser in the 99th minute.

A long delay followed, and the referee allowed Tunisia to kick off again, only for VAR to intervene and disallow the goal for offside.

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That incensed the French and they lodged an appeal, claiming a breach in VAR protocol had occurred in disallowing a goal after play had restarted with a kick-off.

The French Football Federation (FFF) asked FIFA to allow the goal and have the result changed to a 1-1 draw, but it has been rejected out of hand.

“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has dismissed the protest submitted by the French Football Association in relation to the Tunisia v. France FIFA World Cup match played on 30 November,” a short FIFA statement read.

Despite the fact that the episode sparked debate, it had little effect on the group. France advanced as group champions, while Tunisia was eliminated from the competition.

The outcome had no bearing on Australia or Denmark, with the Socceroos finishing second and qualifying for the last 16. On Saturday evening, they were defeated 2-1 by Argentina.

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Argentina superstar Lionel Messi claims that his missed penalty in Wednesday night’s vital World Cup victory over Poland galvanised the team, which was on course for victory as soon as Alexis MacAllister broke the deadlock.

Before kickoff, La Albiceleste, one of the pre-tournament favourites, was in jeopardy of a shocking group-stage exit and faced Robert Lewandowski’s Poland with nothing to lose.

It appeared to be business as usual when Messi converted a penalty for Lionel Scaloni’s club in the first half. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was attempting a first by scoring in his seventh straight Argentina appearance. Wojciech Szczesny, the goalkeeper for Poland, stood up to the challenge and confidently palmed the ball away.

“Having missed the penalty, the team came out stronger from that,” Messi told TyC Sports.

“The team was convinced that we were going to win, it was a matter of the first one coming in. Once we scored the goal, the game was going to be played the way we wanted.”

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After Mac Allister found the key first goal, Julian Alvarez eventually got the second.

Alvarez and Enzo Fernandez, who helped score the second goal, didn’t start any of the first two contests. However, they arrived to have a significant impact. Mac Allister, on the other hand, started back-to-back victories after missing the opening setback against Saudi Arabia.

Messi continued by praising the “strength of this group,” which enables that.

“We said it from the beginning. The players who come in know what they have to do and are always fully prepared. It is the strength of this group, the union and that when a player has to, he responds,” the 35-year-old explained.

With the group stage now over, Argentina will face a spirited Australian side that qualified from a very challenging Group D ahead of Denmark. That game will be played on Saturday.

“We know it’s going to be very tough,” Messi assessed.

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On a thrilling day of competition in Qatar on Monday, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal and five-time winners Brazil joined France in the World Cup knockout rounds with a game remaining.

Only three teams have secured spots in the quadrennial competition’s knockout rounds.

After two victories in two games, only Portugal, Brazil, and France remain in the running for the knockout rounds. Their final group match will determine their fate while we wait for other countries to advance to the round of 16.

The World Cup’s build-up was clouded by controversy, but since then, the excitement, joy, and celebration felt during the competition have exceeded all expectations. In addition, we have come this far with dark horses pulling big upsets during the competition.

Although Spain, Argentina, Germany, and England are among the favourites in this tournament, they have thus far played well, and their individual matchups will determine their fate.

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Brazil, Portugal, and France, the remaining contenders, have already advanced to the elimination round.

The group elimination curse, which affects every reigning champion that fails to advance past the group stages at the following World Cup, was broken by France, the first country to do so, and France showed steadfastness in doing so.

France defeated Australia 4-1 in their opening group match, and they then defeated Denmark 2-1. Brazil fought hard to defeat Switzerland 1-0 to complete a 2-0 victory.

Meanwhile, Portugal, followed a similar scenario, winning 3-2 against Ghana and handily defeating Uruguay by a score of 2-0.

All three countries now have a chance to get to the quarterfinals without having to face any formidable opponents. The losers of Group G will play Portugal.

The second-place team from Group H, which might be Uruguay, Ghana, or South Korea, will play Brazil. The Group C runners-up, which might be Poland, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, or Argentina, will oppose France.

All group games will be played at the same time tomorrow, which will signal the start of the Round of 16. Players from France, Portugal, and Brazil will undoubtedly take a break, and the Round of 16 will now take centre stage.

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While praising Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi’s World Cup performances, England’s Jack Grealish named Brazil as the World Cup standout squad in Qatar.

Of the 24 teams who have played two group games, only World Cup holders France have taken the maximum points.

The 2022 campaign of Didier Deschamps’ team got off to a rout against Australia, while Mbappe’s magnificent double helped them defeat Denmark.

Mbappe scored twice against Denmark to bring his tally to 31 goals in international play, 20 goals shy of Olivier Giroud and Thierry Henry’s 51-goal total from four years ago in Russia.

Argentina, however, lost shockingly to Saudi Arabia in their tournament opener and was aware that a loss to Mexico on Saturday would have meant elimination.

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At the Lusail Stadium, Messi once again worked his magic to break the tie and put Argentina on the road to a crucial victory after a tense opening hour.

After his heroics against Mexico, Grealish called Messi “unbelievable,” but the Manchester City player still thinks Brazil, Argentina’s South American opponents, are the favorite in Qatar.

Brazil will look to make it two wins from two when they face Switzerland on Monday, having beaten Serbia last time out.

Asked to assess some of England’s biggest rivals in Qatar, Grealish told talkSPORT: ‘I watch all the games to be honest. We have screens all over the place at the hotel and it’s just nice to have games on all day.

‘I was watching Messi [against Mexico], unbelievable. He just showed what he’s about in that second half but then again so did Mbappe.

‘I think there are lots of brilliant teams, some teams have that one player who’s just unstoppable but I think Brazil are one of the most impressive I’ve seen so far.

‘They have so much talent, especially in those attacking areas. If you’re asking me who the biggest threat is, I’d probably say Brazil.’

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On Saturday, Kylian Mbappe scored twice as defending champions France defeated Denmark 2-1 to advance as the first team to the round of 16 of the World Cup in Qatar.

After a deft one-two with teammate Theo Hernandez, Mbappe gave France the lead in the Group D match just after the hour mark with a prodded finish. However, Denmark fought back with a thunderous header from defender Andreas Christensen to tie the game.

A late cross from Antoine Griezmann was converted by the Paris Saint-Germain striker, ensuring France’s perfect record as they continue their World Cup championship defence. As of right now, Mbappe is tied with French superstar Zinedine Zidane for the most goals ever scored in the nation with 31 goals.

Following the outcome on Saturday, France now leads Group D with six points, three more than second-place Australia, while Denmark is yet to record a victory with just a point after two games.

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France had the better chances in a tight, tense first half as Adrien Rabiot came close with a header and the Danes were pushed into several last-ditch blocks to preserve their clean sheet.

Mbappe gave the French the lead in the 61st minute by capping an excellent high-speed French attack with a bouncing first-time goal off Hernandez’s deft pull-back.

Seven minutes later, Christensen, who is always a threat from set pieces, brought the Danes even by sneaking in behind the defence and stooping to head the ball home.

In the 80th minute, Rabiot launched a spectacular volley over but neither team appeared content with a draw. A minute later, substitute Martin Braithwaite launched a first-time effort of his own but it went just wide of the near post.

When Mbappe came up at the far post in the 86th minute to deflect a close-range Griezmann cross to restore the lead and send the visiting French fans into raptures, it appeared as though the game might end in a tie.

In an effort to score a second equalizer, Denmark threw everything forward, leaving a ton of space at the back. However, their late attempts against a team they had previously defeated twice in the Nations League were ineffective, and the French held on to win and advance.

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When the defending world champions France resumes Group D responsibilities against Denmark at Stadium 974 on Saturday night, they can guarantee a spot in the final rounds of the 2022 World Cup.

The French national team, led by Didier Deschamps, overcame a deficit against Australia on Tuesday night to begin their championship defence with a resounding victory.

For the second tournament in a row, Denmark was held to the first 0-0 draw of the World Cup. While Tunisia took a share of the spoils earlier in the week, France was on the other side of the stalemate in 2018.

• Team News:

Before Deschamps selected his team, after Deschamps selected his squad, and again during their World Cup journey, France have been beset by injuries. On Tuesday, left-back Lucas Hernandez tore his anterior cruciate ligament during the buildup to Australia’s goal by Goodwin.

The Bayern Munich player will not be participating in the remainder of the World Cup as he prepares for months of recovery. Instead, he will hand the ball to his brother Theo Hernandez, who performed admirably after taking over for his injured cousin.

Due to a hip injury, Deschamps was also without Kingsley Coman in Friday’s training session, but Raphael Varane was deemed healthy enough to play against the Socceroos in lieu of Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate at the back.

Upamecano and Konate won’t feel as though they deserved to lose their positions, but a fully healthy Varane will undoubtedly be given consideration, and the unfortunate Liverpool player may be the one to withdraw.

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Similar circumstances to Hernandez’s have befallen Denmark, as Sevilla midfielder Thomas Delaney, who was substituted against Tunisia at halftime due to a knee injury, has also been forced to withdraw from the competition in order to rehabilitate for a month.

Other than Delaney’s injury, Hjulmand has no new worries heading into Saturday’s game. As a result, he should think about moving Eriksen and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg into a deeper role, which would free up either Mikkel Damsgaard or Jesper Lindstrom to join the attack.

The 29-year-old Andreas Cornelius should only be considered for a substitute role here alongside the injured Yussuf Poulsen after producing one of the worst misses in World Cup history against Tunisia when he miraculously hit the post from a yard out.

• Possible Lineup:

France’s possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Upamecano, T. Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Giroud

Denmark’s possible starting lineup:
Schmeichel; Andersen, Christensen, Kjaer; Kristensen, Hojbjerg, Eriksen, Maehle; Skov Olsen, Dolberg, Damsgaard

• Score prediction:

Denmark ought to be the overwhelming favourite to defeat a team they vanquished in Copenhagen and Paris based only on the results of this year’s Nations League. However, focusing only on their two most recent meetings would be misleadingly partial.

In the group game, the defending champions are the favourites, especially if they can duplicate the electrifying swagger of their second half against Australia.

Kasper Hjulmand, the manager of Denmark, is juggling more important choices than his preferred defensive alignment.

Any outcome against France will leave those competing interests in place.

Prediction: France 2-1 Denmark

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Hugo Lloris, the captain of France, praised Olivier Giroud and referred to him as “an inspiration to never give up.”

Giroud scored a brace as France defeated Australia 4-1 to start their World Cup defence, becoming the team’s all-time leading scorer alongside Thierry Henry.

If Karim Benzema’s pre-tournament injury hadn’t occurred, the Milan striker might not have even started the match. Lloris is pleased to see that his unwavering persistence has paid off.

“I think Olivier Giroud deserved a lot of credit,” Lloris said after the match. “He is an example of football to never give up.

“The last few months he was in and he was out but he never lost focus and it is important. It is a big achievement to equal Thierry Henry and I hope he will go ahead. For all the team it is a good start and for the striker two goals is great.”

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Particularly in the first half when Australia unexpectedly took the lead early, France had to battle hard for victory.

Lloris, though, says the fact France were able to come back so strongly is a testament to their character.

“I think we have got the credit of a good reaction and we stepped up and started to control the game, he said. “We can be pleased with the performance but we know we have to improve game by game.

“The key was to stay cool after going behind. We have a lot of young players but we have some with experience so we have a good mix and we can feel it on the pitch.

“It is one very good step into this World Cup and now we are going to focus on preparing for Denmark.”

France will face Denmark in their second game before ending the World Cup group stage against Tunisia.

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After sustaining a knee injury during Tuesday night’s 4-1 victory over Australia, Lucas Hernandez has been ruled out of France’s World Cup campaign.

Australia took an early lead in the sixth minute, forcing Didier Deschamps’ team to come from behind. However, the defending World Cup holders went on to dominate the majority of the game with Olivier Giroud netting a double, while Adrien Rabiot and Kylian Mbappe also struck.

Hernandez’s forced departure from the game with a knee injury came in the 13th minute, dealing France a setback. His younger brother Theo, an AC Milan defender, took over the defensive position for the Bayern Munich defender.

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Following an MRI exam, Hernandez was found to have anterior cruciate ligament damage, which has caused him to miss the remainder of France’s campaign in Qatar.

‘Like the whole group, players and staff, I am extremely sorry for Lucas,’ Deschamps said.

‘We are losing an important element. Lucas is a warrior and I have no doubt that he will do everything possible to return to the game. first plan.

‘I know him well, courage, he will have it, that’s for sure. On behalf of the group, I wish him the best possible recovery.’

France plays Denmark in their next match in Group D on Friday before facing Tunisia next Wednesday.

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In their Group D World Cup opener at the Education City Stadium, Tunisia held Denmark to a scoreless draw that will not stick in the memory for very long.

After having a heart arrest at Euro 2020, Christian Eriksen returned to a big tournament 18 months later, but his Denmark team was held to a discouraging 0-0 draw by Tunisia in Group D due to some late VAR controversy.

Issam Jebali had a goal disallowed for offside in the 23rd minute, but Denmark played the majority of the attacking game in the first half amid the loud noise produced by the thousands of Tunisian fans in the stands.

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The Danes upped the tempo in the second, with Christian Eriksen firing a rasping left-foot shot that was saved by goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen in the 69th minute, and Andreas Cornelius hit the post with a header from the resulting corner.

Ten minutes after the half, Andreas Skov Olsen’s goal for Denmark was disallowed. In stoppage time, referee Cesar Ramos decided not to award a penalty after consulting the VAR monitor in response to a possible handball by Tunisia’s Yassine Meriah.

As the Danes tried to break them down, Tunisia defended staunchly and threatened on the break. In the end, their fans were thrilled with a point that prepares them for their next match against Australia, while Denmark faces France.

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