Home of football statistics and historyMemories of the delayed UEFA 2020 European Championship are fresh as we brace ourselves for the newest edition of the most prestigious continental tournament.
While Betway’s Euro 2024 markets don’t favour defending champions Italy, Luciano Spalletti’s side will touch down in Germany to become only the second team to win back-to-back titles.
Beaten Euro 2020 finalists England and 2022 FIFA World Cup runners-up France both boast impressive squads and are understandably the joint-likeliest candidates to claim continental glory.
The upcoming tournament presents a perfect opportunity for European star players to showcase their quality on the biggest stage and for up-and-coming talents to affirm their credentials.
We’ve compiled a list of ten players who could embrace the spotlight in Germany.
#10 Cristiano Ronaldo
Euro 2024 is probably Ronaldo’s last major international tournament with Portugal, which will be an added motive for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to run off into the sunset in style.
The 39-year-old was part of the Selecao squad to lift the Euro 2016 title, but his ever-present desire to win makes him a nightmare for rivals when the stakes are high.
Ronaldo has recently embarrassed himself with an unfathomable miss for Al-Nassr, prompting the superstar’s apology to the Riyadh faithful after the game, as per Express Sport.
#9 Harry Kane
Kane’s agony seemed destined to end when he swapped Tottenham Hotspur for Bayern Munich last summer. However, the England captain is on the verge of another trophyless campaign.
Unless the Bavarians miraculously win the Champions League, the prolific marksman will probably have to settle for the Bundesliga’s Golden Boot award, leaving Euro 2024 as his next chance to land a piece of silverware.
#8 Kylian Mbappe
Recently backed by Ronaldo ‘Phenomenon’ to win the Ballon d’Or in the Real Madrid jersey (via Mail Sport), Paris Saint-Germain ace Kylian Mbappe will lead France’s charge for continental supremacy.
Mbappe, inching closer to completing his long-awaited move to the Santiago Bernabeu, excelled in Qatar last winter, winning the 20202 World Cup Golden Boot with eight goals.
#7 Romelu Lukaku
Lukaku’s appearance on this list might look a bit surprising, but the Chelsea flop has enjoyed a renaissance at Roma, while he’s always been lethal for Belgium.
The robust striker was the most prolific scorer in the qualifying campaign, tallying 14 goals, including a remarkable first-half quadruple in a 5-0 thumping of Azerbaijan.
#6 Rasmus Hojlund
After taking some time to adjust to the Premier League setting, the up-and-coming Danish starlet has grown into one of Manchester United’s key players.
Hojlund could be Erling Haaland’s number-one adversary in the Premier League in the post-Mohamed Salah era, and this is his chance to prove his worth.
#5 Federico Chiesa
Chiesa was in scintillating form during Italy’s triumphant Euro 2020 run, earning a place in the ‘Team of the Tournament.’
As talks about his future at Juventus ramp up heading into the summer transfer window, the quicksilver forward will be the one to watch.
#4 Dusan Vlahovic
Another Bianconeri star whose future in Turin remains uncertain despite his electrifying start to the new calendar year will be desperate to catch the attention of European scouts.
Vlahovic will be Serbia’s leading figure alongside Aleksandar Mitrovic as the Eagles bid to make it out of the group stages in their maiden European Championship appearance.
#3 Xavi Simons
On loan at RB Leipzig, the PSG prodigy is going from strength to strength in the Bundesliga after a memorable 2022/23 season in the Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven.
Simons will return to Paris at the end of the campaign, and there’s no better way to announce his comeback than to help the Netherlands recover some old glory in Germany.
#2 Lamine Yamal
The Barcelona teen sensation continues to make the headlines in Spain, even though the Catalans’ La Liga title defence is on the brink of collapse.
Still only 16, Yamal carries a reputation as a generational talent.
La Furia Roja fans expect a lot from their phenom, who became the youngest goalscorer in the national team’s history when he scored against Georgia in September 2023.
#1 Florian Wirtz
There’s a feeling Wirtz’s future will be one of the hottest topics during the summer transfer window.
At just 20, the illustrious playmaker has been the beating heart of Bayer Leverkusen’s outrageous campaign under Xabi Alonso.
While he has yet to establish himself on the national team, Euro 2024 will be his opportunity to make a name for himself.
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