The European Championship begins in Germany on Friday and it is next to impossible to predict who will have the last laugh. The Euros, over the years, have churned out unexpected winners.

Who had thought that Denmark, the last-minute entrants replacing war-torn Yugoslavia, would triumph in 1992 or Greece, with their dour and drab defensive style of football, would emerge as champions in 2004, or Italy, who didn’t even qualify for the 2022 World Cup, would turn Wembley into azure blue in Euro 2020?

That’s why the European Championship has always been all the more compelling to watch.

In this part of the world, the European Championship came into the collective conscience two years after Diego Maradona held the world captive with his dazzling skills. Football fans in India were still discussing Maradona and Argentina’s win in Mexico when Euro 1988 happened. And like Maradona had mesmerised the world with his left-foot, Marco van Basten catapulted into the limelight with his volley from nearly an improbable angle in the final against the Soviet Union.

Beamed live on television on a Saturday evening in June, the 54th-minute strike was breathtaking. The Netherlands’ victory in Munich remains their only major silverware till now. And Van Basten’s goal? Well, the other day the UefaEuro2024 Instagram account shared memorable goals of European Championships. Van Basten’s volley remains on top of the chart. Even the years haven’t been able to take the shine away.

Euros in the last 20 years have seen a sea change with more teams — now 24 — coming into the scene. And with each edition, it’s becoming more competitive. Lionel Messi may disagree with Kylian Mbappe’s view that the Euro is more complicated to win than the World Cup (the France captain and a World Cup winner is yet to lay his hand on this trophy). Still, there is no denying that the teams are so used to playing against each other more often than not that the X-factor hardly comes into play.

Front-runners

Some teams can go the distance. Germany, being the host, France, Portugal, Spain and England are the teams who can make it happen. At least on paper.

Germany were down and out just a few months back but since 36-year-old Julian Nagelsmann took over from a fumbling Hansi Flick, the three-time winners are looking dangerous. In March, they recorded back-to-back wins over France and the Netherlands. That showed the team had managed to arrest the slide to some extent.

The return of Toni Kroos in the midfield (he will retire following the Euro) has changed the dynamics of the team. The Germans have not tasted major international success since winning the 2014 World Cup. Their disappointing run in recent years has seen more than one in four Germans not showing an interest in the Euros. But it could change if Nagelsmann’s men gain the momentum as the tournament progresses.

French power

France with an array of talent are one of the favourites. That’s par for the course because of the quality of players Didier Deschamps has at his disposal. Mbappe, Antoine Greizmann, Eduardo Camavinga, Jules Kounde, Olivier Giroud... The bad news is that Aurelien Tchouameni, the 24-year-old Real Madrid star, is yet to recover from his foot injury. For the frontline to fire, Deschamps will need Tchouameni’s presence in
the midfield.

France’s last-16 loss to Switzerland three years back — they were leading 3-1 in Bucharest with 15 minutes to go — was more to do with complacency than anything else. As they say, France’s biggest enemy has always been Les Bleus itself.

English challenge

If France are notorious for frittering it away, England are the ones
who develop cold feet every time the going gets tough. How can you describe their meltdown in the Euro 2020 final when despite taking the lead within one minute and 56 seconds, they finished second to Italy? That too when the final was at their home... the Wembley.

This time they are in Germany with renewed hope of winning their first trophy since the 1966 World Cup success. Jude Bellingham, fresh from his stupendous maiden season with Real Madrid, is the man coach Gareth Southgate is banking on. Add to that the presence of captain Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Declan Rice and Eric Dyer. But for the team to taste success, Southgate will have to be bold and courageous. He has been engulfed by the fear of failure more often than not. England deserve a major trophy and this could be their tournament.

Tough group

Spain, with the mixture of youth and experience, also have the wherewithal. Unlike the last edition when Luis Enrique ignored players from Real Madrid, coach Luis de la Fuente has shown faith in Dani Carvajal and Nacho, the defensive duo of the 15-time European Cup champions. Spain should also feel bullish about their chances with the return of Pedri.

The Barcelona midfielder, then just 18, was the standout player in Euro 2020, which was held in 2021. But playing more than 70 matches that season, which included the Tokyo Olympic Games, proved detrimental to his growth as he started picking up injuries at regular intervals. Spain are clubbed in Group B with Luka Modric’s Croatia, defending champions Italy and surprise package Albania. Should they come out of the Group of Death unscathed, they could go all the way to the final.

The Ronaldo factor

And finally Cristiano Ronaldo, the long-playing record. From 2004 onwards, he has been a regular feature for his country. And this could well be his last. In his sixth European Championship, the 39-year-old Portugal captain will be the star attraction once again.

He has twice played in the final. In his first year in 2004 and eight years ago when Portugal beat France. Now plying his trade in Saudi Arabia, Cristiano leads a strong Portugal contingent.

Roberto Martinez’ side looks menacing. Defender Pepe is 41 but is still up and running. Portugal have Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva in the midfield, Joao Felix upfront along with Diogo Jota plus Cristiano.

The Ronaldo-mania could be gauged from the fact that tickets to watch him train in an open session on Friday were on sale for as much as $858.32. He had left the 2022 World Cup in tears and jeers. Will he bow out of his final Euro with that million-dollar smile? Let us wait till July 14.