The 2024 European Cup finals begin on Friday in Germany, where the football heavyweights on the Old Continent are preparing to fight for a month with the aim of snatching the crown from defending champion Italy, and competing with the two leading candidates, France and runner-up England.
Germany will play Scotland in the opening match in Munich, and the host country hopes to continue its journey until the final scheduled in Berlin on July 14.
This is the first time that the country has hosted a major international tournament for men since the 2006 World Cup Finals, as it is counting on the ground staff and the public to erase the disappointing participation in the last continental tournament three years ago when it was eliminated in the last 16 by England, and the disastrous results in the last two editions of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups when I got out of the first round.
The 2020 European Cup was postponed for a year due to the emerging Corona virus “Covid-19” pandemic, and was held in front of limited crowds. It was also organized in cities across the continent, from Seville, Spain, to the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku. These factors hampered the effort to make it a special and unforgettable tournament.
But this time, all traveling fans will land in Germany, where matches will be held in 10 stadiums, from Hamburg in the north to Munich in the south.
The Germans hope to repeat what happened in 2006, when many fell in love with their national team again after a period of stagnation similar to what they experienced in the years preceding this competition.
Philipp Lahm, Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning captain and director of Euro 2024, is now looking to the competition to bring people together at a time of division and disunity across the continent.
The tournament begins less than a week after far-right parties achieved significant gains in the European Parliament elections, while Europe is still dealing with the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
“I hope at least the European Cup will make Germany more united again,” Lahm said
Germany’s good performance on the field will help achieve this, and expectations are more positive for coach Julian Nagelsmann’s men now than they were a few months ago.
Germany has great chances in the first group, which includes Hungary and Switzerland, given the quality of its ranks, from veteran playmaker Toni Kroos to the two younger stars Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala.
#Bilad #newspaper #European #Cup #kicks #Germany #disunity #division