Euro 2024: A Quick Slide Into Group E

Written By Onyeka Daniel

With the European Championship set to kick off in a matter of days, this report aims to take a look at some of the teams participating in the tournament, particularly, Group E, where we have one of Europe’s heavyweights, Belgium, competing against Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine.

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Belgium, under their former managerRoberto Martinez had some of the best players in world football at that time, but with little success. In fact, they were often referred to as the “Golden generation which some dissatisfied fans renamed the “Bronze generation” as they were the only FIFA No 1 ranked nation to never win anything.

Now, with Domenico Tedesco in charge, there have been some notable changes. Starting with the appointment of Romelu Lukaku as captain of the team following the retirement of Eden Hazard. This reportedly didn’t go down well with Thibault Courtois who since stepped down from the team. The new coach has started his reign on a positive note, with 10 wins and no defeat in his first fourteen games.

Belgium had a first win in Germany since 1954 in Tedesco’s first match and qualified unbeaten for a fifth consecutive major tournament. Tedesco is more tactically flexible than Martinez, playing a 4-2-3-1 and then 3-4-3 in his first two games. He then switched to 4-2-4 for the 3-2 away win over Austria, with Lois Openda playing off Lukaku to secure their championship spot. “If it’s possible, I want to play dominantly,” said Tedesco in his first interview as Belgium head coach.

It should also be noted that only Portugal (two) and France (three) conceded fewer goals than Belgium (four) in qualifying. For this team, while they may lack the stars that used to litter the squad few years ago, there is the right blend of experience and youthfulness in this team that makes them a dangerous opponent.

Especially when they don’t have the favorite tag hanging over their neck anymore. The likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Jan Vertonghen should be able to combine well with their captain, Lukaku to give them that lift while the new players like Jeremy Doku and Dodi Lukebakio can bring the flair and dribbling threats to the team.

One of their major weaknesses will be in goal where they will be missing the experience of Courtois, but the coach has already confirmed that Koen Casteels will start in goal for the country that is currently ranked 3rd in the latest FIFA ranking. Their starting lineup is also pretty much straightforward, with only a few uncertainties left in certain positions.

Belgium predicted starting lineup (4-3-3): Casteels; Castagne, Faes/Debast, Vertonghen, Theate; Onana, Mangala/Tielemans, De Bruyne; Trossard/Lukebakio, Lukaku, Doku.

The next team on the list is Slovakia, even though they’re the lowest ranked team in the group on the FIFA ranking (48), they are the only Pot 5 Team to Qualify for the Euros. Their coach, Francesco Calzona will hope Euro 2024 goes better than the recent Serie A season with Napoli.

He became their third head coach of 2023-24 when he took interim charge, job-sharing with his permanent role as Slovakia head coach. With the Serie A season over, he’s now set to focus fully on the Slovakian job.

Slovakia were pretty impressive in the qualifying rounds, and they also possess a number of players plying their trade in Europe’s top leagues. Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Milan Skriniar (national team captain), Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka and Napoli’s Stanislav Lobotoka.

Those three are the spine of the team, but left-back David Hancko is also one to keep an eye on. Their strength lies in their midfield (Lobotka, Juraj Kucka, and Ondraj Duda have huge experience) and defense.

Slovakia predicted starting lineup (4-3-3): Dubravka; Pekarik/Gyomber, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Haraslin, Bozenik, Suslov.

Up next is Romania, who are ranked two places above Slovakia (46). They qualified for this tournament unbeaten, winning six and drawing four in a group containing Switzerland and Israel. While they might not be one of best scoring sides, they’ve a defensive solidity to compensate for that, with Spurs defender, Radu Dragusin their top player, and he was pretty impressive during the qualifying stage.

Only Portugal (nine) kept more clean sheets than them in qualifying (six), but they lack a goalscorer. Romania’s 16 qualifying goals were spread across nine players. Dennis Man, with four goals in 10 appearances, is a promising left-footed right winger coming off his best senior season to date (with Parma in Serie B).

There is one other player that deserves special attention, Nicolae Stanciu, for his direct free-kick threat. He has scored 22 free-kick goals in his club career which has spanned Romania, Belgium, Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia and China. Stanciu scored two in qualifying, opening strikes in important wins over Belarus and Andorra.

Strangely, his penalty record is unfathomably poor, only scoring 16 of 26 career penalties and just one of four that he has taken for his national team. They will be hoping to repeat the heroics of the Euros in 2000 where they made it out of a Group containing Germany, England, and Portugal.

Romania predicted starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Moldovan; Ratiu, Dragusin, Burca, Bancu; M. Marin, R. Marin; Man/Hagi, Stanciu, Coman; Puscas/Alibec.

The last team in the group is Ukraine, who had to go through the play-offs to secure a place in the tournament, beating Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland after finishing third in the hardest qualifying group, featuring both Euro 2020 finalists (England and Italy).

They have an emerging generation, the youngest team to qualify (average starting age under 26) and play expansive, attacking football. They’re ranked above Romania and Slovakia (22nd). They have a squad packed with players operating in Europe’s top five leagues. With notable names like Chelsea winger Mudryk, and Real Madrid goalkeeper Andrea Lunin.

One of their most exciting names is 21-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Heorhii Sudakov. He is a two-footed No 10, a stylish passer but with physical robustness. Many big clubs are already monitoring him. They also have options up front with Artem Dovbyk, who is in line for a big tournament.

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He won La Liga’s Pichichi trophy with 24 goals in his debut season at Girona. It should be recalled that he scored at Euro 2020 as a substitute in the round of 16, nodding in Zinchenko’s cross to send Ukraine into the quarter-finals. In Germany this summer, he will be looking to make a name for himself in this tournament where he will be leading their attack.

Ukraine predicted starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Lunin; Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Mykolenko; Zinchenko, Malinovskyi; Tsyhankov, Sudakov; Dovbyk.

For this group, Belgium will most likely win the group, with a close battle between Ukraine and Slovakia on who will qualify as runners-up. The match between the two teams could prove to be the decider.

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