Football

Cristiano Ronaldo's brace propelled Portugal to a resounding 3-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in their final Euro 2024 warm-up friendly. The Portuguese legend, who missed the previous defeat to Croatia, showcased his enduring brilliance with two stunning goals.Joao Felix opened the scoring for Portugal in the 18th minute, capitalizing on a short corner routine. Ronaldo nearly doubled the lead with a deflected free-kick that struck the post. Despite appeals for a penalty, the Al-Nassr striker was denied.However, Ronaldo's moment arrived shortly after the break. He curled a sublime effort into the top corner, leaving the Irish defense helpless. The 39-year-old then grabbed another goal, finishing off a pass from Diogo Jota.Ronaldo's 130th international goal extended his record as the all-time leading scorer for Portugal. He came close to completing his hat-trick but fired inches wide.Despite Ireland's efforts under interim coach John O'Shea, Portugal remained dominant. Joao Felix expressed confidence in the team's preparations for Euro 2024, stating, "We have 100 percent confidence on the way to Germany."Portugal's Euro 2024 campaign begins on June 18 against the Czech Republic. They will also face Turkey and Georgia in Group F.

Sunil Chhetri, the former Indian football captain, is set to grace television screens once again as an expert for Euro 2024, which kicks off in Germany on Friday. Chhetri, who recently retired from international football, is particularly excited about England's prospects in the tournament."You can't go beyond the usual suspects, you know, France, Germany, England, etc.," Chhetri said. "But I feel England is right at the sweet spot now. The likes of [Phil] Foden, [Jude] Bellingham... prodigies once, are world leaders now. If you can leave out the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish, you can imagine the kind of talent England has."Chhetri also believes that Hungary and Turkey could be surprise packages in the tournament. "I think Hungary and Turkey can be those teams. I'm saying purely on all the action that I've seen in the last one-and-a-half years and their qualification performances. They have been outstanding."The tournament is also expected to be the last major event for veterans like Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (39) and Croatia's Luka Modric (38). German midfielder Toni Kroos (34), who recently won his fifth UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, has already announced that Euro 2024 will be his last bow."The thing that keeps them going is their love for the game," Chhetri said. "For Modric to win the Champions League [with Real Madrid for the sixth time], and still come for training, get elbowed and get tackled... If you don't love the game you won't do it."

As Germany prepares to host Euro 2024 from June 14, the tournament's Group A promises an intriguing battle between the hosts and three talented challengers: Scotland, Hungary, and Switzerland.Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, SwitzerlandTournament host Germany, under the guidance of coach Julian Nagelsmann, will be eager to make a deep run in the tournament, particularly after impressive victories over France and the Netherlands in March. However, they will face a stern test from Hungary, who have been in outstanding form under manager Marco Rossi. Despite a recent defeat to Ireland, the Hungarians have been unbeaten since September 2022, a run of 12 games.Switzerland and Scotland are the outsiders in the group, but both have the potential to cause an upset. Switzerland, led by captain Granit Xhaka, reached the quarter-finals in the last Euros and are known for their organized and efficient style of play. Scotland, meanwhile, will be buoyed by the support of their passionate fans and will be looking to make a statement in their first match against Germany.Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, AlbaniaGroup B is a veritable "group of death," featuring three European powerhouses: Spain, Croatia, and Italy. Albania, a durable side, will be determined to make an impact despite being the underdogs.Spain, the reigning UEFA Nations League champions, are favorites to progress after defeating both Italy and Croatia in 2023. However, those matches revealed that there is little to separate the three teams. Luis de la Fuente's Spain have added flair and speed to their deep reserves of technical ability, but they still lack a reliable goalscorer.Italy, who triumphed against England to win Euro 2020, are a tough prospect despite their failure to reach the 2022 World Cup. Luciano Spalletti's side boasts several players from Serie A champions Inter Milan, including playmaker Nicolo Barella. Croatia, runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and third in Qatar two years ago, will try to give 38-year-old veteran midfielder Luka Modric a superb swansong.Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, EnglandEngland are ready to make Euro 2024 "headlines" as the Group C favorites prepare to launch their bid for a first major trophy in 58 years. Gareth Southgate's side, who face Serbia, Denmark, and Slovenia in the group stage, head to Germany as one of the leading contenders for Euro glory.England, ranked alongside France as the bookmakers' top title contenders, will be looking to make amends for their painful near misses in recent tournaments. They will face a tough test from Denmark, who pushed them to the brink in a dramatic Euro 2020 semi-final. Slovenia, participating in a major tournament for only the fourth time, will be hoping to make the knockout stages for the first time. Serbia will rely on Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic and AC Milan striker Luka Jovic to fuel their bid for a place in the last 16.

Euro 2024: A Comprehensive Guide to the Upcoming TournamentThe UEFA European Football Championship, commonly known as the Euros, is one of the most prestigious football tournaments in the world. The 2024 edition of the tournament will be held in Germany from June 14 to July 14, 2024.Host Cities and StadiumsThe tournament will be hosted in 10 cities across Germany: Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, and Stuttgart. Each city will host three group stage matches and one knockout match.Participating TeamsA total of 24 teams will participate in Euro 2024. The teams have been divided into six groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage.Group StageThe group stage will take place from June 14 to June 26. The teams will play three matches each, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage.Knockout StageThe knockout stage will begin on June 29 with the round of 16. The eight teams that advance from the group stage will be paired off in single-elimination matches. The winners of the round of 16 will advance to the quarterfinals, followed by the semifinals and the final.Key Players to WatchSome of the key players to watch in Euro 2024 include:* Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)* Kylian Mbappé (France)* Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)* Harry Kane (England)* Robert Lewandowski (Poland)Favorites to WinThe favorites to win Euro 2024 are France, England, and Germany. France is the defending champion, while England and Germany have both been in impressive form in recent years.History of the EurosThe UEFA European Football Championship was first held in 1960. The tournament has been won by 10 different countries, with Germany and Spain being the most successful teams with three titles each.Impact on GermanyEuro 2024 is expected to have a significant impact on Germany. The tournament will bring in millions of visitors and generate billions of euros in revenue. It will also be a major opportunity for Germany to showcase its footballing infrastructure and culture.

Poland's Euro 2024 preparations have been marred by injuries, with talismanic striker Robert Lewandowski and strike partner Karol Swiderski both forced off in their final warm-up match against Turkey.Lewandowski, who has scored 82 goals in 149 appearances for his country, limped off after just 32 minutes with an unspecified injury. Swiderski had already left the field after hurting his right ankle while celebrating his goal that gave Poland an early lead.The injuries add to Poland's woes, as they have already lost Juventus striker Arkadiusz Milik to a knee injury. Milik underwent surgery on Monday and is expected to miss the tournament.Poland, who kick off their Euro campaign against the Netherlands on June 16, are now facing a striker crisis. Lewandowski, who is 35, would have been appearing in his fourth European Championship.Turkey, who are in Group F, also suffered an injury blow as defender Merih Demiral was forced off with a hamstring problem.Despite the injuries, Poland managed to secure a 2-1 victory over Turkey in Warsaw. Nicola Zalewski scored the winning goal in added time after Baris Yilmaz had leveled for Turkey in the 77th minute.Poland will be hoping that Lewandowski and Swiderski can recover in time for the tournament, but their absence would be a major blow to their chances of success.

Spain's Euro 2024 preparations received a major boost as they thrashed Northern Ireland 5-1 in their final friendly before the tournament. Pedri Gonzalez emerged as the star of the show, scoring twice to lead La Roja to a convincing victory.After a shaky start that saw Northern Ireland take an early lead, Spain quickly regained their composure and dominated the match. Pedri equalized with a low drive from the edge of the box, before Alvaro Morata headed Spain ahead. Pedri struck again after a neat move, and Fabian Ruiz headed home to make it 4-0.The second half was a more subdued affair, but Mikel Oyarzabal added a fifth goal for Spain after being set up by the impressive Lamine Yamal. The victory was a timely confidence boost for Luis de la Fuente's side, who face a tough group at Euro 2024.Pedri, who has been in excellent form in recent weeks, expressed his determination to make an impact at the tournament. "I've worked hard to be in good shape at the end of the season," he said. "We'll go for (the Euros), with the idea of winning."Spain's victory over Northern Ireland was their second in as many friendlies, having previously thrashed Andorra 5-0. They will now turn their attention to their opening Euro 2024 fixture against Croatia on June 15.

England's Euro 2024 preparations hit a major roadblock as they suffered a humiliating 1-0 defeat to Iceland in their final warm-up match at Wembley. The result sent shockwaves through the English camp, raising serious concerns about the team's readiness for the upcoming tournament.Gareth Southgate's side, considered one of the favorites for the Euros, had hoped to boost their confidence with a victory before heading to Germany. However, Iceland, ranked 72nd in the world, spoiled the party with a stunning first-half goal from Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson.England's performance was lackluster throughout, with Cole Palmer, Anthony Gordon, and Kobbie Mainoo failing to impress in their bids for starting roles. The hosts were booed off at half-time and the final whistle, as fans expressed their frustration with the team's disjointed and disappointing display.Southgate admitted that the defeat was a "reality check" for his players. "We have to be better. We didn't get our pressing right. There were questions asked that we weren't able to answer," he said. "It was obviously a disjointed and disappointing performance. We didn't show enough character."The England manager also expressed concerns about the team's defensive frailties, with just two clean sheets in their last seven games. "We've got to be far better without the ball and we've got to show more composure with it," he said.Southgate's worries were compounded by the absence of John Stones after the interval, who fell awkwardly in the first half. The England center-back's injury status remains uncertain.The defeat has raised questions about Southgate's starting lineup, with the team looking short on energy and composure in the absence of Jude Bellingham. Fans were left bored and entertained themselves by buzzing the pitch with paper airplanes.Southgate acknowledged that the result will count for nothing when England begin their quest for a first major trophy in 58 years. However, he admitted that it was an alarming performance that highlighted key areas of concern."We need to stay calm. No excuses on the result but there are a lot of things we can put right quickly. It actually gives us a chance to focus the mind," he said.

Germany's Euro 2024 hopes received a boost with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Greece in a friendly on Friday. Despite a shaky start, the hosts rallied to secure a late win thanks to a stunning strike from Pascal Gross.Greece, who failed to qualify for the tournament, stunned Germany with an early goal from Georgios Masouras. The visitors took advantage of a Manuel Neuer error to take the lead in the 33rd minute. However, Germany responded well in the second half, with Kai Havertz equalizing in the 56th minute.With the match seemingly heading for a draw, Gross emerged as the hero. The Brighton midfielder unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box in the 89th minute, leaving Greece goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos with no chance.Despite the victory, Germany's performance raised some concerns. Coach Julian Nagelsmann's team lacked fluidity in the first half and struggled to break down Greece's defense. However, Nagelsmann praised his side's improvement in the second half, saying, "The win is important for the atmosphere before the tournament."Toni Kroos, who returned to the team after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, acknowledged Germany's shortcomings but remained optimistic. "We finished the match much better, we concentrated and controlled the ball," he said.The victory will provide a confidence boost for Germany as they prepare for their Euro 2024 opener against Scotland next Friday. However, questions remain over Neuer's form, with Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen waiting in the wings.

Robert Lewandowski, the prolific Polish striker, is eagerly anticipating a sentimental return to Germany for Euro 2024. Having spent a significant portion of his illustrious career in the Bundesliga, Lewandowski left an indelible mark on German football.During his stints at Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, Lewandowski amassed an astonishing 312 goals in 384 Bundesliga appearances, becoming the competition's second-highest scorer behind Gerd Mueller. He also holds the record for the most Bundesliga top scorer awards, sharing the honor with Mueller with seven accolades."It's already sentimental for me, a return to the country where I spent many years, where I lived, and where I played in these stadiums," Lewandowski expressed to Polish TV channel TVN. He emphasized his positive outlook and appreciation for his current position in life and career.However, Poland faces a daunting task in Germany after narrowly securing their Euro spot through a penalty shootout victory over Wales in the play-offs. The team has also grappled with leadership challenges, having cycled through five coaches in the past three years.Despite the setbacks, Poland's current manager, Michal Probierz, remains optimistic about their chances. "We don't want to just go there on tour. We want to play a very good tournament, get out of the group, and fight for something more," he declared.Poland has been drawn into a challenging Group D, facing the Netherlands, Austria, and France. It will be their fifth consecutive appearance at the continental tournament, having reached the quarter-finals in 2016.Lewandowski, who has played in the last three Euros, is hoping for a different outcome this time around. "I have changed my approach to these big tournaments a bit, because I'm aware of the high expectations and that there will be pressure," he said.He praised the team's positive atmosphere and chemistry, stating, "I can definitely say that there is an atmosphere, there is chemistry, we seem to be aware of it, what we are preparing for and what a great tournament lies ahead of us."Lewandowski's inner peace stems from the team's strong work ethic and dedication in training. "The training really looks nice, and the way the boys approach training, there is nothing to complain about," he remarked.