Preview

Already qualified for the quarter-finals and group winners with just one point against Peru, Argentina head into their final match set to field an alternate squad. 

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By Jon Arnold

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Lionel Messi will not start after saying he felt discomfort in Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Chile in the second group contest, and Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said after that victory that he’d like to give number of young players minutes on Saturday – and allow Messi and other veterans to rest up for a July 4 quarter-final in Houston, where Argentina will play, unless they lose and Canada beat Chile heavily enough to make up a goal difference that currently sits at four.

With that potential an impracticality and Scaloni having a fair amount of depth at his disposal against currently winless Peru, it’s a chance for players to get a taste of the Copa América before games become elimination contests. That means even goalkeeper Dibu Martínez may make way with Gerónimo “Gero” Rulli hoping to play in his first ever senior tournament match. Other players who have been in a reserve role including Gonzalo Montiel and teenagers Alejandro Garnacho and Valentín Carboni may get an opportunity as well.

One figure who won’t be on the field or on the bench is Scaloni himself, with assistant coach Walter Samuel stepping in after Scaloni was served a one-match suspension for being late to the pitch for the second half in both the opening match against Canada and the contest against Chile. 

Peru must get its first win in an official match since a March 2022 triumph over Paraguay in World Cup qualification if it has any chance to advance – and even that wouldn’t be enough to get into the last eight if Canada beat Chile. Still, with Peru now likely looking ahead to World Cup qualification, in which they haven’t won in six attempts so far, there is plenty to build on. 

On the second matchday, a red card for Miguel Araujo put Peru down to 10 men, and Canada took full advantage for a 1-0 win. 

Peru boss Jorge Fossati now must replace the suspended Araujo, choosing between veteran defenders Aldo Corzo or Anderson Santamaria. Bryan Reyna may also be given a chance in attack, with Peru still seeking its first goal of the tournament after 180 minutes played. 

While many in the Miami crowd may have hoped to see Lionel Messi in the blue-and-white of the national team rather than the electric pink of his club in the same city, they may still get a good match in his absence with Argentina looking at the next generation, and Peru hoping to get a result to be proud of before likely heading home.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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After failing to progress from their group at the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the expense of Spain and surprise package Japan, Germany went through a period of misfiring on the international stage.

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By Nathan Evans

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Following their 4-2 victory against Costa Rica in their final group stage outing at that tournament, a 2-0 friendly success over Peru quickly followed but a run of five matches without victory soon after cost former manager Hansi Flick his job.

In his place, Julian Nagelsmann took the reigns and ever since, he’s been able to help Die Mannschaft get their mojo back. 

A four-match unbeaten run prior to this tournament saw Germany enter as outsiders with the bookmakers, though ones who were perhaps unlikely to really challenge for the crown on this occasion, even if they were also hosting the event. A 5-1 demolition of Scotland in their opening Euro 2024 group stage outing quickly changed expectations though, before their performances in a 2-0 victory over Hungary, and 1-1 draw with Switzerland really cemented their place as one of the favourites to win this competition after finishing top of Group A.

Next up is a Round of 16 clash with Denmark, a repeat of the Euro 1992 final which saw the Danes shock the world to win 2-0 on the night and claim their first and, so far, only major tournament title. 

Germany have struggled in their head-to-head matches against their neighbours from the north ever since, winning just one of six meetings between the pair played since the turn of the century. But in this latest match up, Nagelsmann’s side enter with renewed confidence and more than enough quality to progress to the quarter finals. 

With home advantage on their side in Dortmund on Saturday, the hosts are likely to stick with their 4-2-3-1 system that has treated them well so far. Alongside youngster Jamal Musiala who has impressed out wide and forward Niclas Füllkrug who continues to find the back of the net on a regular basis, it’s been midfielder Toni Kroos who has stolen the headlines at this tournament so far, both from a German perspective and overall. 

After announcing his retirement ahead of this competition, both internationally and at club level, the 34-year-old has produced some scintillating form to aid his side’s progression from the group stage. Starting each game so far, Kroos has recorded an average rating of 8.2 with FotMob – the second-highest of all players behind only Spain’s Fabian Ruiz – with his 112.2 accurate passes per 90 highlighting him as the strongest playmaker at this tournament.

His next task is to breakthrough the Danish backline, who have so far proved stubborn after conceding just two goals in their three games, and his ability to do just that could be the difference between Germany reaching the last eight in this competition or not.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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It’s fair to say that heading into this summer’s 2024 UEFA European Championship, plenty of football fans were picking Hungary and/or Scotland to advance alongside hosts Germany from Group A.

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By Nathan Evans

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And maybe that was for good reason too, as both performed well during the qualification cycle but instead, Switzerland once again held their own at a major tournament to progress as runners-up and reach the knockout rounds for a sixth consecutive time.

In truth, they could and perhaps should have finished top at the expense of Die Mannschaft, who had to rely on a 92^nd minute equaliser from striker Niclas Füllkrug to snatch a point away from the plucky Swiss in Frankfurt on matchday three. That ultimately meant that instead of clashing with Denmark in the Round of 16, Murat Yakin’s side now face a showdown with neighbours Italy for a spot in the final eight. 

On the face of it, many will be expecting Italy to progress in this all-or-nothing tie even despite their shot-shy, and somewhat lacklustre, performances during the group stage. They enter as the higher ranked side out of the pair, and they currently hold an 11 match unbeaten head-to-head run against the Swiss which stretches all the way back to a 1-0 loss in a 1993 World Cup qualifying fixture. 

But this Switzerland team are perhaps the strongest that they’ve ever been in all departments across the park and in amongst the overall hard-working approach of their squad, there’s some real quality that could prove the difference as they look to progress past the Round of 16 stage for just the second time in this competition after 2020.

Captain Granit Xhaka remains the cornerstone of their side and his performances during the group stage highlighted his ability to lift his team through adversity. After a stunning season with Bayer Leverkusen who secured a famous double in Germany, he continued his form to produce an 8.1 rated performance in their opening 3-1 victory over Hungary and from there, he and his side haven’t really looked back. Forward Dan Ndoye (profiled by us – here) has additionally provided a bright spark for his nation as he continues to enjoy a breakout tournament. 

Of course, Italy can’t just be discounted in this tie though. At the end of the day, they remain the reigning champions following their Euro 2020 success and, in particular, their defence boasts some phenomenal quality. Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori have massively impressed – the latter seemingly being linked with another top club each passing day as a result – but they’ll have to be at their very best here if the Italians are to make it to the quarter final stage of this competition for a fifth consecutive European Championships.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Both Paraguay and Brazil look for their first win of the 2024 Copa América when they meet in a Group D contest at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. 

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By Jon Arnold

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That’s definitely a bigger surprise for Brazil, tipped by many as favorites to win a 10th Copa América crown, than for Paraguay. But the Seleção was held to a scoreless draw by a pesky Costa Rica team that limited opportunities, flustered Brazil’s biggest stars and earned a point.

Yet, even as fans have called for modifications, including the insertion of teenage striker sensation Endrick, Brazil manager Dorival Júnior looks unlikely to make changes – sticking not only with Raphinha in attack but also maintaining a scheme with both João Gomes and Bruno Guimarães in the midfield.

Those two midfielders played 83 minutes together against Costa Rica, with Dorival Júnior taking criticism for sticking with a balanced squad against a Ticos team that showed little interest in pushing forward for any sort of attack. The manager also was questioned for taking off Vinícius Júnior in the 71st minute as the squad continued to look for a goal, though many noted the Real Madrid mega-star’s international scoring record of three goals in 31 caps doesn’t exactly demand he stay on the field when the squad needs a goal.

Paraguay came into the tournament with their own issues scoring goals but were at least able to get one in a 2-1 loss to Colombia, though it came as they were chasing a 2-0 deficit. Still, it was a positive moment for the Albirroja, with promising 20-year-old forward Julio Enciso scoring what they hope will be the first of many goals in his international career. 

During World Cup qualification, it has been evident the Paraguay attack needs to find a punch beyond simply the creativity of Newcastle United’s Miguel Almirón with the Colombia loss extending their streak of scoring one goal or fewer to nine consecutive matches.

Costa Rica may have set out the blueprint for underdogs against Brazil, but whether or not Paraguay’s back line (which has a strong anchor in veteran Fabián Balbuena and could get more experience from Gustavo Gómez who stayed on the bench in the opener) will be able to once again fluster, frustrate and deny a talented Brazil team the goals they seek.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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You can follow every game from Copa America live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Two Concacaf teams who have gotten to know each other well in the last few years square off in their second match of the CONMEBOL Copa América when the United States and Panama clash in Atlanta.

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By Jon Arnold

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The Concacaf squads have met at least once a year since a January 2019 friendly. Panama’s only win in those six matches was in last year’s Gold Cup semi-final when an alternate U.S. side fell in the penalty shootout and the Central Americans advanced to the Gold Cup final.

Now at full-strength, the U.S. is eager to show it can compete with the best not just in Concacaf but in the Americas. It dominated South American straggler Bolivia in its opening match, with Christian Pulisic scoring in the third minute and Folarin Balogun adding a second in the 44th. Despite dominating proceedings in the second half, however, the U.S. couldn’t capitalise on a number of chances to extend its lead even further.

U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter won’t be concerned if his team continues winning. The biggest fitness question for the U.S. remains midfielder Tyler Adams, who played 45 minutes in the opener and came out as a planned change. While AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah (and Real Betis’ Johnny) both have given plenty of evidence they’re up to the international standard, neither can influence a game quite like Adams.

Not only did Panama lose its opener against Uruguay, the team favored to top the group, it also suffered the loss of a key player. José Luis “Puma” Rodriguez sprained his shoulder in the 3-1 loss to the South American squad and will be out for the rest of the tournament. That adds to a list of injuries manager Thomas Christiansen has had to cope with.

Veteran midfielder Anibal Godoy had to pull out just before the start of the tournament, and while Panama thought it would replace him with Fidel Escobar, the centre-back said he’s not yet fit enough to play international matches. Fellow centre-back Andrés Andrade and forward Cecilio Waterman already were missing heading into the summer, with Andrade injured in a pre-tournament swing through Spain and Waterman injured prior to June’s World Cup qualification contests.

While the middle of defense finds itself quite shorthanded, Panama feels confident in its wide defenders, Michael Amir Murillo, the Marseille man who scored in stoppage time against Uruguay, and Eric Davis. It now needs Edgar Yoel Barcenas to provide even more of a creative engine, and, while do-everything midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla earned the most touches for Panama in the match with Uruguay, he needs to do more if Panama can spring a shock at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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You can follow every game from Copa America live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Two Concacaf teams who have gotten to know each other well in the last few years square off in their second match of the CONMEBOL Copa América when the United States and Panama clash in Atlanta.

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By Jon Arnold

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The Concacaf squads have met at least once a year since a January 2019 friendly. Panama’s only win in those six matches was in last year’s Gold Cup semi-final when an alternate U.S. side fell in the penalty shootout and the Central Americans advanced to the Gold Cup final.

Now at full-strength, the U.S. is eager to show it can compete with the best not just in Concacaf but in the Americas. It dominated South American straggler Bolivia in its opening match, with Christian Pulisic scoring in the third minute and Folarin Balogun adding a second in the 44th. Despite dominating proceedings in the second half, however, the U.S. couldn’t capitalise on a number of chances to extend its lead even further.

U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter won’t be concerned if his team continues winning. The biggest fitness question for the U.S. remains midfielder Tyler Adams, who played 45 minutes in the opener and came out as a planned change. While AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah (and Real Betis’ Johnny) both have given plenty of evidence they’re up to the international standard, neither can influence a game quite like Adams.

Not only did Panama lose its opener against Uruguay, the team favored to top the group, it also suffered the loss of a key player. José Luis “Puma” Rodriguez sprained his shoulder in the 3-1 loss to the South American squad and will be out for the rest of the tournament. That adds to a list of injuries manager Thomas Christiansen has had to cope with.

Veteran midfielder Anibal Godoy had to pull out just before the start of the tournament, and while Panama thought it would replace him with Fidel Escobar, the centre-back said he’s not yet fit enough to play international matches. Fellow centre-back Andrés Andrade and forward Cecilio Waterman already were missing heading into the summer, with Andrade injured in a pre-tournament swing through Spain and Waterman injured prior to June’s World Cup qualification contests.

While the middle of defense finds itself quite shorthanded, Panama feels confident in its wide defenders, Michael Amir Murillo, the Marseille man who scored in stoppage time against Uruguay, and Eric Davis. It now needs Edgar Yoel Barcenas to provide even more of a creative engine, and, while do-everything midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla earned the most touches for Panama in the match with Uruguay, he needs to do more if Panama can spring a shock at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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You can follow every game from Copa America live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Georgia must pull off the greatest result in its footballing history as an independent nation to stand any chance of making the last 16 of Euro 2024.

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By Graham Ruthven

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The Crusaders claimed their first-ever major tournament point after scoring their first-ever major tournament goal against Czechia, but will need to register their first-ever major tournament win to progress in the competition.

That will be a tall order against a Portugal team that has talent to go the distance in Germany this summer. Roberto Martínez’s side made a statement with their 3-0 victory over Türkiye and are considered among the tournament frontrunners despite making a sluggish start in their 2-1 win over Czechia.

Martínez selected João Palhinha in central midfield to give the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva more freedom against Türkiye, and the change worked with Portugal much more fluid and mobile in the final third. If Portugal can replicate that performance, Georgia will have little chance of containing them.

Of course, Georgia boast a top quality attacker of their own in the shape of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Willy Sagnol has frequently used the Napoli winger in a more central position to increase his influence and Georgia will need their best attacking player to be in top form if they are to pull off an upset in their final group game.

They will also need Giorgi Mamardashvili to show the sort of form he demonstrated in the 1-1 draw against Czechia. The Valencia goalkeeper made several eye-catching saves (11, to be precise) to keep the opposition at bay and earn a valuable, and historic, point for his team – and also earn the highest FotMob player rating across Matchday 2. Mamardashvili might have to find an even higher level to keep out the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernandes and co.

With Portugal all but guaranteed top spot in the group, there’s a chance Martínez could rotate his lineup with one eye on the knockout rounds. This could see some fringe players like Pedro Neto and Diogo Jota given a start with Gonçalo Ramos another squad member who could be given some game time.

Nonetheless, Portugal have greater squad depth than perhaps any other team at Euro 2024 besides England and France and will want to maintain their momentum before moving into the next round. Georgia’s best chances will come on the counter attack where Giorgi Kochorashvili and Zukriko Davitashvili, as well as Kvaratskhelia, will be a threat. 

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Czechia and Türkiye both enter Wednesday’s final round of Group F fixtures with their place in the knockout rounds of Euro 2024 on the line.

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By Graham Ruthven

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A point against Georgia was disappointing for Czechia, but put them in a position to make it out of the group stage with a positive result against Türkiye who already have a win over Georgia under their belt.

Patrik Schick was forced off in the second half of that draw against Georgia with an injury and is a doubt for this crunch match in Hamburg. His absence would be a blow to Czechia such is the importance of the Bayer Leverkusen forward to his national team.

While Czechia have scored in both matches they have played at Euro 2024, they have demonstrated a lack of attacking invention with the 27 shots Ivan Hašek’s team had against Georgia counting for just one goal.

Türkiye, on the other hand, played an open attacking game against Georgia before a calamitous display against Portugal which saw Samet Akaydin score a ridiculous own goal and Vincenzo Montella team’s 2-0 down after just 28 minutes. Montella will hope for a more consistent level against Czechia.

Arda Güler was bizarrely dropped to the bench for the game against Portugal after scoring a long-range strike from outside the box in the victory over Georgia. The Real Madrid attacker will surely come back into the lineup with Türkiye in need of a positive result to be certain of their place in the next round.

Juventus youngster Kenan Yıldız could also start to give Montella’s team more attacking threat in the wide areas, something they desperately lacked in the insipid performance against Portugal. Türkiye must play on the front foot to show they deserve to make it through the group stage.

The omens are good for Türkiye who have won their last three matches played against Czechia on foreign soil. They have also scored two or more goals in each of those games. Czechia, meanwhile, can draw confidence from the run they made in Euro 2020, when they unexpectedly made the quarter-finals.

Czechia’s approach could determine how entertaining Wednesday’s match is. If they sit back and invite pressure like they did against Portugal, the game could be a grind for all concerned. If, however, they get out and attempt to go toe-to-toe with Türkiye, it could be an open encounter with plenty at stake.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Ukraine and Belgium both need a positive result to ensure their passage through to the last 16 of Euro 2024 with Group E finely poised heading into the last round of fixtures.

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By Graham Ruthven

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Indeed, Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine are all on three points, separated only by goal difference. Domenico Tedesco’s team have the talent advantage on their Group E rivals, but still have to get the job done on Wednesday.

Belgium were shocked by Slovakia in their first game of the tournament, but bounced back with a much-improved performance against Romania, winning 2-0 as Youri Tielemens and Kevin de Bruyne both found the back of the net.

Romelu Lukaku has yet to score at Euro 2024, but has accumulated 1.3 Expected Goals (xG) in the two matches he’s played. The centre forward is putting himself in good positions in and around the box and will surely find the target at some point. Having had three goals disallowed, Lukaku’s luck is due to change.

Tedesco handed Dodi Lukebakio the start against Romania after favouring Leandro Trossard in the opening game defeat to Slovakia. On the other wing, Jérémy Doku is a constant threat with his dribbling, averaging 5.2 successful dribbles per 90 minutes at the tournament so far. Meanwhile, Kevin de Bruyne has created more chances (seven) than any other Belgian player in the two matches the Red Devils have played.

Ukraine carry an attacking threat of their own with the pace of Mykhailo Mudryk key to the way Serhiy Rebrov’s team play in quick transition. The Chelsea winger is isn’t always composed with his final ball, but he is averaging 2.6 successful dribbles per 90 minutes at Euro 2024. That gives Ukraine a different dynamic.

So far, centre forward Artem Dovbyk has struggled to make much of an impression on the tournament. Last season’s top scorer in LaLiga hasn’t been on the same wavelength as Georgiy Sudakov so far and has lacked the service needed to replicate the sort of form that saw him score 24 times for Girona in the 2023/24 campaign.

Talent-wise, Belgium will have the upper hand in Wednesday’s match, but they struggled to break down Slovakia’s low defensive block and could suffer a similar problem against Ukraine who are expected to sit deep and use their pace on the counter to expose the opposition defence. If Mudryk, Dovbyk and Andriy Yarmolenko can link up well, Belgium could suffer another upset.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Group E is delicately balanced ahead of Wednesday’s final round of fixtures with Slovakia and Romania both targeting a place in the last 16 of Euro 2024.

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By Graham Ruthven

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Slovakia produced the biggest shock (by ranking) of the tournament so far by beating Belgium in their first game while Romania also upset the odds by putting three goals past Ukraine in an emphatic 3-0 victory.

Francesco Calzona has named an unchanged team for Slovakia’s two Euro 2024 fixtures so far and could stick with the same lineup for Wednesday’s match in Frankfurt, although Dávid Hancko’s fitness is a concern after coming off injured against Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Romania’s threat on the counter attack will be key to their game plan against Slovakia with Valentin Mihăilă’s pace something that could see the 24-year-old keep his place in the team after starting against Belgium.

Stanislav Lobotka has caught the eye, controlling matches for Slovakia in central midfield. The Napoli star is averaging 73.5 touches per match and is the all-round central operator that could allow Slovakia to dominate Wednesday’s crucial group decider. Slovakia need Lobotka to be in top form.

Romania will also look to the centre of the pitch for a difference-maker with Nicolae Stanciu the mercurial playmaker capable of producing something out of nothing, just as he did by scoring from distance against Ukraine. The 31-year-old will look to get in between the lines and unsettle the opposition defence.

Defensively, Slovakia have a strong spine in the shape of Milan Škriniar and Martin Dúbravka with Radu Drăgușin the bedrock of the Romanian backline. Wednesday’s match could come down to the strength of the two defences and who can hold their nerve. A mistake at the back could prove decisive.

After two games, Romania are averaging the third-lowest average share of possession (36.9%) of all the teams in Euro 2024, highlighting their favoured approach of sitting deep, absorbing pressure and hitting out on the counter attack. Slovakia are ranked only 15th for average possession per match, hinting at a cagey encounter between the two Group E rivals.

Slovakia and Romania already have three points on the board which means a draw could be enough to send them both through to the round of 16. However, this depends on what happens in the other Group E fixture between Ukraine and Belgium, who are in the same position, both sitting on three points each. Slovakia and Romania’s meeting might be a slow burn, but it could ultimately finish in chaos.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.