Preview

In a rematch of the 2015 Copa América final and 2016 Copa América Centenario final, Argentina meets Chile in both teams’ second group match of the 2024 edition of the tournament – at MetLife Stadium the same stadium where Chile defeated Argentina in that 2016 contest.

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By Jon Arnold

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It will, however, feel like a very different game than anything that took place in New Jersey eight years ago. A frustrated Messi contemplated international retirement after falling short in 2016 but entered this tournament triumphant, having won the Copa América in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022. The good vibes continued for Argentina in the opening match, though they failed to convert a number of clear chances in a 2-0 victory over Canada. With Lionel Messi celebrating his 37th birthday on Monday, Argentina will hope to continue the festive mood in the camp with another victory.

In addition to inspecting the pitch more closely after frustrations with the surface in Atlanta, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni also is expected to make a few changes to his starting XI. After not playing in the opening match both midfielder Enzo Fernández and winger Nicolás González – are hoping to earn a start, as is Nicolás Talgiafico, who came in as a substitute for Marcos Acuña.

There are a few Chilean players who helped lifted that 2016 trophy still contributing to La Roja. Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and attacker Alexis Sánchez started for Chile in its opening match, a scoreless draw against Peru. Chile manager Ricardo Gareca has, however, moved on from golden generation members like defender Gary Medel, midfielder Arturo Vidal and midfielder Charles Aránguiz.

He’ll be without creative midfielder Diego Valdes, who left the opening match with an injury, and likely will start Darío Osorio, a talented, young attacker but one without the same playmaking brain Valdés possesses. Chile will need attacking contributions from elsewhere after controlling the first half of their contest with Peru but struggling to build from the back in the second when Peru moved its press higher and complicated things for La Roja’s centre-backs – leading to Peru finding a number of scoring chances from the types of transitional moments Argentina can punish.

A win would put Argentina through into the next phase of the competition and give Scaloni an opportunity to make even more modifications to his squad in the finale against Peru.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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England will face Slovenia in the final round of fixtures in Group C on Tuesday, with both sides standing a chance of advancing into the next round. It’s a game with plenty riding on it at the Cologne Stadium, as it will also likely effect the outcome of the best third placed sides table.

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By Matthew Smith

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Gareth Southgate’s side have come under plenty of criticism since the tournament got under way, but they’re in a strong position to finish in first place. Still undefeated, England have ground out results so far, despite having yet to show their full potential.

England’s lack of attacking threat has been a key talking point throughout Euro 2024, and it’s no surprise. The Three Lions have managed just 25 touches inside the opposition box in the tournament, the lowest of all nations.

Keeping the ball out of the net hasn’t been a major issue at the other end, with England only conceding from a long-range Morten Hjulmand effort. Southgate’s men have limited the number of chances against them so far, with no side conceding fewer expected goals in the tournament.

Jude Bellingham’s performance in the opening game showed why he’s one of, if not the brightest talent in the game. With an average match rating of 7.49 so far, the travelling England faithful will be desperate to see him step up against their next opponent.

Slovenia have failed to win at Euro 2024, playing out two draws in Group C. As it stands, the Dragons sit in fourth place out of the best third-place teams in the tournament, meaning they will advance into the next round of the tournament.

Matjaž Kek’s side have been one of the most defensive teams in the competition so far, averaging just 35.8 per cent possession while touching the ball in the opposition box 28 times. They are now preparing for their toughest test on paper in England, but Denmark showed Southgate’s side can be vulnerable.

Slovenia’s forward partnership of Andraž Šporar and Benjamin Šeško have proven to be a threat despite failing to find the back of the net in the tournament, averaging 0.71 expected goals per 90 minutes between them. Šporar has created two big chances for his team-mates, but Kek’s men will need to show more of a clinical edge in front of goal.

It’s all to play for in Group C, with all four teams still in with a fighting chance of qualification. 

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Denmark and Serbia will go head-to-head on Tuesday with both teams looking to achieve their first victory at the tournament in their final group-stage game. The race for qualification is wide open in Group C, and we’re all set for an exciting match as the two sides go all out for the three points.

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By Matthew Smith

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Denmark’s high-pressing and possession-oriented system hasn’t produced the results they may have hoped for so far, despite an impressive point against England. A draw in their opening match against Slovenia will have been a disappointment, but they’ve undoubtedly shown signs of being capable of qualifying for the next round. 

Kasper Hjulmand’s side have won possession in the final third 5.5 times per game while also keeping the ball 59.4 per cent of the time. Their high-tempo setup particularly caused problems for England, with Morten Hjulmand’s long-range strike securing them a point. 

Christian Eriksen has not only been a standout performer for the Danes but also in the tournament overall. Only Mert Müldür (8.27) and Fabían Ruiz (8.64) have averaged a higher match rating at Euro 2024. 

With his 11 chances created – more than any other player in the competition – Eriksen’s creativity will be crucial if Denmark aim to reach the latter stages of the tournament. 

Serbia might feel slightly unfortunate to only be on one point at Euro 2024. Their performance against England after going behind showed plenty of fight, but Southgate’s resolute defence made it difficult for them to find a result.

Dragan Stojković’s side had plenty of momentum throughout the second half, but their lack of creativity has cost them. Serbia have created just three big chances in the competition – only Scotland have managed less (2). With just one goal to their name, they will need to step up their attacking threat against the Danes.

Serbia have plenty of attacking prowess in their side, but we’re yet to see some of their star names produce in front of goal. Aleksandar Mitrović and Dušan Vlahović have been regular scorers for their respective club sides in recent years, but both players have failed to get their names on the scoresheet at the tournament.

Strahinja Pavlović’s dominance at the back has ensured Serbia have been difficult to beat at Euro 2024. With four clearances and 2.5 successful tackles per 90 minutes, Stojkovic will be hoping for his experienced defender to continue his fine form in their final group-stage game.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Netherlands and Austria are preparing for an intense battle in Group D with both sides still standing a chance of finishing in first position. The Dutch are currently in the driving seat, but a win for Austria, if results go their way, could see them leapfrog their opponents.

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By Matthew Smith

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Ronald Koeman’s side produced an impressive result last time out as they secured a 0-0 draw against one of Euro 2024’s favourites France. Their victory against Poland in the opening game put them in a strong position heading into the second match, but it will all come down to the final round of fixtures.

The Dutch might not have created as many chances as Koeman would have hoped for in the tournament so far, producing 1.9 expected goals, but France’s resolute defence was tough to break down.

The Netherlands will be hoping to see another bright display from Cody Gakpo, who has been a standout performer in the opening games. The Liverpool forward has achieved an average match rating of 7.98, while having 1.6 shots on target per 90 minutes. 

If they manage to come away with all three points and France fail to beat Austria, then Koeman’s men will advance into the next round in first position. 

Perhaps surprisingly, Austria enjoyed more of the possession in their opening game against France, but they struggled to turn their dominance into clear-cut chances. Ralf Rangnick’s side only managed to produce 0.76 expected goals, while Didier Deschamps’ men found a breakthrough thanks to a Maximilian Wöber own goal.

With a 7.63 average match rating, Nicolas Seiwald has been crucial in the middle of the park for Austria, managing 2.5 successful tackles per 90 minutes while also winning 10 duels. Rangnick’s men have been one of the more feistier teams at the tournament, with no side averaging more fouls per game (16.5).

Austria’s 3-1 win against Poland in their opening game saw them get off to a flying start, but they will need to tighten up at the back if they want to end the group stage on a high. Rangnick’s side conceded 1.68 expected goals including two big chances, but their attacking prowess got them over the line. 

It will be an incredible achievement for Austria if they manage to qualify for the next round, especially if they finish in the top two. Group D was widely considered one of the toughest at Euro 2024, and Austria have done themselves proud so far.

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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.

France and Poland go head-to-head in the final round of fixtures in Group D. Didier Deschamps’s side will be looking to secure their place in the next round with a first-place finish, while Poland are simply playing for pride after already being eliminated.

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By Matthew Smith

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It’s been an inconsistent start to the tournament for the French, with an injury to Kylian Mbappé undoubtedly stunting their progress. The soon-to-be Real Madrid star suffered a broken nose in the opening game, failing to play a single minute against the Netherlands in their second match. 

Deschamps’ men were on top throughout against the Dutch, creating 1.43 expected goals while keeping 63 per cent of the ball, but they couldn’t turn their dominance into three points. Mbappé could only watch on from the bench with the supporters in France hoping he is saving himself for a vintage display against Poland (or deeper in to the tournament).

France have produced 3.6 expected goals in the tournament so far, but they’ve only managed to find the back of the net once. They will need to show more of a clinical edge on Tuesday if they want to cement their place in the next round, while they will also be desperate to finish in first place in Group D.

Poland were the first side to be eliminated from Euro 2024 due to the head-to-head record being the first tiebreaker method used to separate teams. Michal Propbierz’s side were handed one of the toughest groups possible, but there’s no doubt they’ve endured an underwhelming tournament.

Although the result will officially mean very little to them, the players will be looking to give the fans who have travelled something to cheer about. Poland were without their star man Robert Lewandowski in the opening game, but he returned in the final 30 minutes against Austria.

France will have to be wary of the threat he offers as the Polish striker has scored 81 times for his country during his career. There might be little riding on the game for Propbierz’s men, but a natural winner like Lewandowski will be looking to spoil the party.

With no side conceding more goals per 90 minutes than Poland, it’s a real opportunity for France to stake their claim and advance into the knockout rounds in style. Securing the three points, in reality, is all that matters, while the French will be relying on Austria to do them a favour by beating the Dutch.

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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.

Brazil begin their search for a 10th Copa América title on Monday with a match against a Costa Rica team taking part in just its sixth edition of the tournament.

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By Jon Arnold

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The history in the South American championship isn’t the only difference between the teams.

Brazil are able to call on a number of players with extensive international experience and who also are UEFA Champions League veterans, from Liverpool’s Alisson in goal to winger Vinícius Júnior of reigning Champions League winners Real Madrid.

Costa Rica, meanwhile, saw its own UEFA Champions League legend retire from international play before the tournament, with Keylor Navas’ absence the latest gap the Ticos must fill with young players. 

But there are commonalities as well. Both squads are led by managers taking their teams into their first major tournaments. Brazil had hoped it would be Carlo Ancelotti at the helm of the ship, but the manager instead opted to stay with Real Madrid. In his stead is Dorival Junior, a veteran manger but one who has never worked outside the country. He’ll look to start his tenure with a showing that proves he can contend for a World Cup crown.

The ambitions won’t be as lofty for Costa Rica manager Gustavo Alfaro, who is tasked with bringing through the Ticos’ new generation and extending their streak of three consecutive World Cup appearances.

Neither new boss will be thinking about the World Cup in Monday’s Group D opener. Dorival Junior will be hoping to thump Costa Rica and send a message he’s the right man for the job, also earning patience from Brazil fans already ready to see, for instance, teenage sensation Endrick in the starting lineup. The front line looks strong enough without him, as Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Raphinha all will be in the XI to face Costa Rica.

Alfaro says his young generation of rising talents – including forward Manfred Ugalde, midfielder Orlando Gala and Navas’ apparent successor Patrick Sequeira – won’t go into the contest scared because of Brazil’s history.

Still, any result for the Central Americans would go down as an historic one – and one that would totally upset experts’ expectations of how Group D – which also includes Colombia and Paraguay (who play earlier) – will pan out.

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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.

Group B at Euro 2024 was universally billed as the group of death, and it is set to claim at least one big name team on the final day. World Cup semi-finalists Croatia must win to book a knockout berth but defending champions Italy need at least a point to get the job done as well.

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By Neel Shelat

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Can Croatia’s Veterans Conjure a Last Hurrah?

Seasoned campaigners have been the key to Croatia’s impressive recent record which includes consecutive World Cup semi-final appearances. Even after Ivan Rakitić’s retirement, the midfield trio of Luka Modrić, Marcelo Brozović and Mateo Kovačić kept the good times rolling for a few more years. However, they finally seem to be past their prime now.

They found themselves dominated by a younger Spanish midfield trio and did not even have a good time against the energetic Albanians, with Brozović getting hooked at half-time. There are more question marks in attack in terms of goal-scoring, as now-35-year-old star forward Ivan Perišić is no longer as good as he once was. Still, Zlatko Dalić brought him into the starting XI against Albania owing to a lack of quality alternatives.

Croatia have been a shadow of their former selves both in and out of possession at the Euros so far, so they will need to come up with a very special performance in a must-win clash against the defending champions if they are to avoid a group stage exit.

Italy’s Quest for Control

It is not all smooth sailing for Italy either, as their tally of three points does not guarantee anything going into the final day. As long as they do not finish bottom of the group, though, they should be in a good position to advance. They should be thankful that their goal difference is not too bad after the game against Spain as they were thoroughly outclassed – to the point that just a one-goal defeat was a kind result for them.

In fact, Italy’s opening victory over Albania was not the most convincing either as they conceded the earliest-ever goal in Euros history and failed to kill the game off after taking the lead, only winning by a one-goal margin in the end. After their thoroughly dominant displays en route to the title three years ago, the Azzurri have not shown a similar level of control both with and without the ball in both games so far.

A defeat here could well bring their title defence to a premature end, so Italy will also need to improve on all fronts if they are to safely advance to the knockouts.

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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.

Albania will look to seal their first-ever Euro knockout qualification tonight against a Spain team that needed just two games to seal the top spot in Group B. That might be good news for the Eagles as long as they come up against a rotated XI in a must-win game.

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By Neel Shelat

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Albania Seeking Sustained Defensive Solidity

Albania impressively topped their qualifying group with four clean sheets and just four goals conceded in eight matches, so they might have hoped to have a shot at the Euro knockouts until being drawn in the group of death. Still, they have given a very good account of themselves in their first two games to stay in contention on the final day.

One of the most impressive aspects of Sylvinho’s side in qualifying was the compactness of their mid block out of possession. They did maintain it at the start of both their matches in Germany but somewhat fell apart after taking the lead by sinking too deep and inviting sustained pressure – particularly in the second half of the 2-2 draw against Croatia.

That is precisely what they must avoid against a Spain side that is sure to dominate possession for long periods. A clean sheet alone will probably not be enough for Albania to progress as two points will likely not place them among the best third-placed teams, but it should offer a good platform to build on.

A Free Hit for Spain

Spain are in the luxurious position of not having anything on the line at all from their last group game. Their dominant wins over Croatia and Italy mean first place in the group is already theirs, so Luis de la Fuente can freely rotate his side if he so desires.

Whether or not he should do so, though, is a difficult call. On one hand, he might want to rest his first-choice XI that took to the field half a week ago to face Italy. However, he will also want to keep them match-sharp ahead of their Round of 16 fixture, which they already know will be the late kick-off on Sunday.

Furthermore, the 63-year-old tactician might not want to create any selection dilemmas for the knockouts. He has a set formula having fielded almost the same XI in both games so far (save for Aymeric Laporte replacing Nacho at centre-back) and dominated on all fronts. The defensive unit kept two clean sheets, the midfield comfortably controlled proceedings against top-class competitors, and Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams ran rings around full-backs with Álvaro Morata poised to pounce in the box.

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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.

The host nation for the 2024 Copa América starts its campaign Sunday at AT&T Stadium, fighting traditional straggler Bolivia in a Group C contest.

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By Jon Arnold

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The United States is participating in the South American continental championship as an invited team for the fifth time, and will hope to once again make the semi-final as it has twice before, including in 2016 when it last was played on U.S. soil. While a teenage Christian Pulisic was on that squad, the AC Milan attacker is one of few holdovers from that generation of American soccer.

He’s joined at this tournament by a midfield full of talent, whether it be Juventus’ Weston McKennie, Bournemouth’s Tyler Adams, Pulisic’s Milan teammate Yunus Musah and Real Betis’ Johnny, a relatively new face with the U.S. who is coming off a tremendous six months in Spain.

There may be more concerns about the current generation at the back, where typically secure goalkeeper Matt Turner enters the summer after playing little with Nottingham Forest. Sergiño Dest is missing the Copa América with an injury, though Joe Scally’s performance against Vinicíus Júnior in a friendly against Brazil has U.S. fans hopeful they have the personnel needed to lock down attackers who excel out wide.

Bolivia historically has struggled to win when they’re not the home side, so a date with the hosts will be an intimidating start to the tournament they last won in 1963. A sterling run in the Copa Libertadores by Bolívar has lifted some hopes in Bolivia that this group could be the one to break what is nearly a decade-long winless run in official games played away from the altitude of Bolivia.

They’ll need to find the right attacking mix, with Henry Vaca missing the tournament as he recovers from injury and legendary goalscorer Marcelo Martins Moreno having announced his international retirement after 108 caps and 31 goals for La Verde, both all-time highs.

Matching the highs of the 2015 Copa América in Chile, when Bolivia beat Ecuador and advanced from the group stage would be success at the tournament for Antonio Carlos Zago’s men. Any result against the host nation would go down as an historic result.

The other teams in the group, Panama and Uruguay, meet later Sunday in Miami’s Hard Rock 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.

The final round of games in Group A awaits, with the two most vulnerable sides set to go head-to-head. Scotland will face Hungary at the Stuttgart Arena, with the group’s third and fourth-placed sides clinging on to their qualification hopes.

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By Matthew Smith

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It’s been a disappointing start to the tournament for both Hungary and Scotland, but they will be forced to give it everything on Sunday as one of them will be heading home by the end of the game. It was a night to forget in Munich for the Tartan Army against Germany in the opening fixture of Euro 2024, shipping five goals and shattering the confidence of the supporters before half-time.

Steve Clarke’s side showed signs of improvement in their second match after their heavy defeat to Germany in the opener, but an injury to Kieran Tierney has dented their chances of getting a result.

The Arsenal defender plays a crucial role in Scotland’s five-at-the-back system, slotting in on the left-hand side of the central defenders. Tierney dovetails well with Andy Robertson on the left, with the latter playing in a wing-back role. A tweak of his setup would be in the pipeline from Clarke, especially with Ryan Porteous suspended. 

Scott McTominay continues to show his attacking threat from midfield after his deflected strike against Switzerland made it eight goals in 12 Scotland appearances for the Manchester United midfielder this season. 

Against Germany, the Hungarians weren’t afraid to try and stamp their authority on the host nation, creating four big chances throughout, but their finishing let them down on the night. Dominik Szoboszlai is the one to watch, achieving an average FotMob match rating of 6.98 so far, including a 7.6 against Switzerland in the opening match.

Throughout the tournament, Hungary have missed six big chances while only finding the back of the net one on occasion, so there’s an argument to suggest they’ve had a slice of misfortune. Getting the ball into advanced areas hasn’t been a problem for Marco Rossi’s men, but putting it into the back of the net has been a struggle.

Hungary are unable to finish in the top two as they trail four points behind Switzerland, so nothing more than a victory will do for The Magyars. It could make for an entertaining clash on Sunday night as the two sides desperately compete for a pivotal three points.

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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.