Clicky

The group stage underdogs at Euro 2020 - Soccer Times

The group stage underdogs at Euro 2020

The group underdogs
|

We’re just a few days away from UEFA Euro 2020 officially getting underway and the excitement levels are growing across the continent. We’re set to see 24 nations give it their all in the pursuit of becoming European champions and while some have a better chance than others, we still don’t want to rule out those who are considered to be the underdogs.

That’s why today, our core focus is going to be on the six teams – across all six groups – who we believe to be the least likely to make it into the knockout stage. You can bet on whether or not it’ll happen on the betting page but until then, let’s dive into their chances.

Group A – Wales

The Ryan Giggs situation is enough to cause problems for just about any team but when you’ve got Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale within your squad, suddenly things become a whole lot more exciting. The travel element of things will prove tricky for the Welsh but outside of Italy, we think Group A is wide open with Turkey and Switzerland being fairly inconsistent.

Group B – Finland

When Teemu Pukki is lighting it up anything is possible but beyond that, we get big “Iceland 2016” vibes from Finland. They qualified against the odds, looked good doing it and can easily be put down as a team to watch thanks to their attack-minded, composed style. Denmark, Belgium and Russia are all tough, but we’d say they’re also wildcards.

Group C – North Macedonia

North Macedonia aren’t just there to make up the numbers but even they’ll admit that they aren’t expecting to go particularly far here – which is why the addition of a third place qualifying loophole could help them. They’ll try and get through on spirit alone but they aren’t exactly in an overwhelmingly tough group with Ukraine, Austria and the Netherlands to contend with.

Group D – Scotland

Even if they don’t have many viable attacking threats, having Robertson and Tierney tearing down the wing is hardly going to be problematic for the Scots. They’re finally ready to get back onto the big stage and we think they’re going to do so with a big splash. Croatia and England will serve as tough challenges for them but the latter will be a grudge match, and Czech Republic shouldn’t be a team that scares them whatsoever.

Group E – Slovakia

Slovakia have a tendency to upset the status quo and we predict they’ll do just that in Group E. They have a tough, gritty style that may not be pretty, but can certainly assist them in making their way through to the Round of 16. Spain should comfortably win this group without a whole lot of difficulty, whereas Sweden and Poland are the ones with pressure on their shoulders.

Group F – Hungary

If you’ve ever wanted to see what an uphill task looks like, go and see Hungary’s next few fixtures. They are facing killer after killer in the form of Portugal, France and Germany, but somehow, we still think they’ve got a fighting chance. There’s always one big nation that slips up at a major tournament and after reaching the knockouts in 2016, Hungary should go into the Euros with nothing to lose.

Categories: News

This week’s most popular

Previous Post
Could Jadon Sancho finally be heading to Manchester United?
Next Post
Gareth Southgate has a major selection dilemma ahead of Euro 2020