UEFA Euro 2024: Group C Preview

With only a few short days left before kicking off the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament, it’s time to take a look at one of the more interesting groups heading to Germany to take part in the competition later this week.

With England the favorite to win Group C and potentially push for the tournament’s trophy, that leaves the 2nd qualification spot in the group wide open for 3 somewhat evenly matched and on the rise nations. Let’s take a look at all 4 teams that make up Group C.

Euro 2024: Group C

Recent History

Denmark is a nation I really enjoy watching (except for in the 2022 World Cup, what a snooze fest) and feels like the easiest choice as the 2nd team to qualify for the knock-out round from Group C.

Despite their lackluster performance and group-stage exit in the World Cup 2 years ago, Denmark shocked the world with their run to the Semi-Finals in the 2020 edition of the Euros, eventually losing to their 2024 Group-mates in England. Denmark topped their Euro 2024 qualifying group after securing 22 points from a possible 30 and came into the tournament at #21 in the current FIFA Rankings.

Tactical Outlook

Kasper Hjulmand will likely have his team set up in a 4-3-3 formation, led by Manchester United’s 21-year-old striker, Rasmus Hojlund. In the attack, Denmark will be patient and look for opportunities to send players forward, oftentimes sending their outside backs up the pitch when in possession, and dominating possession against their opponents in the attacking third.

Defensively, Denmark is a well-positioned and structured team when they’re without the ball, making it difficult for opponents to hit Denmark on the counter-attack. Without the ball, Denmark will slip into a 5-4-1 formation to keep their opponents in front of them and away from goal. Denmark also can press teams looking to play out from the back, starting with 2 pressing-forwards up top, and committing more players higher up the field as the game goes on, but recover well when they’re beaten with a long ball that directs the defense.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Denmark’s strength coming into this tournament is their solid mix of experience and up-and-coming talent sprinkled within the squad. Players like Kasper Kasper Schmeichel, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Simon Kjaer – and maybe even Christian Eriksen off the bench – offer stability and leadership on the big stage. Denmark also has several consistent players in the Premier League, (Joachim Andersen – Crystal Palace, Mathias Jørgensen – Brentford, Mathias Jensen – Brentford, Christian Nørgaard – Brentford, Mikkel Damsgaard – Brentford, Rasmus Højlund – Manchester United) which should make Denmark competitive against even the biggest nations in the EURO’s

Denmark’s weakness, in my opinion, is going to come in the attack. While Rasmus Hojlund was one of the few bright spots for Manchester United in 2024, and was Denmark’s top scorer in EURO’s qualifying, it feels like Denmark’s success is riding on the shoulders of a 21-year-old forward continuing his strong form. If Hojlund comes into Germany and struggles out of the gate, I wonder where Denmark is going to find their goals.

Euro 2024 Betting Odds

To qualify for the Knockout Round: -275
To reach the Quarterfinals: +200
To reach the Semifinals: +650
To reach the Final: +1,600
To win Euro 2024: +4,400

Recent History

Coming into the Euro 2024, England has to be slotted in as one of the favorites to win the competition. But at the same time, England might be the “favorite” I have the least amount of confidence in heading into the start of the tournament. Under Gareth Southgate, England finished 4th in the 2018 Fifa World Cup, appeared in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup, and lost to Italy in a penalty shootout in the finals of the 2020 Euros.

England topped their Euro 2024 Qualification Group with 20 points out of a possible 24 after 6 wins and 2 draws, beating out Italy for the #1 spot. Harry Kane led England with 8 of England’s 22 goals throughout the qualifiers.

Tactical Outlook

Gareth Southgate is a predictable manager when it comes to tactics, which means we’ll likely see England in a 4-2-3-1 in the Euro 2024. In the attack, England will control the ball against almost anyone they play. Declan Rice is an important piece to England’s midfield stability and their ability to progress the ball through the middle of the field. Saka and Foden will not only run into space on the wings but will wander into the middle to combine with Jude Bellingham to drag defenders of our position. In addition to Saka, Foden, and Bellingham, Harry Kane is great at dropping deep into the midfield to receive the ball and help facilitate combination play in the final third.

Defensively, England likes to use Harry Kane to pressure defenders on the ball and will send more pressing players in support of Kane once certain triggers are identified. Once the #10 and wings are pressing high up the pitch, midfielders get tight to their opponent and facilitate a man-to-man style of defense, looking to turn over their opponents close to their own net.

Strengths and Weaknesses

England has a lot of weapons. With Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, and Jude Bellingham in the XI, plenty of goals should be scored this summer for England. The one question mark I have in this England squad is this defense. Does this projected back-line of Trippier, Guehi, Stones, and Walker have what it takes to not only keep the opposition out of their net but to get up in the attack and help England score when needed, while not leaving themselves exposed? I truthfully think England’s backline will play OK in Euro 2024, but I still feel like England will find a way to shoot themselves in the foot once again.

Euro 2024 Betting Odds

To qualify for the Knockout Round: -2,500
To reach the Quarterfinals: -360
To reach the Semifinals: -135
To reach the Final: +170
To win Euro 2024: +320

Recent History

While Serbia has participated in 3 of the last 4 World Cups, this is the first time since Serbia re-emerged as an independent state that they’ve qualified for the Euro Group Stage.

Serbia finished 2nd in their group in Euro qualifiers behind only Hungary. Serbia achieved a record of 4W-2D-2L across their 8 qualifying matches and outscored their opponents by a total of 15 to 9.

Tactical Outlook

Dragon Stojkovic will likely have Serbia set up in a 3-4-2-1 that kind of looks like a 3-4-1-2, but the second striker drops behind the one sitting up top a lot of the times. They’re patient in the attack and work the ball up the pitch slowly to get in more manageable attacking positions, and then rely on the strength and technical ability of their forwards to make something happen.

When Serbia does get on the break, their midfielders will look to play longer and direct passes to allow their winger’s space to take players on with the ball at their feet. When they do get forward they do it in numbers and overload the box with options in the attacking third, giving space to players that aren’t being marked like Vlahovic and Mitrovic.

No matter what formation Serbia lines up in, they like to press with one forward up top and the other dropping behind to cover space, as does most of the rest of the team without the ball. I think Serbia tends to get in trouble when they get too many players forward while pressing and leave space behind for their opponents to work. Serbia doesn’t have the quickest team and doesn’t recover as well as other teams do when long direct passes are played, so staying tight and compact and hard to break down will be important for then

Strengths and Weaknesses

Serbia has a few really dangerous attacking pieces including 35-year-old Dusan Tadic who still possesses the ability to control the game through the midfield and adds a creative edge for the two dynamic strikers up top. Kostic and Milinkovic-Savic will also add some problems for their opponents down the left side, ultimately looking to play the ball into their potent forward in the box.

While Serbia has some really exciting pieces in their squad and always had the potential to surprise teams, they also can fall apart quite quickly. With not a ton of major tournament experience, Serbia is vulnerable against teams that can break down low-block and defend on the counter.

Euro 2024 Betting Odds

To qualify for the Knockout Round: -180
To reach the Quarterfinals: +333
To reach the Semifinals: +1,000
To reach the Final: +2,500
To win Euro 2024: +8,000

Recent History

Slovenia probably feels like the least likely team from Group C at Euro 2024 to advance to the knockout stages, but I don’t think they’re as far off as people think. In Euro 2024 Qualifications, Slovenia finished 2nd in their group only to Denmark – who is probably the favorite to finish 2nd in Group C this Summer – and ended the group stage on the same amount of points and a better goal differential than Denmark (20 goals for and 9 against), but finished 2nd due to a tie-breaker.

Slovenia and its fans were ecstatic to qualify for this Summer’s tournament as It’s the first time in 24 years that they’ve qualified for the Euros. Slovenia has never made it passed the group stage of a major tournament, and has only one win in 9 matches in such games, beating Algeria 1-0 in their 2010 World Cup. Despite their lack of success on the big stage, Slovenia looks better than they have in a LONG time coming into the Euro 2024 and will take a good amount of confidence to Germany with them.

Tactical Outlook

Slovenia likes to set up in a 4-4-2 formation, with outside backs wandering up the pitch a bit to form a 4-2-4 of sorts. Slovenia uses their 2 forward set-up build-up in the attack and uses their defenders and outside back to link up with midfielders to progress the ball through the midfield. Their Fullbacks will tuck into the middle, allowing 2 attacking midfielders to move up underneath the 2 forwards. Slovenia is also efficient on the counter-attack with Benjamin Seiko in the lineup – who offers a great amount of speed – and can send Slovenia behind their opposition’s backline with a through-ball to one of the 2 forwards occupying the mind of their opponent’s center backs.

Defensively, Slovenia won’t press much and instead sets up deep in their defensive half with a 4-4-2 formation, looking to make it difficult for their opponents to play through the midfield and into space. Having players with quick recovery time and the willingness to support their teammates in a low block allows Slovenia to set up deep in their half and slide across the pitch to deny their opposition open space without pressing.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Slovenia’s biggest strength is in their goalkeeper, Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid. Oblak recorded 4 clean sheets in 8 qualifying matches and made 20 saves and accumulated a save percentage of 76.9% while doing so. Oblak and a low-block defense could frustrate opponents at Euro 2024.

Slovenia’s biggest downfall is their lack of a true game-changer and experience. Both Sporar and Sesko are dangerous in the attack up front, and Cerin offers the ability to create chances in the midfield, but Slovenia will look to keep their Euro 2024 games close and grab a goal against the run of play, rather than out-score their opponents in a back and forth game or by dominating possession.

Euro 2024 Betting Odds

To qualify for the Knockout Round: +170
To reach the Quarterfinals: +850
To reach the Semifinals: +3,500
To reach the Final: +15,000
To win Euro 2024: +43,000