Euro 2024 Takeaways: Matchday 1 drama suggests more mouth-watering action to come

Fans were treated to stunning strikes and upsets during the first week of Euro 2024 and it is setting things up to be a tasty tournament. It already produced the biggest upset in European Championship history, a major star suffered a serious injury and some 34 goals were scored from the opening 12 games.

Here are all the key takeaways from Matchday 1 and what teams need to do moving forward.

Group A: Germany keen to continue dazzling

Hosts Germany started off with a bang, thrashing Scotland 5-1 thanks to a fluid, agile display from Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala. Their youth and squad depth were on display, and they are arguably one of the most comfortable sides after Matchday 1. Question is, can they continue at such a high level against Hungary and later in the tournament?

Scotland, meanwhile, are virtually shell-shocked heading into Matchday 2. Steve Clarke’s side lacked composure and confidence and must rewrite the script in their must-win clash with Switzerland. We know they can compete with the best after an impressive qualifying run. But do they have the maturity to shake off such a poor start?

The Swiss will hope to repeat their first performance after digging deep to beat Hungary 3-1. New talents Kwadwo Duah and Michel Aebischer will be names to watch moving forward for all defenders. Captain Granit Xhaka, however, noted they can’t get ahead of themselves if the Scotland we saw in qualifying shows up.

Hungary will be frustrated to not have earned a point in their opening match and captain Dominik Szoboszlai must rise to the occasion to help frustrate a dominant Germany. Hungary are notably unbeaten in their last three games against Germany but who can help the Liverpool star pull it off again? An individual masterclass isn’t enough to down such a powerhouse.

Group B: Topsy turvy Group of Death

Well, the Group of Death certainly delivered. Big names were a shadow of themselves and the underdog hinted future upsets may be in the cards.

Spain sits at the top of the group and looks like the second-best side in the tournament in terms of fluidity, only behind Germany. Fabian Ruiz was a star for La Roja and helped rout Croatia 3-0 in a performance where Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic looked aged.

And if Croatia being blanked wasn’t enough, the second game from Group B rocked the football world. It took Albania just 23 seconds to score against reigning Euro champions Italy. The Azzurri eventually pulled off a 2-1 win but never should have been in that position to begin with.

Looking ahead to Matchday 2, Spain will want to again assert their dominance this time against Italy. The latter will need to ensure any rust was eradicated in their tournament opener. Whoever wins this match has a good chance of topping the group.

Elsewhere, Albania will look to stun Croatia the same way they did Italy. If Croatia’s midfield can finally click and find their energy levels again, an organized Albania side will need to be top of their game. Can the underdogs make a second statement against an aging Croatia?

Group C: Lacklustre England must find their spark

Now we turn our attention to England who looked good enough, but not great. Gareth Southgate’s side ground out a shaky 1-0 win over Serbia with Jude Bellingham the star. Big names like Phil Foden and Harry Kane largely disappointed and Southgate must find out why, quickly. A potential group decider against Denmark is next and it has to be anything but shaky. If not, England could temporarily drop to third.

The Danes, meanwhile, will feel hard done by after Christian Eriksen opened the scoring three years after suffering a cardiac arrest. They dominated the route of play but struggled to kill the game off. Their toughest clash up next against England is one where they can’t leave the door open again or they will be punished. And they will need more than just Eriksen to deliver against the Euro 2020 finalists.

Looking at the other end of the group, both Slovenia and Serbia demonstrated they deserved to be at the tournament and could subsequently compete with the best. Now against one another, this next match becomes a must-win. Serbia was compact in defence and still willing to throw bodies forward in attack. Slovenia then proved they can rally. The knockouts are still within reach for either side. Question is who can make the most of the opportunity?

Group D: How will France adapt without Mbappe?

All eyes are on the fitness of Kylian Mbappe after the captain broke his nose during France’s 1-0 win over Austria. The victory arrived thanks to an own-goal, as Les Bleus lacked a finishing touch. Before being taken off due to injury Mbappe himself missed a wide-open chance. France will need others to step up if his absence is prolonged and a mouth-watering meeting with the Dutch is next. Les Bleus have the talent, it’s time they start firing.

The Netherlands impressively lead Group D after pulling off a comeback win over Poland thanks to the ever-reliable Wout Weghorst. With the possibility of no Mbappe in their toughest group stage match, the Dutch will be licking their lips. Their defence, though, can’t step off the gas too quickly as France’s depth is off the charts. Can they do the unthinkable? There’s no better opportunity.

Meanwhile, the clash between Poland and Austria is also on the schedule. Austria will look to air their frustrations after just missing out against France. Having gone toe-to-toe with one of the world’s best, things get easier on paper from here on out. Poland is then crossing their fingers that star striker Robert Lewandowski is fit for Matchday 2. It’s a true chance to earn three points this tournament with this match sandwiched between two powerhouses.

Group E: Are Belgium pulling … a Belgium?

The biggest bit of drama on Matchday 1 leaves Belgium in seriously hot water. Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and company were stunned when Slovakia beat them 1-0. It was the biggest world rankings upset in European Championship history. Belgium’s golden generation is again failing to live up to such a title and they have plenty to do against fiery opponents Romania to stay alive.

The Romanians also produced their own bit of drama and could potentially be the dark horses to watch. They sprung three goals past Ukraine and recorded their first Euro win in 24 years to set up a massive clash with Belgium. They can arguably earn at least one point off the third-ranked side in the world with more quick counterattacks and long-range efforts.

Slovakia also have their eyes set on the top spot in the group after pulling off that stunning Belgium upset. They now have the perfect blueprint to stifle Ukraine’s Mykhailo Mudryk and Artem Dovbyk but can their attackers step up at the other end? It was Slovakia’s outstanding defending that earned them victory on Matchday 1. Meanwhile, Ukraine will want to find their courage and confidence after being gobsmacked just like Scotland. One UEFA Champions League-winning goalkeeper Andriy Lunin surely can’t have a repeat performance.

Group F: Portugal need new formula to survive

Plenty of questions will be asked of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal side following a rough 2-1 win over Czechia. The Euro 2016 winners lacked a true scoring prowess in the final third despite the big man up top. Young stars combined off the bench suggesting maybe it’s best they play without Ronaldo and let others share the limelight?

It’s Turkey up next on Matchday 2 for Portugal who were always going to be their toughest opponent. It’s a potential group decider, as a result. Turkey pulled out a dazzling performance against Georgia featuring three brilliant goals, too, showing they're firing on all cylinders. Portugal can expect quick counters, long-range strikes and resilient defending. And Turkey won’t let them wait until the 92nd minute.

Meanwhile, Czechia can still ride the confidence wave into their upcoming clash with Georgia. They will definitely feel hard done by after an own goal undid all their hard work against powerhouse Portugal, but against Georgia, they can still earn their first win of the tournament. The debutant Georgians are a tricky bunch and bring with them unwavering passion. Any result would be great for them and perhaps they can pull off the unthinkable. Georges Mikautadze already made history with their first Euro goal. Why not their first point next?