Euro 2024 Group D: Poland - Netherlands - Austria - France

[Dragonite]

[Dragonite]

Estimated squads:

[Ed]

Sadly, last Sunday promising left wingback Quilindschy Hartman was severely injured (knee ligament) in the home game of Feyenoord against FC Utrecht. He won't be playing this EURO.

[Michael S Collins]

This is a fascinating group.

You've got the best side in Europe, one of the heavyweights who have underperformed in trophies, the hipster favourite (who is the same hipster favourite as 2016, which is a bit of a warning), and the team with all those great players who never seem to turn it on at major tournaments. It's a clash of styles, and opportunity, and exactly what the Euros should be.

Prediction
1. France
2. Austria
3. Netherlands
4. Poland

France are the team to beat at the Euros, and I don't seem even a trickier group harming them. Austria have got a lot of praise on this forum which may colour my view, but then, I am wary of all the praise I gave them in 2016 right before they buggered it up! Something seems off about the Netherlands in recent years. They started well at the last Euros then lost rather one note in the first KO round. At the World Cup they weren't massively convincing but had a kindly draw to start. In the qualifers, France gubbed them, and they struggled in other matches. Seemingly the mood news there in recent times has either been bad match results or the manager falling out with players.

Poland, I am used to underachievement at major tournaments. For every Euro 2016 and World Cup 2022, there's far more Euro 2020 and World Cup 2018!

[Lyonnais]

In the qualifers, France gubbed them

True but keep in mind that in both games the Netherlands had a lot of absentees and played with a mixed team (B-team).

In my opinion France will struggle in this group.

[Michael S Collins]

In the qualifers, France gubbed them

True but keep in mind that in both games the Netherlands had a lot of absentees and played with a mixed team (B-team).

In my opinion France will struggle in this group.

tbf I thought the same at the World Cup with your number of injuries to key players, only for France to bring in even more great players, as if off a conveyer belt, and ease their way to the Final. So I'm not taking your lot for granted.

[Kamtedrejt]

Austria are my dark horse no 1 for this EURO

They can make the semi-final if they hit their stride