Euro 2024: Group B Preview
If reigning champions Italy are going to repeat, they will need reigning tournament MVP Gianluigi Donnaruma to be a brick wall between the sticks, amidst a tough group
Spain
FIFA Rank: 8th
Qualified as: Group A winners
The Skinny
With 3 titles, and laying claim to being the only repeat champion (2008 and 2012), Spain is one of the most successful nations in European Championships history. After their era of dominance 10-15 years ago, they experienced a short but steep dropoff in the mid-to-late 2010s. But, last time out in this tournament, La Roja nearly reclaimed their glory, losing only in a penalty shootout in the semifinals to eventual champions Italy, and a Nations League triumph last summer whetted this new generation's taste for trophies. However, between a disappointing showing in the 2022 World Cup and a large amount of turnover in the squad since their last major tournament, there's an air of the unknown surrounding España; what we do know, though, is that their ceiling is atop the trophy podium. It remains to be seen if they reach it.
The Best XI
Gone are the halcyon days of Spain when even the most casual football fan could identify every member of their starting XI; gone, too, are the days of their entire starting XI starring for either Barcelona or Real Madrid. In fact, many of Spain's most talented players this go-round aren't plying their trade in Spain at all. Rodri of Manchester City has been the Premier League's best midfield fulcrum for at least 2 seasons now, Fabián Ruiz starts for French titans Paris Saint-Germain, left-back Alex Grimaldo is coming off a tremendous season for the near-unbeatable Bayer Leverkusen, and though he may lose out on the starting job to Bilbao's Unai Simón, Arsenal's David Raya just claimed the Premier League Golden Glove trophy. Plenty of Spanish-based household names still pepper this team sheet, though; newly-minted Champions League Final MVP Dani Carvajal will hold down the defense with his longtime Real Madrid teammate Nacho, 2021 star and ensuing Golden Boy winner Pedri is back in midfield, as is his Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal, who at 16 years old may be that award's successor. And, turbulent as his club tenure might have been, the team is captained by veteran striker Álvaro Morata (Atlético Madrid), whose form for country has been undeniable, with 8 goals from 11 matches in La Roja's last three major tournaments.
Croatia
FIFA Rank: 10th
Qualified as: Group D runner-up
The Skinny
On paper, nothing about Croatia's squad screams "title contenders!!" Enough quality to reach, say, the quarterfinals? For sure. But title contenders?? Come on now...
...but, you could say that about any Croatia squad since 2018, and yet, the Vatreni have been as consistently good as any European nation in that time frame. 6 years ago, famously, they played in a World Cup Final in Moscow. Lest you think that was a one-off, they returned to the World Cup semifinals in 2022, losing to eventual champions Argentina before settling for 3rd place in the world, and then last summer, with a different-looking squad, reached the Nations League Final, where their first trophy evaded them only due to a penalty shootout with Spain. Even if they have not historically found as much success in the Euros-- being eliminated in the Round of 16 the last three tournaments --this clearly is a team that is used to surprising their competition and punching well above their weight.
The Best XI
Croatia's surprised success in the last several years have typically been down to its wealth of attacking talent, but it's the back end of the pitch that especially stands out this time around. Fenerbahçe starter and 2022 World Cup breakout Dominik Livaković should be well-protected by Borna Sosa (Ajax) and Josip Juranović (Union Berlin), and two CBs in front of him that starred for two of the best teams in Europe in 2024, Manchester City's Joško Gvardiol and Leverkusen's Josip Stainišić. In attack, Croatia's two aged but consistently reliable forwards Ivan Perišić and Andrej Kramarić should be bolstered by the younger, dynamic Luka Ivanušec of Feyenoord. And the Vatreni's midfield is one that will be the ency of most teams in this competition. The iconic Luka Modrić will captain this side one last time, and Man City's Mateo Kovačić and Atalanta's Mario Pašalić will accompany him well.
Italy
FIFA Rank: 9th
Qualified as: Group C runner-up
The Skinny
One of the premier names in world football, Italy have actually tasted European glory only twice, less than the number of times they've won the World Cup. One of those times, though, happened to be the last time this tournament was played. 2021's Azzurri were a surprise champion but a deserving one, coming out of the shadows of their disappointing preceding decade to dominate opponents up through the quarterfinal stage, then grit out thrilling penalty shootout victories against Spain and hosts England in the semifinal and Final. The Azzurri this time around have heard only whispers of being a contender to be a repeat champion, and indeed, their qualifying journey and recent results have been a little more inconsistent than the Italian faithful would have liked, write them off at your own peril. The core of that title-winning team is back, and in recent history, their World Cup futility (group stage exits in 2010 and 2014, failing to qualify in 2018 and 2022) has not carried over to the Euros (runners-up in 2012, semifinals in 2016, champions in 2021).
The Best XI
While new manager Luciano Spalleti plays a more exciting, attacking style, this Italy squad's strength is, as all the great Italy teams always were, in its back line. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma may have a ways to go to mimic the great Buffon's legacy, but with years of starting for one of Europe's top clubs, and the 2021 Euros Golden Ball for best player award under his belt, he's on his way. Inter Milan were one of the most impressive teams in Europe this year, and their veteran-laden back 4 should all start for this Italy side. Three midfield stars from their 2021 triumph should feature heavily again, as Jorginho (Arsenal), Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan), and Federico Chiesa (Juventus) all look to rediscover their elite form. If the latter, whose performance in 2021 was his career breakout, can rediscover his best, his work in tandem with Europa League star Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta) and Napoli's Giacomo Raspadori gives the Azzuri an attacking menace as well.
Albania
FIFA Rank: 66th
Qualified as: Group E winner
The Skinny
They're not just the underdogs in this tournament- Albania are used to being the underdogs in their own backyard, as the Balkans have produced an outsized amount of talent on the world football stage, but usually in the form of Croatian, Bosnian, or Serbian stars. Don't tell the Kuqezinjtë (the "Red and Blacks") they're underdogs, though; or maybe do, as they seem to relish that role. At the 2016 Euros, in their first and still only-ever major appearance as an independent nation, Albania gave heavily favored France and Switzerland almighty scares before upsetting Romania to finish 3rd place in the group, only narrowly missing out on the knockout stages. In this qualifying cycle, they topped a group in which they were expected to finish 3rd at best, losing only one match to squeak ahead of fellow tournament qualifiers Poland and Czech Republic. Their absurdly difficult draw means Albania is an incredible longshot to make it out of this group, but don't be surprised in the least if the Kuqezinjtë give at least 1 of their 3 vaunted opponents a much more difficult time than expected.
The Best XI
Much of Albania's teamsheet won't ring a bell, but there's a bevy of players here that will cause many "ohhhh, yeah! Forgot he was Albanian!" moments for football fans. Three such cases can be found in the back, with Brentford goalie Thomas Strakosha, and captain and vice-captain defenders, respectively, that can be found patrolling the back of the park for their successful Serie A squads, Berat Djimisti (Atalanta) and Elseid Hysaj (Lazio). More Italian influence is found further up the pitch in the form of young Inter Milan midfielder Kristjan Asllani and Sassuolo winger Nedim Bajrami. And the star man in attack is undoubtedly striker Armando Broja; the Chelsea loanee has made 40 appearances for Southampton and Fulham in the Premier League the last two seasons.
Group Prediction
Though I do believe Albania can put up more of a fight than most likely expect of them, their fate seems all but sealed, meaning the drama will likely come down to: a. who can finish 1-and-2, and b. can the 3rd-place finisher notch a big enough goal advantage over Albania to still be well-positioned for the Round of 16? In this regard, I think Italy's at a bit of a disadvantage, as they open with Albania, when they will not likely yet be their best-realized selves and their opponents will be at the peak of their belief in themselves. Amongst the "big 3" in this group, though, I like Spain to open strong with a win avenging their group stage loss to Croatia in 2016, Italy to once again fight Spain to a high-quality draw, as they so often do, and then Croatia to surprise Italy with a much-needed win on the final matchday and snag the coveted 2nd place.
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