By: Elaine Xu

On June 13, the Euro Cup will start in Germany. The countries from Europe hold this soccer tournament to determine the champion. Here, six writers from The Athletic predict what will happen during the tournament.

Who will win the tournament and why?
France: Oliver Kay, Liam Tharme, and Nancy Froston think France will win due to their strong squad, experience, and recent success.
Portugal: James Horncastle highlights Portugal’s midfield and their manager’s ability to manage talented squads.
Germany: Carl Anka believes Germany has an advantage as the host nation, with a favorable draw and a skilled manager in Julian Nagelsmann.
Netherlands: Nick Miller says the Netherlands is a dark horse with a strong defense, young talents, and a motivated Memphis Depay.

Who will win the Golden Boot?
Kylian Mbappé (France): He is liked by Liam Tharme and Nancy Froston. He’s already a great scorer.
Harry Kane (England): Supported by Oliver Kay and Nick Miller. They note Kane is a consistent goal scorer for the team.
Gianluca Scamacca (Italy): James Horncastle thinks it will be this young Italian striker.
Niclas Füllkrug (Germany): Carl Anka supports this German for winning the boot.

Who will be the best player?
Kylian Mbappé (France): Oliver Kay believes Mbappé will be important if France goes far into the game.
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium): Liam Tharme expects De Bruyne to lead Belgium’s young midfield.
Toni Kroos (Germany): James Horncastle, Carl Anka, and Nick Miller all favor Kroos. They highlight the fact that it is a home tournament and probably his last major international competition.
Which player/team will be the biggest disappointment?
England: Oliver Kay, James Horncastle, and Nick Miller all point to England. The pressure of high expectations and past failures could lead to a disappointing performance.
Portugal: Liam Tharme and Carl Anka express concerns about Portugal. Tharme questions their recent underperformance, while Anka worries about managing Cristiano Ronaldo’s role.
Italy: Nick Miller throws Italy into the mix, suggesting they might struggle to defend their champion title.
Adam Wharton (England): Nancy Froston doesn’t expect to see much of the young player despite his impressive debut. This expectation could be a disappointment for fans anticipating his involvement.

Link to Article:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5555685/2024/06/13/euro-2024-writer-predictions/?source=nyt_sports