The UEFA Euro 2024 tournament, hosted in Germany, captivated football fans worldwide with high-stakes matches and unforgettable moments. Before the drama of the knockout stages unfolded, the Euros Group Stage set the foundation for an exhilarating competition. Let’s delve into the format of the tournament and revisit the crucial results from the group stage that paved the way to the final rounds.
Euro 2024 Tournament Format: Setting the Stage
Euro 2024 maintained the format of the previous tournament, featuring 24 national teams vying for the coveted title. These teams were expertly divided into six groups, labelled A through F, with each group accommodating four nations. The euros group stage was designed to be fiercely competitive, with each team playing three matches against their group opponents in a round-robin format.
Advancement to the knockout phase was granted to the top two teams from each of the six groups. Adding another layer of intrigue, the four best third-placed teams across all groups also secured their spots in the round of 16. This structure ensured that strong performances throughout the euros group stage were rewarded, while also offering a lifeline for teams who might have had a less-than-perfect start.
Following the euros group stage, the tournament transitioned into a single-elimination knockout bracket. This straight knockout format included the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the grand final. In these knockout matches, extra time and penalty shootouts were implemented to resolve any ties, guaranteeing a clear winner for each encounter and escalating the tension as teams progressed closer to the final.
Euro 2024 Group Stage Results: A Match-by-Match Breakdown
The euros group stage delivered a series of captivating matches, showcasing tactical brilliance and individual talent. Here’s a detailed look at the results from each group:
Group A
The tournament kicked off in Munich with hosts Germany delivering a dominant performance against Scotland.
Friday, June 14 Group A: Germany 5-1 Scotland (Munich)
Switzerland also secured a win in their opening match against Hungary.
Saturday, June 15 Group A: Hungary 1-3 Switzerland (Cologne)
Germany continued their winning streak against Hungary, while Scotland and Switzerland drew.
Wednesday, June 19 Group A: Germany 2-0 Hungary (Stuttgart)
Wednesday, June 19 Group A: Scotland 1-1 Switzerland (Cologne)
In the final group matches, Switzerland held Germany to a draw, and Hungary edged out Scotland.
Sunday, June 23 Group A: Switzerland 1-1 Germany (Frankfurt)
Sunday, June 23 Group A: Scotland 0-1 Hungary (Stuttgart)
Group B
Group B action started with Spain asserting their dominance over Croatia and Italy narrowly defeating Albania.
Saturday, June 15 Group B: Spain 3-0 Croatia (Berlin)
Saturday, June 15 Group B: Italy 2-1 Albania (Dortmund)
Croatia and Albania played out a draw, while Spain maintained their perfect record against Italy.
Wednesday, June 19 Group B: Croatia 2-2 Albania (Hamburg)
Thursday, June 20 Group B: Spain 1-0 Italy (Gelsenkirchen)
The final matches saw Spain defeat Albania and Croatia draw with Italy, confirming the group standings.
Monday, June 24 Group B: Albania 0-1 Spain (Düsseldorf)
Monday, June 24 Group B: Croatia 1-1 Italy (Leipzig)
Group C
Group C commenced with Slovenia and Denmark sharing points, and England securing a win against Serbia.
Sunday, June 16 Group C: Slovenia 1-1 Denmark (Stuttgart)
Sunday, June 16 Group C: Serbia 0-1 England (Gelsenkirchen)
Both matches on the second matchday in Group C ended in draws.
Thursday, June 20 Group C: Slovenia 1-1 Serbia (Munich)
Thursday, June 20 Group C: Denmark 1-1 England (Frankfurt)
The final group games were also goalless draws, leading to tight final standings.
Tuesday, June 25 Group C: England 0-0 Slovenia (Cologne)
Tuesday, June 25 Group C: Denmark 0-0 Serbia (Munich)
Group D
Netherlands started strong in Group D with a win over Poland, while France edged out Austria.
Sunday, June 16 Group D: Poland 1-2 Netherlands (Hamburg)
Monday, June 17 Group D: Austria 0-1 France (Düsseldorf)
Austria bounced back with a win against Poland, and Netherlands and France played to a goalless draw.
Friday, June 21 Group D: Poland 1-3 Austria (Berlin)
Friday, June 21 Group D: Netherlands 0-0 France (Leipzig)
Austria secured a surprise win against the Netherlands in the final group match, while France drew with Poland.
Tuesday, June 25 Group D: France 1-1 Poland (Dortmund)
Tuesday, June 25 Group D: Netherlands 2-3 Austria (Berlin)
Group E
Romania surprised with a dominant win against Ukraine, and Slovakia stunned Belgium in Group E’s opening fixtures.
Monday, June 17 Group E: Romania 3-0 Ukraine (Munich)
Monday, June 17 Group E: Belgium 0-1 Slovakia (Frankfurt)
Ukraine responded with a win against Slovakia, and Belgium defeated Romania in the second round of matches.
Friday, June 21 Group E: Slovakia 1-2 Ukraine (Düsseldorf)
Saturday, June 22 Group E: Belgium 2-0 Romania (Cologne)
The final group matches saw Ukraine and Belgium draw, and Slovakia and Romania also played out a draw, leading to a very close Group E table.
Wednesday, June 26 Group E: Ukraine 0-0 Belgium (Stuttgart)
Wednesday, June 26 Group E: Slovakia 1-1 Romania (Frankfurt)
Group F
Turkey triumphed over Georgia in a thrilling Group F opener, and Portugal secured a win against Czechia.
Tuesday, June 18 Group F: Turkey 3-1 Georgia (Dortmund)
Tuesday, June 18 Group F: Portugal 2-1 Czechia (Leipzig)
Georgia and Czechia drew their match, while Portugal dominated Turkey.
Saturday, June 22 Group F: Georgia 1-1 Czechia (Hamburg)
Saturday, June 22 Group F: Turkey 0-3 Portugal (Dortmund)
In the final group fixtures, Czechia lost to Turkey, and Georgia caused a major upset by defeating Portugal.
Wednesday, June 26 Group F: Czechia 1-2 Turkey (Hamburg)
Wednesday, June 26 Group F: Georgia 2-0 Portugal (Gelsenkirchen)
Moving Beyond the Group Stage
The euros group stage was just the beginning of the Euro 2024 journey. The results laid the groundwork for the knockout rounds, where the stakes were even higher and the competition intensified. The stage was set for more drama, surprises, and world-class football as the tournament progressed towards the final in Berlin.
