Erling Haaland boasts Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup titles, alongside a staggering 49 goals in 47 games for Manchester City last season. Yet, the prolific striker will be absent from EURO 2024, as Norway failed to qualify. Haaland, despite netting 6 of Norway’s 14 qualifying goals, will be watching Euro 2024 from home.
Image alt text: Erling Haaland, Manchester City striker, looking dejected in Norway national team kit, representing top players unable to participate in Euro 2024.
Joining Haaland on the sidelines is his Norwegian teammate Martin Odegaard. The Arsenal captain, instrumental in his club’s success, also couldn’t steer Norway to the European Championship. Odegaard scored in a 2-1 victory against Georgia in September, but Norway finished third in Group A, six points behind second-placed Scotland, missing out on qualification and play-off opportunities. This absence of Norway in major tournaments has become a recurring theme, with their last appearance dating back to 2000, meaning football fans eager to watch Euro 2024 will miss out on seeing these Norwegian talents on the big stage.
Martin Odegaard in Arsenal kit during a match, highlighting another key player who will watch Euro 2024 from home.
Image alt text: Arsenal’s captain Martin Odegaard in action, a skilled midfielder who will be watching Euro 2024 instead of playing, due to Norway’s qualification failure.
Sweden’s national team also faced disappointment in their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, finishing third in Group F. This means Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof, who played in Euro 2020’s knockout stages with Sweden, will be watching Euro 2024 from afar. Sweden trailed group leaders Belgium by a significant 10 points and Austria by 9, failing to secure even a play-off spot.
Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski, awarded Sweden’s best male player in 2022, shares Lindelof’s fate. Despite starting all 8 qualifying matches, scoring once and providing two assists, Kulusevski won’t be showcasing his talents at EURO 2024, much to the disappointment of fans hoping to watch Euro 2024 and see him play.
Image alt text: Alexander Isak, Newcastle United forward and Swedish national team player, pictured in action, representing talented players who will be viewers of Euro 2024.
Newcastle’s in-form striker Alexander Isak joins Kulusevski in missing out. Isak, Sweden’s youngest ever goalscorer, will have to wait for another major international tournament to represent his country.
Montenegro’s Stefan Savic, a Premier League winner with Man City and La Liga and Europa League champion with Atletico Madrid, also couldn’t guide his national team to Euro 2024. Despite scoring in qualifying, Montenegro finished behind Hungary and Serbia, unable to reach the play-offs.
Brighton’s 19-year-old Evan Ferguson, a Premier League hat-trick scorer and Republic of Ireland’s youngest ever goalscorer, will also be absent. Similarly, veteran defender Jonny Evans of Manchester United, who helped Northern Ireland reach the Euro 2016 knockout stage, will be watching Euro 2024 from home as Northern Ireland suffered 7 defeats in 10 qualifying matches.
Image alt text: Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona striker and Poland national team captain, focused on the game, representing players with a chance to qualify for Euro 2024 through play-offs.
However, not all hope is lost for everyone. Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski is aiming to lead Poland to Euro 2024 through the play-offs after finishing third in their qualifying group behind Albania and the Czech Republic. Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk, a high-profile signing, also has a play-off opportunity with Ukraine to secure their place in Germany next summer. While many stars will be watching Euro 2024, these players are still in contention to join the party.
