Group F promises to be one of the most intriguing groups, headlined by Roberto Martinez's Portugal but possessing strong competition in Turkey, Georgia, and the Czechia.
Almost three decades of relentless attempts to qualify for a first major tournament, Georgia will have to be at their best to progress out of Group F. Turkey produced an impressive qualifying campaign as they ousted the group favourites, Croatia, into top spot following just one defeat throughout the group stage.
Since gaining independence in 1992, Czechia have featured in all seven European Championships and will hope their eighth appearance could match the success of Czechoslovakia's tournament victory in 1976.
Unlike many reigning holders before them, Portugal didn't flame out of the group stage at Euro 2020. But a last-16 exit wasn't an enviable run either. They'll be hunting for glory in what could be Cristiano Ronaldo's farewell tournament.
Country: Czechia
Manager: Ivan Hasek
Captain: Tomas Soucek
Player to watch: Pavel Šulc
Best Euros performance: Winners (as Czechoslovakia, 1976)
Fixtures
Tuesday, 18 June: Portugal, (Leipzig), 8pm
Saturday, 22 June: Georgia, (Hamburg), 2pm
Wednesday, 26 June: Turkey, (Hamburg), 8pm
Czechia's eighth successive appearance at the Euros was secured after easing to a 3-0 victory against ten-man Moldova and finishing second in Group E of the qualifiers.
Czechia have reached the quarter-finals twice and the semi-finals and final once in the last seven European Championships as they bid for a repeat of Czechoslovakia's Antonín Panenka-inspired triumph of 1976.
A former Czechoslovakia midfielder, Ivan Hašek's coaching career has taken him all across the globe, and as well as managing domestic teams in France, Japan and Dubai, he has also taken charge of the national sides of Gabon and Lebanon.
Appointed in January of this year, this is his second stint at the helm of Czechia, as he also oversaw five games in 2009.
Joint-top scorer at EURO 2020, Patrik Schick is capable of scoring with either foot and with his head, and always seems to be in the right place at the right time.
He has plenty of experience and confidence, as demonstrated by his incredible long-distance strike against Scotland, which was voted Goal of the Tournament at Euro 2020. Schick will look to carry the momentum from his fantastic season with Bayer Leverkusen into these finals.
The 23-year-old midfielder Pavel Šulc is one to watch our for this tournament. He only made his senior international debut in March but is a hugely promising prospect.
An agile and creative playmaker, he has scored 15 times in the Czech league this season and was one of the key players in Viktoria Plzeň's run to the Europa Conference League quarter-finals. Hašek has labelled Šulc one of the future stars of his side.
Country: Georgia
Manager: Willy Sagnol
Captain: Guram Kashia
Player to watch: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Best Euros performance: N/A
Fixtures
Tuesday, 18 June: Turkey, (Dortmund), 5pm
Saturday. 22 June: Czechia, (Hamburg), 2pm
Wednesday, 26 June: Portugal, (Gelsenkirchen), 8pm
Georgia arrive as the underdogs. In qualifying for Euro 2024, they finished fourth in a strong five-team Group A, picking up results against Scotland, Norway and Cyprus but also losing 7-1 at home to Spain.
However, Georgia made history in the play-offs, defeating Luxembourg and Greece, the latter on penalties, to reached a first-ever major finals as an independent nation.
Their head coach Willy Sagnol played at right-back for France and won five Bundesliga titles as a Bayern player before moving into coaching. He took charge of France's Under-21s and Bordeaux, then worked as Carlo Ancelotti's assistant during the Italian's time at Bayern, and was caretaker boss for one game after Ancelotti left.
He has been in charge of Georgia since 2021, and has led them to their first ever major finals. He has been linked with the long-vacant Ireland job on more than one occasion.
Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's will be the Georgian player to watch out for. After his 2022/23 Scudetto triumph in his first season with the Italians, he became a role model for all his country’s players.
He reached double figures for goals in his second campaign too, at the vanguard of a group of Georgian players operating in top-five European leagues. One of the best dribblers in modern football, he plays as a left attacker for Napoli, but for Georgia often starts as a second striker with freedom to roam.
Georgia are far from being a one-man team. Alongside Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, Sagnol can count on creative midfielder Giorgi Chakvetadze from Watford and Karlsruher striker Budu Zivzivadze.
But there is an extra sprinkling of stardust provided by French-born forward Mikautadze, who scored 13 goals in 20 league appearances for FC Metz in Ligue this season after joining them on loan from Ajax.
Country: Portugal
Manager: Roberto Martinez
Captain: Cristiano Ronaldo
Player to watch: João Neves
Best Euros performance: Winners (2016)
Fixtures
Tuesday, 18 June: Czechia, (Leipzig), 8pm
Saturday, 22 June: Turkey, (Dortmund), 5pm
Wednesday, 26 June: Georgia, (Gelsenkirchen), 8pm
Portugal will compete in the tournament with a squad capable of claiming their second European title, following their 2016 triumph. This tournament could also mark the international farewell of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 39 years old.
Portugal will be hungry for success at Euro 2024 after a disapointing exit from the quarter-finals of the Qatar World Cup at the hands of Morrocco two years ago. The 2016 champions have participated in eight editions of the UEFA European Championship, with an upcoming ninth appearance in 2024.
They have reached the semi-finals on five occasions, and reached the final as hosts in 2004, however losing to tournament underdogs Greece. They captured their first major tournament win after defeating hosts France 1–0 in the final of Euro 2016.
Portugal secured their place at Euro 2024 by defeating Slovakia 3-2 last October and topping Group J to make it to their first finals under new coach Roberto Martínez. The Spaniard took charge in January 2023 having previously enjoyed spells at the Belgium national side as well as English teams Swansea City, Wigan Athletic and Everton.
He has had a near-faultless start to his time at the helm of Portugal, with his team winning all ten of their matches during qualification.
This tournament could also mark the international farewell of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 39 years old. The five time Ballon d'Or winner is in line to make his sixth EURO finals appearance in Germany and he holds records for the most goals (14) and appearances (25) at the tournament. he will be out to prove he can still make a difference at the highest level and will arrive in Germany as the captain of a talented team.
Having scored 12 goals in the last 11 games with Portugal and 42 in 41 matches with Al-Nassr this season, Ronaldo's relentless mentality could be the key to him making a statement with his country this summer against all odds.
Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes will provide the creativity in midefield. The Man United captain registered six goals and eight assists in qualifying, and Martínez seems to know how to make him tick mainly through his partnership with Silva.
They are the team's maestros, cleverly combining, setting the tempo and bringing the best out of the players around them.
19-year-old João Neves is widely regarded as Portugal's latest wonderkid. According to Martínez, the teenager took just two days to earn the respect of the Portugal dressing room, something he had "never seen before" in his career.
Neves is a complete midfielder who can pass, press and dictate the pace, displaying maturity and character that have not gone unnoticed by Portugal's more experienced stars.
Country: Turkey
Manager: Vincenzo Montella
Captain: Hakan Calhanoglu
Player to watch: Arda Güler
Best Euros performance: Semi-finals (2008)
Fixtures
Tuesday, 18 June: Georgia, (Dortmund), 5pm
Saturday, 22 June: Portugal, (Dortmund), 5pm
Wednesday, 26 June: Czechia, (Hamburg), 8pm
Turkey will look to bounce back from a disappointing Euro 2020, where they lost all three of their Group A matches. They reached their third consecutive EURO finals this summer after posting a 4-0 victory at home to Latvia in October.
They have been knocked out in the group stage in their last two appearances but memorably made it to the semi-finals in 2008, when they lost 3-2 to Germany in a thriller.
Manager Vincenzo Montella made his name as a prolific striker in Italy, and he helped his country reach the final of EURO 2000, where the Azzurri were defeated by France. After spells as a coach at Fiorentina, Milan and Sevilla among others, Montella made the move to Turkey in 2021 to take over at Super League side Adana Demirspor.
In September 2023 Montella was appointed the coach of the national team, and he guided them Germany this summer.
Turkey captain and one of the squad's most experienced players, Hakan helped Inter win Serie A in 2023/24 after losing out to Man City in the 2023 Champions League final. The midfielder is preparing for his third EURO and could play a key role with his set-piece expertise, strong link-up play and fighting spirit.
Galatasaray's Muhammed Akturkoglu could light up Turkey's left wing after netting 12 goals and providing seven assists in Gala’s successful push for the Turkish title this season. His tchnical dribbling and rapid pace will prove to be a tough challenege for any fullback who stands in his way.
Long-standing international servant Burak Yilmaz will be a notable absentee. His retirement from international football in March 2022 marked the end of an era and it is now time for others to step into the limelight and carry the hopes of a nation with significant footballing pedigree.
A precociously talented graduate of Fenerbahçe's youth academy, Güler joined Spanish giants Real Madrid at the beginning of the 2023/24 season. Born in 2005, the tournament debutant is poised to become one of EURO 2024's most exciting players thanks to his creativity, exquisite dribbling, vision and eye for goal.
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