UEFA Euro 2024 Group F preview: Portugal to cruise through with Cristiano Ronaldo?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal are without doubt the clear favourites in UEFA Euro 2024 Group F after their perfect qualifying campaign, but can they keep that up in a section containing Turkey, Georgia and 2020 joint-top scorer Patrik Schick with his Czechia team.
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Georgia
There was no stopping the celebrations in Tbilisi when Nika Kvekveskiri put away the decisive penalty in the play-off final shootout against Greece to send Georgia to their first major tournament. They only finished fourth in qualifying Group A behind Spain, Scotland and Norway, but a good UEFA Nations League campaign ensured them a spot in the play-offs, which they duly converted into a place at Euro 2024.
Top star: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
When your nickname is Kvaradona, you know you’re a good player, and there are similarities between the Georgian forward and the late Diego Maradona. Kvaratskhelia loves to leave opponents in a spin with his mazy runs and has brought great joy to the people of Naples by helping Napoli to the 2022/23 Serie A title – their first since Maradona led them to the Scudetto in 1990. The 23-year-old Georgian was also named the best young player in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League. Much like Maradona, the hopes of a footballing nation rest on his shoulders.
Coach: Willy Sagnol
Sagnol is best known in Bundesliga circles for his time at Bayern Munich, including as a brief spell as interim coach, but has been in charge of Georgia’s national team since February 2021. Qualification for Euro 2024 has made him a hero over there, but it’s still up in the air whether he’ll stay after the tournament. “My only plan is to focus fully on the Euros,” the 47-year-old recently told kicker.
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