There’s something unusual about this European Championship. For the first time in living memory, there are no AC Milan players in the Italian squad.
The last time that happened was way back in 1938, though if it makes Italian Milan supporters feel any better, Italy did end up winning that tournament, so there may be some consolation.
In fact, Milan have been producing fewer Italian players for a while now. Even at the last Euro Championships – which Italy won – there was only one Milan player, Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has since moved to PSG.
It’s not all bad news, however. Milan are providing plenty of players to other countries in the competition, many of whom have more than a fair chance of going all the way. Let’s take a look at which players returning to the club in August may be doing so with a winner’s medal in tow.
France: Favourites to win
There’s a chance that AC Milan don’t just have one victorious player at Euro 2024, but three. Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez, and Olivier Giroud will all be quietly optimistic that they can go all the way. After all, they hail from a nation with a track record of recent success.
At betting sites like https://www.bet365.com/hub/en-gb/football/football-competitions/euros, France are outright favourites for glory, and that’s not by accident. They have probably the best squad in the tournament and have shown in recent tournaments that they know how to win. If they do win the trophy, you can be sure that Hernandez, Maignan, and Giroud all play a key role.
Rafael Leao: A chance with Portugal
There’s a feeling that Portugal might go all the way. They’ve started the tournament well, carrying themselves with an air of confidence that also suggests that a team is going to be hard to beat.
Rafael Leao has been making a name for himself as an increasingly important part of the Portugal squad, and so if they do go all the way, you can bet that the forward will be instrumental.
At 25, he’s reaching a level where a breakout performance at an international competition is becoming increasingly likely.
Of course, while their odds have been getting better since the tournament started, there are still plenty of teams ahead of them in the “likelihood” list. But with England faltering and France not quite as strong as they were a few years ago, it could happen.
The Netherlands: Possible dark horses
Tijjani Reijnders had a good first season at Milan, so it’s little wonder that he’s cemented a role for himself in the midfield of the national team. Whether his side can go all the way, however, is difficult to say. As it stands,
The Netherlands have had a shaky start to the tournament and, having finished third in the group, will have a difficult path to the final. If they end up winning, they’ll have done so in difficult mode.
Still, it’s not how you start a tournament that counts, but how you finish it. The Netherlands still have a host of top talent to select from, and so while it’s unlikely they’ll go all the way, if things click then they’ll become increasingly confident as the tournament rolls on.
Switzerland: Outsiders
When we say that Switzerland are a wildcard for Euro 2024, we really mean it. If they managed to pull off an unlikely victory, it would be a pretty amazing upset. However, it would be wrong to say that it’s completely off the table.
The team, which features Milan player Noah Okafor, have proven difficult to beat so far in the tournament. Having won one and drawn two of their opening three games, there’s a belief in the team that they can go far.
With no other country really standing out so far, would anyone dismiss the possibility that Switzerland may go on an unlikely run to the final? Let’s wait and see — stranger things have happened.
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