UEFA Euro 2024 Matchday 1 Preview

Last Updated on June 12, 2024 10:30 pm by Erwin Noguera

The UEFA Euro, the most important tournament of the “Old Continent,” presents very interesting matches in this 2024 edition. The local, Germany, will debut against an always combative Scotland, while Spain faces a very tough game against Luka Modric’s Croatia.

England, which starts as one of the great favorites to be champion, must play against a dangerous Serbia, and the game of the current world runner-up, France, against Austria is also relevant.

UEFA Euro 2024 Matchday 1: Germany vs. Scotland

When and Where?

Friday, June 3, 3:00 pm ET at the Allianz Stadium

Moneyline odds:

Germany 1.29

Scotland 10.00

Draw Offs:

5.50

Where can I watch it?

FOX Sports, TUDN USA, Univision, ViX, Star+/ESPN, and Fubo Sports

The German National Team has the pressure of being the home team of the UEFA Euro, so it must start on the right foot. The heart of this team will be Toni Kroos, who has just won the Champions League and will play his last tournament as a professional.

Julian Nagelsmann’s team had four friendlies without losing with three victories, so it could be said that they are in a good moment, but there are doubts due to their recent history in international tournaments, where they have not even reached the quarterfinals.

Scotland had a lousy last European Championship, being last in their group, so they want revenge. On the road to the European Championship, they finished second, leaving Norway out, thanks to their 17 points.

The Scots are combative, but they have only won one of their last nine matches between friendlies and qualifiers, and that was against the weak Gibraltar by 2-0.

Germany vs. Scotland Pick: Germany

UEFA Euro 2024 Matchday 1: Spain vs. Croatia

When and Where?

Saturday, June 15, noon ET at the Olympiastadion Berlin

Moneyline odds:

Spain 1.85

Croatia 4.20

Draw Offs:

3.50

Where can I watch it?

FOX Sports, TUDN USA, Univision, ViX, Star+/ESPN, and Fubo Sports

Spain is the current champion of the UEFA Nations League and that is why it is a great candidate in this tournament. Their best player is not in the offensive zone, as it is the midfielder Rodri, for many the world’s best defensive pivot.

They won their group even with some initial resistance by Scotia in the qualifiers, and have only lost once in the last 12 games, which was a friendly against Colombia. In that period they won nine games and drew two, although one was the final of the Nations League, precisely against Croatia, where they won on penalties.

Croatia did not have it easy but ended up getting their pass to the Euro, to confirm that their third place in the last World Cup was no coincidence. This could be Luka Modric’s farewell at the national team level, so starting on the right foot against Spain could be key.

They have six matches without defeat, winning five of them. Considering only the first 90 minutes, the Croatians have two draws and one win against the Spaniards in their three most recent games.

Spain vs. Croatia Betting Pick: Spain

UEFA Euro 2024 Matchday 1: Serbia vs. England

When and Where?

Sunday, June 16, 3:00 pm ET at the Arena Auf Schalke

Moneyline odds:

Serbia 6.50

England 1.48

Draw Offs:

4.50

Where can I watch it?

FOX Sports, TUDN USA, Univision, ViX, Star+/ESPN, and Fubo Sports

Serbia is a team withvery interesting players, starting with midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and forwards Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic. Two of them are in Saudi Arabia, but they are players of proven quality.

They reached the Euro 2024 as runner-ups in their group, beaten by Hungary, but with five goals from Mitrovic. In their last two friendlies in June they beat Sweden (3-0) and lost to Austria (2-1).

England faces yet another tournament as the great candidate to be champion, and the pressure is on them to stop being a promise and become a reality.

They come from being finalists in the last Euro, and this time, they arrive with players in spectacular moments, such as Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka or Phil Foden. But beware, they have just lost a friendly match against Iceland at home, which set off alarm bells.

Serbia vs. England Betting Pick: England

UEFA Euro 2024 Matchday 1: Austria vs. France

When and Where?

Sunday, June 16, 3:00 pm ET at the Düsseldorf Arena

Moneyline odds:

Austria 6.25

France 1.48

Draw Offs:

4.50

Where can I watch it?

FOX Sports, TUDN USA, Univision, ViX, Star+/ESPN, and Fubo Sports

Austria put a lot of pressure on a group where the favorite was Belgium, as it only finished one point behind.

Defense is the best feature of this team, which has seven matches without losing, winning six of them, in addition to only one defeat in its last 16 games, precisely with Belgium (2-3). In that streak, they beat, among others, Germany 2-0.

France is the current runner-up in the World Cup and is probably the country with the highest quality in the competition, but there is a feeling that this team is in an irregular lapse, for example, they drew 0-0 with Canada in their last presentation.

However, Kylian Mbappé is in this set and already that puts him as a big favorite. After the World Cup, they won 10 games, drew two, and lost two others, both against Germany.

Austria vs. France Betting Pick: Draw