With Euro 2024 off to a thrilling start, Telegraph Sport ranks the 24 teams in order of how they performed in their opening game, from worst to best.
24)Scotland
They can still salvage their campaign but they are in a tough group. It was not so much the result against Germany that set alarms bells ringing, it was how poor and naive Scotland were on the night.
23) Ukraine
They are playing with the weight of a nation at war on their shoulders and maybe that got to them against Romania. A really bad start and result given the other teams in their group.
22) Hungary
They are only here because they look a much better side on paper than they showed against Switzerland. Need to improve and fast because the opening performance was a huge worry.
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 15, 2024Breel Embolo seals the win for Switzerland 🔒
No strapping, no problem for the striker!#Euro2024 | #HUNSUI pic.twitter.com/NJWpvYLh6f
21) Croatia
A huge disappointment in their opening game but they have quality players all over the pitch and can recover from that humbling loss to Spain.
20) Albania
Given their pre-tournament expectations, they acquitted themselves well against Italy in a narrow defeat. That was not the game they had to win to progress and showed enough to believe they still can.
19) Serbia
Given the runaround in the first half against England they came back into the game in the second half. Lacked a real goal threat though.
18) Poland
They showed some grit and steel against a free flowing Dutch side and managed to take the lead too. That should give them confidence for the remainder of the group stage.
17) Georgia
They may give the impression they are just happy to be here but they were really impressive in their defeat to Turkey, only losing 3-1 as they were chasing a late equaliser with the goalkeeper up the pitch.
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 18, 2024History!
Georgia score their first-ever goal at a European Championship! 👏🇬🇪#Euro2024 | #TURGEO pic.twitter.com/EjPhNyNTgm
16) Czech Republic
Gave Portugal all sorts of problems with their disciplined defensive display and would have been much higher if they had not conceded a late winner.
15) Slovenia
Seemed delighted with their opening draw against the Danes and will feel it gave them a platform to qualify for the knockout rounds. Will need to beat either England or Serbia to do so.
14) Denmark
There really isn’t much to choose between them and Slovenia, the game ended in a draw and they will be another tricky test for England.
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 16, 2024It just had to be him!
Christian Eriksen scores on his return to the European Championships 🙌#Euro2024 | #SVNDEN pic.twitter.com/sW6MeOkgUY
13)Belgium
Yes, they lost their opening game which is why they have fallen so low in this ranking table but they are surely too good to slip up again in their group. Missed so many chances against Slovakia.
12)Austria
Can consider themselves more than a little unlucky not to get something from their game against France. Were the best of the losing sides at this stage of the tournament.
11)Slovakia
The giant killers of the group stage so far, producing a textbook smash-and-grab victory over the much heralded Belgians. They did need a controversial VAR decision to rule out an equaliser for handball though.
10)Romania
They were underdogs against Ukraine and were playing against the nation everyone wants to see do well, but they ran out comfortable winners and have one foot in the knockout rounds already.
9)Portugal
They have a phenomenal side on paper but they were far too ponderous against the Czech Republic and that made them easy to defend against. Needed a late winner and an own goal to turn the game around.
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 18, 2024Now that's how you make an impact 👏
Francisco Conceição scores with his very first touch #Euro2024 | #PORCZE pic.twitter.com/7TYleMhS0q
8)Switzerland
Hungary are a very good international side but they were outclassed by the Swiss, who were probably the biggest surprise of the opening round given the quality of their football.
7)Turkey
The perennial dark horses were the winners of the most entertaining game of the opening round of fixtures. Yes, it came against minnows Georgia but they looked dangerous.
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 18, 202419 years and 114 days old. The youngest ever debut scorer at a Euros 👶
Step forward, Arda Guler 🇹🇷#Euro2024 | #TURGEO pic.twitter.com/4nX5H3OCkM
6)Italy
Like all of the above, Italy are one of the sides who can win the tournament and despite some difficult moments against Albania, they launched their campaign with a win that puts them in control of their group.
5)France
They are still the favourites to win the tournament but they were given a real scare against Austria and were not at their silky best. The loss of Mbappe will hurt them in the short term but like England, got the job done without getting out of third gear.
4)England
No, this is not blinkered thinking driven by patriotic bias. Gareth Southgate’s side were excellent in the first half against a tricky Serbia side and then showed good defensive resolve to keep a clean sheet. They showed the two sides of a potential tournament winning team.
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 16, 2024England's Starboy 🌟
Jude Bellingham just keeps on delivering moments 😮💨#Euro2024 | #SERENG pic.twitter.com/YnZMV9gADE
3)Netherlands
We have seen this before from the Dutch, most notably at the last European Championships when they also looked good in the group stage. Ronald Koeman’s side were made to work hard by Poland but played some lovely football and should have won by a bigger margin.
2)Spain
Luis de la Fuente’s side delivered a classy performance in a comfortable 3-0 win over Croatia where they took an early lead, extended it and then switched on the cruise control. The perfect start to a tournament campaign.
1) Germany
The signs are ominous. As much as we may have enjoyed their miserable World Cup in Qatar, where they exited in the group stage, Germany were majestic in their thrashing of Scotland. It was by far the best display of the opening round of fixtures.