Two weeks after the blockbuster opening game, the Euro 2024 group stage has now concluded, providing sensational goals, heartbreak and jubilation.
Group A has seen some of the best, and worst, football of the tournament, with sensational individual displays as well as, frankly, embarrassing showings.
The hosts, Germany, topping the group was perhaps to be expected, but the makeup of the rest of the group was anything but straightforward.
Switzerland offered a strong showing to finish second but, despite the quality on display in the group, Group A was just one of two where the third-placed team did not qualify for the knockouts - a heartbreaking blow for Hungary after their last-gasp winner against Scotland in their final game.
Following VAVEL's Group A prediction ahead of the tournament, our writers have now reviewed the ongoings of the group, ahead of Saturday's round of 16 ties.
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Highest scoring team – Germany
Written by Aryn Matthee
The hosts were the highest-scoring team in Group A with eight goals, after two dominant victories over Scotland and Hungary, before a 1-1 draw versus Switzerland, but what has made Die Mannschaft so threatening going forward?
Jamal Musiala and Niclas Füllkrug currently lead the Euro 2024 Golden Boot race, with two goals each, and they have both been pivotal to Germany’s scintillating forward efforts.
Musiala has operated as an inverted 10, opposite Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz. They have formed a free-flowing fluid attack alongside Arsenal frontman Kai Havertz and Germany captain İlkay Gündoğan.
In the 5-1 thrashing of Scotland, the Tartan Army defence struggled to cope with the ever-changing movement of the four, with penetrative runs in behind pushing defences back, which created more space for the likes of Wirtz and Musiala to receive the ball on the half-turn and drive at opposition defences. Receiving the ball in pockets also enables the German forwards to slip their counterparts in behind and create in the half-spaces.
Pushing defences back also enables the likes of Toni Kroos to receive more time on the ball when dropping in deep, which allows him the opportunity to pick his progressive passes through opposition lines. Kroos also offers a set-piece threat with his abilities in dead-ball situations.
Füllkrug has offered a dynamic threat off the substitute bench, and so far the Borussia Dortmund striker has been clinical in his opportunities.
The two full-backs also help offer an attacking threat for Germany, with both providing width overlapping the two inverted 10s. This helps to create additional space for the forward players, and also allows the full-backs to occupy dangerous positions to deliver into the box, as was the case for the equaliser against Switzerland, when David Raum whipped a pinpoint delivery for Füllkrug to head home.
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Standout player - Jamal Musiala
Written by Matthew Shotter
When Musiala broke into the Bayern Munich first team as a bright-eyed 17-year-old, his tremendous talent was evident for all to see. It did not take long for the youngster to get called up to the German senior squad, a mere nine months after his first game for Munich.
Many were excited about what Musiala could bring to the national set-up, given his scintillating form for his club. But it must be said, the 21-year-old struggled to make his presence known on the international stage, scoring just two goals in 29 games.
Heading into the 2024 UEFA European Championship there was a debate whether the former England youth international warranted a spot in the starting 11.
The Stuttgart native has kiboshed those qualms by not only being the standout player of Group A but debatably the best player in the whole tournament.
His display against Scotland was breathtaking, constantly dancing his way around the hapless Scottish defence. Not to mention the absolute thunderbolt he scored from the edge of the box.
In the second match, he was vital in seeing off a defiant Hungary, as he doubled his tally for the competition. Even in the game where did not score against Switzerland, he was a creative force.
Making the most chances out of anyone on the pitch and constantly looked like a threat. Musiala looks like a player who has rid himself of apprehension and has welcomed responsibility. He is deservedly Group A’s standout player.
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Surprise package - Switzerland
Written by Joe Turner
When attempting to write a good piece about the surprise package of Group A, you are relying on the likes of Scotland or Hungary to have shaken things up somewhat. However, the Tartan Army’s extremely poor trio of games and the fact that the Magyars narrowly missed out on being one of the qualifying third-placed teams, meant that Switzerland were the surprise package of the group, by process of elimination.
Alright, “surprise” is probably not the right word, but when considering the Swiss Nati's lacklustre qualifying campaign, where they finished second, five points behind Romania, to comfortably beat a side that went 14 matches unbeaten in the lead-up to the finals (Hungary) in their first match, and come narrowly close to topping the group if it were not for one of Niclas Füllkrug’s quintessential headers, Murat Yakin’s team have to be commended for their efforts having made sure of a third consecutive qualification for the knockout stages.
All three matches have presented different challenges, and the Swiss Nati have passed all of them with flying colours, even their hard-fought draw versus a spirited Scotland. What’s more, they have done it with injuries, such as the absence of key player Breel Embolo. Therefore, with the context of qualifying, the Swiss are Group A’s surprise package.
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Best game - Hungary 1-3 Switzerland
Written by Jake Clay
Whilst Germany may have topped Group A, Switzerland showed their class in an impressive 3-1 over suspected dark horses Hungary. The Hungarians were coming into Euro 2024 following an impressive qualification campaign and impressive results against big names such as Germany and England.
However, Switzerland proved a class act as they dominated Hungary in the first half of their Euro 2024 opener. The Swiss controlled the midfield, with particularly Granit Xhaka excellent in the middle of the park.
The lively Kwadwo Duah deservedly put Switzerland ahead after a swift move before Michel Aebischer put the game beyond Hungary with an excellent strike from the edge of the area. Hungary did fight back by piling the pressure on their opponents and got their reward through a Barnabas Varga header from an excellent Dominik Szoboszlai cross into the penalty area.
Breel Embolo secured their first Euro 2024 victory with a 93rd-minute breakaway goal that sparked wild celebrations from the Swiss bench. It was a game where both sides showed their quality in an end-to-end contest.
