5 superstars from Euro 2020 who will miss Euro 2024
Euro 2024 kicks off on June 14th, when hosts Germany lock horns with Scotland at the Allianz Arena in Munich. 24 of the finest teams in Europe will battle each other to stand a chance at winning the final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on July 14th.
The tournament is undoubtedly the perfect stage for some of the world's biggest talents to announce their arrival on the international football circuit. But it can also be a happy hunting ground for several dark horses as history would suggest.
As such, fans can be assured that Euro 2024 will give birth to new heroes just like its previous edition, which was held in 2021 due to COVID-19. While some of the best performers from Euro 2020 went on to scale greater heights in the last three years, there were others who fell by the wayside.
The objective of this article is to remember some of the best performers from Euro 2020 who will miss Euro 2024. Without further ado, let's get straight into it:
#5 Emil Forsberg (Sweden - did not qualify for Euro 2024)
32-year-old Emil Forsberg is now in the twilight of his career, playing for the New York Red Bulls in MLS. But back in his prime, the Sweden winger was exceptional.
Forsberg made a name for himself at RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga. He spent nine years at the club, directly contributing to 139 goals in 325 appearances across competitions.
Sweden surprised everyone at Euro 2020, finish top of Group E ahead of Spain, Poland and Slovakia. Forsberg scored three goals in the group stages, including a brace in the crucial 3-2 win over Robert Lewandowski's Poland. He also scored the equaliser against Ukraine in the round of 16, before Sweden crashed out in extra-time.
Forsberg finished as the joint second-highest goalscorer at Euro 2020. But he will not be part of Euro 2024 after Sweden failed to qualify for the tournament. We we may never see Forsberg link-up with Sweden's promising new attacker Viktor Gyokeres at a major competition, and that almost feels unfair as we approach Euro 2024.
#4 Raheem Sterling (England)
Not sure if anyone else on this list has had a bigger downfall than Raheem Sterling. The Englishman was at the peak of his powers three years ago, having won the domestic double with Manchester City just before the Euros.
Sterling netted 14 goals and registered 10 assists across competitions for the Cityzens in that campaign and replicated his stellar form at Euro 2020. Notably, he scored three goals including the opener in the Three Lions' round of 16 win over Germany.
The forward failed to win the Champions League and Euro 2020 finals in the space of a few months. But he was named in the team of the tournament at Euro 2020. Sterling spent another successful season at Manchester City, but ever since joining Chelsea in 2022, his career underwent a downard spiral.
England's wealth of talent in attack, coupled with Sterling's inconsistency at club level, resulted in him failing to grab a spot even in the preliminary squad for Euro 2024. Safe to say, Sterling is a shadow of the player he was as he prepares to watch Euro 2024 from the comforts of his home.
#3 Robin Gosens (Germany)
Throwback to June 19, 2021. The stage is set for Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal to battle Germany at the Allianz Arena. Understandably, the Portugal fans in attendance were expecting their talisman to fire the team to victory in the group of death, which also featured France and Hungary.
But what awaited them, instead, was a nerve-wracking experience catered by then 26-year-old Robin Gosens. The alarm bells rang as early as the fifth minute, when left wing-back Gosens found the back of the net before being adjudged offside.
Ronaldo quickly put Portugal ahead at the other end but the perfect start did not last for long. Gosens produced one of the most memorable individual performances of Euro 2020, setting up two goals before getting on the scoresheet himself.
The former Atalanta star was unplayable throughout the game and wreaked havoc as the tormentor-in-chief against Fernando Santos' hapless Portugal, who lost 4-2.
Gosens struggled with injuries after crashing out of Euro 2020 in the round of 16 and has played just one competitive game for Germany since then. He now plays for Union Berlin in Bundesliga but was not picked by Julian Nagelsmann for Euro 2024.
#2 Manuel Locatelli (Italy)
The world barely knew Manuel Locatelli and his exemplary qualities before Euro 2020. Obviously, not all of us watched Sassuolo on a regular basis to rate him highly enough before he hogged the limelight with Italy three years ago.
Eventually, the flowers did go to Jorginho as the Azzurri won the trophy, and deservedly too. But what Locatelli brought to Roberto Mancini's champion side was a sense of security in midfield.
The defensive midfielder was soon wanted by Arsenal, but decided to join Juventus initially on loan, before making the move permanent in 2023. Despite being a regular for the Serie A giants, Locatelli has fallen out of favour with Italy coach Luciano Spalletti.
The 65-year-old coach, who replaced Mancini at the helm in 2023, prefers other players to deploy a more attacking system. Inter's Davide Frattesi, Locatelli's Juventus teammate Nicolo Fagioli and Michael Folorunsho all made the cut ahead of him for Euro 2024.
#1 Karim Benzema (France)
2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema is one of the greatest strikers of his generation. But his career with France was always tainted by controversy.
Despite making his senior debut for Les Bleus in 2007, Benzema had to wait until 2021 to win his first major trophy with the national team. He was also excluded from the France squad from 2016 to 2020 due to a blackmailing scandal involving ex-teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
The first tournament Benzema featured in after making his comeback to the national team was Euro 2020 and he was the joint second-highest topscorer. The ex-Real Madrid superstar's four goals came against Portugal and Switzerland in the group stages and round of 16, respectively.
But Benzema was unable to guide France to the quarter-finals as they were knocked out by Switzerland on penalties. He later won his first ever trophy with France by lifting the UEFA Nations League the following year.
Benzema missed the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to injury and announced his retirement from interntional football shortly thereafter. He could have had the chance to win the trophy for the first time at Euro 2024, if he was still around.