Jamie Carragher predicts Euro 2024 winners and pinpoints where England will crash out
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher predicted England to fall just short to eventual winners France at this summer's Euro 2024. The tournament commences in Germany from Friday, June 14, when the hosts take on Scotland in the opening game.
Carragher believes England have a great squad and would do well in the tournament. However, he believes that the Three Lions will be beaten by France in the semifinals of Euro 2024.
The former player-turned-pundit stated that France's overall quality up front and their defense would be too much for Gareth Southgate's side to handle during the business end of the tournament.
Providing his predictions for Euro 2024, Jamie Carragher was quoted as saying the following in the Telegraph (via the Daily Mail):
"Can you imagine England losing Kane for that game or Bellingham? France have still got player after player after playing to come in. You look at someone like Saliba. He very rarely gets a chance. I think he'd be our best centre-back. He would be an absolute shoo-in in the England team."
He added:
"My one worry for England, coming up against France, Mbappe and Griezmann, two of the best in the world, I'm not sure we've got the defenders who can stop them."
Jamie Carragher believes France would go on to beat hosts Germany in the final to win the European Championship for the first time since 2000. He said:
"I keep going back to the squad of France and who they can bring off the bench. I think Germany are in the final because they're at home. The experience they've got with players who won the World Cup. I just think France will have enough to beat Germany in their own back yard."
France, currently ranked second in the world, are one of the favorites to win Euro 2024. Didier Deschamps' side, however, have been drawn a tricky group alongside Poland, the Netherlands and Austria.
The two-time world champions kickstart their campaign on June 17 against Austria in Dusseldorf.
England will be looking to go one better at Euro 2024
Alongside France, England are also one of the major contenders to win Euro 2024 in Germany. The Three Lions have never won the European Championship in their history.
The closest they came to winning was three years ago when they lost to Italy in the final at Wembley Stadium following a penalty shootout.
This year Gareth Southgate's side come in with huge expectations to go a step further than the last edition of the tournament. They possess some great players who are currently in some superb form.
The likes of Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Declan Rice have had great club seasons and would want to carry their form for their nation.
England have been handed a relatively easy group to navigate through. They have been drawn alongside Denmark, Slovenia and Serbia in Group C. They open their campaign against Serbia on June 16 in Gelsenkirchen.
They then take on Denmark in a repeat of the Euro 2020 semifinals on June 20 before playing Slovenia in their final group game five days later.