Euro 2024 predictions, picking every game: Germany beat France in final, England reach semis, Italy crash out

Euro 2024 is nearly upon us. Friday brings us the first Game of the tournament as hosts Germany face Scotland in Munich. Prior to that my wife's office sweepstakes required me to offer what might be termed some generous guidance as to what results to expect in the tournament -- it seemed a shame to let such content go to waste. So here we go, every Game of the Euros, plotted out for your Entertainment. 

Considering I tried this before the 2022 World Cup and had Brazil winning the lot, the USA crashing out at the group stages and Germany getting through theirs, I wouldn't rush to place big money bets on anything I'm saying here. Then again I did say Morocco would top their group and Argentina would beat France. Stopped clocks and all that. Let's get into it:

Group stages

Group A

Matchday 1 picks
Germany 3, Scotland 0
Hungary 1, Switzerland 2

Matchday 2 picks
Germany 2, Hungary 0
Scotland 2, Switzerland 2

Matchday 3 picks
Switzerland 1, Germany 3
Scotland 1, Hungary 2

There are two types of big name hosts at major tournaments, the sort that get crushed by the weight of expectations or those who are raised up by a home crowd that falls head over heels for them. A bright start against Scotland in Munich ensures that Germany are the latter while Scotland never recover from a tough start to the tournament. They give Switzerland a few headaches but Murat Yakin's men know what it takes to reach the knockout rounds -- they ultimately discover they did just that by overcoming Hungary early on day two.

Group B

Matchday 1 picks
Spain 1, Croatia 0
Italy 1, Albania 1

Matchday 2 picks
Croatia 1, Albania 0
Spain 2, Italy 0

Matchday 3 picks
Croatia 1, Italy 1
Albania 0, Spain 2

The Group of Death claims its prize as the defending champions fail to escape, paying the price for a misfiring attack that couldn't overcome an Albania side who reached the tournament off the back of their defensive qualities. Spain begin the tournament in customary fashion, not necessarily turning their possession into the goals you might expect, but both they and Croatia showcase an innate ability to do just enough. 

Group C

Matchday 1 picks
Slovenia 0, Denmark 1
Serbia 1, England 3

Matchday 2 picks
Slovenia 0, Serbia 1
Denmark 1, England 1

Matchday 3 picks
England 4, Slovenia 0
Denmark 3, Serbia 2

A hard fought draw against Denmark is enough to send tremors across England, but the Three Lions respond with an impressive win over Slovenia that ensures they pick up top spot in what is one of the more stratified groups. For all their attacking firepower Serbia are perhaps guilty of being a little too gung-ho, even 

Group D

Matchday 1 picks
Poland 1, Netherlands 2
Austria 1, France 3

Matchday 2 picks
Poland 1, Austria 2
Netherlands 0, France 2

Matchday 3 picks
Netherlands 3, Austria 1
France 3, Poland 0

How different might this group have been were it not for injuries to Robert Lewandowski and the Dutch midfield pair of Frenkie De Jong and Teun Koopmeiners? Without their talismanic forward for the opener, Poland never really got going in this competition while the Netherlands' hopes of blowing France off cause were significantly hampered, resulting in Les Bleus breezing to top spot. Their case to be champions in waiting seems hard to dispute.

Group E

Matchday 1 picks
Romania 0, Ukraine 0
Belgium 2, Slovakia 0

Matchday 2 picks
Slovakia 1, Ukraine 2
Belgium 1, Romania 0

Matchday 3 picks
Slovakia 0, Romania 1
Ukraine 1, Belgium 1

The last vestiges of Belgium's Golden Generation get the job done in a supremely favorable Group E but they are hardly setting the tournament alight early on and labor to a draw against Ukraine that means Serhiy Rebrov's side pick up an automatic qualification spot. Romania, meanwhile, prove to be obdurate if uninspired, holding out for more than enough points to book their spot in the knockout rounds thanks to a late winner against Slovakia.

Group F

Matchday 1 picks
Turkey 0, Georgia 1
Portugal 3, Czech Republic 0

Matchday 2 picks
Georgia 1, Czech Republic 2
Turkey 0, Portugal 1

Matchday 3 picks
Czech Republic 0, Turkey 2
Georgia 1, Portugal 2

With Portugal cruising to top spot, Group F delivers plenty of drama elsewhere. Tournament debutants Georgia pull off one of the upsets of the group stages as Khvicha Kvarastkhelia inspires them to victory over Turkey, who rally in dramatic fashion in their final game to snatch second place for themselves.

Third placed rankings

The top four advance to the round of 16

Round of 16

Spain 1, Romania 0
Germany 2, Denmark 0
Portugal 3, Hungary 1
Netherlands 2, Ukraine 1 (a.e.t.)
Belgium 2, Serbia 3
France 2, Turkey 0
England 2, Georgia 0
Switzerland 1, Croatia 1 (Switzerland win on penalties)

Though a 24 team European Championships does open the door to the big leagues for teams who might never otherwise have got close, it does have some fairly sizeable drawbacks. Not only does it take nearly two weeks to eliminate eight teams, but when the competition arrives at its last 16 there are precious few contests that promise to be tightly fought.

Serbia achieve the biggest surprise of the round, edging a high scoring thriller with Belgium, their first win of a knockout Game since they comPeted as part of Yugoslavia. The only other result that perhaps goes against the grain is Switzerland dragging Croatia to penalties, where for once Luka Modric and company come up short in a penalty shootout, Gregor Kobel the hero for the Nati.

Quarterfinals

Spain 1, Germany 3
Portugal 2, Netherlands 0
Serbia 0, France 1
England 1, Switzerland 0 (a.e.t.)

Now Europe moves into the big games, high quality ones at that. Germany fly out of the blocks to score the first and second goals Spain have conceded in the tournament, holding off a fightback to book a semifinal spot against another opponent with a 100% record. Portugal's star men have stayed fit, the Netherlands' haven't. On the other side of the bracket, France emerge victorious after a profligate but commanding win over Serbia. England are not quite so dominant but the quality of their bench shines through against a Swiss opponent drained from their battles with Croatia earlier in the competition. Everything is set for a collision course between the four pre-tournament favorites.

Semfinals

Germany 1, Portugal 0
France 3, England 2

Much of Germany's quality on the way to the semifinal has been apparent in their possession and attacking display but this time the hosts do just enough to repel the pressure that comes from Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Cristiano Ronaldo. The other semifinal, meanwhile, is a stone cold classic. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham excel for England but even the defensive nous of Kyle Walker is not enough to quell Kylian Mbappe, yet again a man for the biggest stage as the now Real Madrid forward fires Les Bleus to a fourth final in their last five major tournaments.

Final

Germany 1, France 1 (Germany win on penalties)

As is usually the case at major tournaments, the best game is not the last one, this meeting between the Germans and French replete with more tension than quality. The hosts get out in front in the first half but are pegged back late on, setting the stage for half an hour where neither of these exhausted sides are quite prepared to risk defeat in pursuit of victory. Ultimately Euro 2024 is settled from 12 yards out, Toni Kroos' final action in professional football the winning penalty that brings him the only major honor he was missing.

It's a nice story. Will it actually work out like that? Almost certainly not, that's the joy of the Euros. It rarely goes anything like the way you expect.