The two teams considered most likely to fight it out with UEFA Euro 2024 host nation Germany for the top two places in Group A open their campaigns with a clash that could be decisive in determining who advances directly to the last 16. Hungary will be appearing at a second consecutive Euros under current manager Marco Rossi, who has been tasked with improving on their disappointing Euro 2020 tournament, in which they finished last in Group F despite playing two games in Budapest.
However, based on their method of qualification for 2024 compared to then, along with a second-placed finish in their inaugural UEFA Nations League A appearance to end up above Germany and England, they’re promising so much more this year. Hungary were one of the last teams to qualify for Euro 2020, but coasted into Euro 2024 as an undefeated winner of their qualifying group (W5, D3), which helped form part of a 14-game unbeaten streak including friendlies (W9, D5) that was ended only this month by the Republic of Ireland.
This will be Switzerland’s first Euros under manager Murat Yakin after they got through qualification as Group I runners-up despite failing to win six of their last seven such matches (W1, D5, L1). The Red Crosses set a new benchmark in 2020 by reaching the quarter-finals of the Euros for the first time, although it was a largely scrappy tournament which saw them emerge victorious in just one of five games in regulation time (D3, L1).
Yakin recently pointed to the experience of a squad that has been complemented by an injection of younger players as reason to expect progression to the knockout phase here. The 49-year-old has selected no fewer than 15 players who were also at Euro 2020, while 13 of those men also travelled to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Some players, including goalscorers Granit Xhaka, Ricardo Rodriguez and Steven Zuber, may even remember defeating Hungary twice (5-2 home, 3-2 away) in qualification for the 2018 World Cup in their last H2Hs.
Players to watch: Barnabás Varga’s double in Hungary’s final lead-up game against Israel was his eighth scoring appearance for club or country in 2024, while Xherdan Shaqiri is the only Swiss player to have netted twice for his nation this calendar year.
Hot streak: Hungary have scored in their last 11 matches, including friendlies.
• Full Match : 1fichier Mega PixD Swiss GoFile