EURO 2024: Croatia Back Modric – Dutch get a facelift for Qualifiers

While the European Club Leagues are underway, the footballing world is edging closer and closer to its next big spectacle – the UEFA Euro 2024. 

While UEFA Euro 2024 tickets are still to be released, fans worldwide are already placing their early predictions on the teams who will dominate in the tournament, which will kick off in Germany next year. 

In the build-up, there a still a few more international breaks for the qualifiers, as the final spots for EURO 2024 are still open. 

Here is the latest from the teams readying for EURO 2024.

Luka Modric will continue as Captain for Croatia

On August 21, 2023, Croatia’s national team coach Zlatko Dalić announced the selection of 23 players for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Latvia and Armenia.

The Euro 2024 qualifiers are set to continue in September. Croatia will face Latvia in Rijeka on September 8, followed by a match against Armenia in Yerevan three days later. UEFA Euro 2024 tickets for both games are now available, with the Latvia clash being a popular pick over the other. 

After two matches, Croatia is in third position in Group D with four points. They are trailing behind Turkey, who have nine points from four games, and Armenia, with six points from three games. Croatia’s lower number of matches played is due to their participation in the Nations League Finals, where they secured the silver medal.

The next few weeks of the qualifiers will be crucial for Croatia for them to get the qualification ticket for Germany. 

But coach Dalić is confident that his team will get through.

Coach Dalić has chosen 23 players for the upcoming games and listed five on standby (Kotarski, Ćaleta-Car, Medić, Moro, and Baturina).

Dalić expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance in the Nations League Finals and stated that they are sticking with the squad that won the silver medal. He highlighted the importance of having captain Luka Modrić on the team and how it strengthens both on-field and off-field dynamics. 

He also praised the players for resolving their transfer situations with their clubs, which was sometimes a challenge in the past.

The coach also explained the squad selection, mentioning that Frigan has been added to enhance attacking options with his speed and versatility as a modern striker. Dalić acknowledged the significance of the upcoming matches against Latvia and Armenia, as two wins could significantly advance Croatia’s chances of qualifying for the Euros.

The national team is scheduled to assemble on September 4 in Zagreb. They will travel to Rijeka on September 5 and then to Armenia on September 9. The top two teams from the group will secure direct qualification for the final tournament in Germany in the summer of 2024.

Croatia squad: 

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković, Ivica Ivušić, Nediljko Labrović

Defenders: Domagoj Vida, Borna Barišić, Josip Juranović, Joško Gvardiol, Borna Sosa, Josip Stanišić, Josip Šutalo, Martin Erlić

Midfielders: Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Marcelo Brozović, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić, Lovro Majer, Luka Ivanušec

Strikers: Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Bruno Petković, Petar Musa, Matija Frigan

Standby: Dominik Kotarski, Duje Ćaleta-Car, Jakov Medić, Nikola Moro, Martin Baturina

Significant Changes in the Dutch Camp

On Friday, coach Ronald Koeman announced the preliminary Netherlands squad for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Greece and Ireland, incorporating fresh talent following the team’s underwhelming performance as hosts of the Nations League finals in June, where they suffered defeats against Croatia and Italy.

Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen and Tottenham Hotspur’s recent acquisition Micky van de Ven have received call-ups in the preliminary squad. Koeman’s decision reflects a shift towards younger players as they seek to revitalize the team’s performance.

Micky van de Ven, who joined Tottenham from VfL Wolfsburg, was initially selected in a provisional group of 39 players by former coach Louis van Gaal before the last year’s World Cup. However, he did not make it to the final squad. 

This marks the first time 21-year-old Ian Maatsen has been called to the national team. Maatsen, a left-back, spent the previous year on loan at Burnley and recently made his Premier League debut for Chelsea as a substitute against Liverpool.

Koeman’s selections include notable exclusions, shocking the fans who already have UEFA Euro 2024 tickets for the next qualifiers. Manchester United fullback Tyrell Malacia and former captain and midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum have been dropped from the squad. Additionally, the team will have to navigate without Jurrien Timber, who suffered a severe knee injury during his debut for Arsenal last weekend. 

It has been delightful for the fans who’ve been behind the Dutch with UEFA Euro 2024 tickets. Despite the loss to France, the other fixture ended with a win.

Competing in Group B, the team is just a few steps away from qualification. They started with a 4-0 loss against France in March and followed it with an unconvincing 3-0 victory against Gibraltar in Rotterdam.

Their upcoming matches include a home fixture against Greece in Eindhoven on September 7 and an away game against Ireland in Dublin on September 10. UEFA Euro 2024 tickets are already out for the September qualifiers. 

EURO 24 coming to FC 24 

Excitement is building among all those with UEFA Euro 2024 tickets as EA Sports prepares to launch FC 24, a refreshing soft reboot of their FIFA series. While we can’t predict the exact FC 24 release date, this could become one of the most impressive soccer games. 

The glimpses we’ve seen so far indicate that it will be feature-rich. Now, leaks suggest that Euro 2024 will be included in FC 24 – a significant development for fans of international soccer competitions.

In anticipation of the FC 24 early access period, you can secure your spot by exploring the latest FC 24 pre-orders. A content creator and leaker known as ‘ReFIFA’ has disclosed that assets related to the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament, scheduled for June 2024 and July 2024 in Germany, have been integrated into FC 24’s files. 

In previous EA Sports soccer games under the FIFA brand, this competition was absent and replaced with a generic version.

Although playing a European international cup competition within the game has been possible, it needed to have the distinct imagery and fanfare associated with events like the UEFA Champions League or FIFA World Cup.

However, it appears this is all set to change – and we’re eagerly anticipating it. It seems highly likely that you’ll be able to dive into a fully-licensed UEFA Euro 2024 tournament both in Kick Off mode and Career Mode once the game is live.