euros preview: group a

The EUROS are nearly here so here’s a quick preview of every group. I’ll start each with a brief group overview before doing some team-by-team synopsis. We all know the big name talents, but one of the most fun parts of international tournaments are non/not yet- star talents causing a bit of ruckus. So I’m also attempting to pick out a player from every team to be excited about when they get on the pitch.

group a overview

Finland | Iceland | Norway | Switzerland

This group is low key hilarious. The talent discrepancy between the teams should see Norway top it, and somewhat comfortably. But as we all now know, you cannot trust Norway. They are toxic and play football with the sole purpose of disappointing you and everyone foolish enough to love them. I do not know why they are this way, but they are, and this is how they will be until they go to therapy.

The rest of the group is full of scrappers. The kind that are adept at pressing on the insecurities of more talented teams. I might be stealing a bit of valor for Switzerland when it comes to classifying them as scrappers on the level of Finland and Iceland, but they are the home nation, and start the tournament with a match against Norway—which has historically been a Good Thing™.

In 2022 the EUROS were held in England, and the eventual champions showed their intent with an 8-0 dismantling of Norway in the group stage. The 2023 World Cup kicked off in Auckland with Norway facing New Zealand, who got their only goal and only win against Norway. So, yeah.

Anyway, every team in this group should feel that they have a manageable path to the knockout round. If the Swiss keep the home nation streak alive and beat Norway, all hell could break loose. Yes, please.

• FIFA Rank: #26

• Latest results

  • Netherlands 2-1 Finland

  • Finland 1-1 Serbia

  • Finland 3-0 Belarus

expectations

Finland aren’t the most talented team but have solid defenders—NWSL fans will be familiar with Natalia Kuikka, and WSL and FSU fans will know Emma Koivisto—and are generally rather unfun to play against. Their problems are in attack, where they don’t quite have the talent to capitalize on the solid base created by their defending.

Adelina Engman never truly hit as a top-tier striker after moving to Chelsea in 2018, and is now 30. Their most veteran scorer is 36-year-old Linda Sällström, who’s been playing for Vittsjö since 2022, a club that finished tenth in the Damallsvenskan last year. If Finland can capitalize on set pieces, or if one of their forwards steps up, they could find their way out of this group.

player to watch

Jutta Rantala
Forward
Leicester City

Rantala isn’t dynamic or full of tricks, but she is relentless. Most of her tasks will involve closing down opposition defenders as they attempt to build out, but she’s dutiful enough in that job to earn a crack or two at goal. If those chances come, she will be ready.

@adobewomensfacup

WHAT A STRIKE JUTTA RANTALA 🚀 @Leicester City #AdobeWomensFACup #lcfcwomen #spurswomen #womensfacup

• FIFA Rank: #14

• Latest results

  • Serbia 1-3 Iceland

  • Iceland 0-2 France

  • Norway 1-1 Iceland

expectations

The Fighting Dottirs aren’t typically fun to play against either. They usually have tough midfield and defensive lines, but are one-dimensional in attack, often relying on Sveindis Jane Jónsdóttir to turn a long ball into a shot attempt. This means they’re rarely blown out, and at least have something their counterparts don’t: a genuine attacking star in the prime of her career.

Iceland field workhorse-type midfielders who may not have the vision for incisive passing or goalscoring instincts, but are physical and very good at getting in the opposition’s way. That just might be enough in this group. Norway will be forced to try and break them down, and they matchup evenly against Finland and Switzerland, with Jónsdóttir giving them the advantage in attack.

player to watch

Katla Tryggvadóttir
Midfielder
Kristianstads

Tryggvadóttir is just 20-years-old but in great form and seems to have a splash or two more of the sauce than her midfield compatriots. She’s started 11 games this season for Kristianstads in the Damallsvenskan and already has four goals and two assists. This tournament might be too soon for her to pop, as she got her first international cap less than a year ago, but the door is open in this group.

A few late arriving moves to help create in and around the box could change a lot in this group.

@obosdamallsvenskan

Katla Tryggvadottir nätar för tredje matchen i rad när Kristianstads DFF tar 3 poäng mot hammarby 🔥 #obosdamallsvenskan

• FIFA Rank: #16

• Latest results

  • Norway 0-2 Sweden

  • Switzerland 0-1 Norway

  • Norway 1-1 Iceland

expectations

On paper this is a team that should get to the quarterfinals, with a solid shot at the semifinals. In reality, they refuse to go anywhere near the collective potential of their talent. We’ve seen some of this with international teams before, but usually it’s the result of a talent imbalance between lines. Norway have world class attackers, a solid midfield, and a defensive unit with promising young talent to add to veterans like Maren Mjelde and Tuva Hansen (who became one of my favorite defenders this summer).

None of it makes sense, but I don’t understand the stock market either and don’t need to in order to know that we’d all be better off without it.

player to watch

Nobody
Exactly
I’m Fed Up

There are definitely talented players to pick out, but I cannot in good conscience suggest that you lend a morsel of hope to anyone wearing a Norway shirt. You will thank me later.

• FIFA Rank: #26

• Latest results

  • Netherlands 2-1 Finland

  • Finland 1-1 Serbia

  • Finland 3-0 Belarus

expectations

In the last EUROS the host country went all the way to the dang final and won. While you shouldn’t expect that here, if the Swiss find the right vibe or two to ride, they could make it out of the group. However, I still have bigger picture questions about how invested the country is in women’s soccer. In January of 2024 the Swiss government attempted to trim their commitment of ~$18.7-million to support the tournament all the way down to $4.5-million. Everyone yelled at them so they changed their mind. Without anyone having to yell at them in 2008, they spent 80-million Swiss Francs ($99.8-million) hosting the men’s EUROS.

In 21/22 and 22/23, Servette and Zürich managed to show up in the UWCL, but no Swiss team has made it to the group stage of the competition since. Typically domestic leagues are decent barometers for the day-to-day health of a sport’s landscape, so this doesn’t bode well either. I’m obviously very outside attempting to look in, but we’ve all seen these symptoms before, and know where they lead. I hope I’m wrong.

player to watch

Sydney Schertenleib
Forward/Midfielder
Barcelona

Yeah I know a Barcelona player isn’t exactly some under-the-radar gem. But Schertenleib is just 18-years-old, already 5’10, fluid with the ball at her feet, and loves scoring bangers. Before I show you her FBref scouting report radar you need to understand that I am aware of all the caveats: level of competition in Liga F, small sample size, positional variation. I get it.

But good Lord.

Schertenleib is going to be a nightmare to contend with for the better part of two decades, and just may use this tournament to get started.

@dazn_es

Sydney Schertenleib, HA NACIDO UNA ESTRELLA 🌟 El @fcbfemeni mete la directa... y tiene pie y medio en semifinales 🔵🔴 Las de Pere Romeu qui... See more