euros preview: group b

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 b overview

Belgium | Italy | Portugal | Spain

Spain should be able to easily handle this group without loading their stars’ legs with bunch of minutes. For the rest of the group though, it might be thunderdome time. All three could potentially join Spain, but will have to scrap hard with one another to do so. In truth it could all come down to goal differential, which could mean ‘whomstever lost to Spain by the fewest goals wins’.

• FIFA Rank: #20

• Latest results

  • Belgium 2-0 Greece

  • France 5-0 Belgium

  • Portugal 0-3 Belgium

expectations

Whoever is in charge of putting these groups together needs a little more imagination, or, a little less math. Belgium shared a National League group with Portugal and Spain (and England), so we already kinda know how those three matchup. Spain and England topped the group, with Belgium securing two more points than Portugal, and their -7 goal difference was better than Portugal’s -16.

Belgium beating Portugal 3-0 in Nations League play in early June should give them confidence to take another three points. If they do, their tournament will largely be defined by the result of their matchup with Italy, who are the wild card of the group. Lucky for us Belgium vs. Italy is the group’s very first matchup, and one we haven’t seen in the past few months.

player to watch

Hannah Eurlings
Forward
OH Leuven/Union Berlin

Eurlings is a 22-year-old forward who recently signed for Union Berlin, who were promoted to the Frauen Bundesliga after winning the 2. Frauen Bundesliga title. The move will be Eurlings’ first move away from Belgium, where she’d been playing professionally since turning 16.

Ignore the headline here, which is apparently just parroting some in Belgian media, but it’s a nice profile of Eurlings after her national team debut in 2022, at just 19. Interestingly enough, her opponent that day was Italy. It’s a long payoff, but shoutout to the script writers for this one.

• FIFA Rank: #13

• Latest results

  • Wales 1-4 Italy

  • Italy 0-0 Sweden

  • Denmark 0-3 Italy

expectations

I don’t really know what to expect from Italy. They weren’t at all impressive at the 2023 World Cup, yeeted their coach after, had an interim or two, got a permanent one, then messed around and drew with Sweden and beat Spain in Nations League play in late October/early December. A few months later though they were getting yeeted 5-1 by England, but again got a result over Spain (1-1) last October. They also managed to beat Germany before the calendar turned to 2025.

Their most recent results look strong, though. They also hold the unexpected distinction of being the only team in the group (and one of the only in the tournament) capable of bothering Spain in multiple contests. If they’re able to do that again they’ll be an immediate favorite to get out of the group.

player to watch

Sofia Cantore
Forward
Juventus/Washington Spirit

Giulia Dragoni would be the player to spotlight, but she tore a ligament in her ankle and isn’t expected to be healthy until September. Emma Severini, 21-year-old midfielder from Fiorentina, is a player to watch as well, but Italy will need someone to start scoring consistently for the national team beyond the Cristiana Girelli and Barbara Bonansea, who are both in their mid-30s. That person could be Sofia Cantore.

Cantore is leaving Juventus for the NWSL after posting her best tally of goal contributions, with 11 goals and 6 assists in 25 appearances (20 starts). The club thanked her with a 7:33 highlight reel of her final season with the club.

There’s a particularly nasty nutmeg + far post curler against PSG that you should watch, especially if you’re a Washington Spirit fan.

• FIFA Rank: #22

• Latest results

  • Portugal 0-0 Nigeria

  • Portugal 0-3 Belgium

  • England 6-0 Portugal

expectations

Ain’t gonna lie to y’all, it ain’t lookin good. As you see above, Portugal hasn’t scored a goal in their last three matches. However, they did score four matches ago. Against Spain. It’s just that the final score was 7-1. Oh dear.

At the start of National League play in February they were able to hold England 1-1, beat Belgium, and had Spain biting their nails at 3-2 until a late goal from Esther made it 4-2. Their next cycle through the same opponents all ended with lopsided scorelines against them. That’s not exactly the form you want heading into a major tournament.

player to watch

Andreia Jacinto
Midfielder
Real Sociedad

Portugal’s best player is also their youngest, Kika Nazareth. However an injury concern made her a late addition to the squad. While it’s great she’s fit enough to participate in some manner, the injury may still impact how much she can play or how effective she can be.

Chances are it’ll be up to their third youngest outfield player, Andreia Jacinto, to be the spark the team need.

I’m not entirely sure why Jacinto chose to re-up for one year with Real Sociedad after her contract expired this summer. Other clubs were interested, but now she won’t be going anywhere. This could be a ‘bet on myself’ move, and if Jacinto balls out at the EUROS there’s a chance someone gets giddy and throws her and Sociedad a pile of money. First though, she must hoop.

• FIFA Rank: #2

• Latest results

  • Spain 3-1 Japan

  • Spain 2-1 England

  • Belgium 1-5 Spain

expectations

Despite Spain’s sometimes up-and-down performances it’d be silly to not have them as favorites. Heavy is the head that wears the crown and all that. Since winning their first World Cup in 2023, the shine of pure dominance seems to have faded. They became the measuring stick, and are getting the best from every team they face.

That’s unlikely to change in this tournament, but Spain should be able to find their groove in this group and be prepared for the knockout rounds. One question I have is whether Aitana Bonmati will, or should, play at all. She was recently discharged from the hospital after suffering from viral meningitis. That’s not a fun thing to have, and not an easy thing to recover from.

She’s expected to be back with the team by the time tournament starts, but who knows what that will look like. Better news is that Alexia Putellas is feeling a lot more like herself.

player to watch

Vicky López
Midfielder
Barcelona

Another Barcelona player who isn’t exactly under the radar, but it’s Spain, what do you want from me. Anywhomst, we all know what Claudia Pina and Salma Paralluelo can do, and it definitely broke my brain to read that Alba Redondo is already 28. But López is just 18-years-old and has yet to have her customary star turn on the international stage.

If Aitana Bonmati is out, or not up to the hefty load of minutes summer tournaments require, López will have plenty of opportunities to shine. Bet on her to do so.