In the Euro 2024 draw held on Saturday, the defending champions, Italy, found themselves grouped alongside Spain, setting the stage for a thrilling encounter. France, on the other hand, will contend with the Netherlands in their group.

In Group B, Italy, triumphant in the 2021 European Championship by defeating England in a dramatic penalty shootout at Wembley, will confront Spain and contend with Croatia and Albania in what promises to be a challenging group stage.

Spain, triumphant over Italy in the Euro 2012 final, is set to kick off their Euro 2024 campaign against Croatia, the runners-up of the 2018 World Cup, in a highly anticipated match in Berlin on June 15.

Another marquee clash in the opening phase will be between France, the 2022 World Cup runners-up, and the Netherlands. Both teams previously met in the same qualifying section, with France emerging victorious in both encounters. The two football powerhouses find themselves in Group D, alongside Austria and a play-off winner, determined from among Poland, Wales, Finland, or Estonia.

In contrast, England has relatively favourable opponents in Group C, although Denmark, ranked 19th in the world and drawn from the second pot of seeds, poses a notable challenge for the English side. The tournament promises exciting matchups as teams vie for supremacy in the group stage.

Gareth Southgate’s squad, widely regarded as favourites alongside France for the Euro 2024 tournament, is slated to face Serbia in their inaugural match in Gelsenkirchen on June 16.

In a nostalgic twist, Scotland, famously defeated by Brazil in the opening match of the 1998 World Cup, will once again take centre stage in the tournament’s kickoff, this time facing Germany in Group A.

The remainder of Group A features Hungary and Switzerland, creating a section that appears to be among the most evenly matched in terms of competition. As the tournament unfolds, fans can anticipate thrilling clashes and closely contested encounters within this dynamic group.

The Euro 2024, spanning a month, will culminate in the final match, which is set to take place in Berlin on July 14.

As per the tournament format, the top two teams from each group will advance to the last 16, along with the four best-performing third-placed teams, setting the stage for an exciting and competitive knockout stage.

FULL EURO 2024 DRAW

The full draw for Euro 2024, made in Hamburg on Saturday:

Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland

Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania

Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England

Group D: Play-off winner A, Netherlands, Austria, France

Group E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Play-off winner B

Group F: Turkey, Play-off winner C, Portugal, Czech Republic

Teams in Play-off Path A: Poland, Estonia, Wales, Finland

Teams in Play-off Path B: Israel, Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine