Cristiano Ronaldo’s only major international trophy came in a surprising way during Euro 2016. Despite Portugal not winning any of their first three games in the group stage, they managed to secure the title in a dream run. This goes to show that a strong finish is more important than a perfect start, as Ronaldo himself acknowledged.
In the latest edition of the FOX Sports Euro 2024 power rankings, Spain holds the top spot after an impressive display against Italy. Germany follows closely in second place, with France looking to climb up from third when they face the Netherlands. England and Italy, the 2021 finalists, have both struggled and dropped in the rankings.
Here is a breakdown of the current power rankings:
– Spain: Made an outstanding start and is considered the team to beat.
– Germany: Riding a wave of momentum following strong performances.
– France: Has the luxury of resting Mbappé and is looking to climb higher.
– Portugal: Climbed up in the rankings after getting the job done.
– Netherlands: Looking confident and comfortable in their matches.
– England: Dropped in the rankings after failing to improve in their latest game.
– Romania, Turkey, and Slovakia are also making positive strides in the rankings.
Other teams like Italy, Switzerland, and Croatia have had disappointing performances so far and will need to step up their game in the upcoming matches. The competition is heating up, and every team will need to bring their A-game to secure a spot in the knockout stage.
Martin Rogers, a columnist for FOX Sports, provides insights and commentary on the ongoing UEFA Euro tournament. Follow him on Twitter @MRogersFOX and subscribe to the daily newsletter for more updates and analysis on the games. Stay tuned to FOX Sports for all the latest news and information on UEFA Euro.