Friendlies: This Week’s Overview
Each country is gradually preparing for the European Championship in Germany. Friendly matches can help players and coaches make decisions about selections and tactics. This week, we have a number of those matches lined up.
Portugal vs Sweden
Portugal hosts Sweden on Thursday, March 21. The Portuguese had a perfect run during the Euro qualification, securing 30 points from 10 matches. They are directly qualified and were drawn into Group F, alongside Turkey and the Czech Republic. Their final opponent will be the winner of playoff C, which includes Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, or Luxembourg. Coach Roberto Martínez’s squad includes familiar names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, and Rafael Leão. The experienced defender Pepe, now 41 years old, is also in the mix.
The Belgian Red Devils managed to keep Sweden at bay, securing the top spot in their qualification group. Austria also proved too strong for the Scandinavian country. Therefore, we won’t see them at the Euros. However, coach Jon Dahl Tomasson’s team has shown they can defeat other strong nations, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fare against the 2016 Euro winners. With players like captain Victor Lindelöf and forward Emil Forsberg, there are certainly chances.
Netherlands vs Scotland
Closer to home, Scotland visits the Netherlands. The Dutch couldn’t get past France during the qualifiers, finishing 4 points behind the second spot. However, they secured direct qualification for the European Championship. They will face France again in the group stage, alongside Austria. Their final opponent will be Poland, Wales, Estonia, or Finland. Coach Ronald Koeman opts for some familiar faces like Virgil van Dijk, Daley Blind, and Xavi Simons, with Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay making their return. Injured Frenkie de Jong will be absent.
Scotland secured direct qualification by staying 6 points ahead of Norway. They performed slightly less impressively than Spain, who won almost every match. Scotland will face a tough group at the Euros against Germany, Hungary, and Switzerland. Notable players in coach Alex McLeish’s squad include midfielder Scott McTominay and captain Andrew Robertson.
Ireland vs Belgium
Ireland struggled during the qualifiers, finishing 4th. They also won’t have a chance to prove themselves in the playoffs, as they finished 3rd in the Nations League. Therefore, we won’t see them at the Euros, but they might still pose a challenge for the Red Devils. Ireland’s captain is Séamus Coleman, a defender at Everton. The team is guided by coach Stephen Kenny.
Belgium proved their worth in the qualifiers, finishing as group leaders with an almost perfect score. This secures the Red Devils’ place at the Euros. They’ll face Slovakia and Romania, as well as the winner of playoff B, which includes Israel, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ukraine, or Iceland. Coach Domenico Tedesco opts for experience with Romelu Lukaku and Jan Vertonghen, while also giving young players like Arthur Vermeeren and Jérémy Doku more opportunities.
England vs Brazil
In Group C, England comfortably secured the top spot, finishing 6 points ahead. Therefore, they were directly drawn into the Euros group stage, where they’ll face Slovenia, Denmark, and Serbia. While this seems manageable on paper, Gareth Southgate’s team can’t afford to be complacent. Experienced players like Harry Kane, Phil Foden, and the young Jude Bellingham are accustomed to high-pressure matches. England will also face the Red Devils on Tuesday, March 26.
Brazil is the only team in this list not participating in the Euros, and therefore not in the qualifiers. However, they will compete in the Copa America, taking place in the United States in June and July. To improve their form, as they haven’t won in three consecutive matches, they’ll need to do so without star player Neymar, who is unfit for the summer. Coaches Dorival Junior and Fernando Diniz still have other top players like Vinicius Junior, Casemiro, and Richarlison.
France vs Germany
In the Euro qualifiers, France only failed to win once, finishing at the top with a 4-point lead over the Netherlands. This secured their place in the next phase, where they’ll face Austria and the Netherlands again. Their final opponent will be Poland, Wales, Estonia, or Finland. France is still led by Didier Deschamps and can rely on captain Kylian Mbappé and fellow attackers Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud.
As the host country, Germany automatically qualified for the Euros and didn’t have to go through the qualifiers. In the first round on home soil, they’ll face Scotland, Hungary, and Switzerland. Julian Nagelsmann, Germany’s coach since last year, has chosen to include Toni Kroos once again. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer returns for a special edition, with support upfront from Thomas Müller.
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