The last 16 games of Euro 2024 through up plenty of late drama, a number of clutch moments from world class players and, truthfully, a few rotten games of football.
After all of that we’re now left with just eight countries in with a shout of winning the competition.
As part of our 24 for 24 series, here’s 90min‘s power rankings of the eight remaining teams.
8. England
Big goal / Richard Pelham/GettyImages
Have England’s performances at Euro 2024 been good?
No.
And yet here we are, with England through to the quarter-finals on the ‘easy’ side of the draw and in with a real shout of going all way to the final while avoiding France, Germany, Portugal and Spain.
The Three Lions’ new golden generation should, in theory, cruise through to the final, but their performance levels will need to rise if they are to do so.
You can only rely on last gasp Jude Bellingham overhead kicks for so long.
7. France
Squeezed through / Carl Recine/GettyImages
Yep, the two joint favourites to win Euro 2024 are both at the bottom of these rankings.
If you’ve seen France play, you’ll understand why.
Les Bleus have squeezed into the final eight of the competition, relying on own goals and no open play goals of their own to do so.
Kylian Mbappe and co. need to start firing soon.
6. Turkey
Surprise quarter-finalists / Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/GettyImages
Turkey won the ‘dark horses’ crown off of Austria in the last of the round of 16 fixtures, relying on a brace from centre-back Merih Demiral, an offensive masterclass from wonderkid Arda Guler, and a solid defensive showing.
With exciting players up top and determined defenders at the back, Turkey are one to watch in the latter stages of Euro 2024.
5. Netherlands
Best performance so far / Alex Livesey/GettyImages
Let’s call a spade a spade: the Netherlands were pretty damn bad during the group stage, qualifying from their group in third place (or in other words, second bottom).
Their emphatic 3-0 win over Romania was much, much more like, however, with Ronald Koeman’s side finally firing on all cylindars in the offensive third.
4. Portugal
Diogo Costa was the hero / Visionhaus/GettyImages
Portugal may have the most talented and well-rounded squad in at Euro 2024 this summer.
So why are they relying on their goalkeeper to save three spot kicks in a penalty shootout to knock out Slovenia?
Well, mainly the Cristiano Ronaldo and Roberto Martinez problems.
Both are currently holding Portugal back in their own ways. If the pair can sort themselves out, they should be in with a real shout of winning it all.
That’s a big ‘if’ though.
3. Switzerland
Impressive win / Stu Forster/GettyImages
Switzerland are very quietly very good.
The Swiss were miles better than Italy in their last 16 game, winning 2-0 and thoroughly dominating the full 90 minutes.
They’ll be a very, very, very tough opponent for England in the quarter-finals.
2. Germany
Eased through / Shaun Botterill/GettyImages
The host nation weren’t at their best against Denmark per se, but they still managed to eek out an important win at a sodden Signal Iduna Park.
With Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz all firing in the forward line, Germany are a match for anyone at this tournament.
1. Spain
Best team around right now / Alex Grimm/GettyImages
Good Lord, this Spain team are good, aren’t they?
Luis de la Fuente’s side are the only side in the competition who have won every game so far, and they’ve done so in quite some style.
Their thumping 4-1 win over underdogs Georgia, after initially falling behind, was yet another example of their credentials.
The Black Stars will open camp in Accra on Monday, November 11, 2024, to begin preparations for their final two 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Otto Addo’s team will hold their first training session at the Accra Sports Stadium at 5:00 p.m. ahead of the matches against Angola and Niger.
Monday’s training session will be open to the media and fans, but Tuesday’s session will be held behind closed doors, according to the Ghana Football Association.
The team will travel to Luanda on Wednesday and hold their pre-match mandatory training at the Estádio 11 de Novembro.
The match against Angola will take place on Friday, November 15, in Luanda, before the Black Stars wrap up the qualifiers at the Accra Sports Stadium against Niger on Monday, November 18.
Ghana currently sits third in Group F with just two points from four games, and qualification is no longer in their hands.
The Black Stars must win their remaining matches and hope that Sudan, who have seven points, lose both of theirs in order to qualify.
As Ghana prepares for its upcoming 2024 elections, President Nana Akufo-Addo has issued a cautionary message to religious leaders regarding the increasing number of conflicting prophecies surrounding the electoral process. This warning comes at a time when prophetic support for various candidates is gaining visibility, notably for former President John Mahama.
One of the most prominent voices in this discourse is Prophet Clement, a respected spiritual leader known for his influential role in the community. Recently, Prophet Clement has made headlines by publicly declaring that he has received divine revelations affirming Mahama’s victory in the presidential race. He claims to have experienced visions of Mahama triumphing on ten distinct occasions.
In a recent public address, Prophet Clement shared his compelling visions, stating, “I have seen this several times. I saw Mahama’s face being painted with the Ghana map, and he was jubilating.” This vivid imagery has sparked discussions among citizens and political analysts alike, raising questions about the influence of spiritual insight on the electoral process.
The prophet has expressed a sense of divine mandate to pray for Mahama’s success and has indicated his readiness to support any candidate believed to be chosen by God. This endorsement comes at a critical juncture as President Akufo-Addo prepares to step down after two terms in office, following Ghanaian law that limits presidents to a maximum of two terms. This transition sets the stage for a highly competitive election as various candidates position themselves to fill the leadership void.
With the election date drawing near, anticipation is mounting across the nation. Ghanaians are encouraged to actively engage in political conversations that will shape the future of their country. As events unfold, the nation stands at a crossroads, and the outcomes of this electoral process are poised to influence Ghana’s political trajectory for years to come.
President Akufo-Addo’s warning serves as a reminder of the complex interplay between faith and politics in Ghana, urging both clergy and the public to approach the forthcoming elections with discernment and responsibility.
As prophetic backing for Mahama intensifies, many Ghanaians are closely monitoring the political landscape. The discussions surrounding Prophet Clement’s predictions have ignited both interest and debate within the electorate. Citizens are left to ponder the implications of these prophecies: Will Mahama’s candidacy align with the predictions of a certain victory, or could the election result in a surprising shift, bringing a different leader to the forefront?
Black Stars full-back Gideon Mensah has shared details about a potential transfer to FC Barcelona that fell through five years ago due to a breach of confidentiality. In 2019, while Mensah was with Red Bull Salzburg, he was offered a loan move to Barcelona as a backup for Jordi Alba.
However, news of the deal leaked, breaking the confidentiality agreement and ultimately leading to the transfer’s collapse a missed opportunity that Mensah recalls as deeply disappointing.Reflecting on the moment, Mensah said, “I couldn’t resist thinking about the next flight to Spain.
The next day, I saw the news everywhere in Ghana that Barcelona wanted me. So, I called my agent, asking him what happened to keeping it quiet.” His agent was also unaware of how the information got out, which led to the transfer unraveling.
Today, Mensah plays for French Ligue 1 side AJ Auxerre and has earned nearly 30 caps with the Ghanaian national team, the Black Stars.