Yahoo Sports European Championship 2024 Group D: Schedule & Preview – France, Netherlands, Austria & Poland
European Championship 2024 Group D consists of the tournament favourites France, the resurgent Netherlands, underachieving Poland and new-look Austria.
Let’s take a quick look at the dates and times these four teams will play each other, their chances of advancing into the knockout stage and details about all Euro 2024 squads.
Euro 2024 Group D Fixtures & Schedule
Sunday, June 17 (14:00) – Poland vs Netherlands
Monday, June 17 (20:00) – Austria vs France
Friday, June 21 (17:00) – Poland vs Austria
Friday, June 21 (20:00) – Netherlands vs France
Tuesday, June 25 (17:00) – Netherlands vs Austria
Tuesday, June 25 (17:00) – France vs Poland
Euro 2024 Group D: Teams & Preview
Anything other than a top-place finish for France in their ninth consecutive European Championship appearance would be an underachievement.
Back-to-back World Cup finalists have had three years to lick their wounds after Switzerland’s epic comeback crashed them out of the Euro 2020 quarter-finals.
None of their Group D rivals got that far in the last tournament. Poland failed to advance past the group stages. Austria and the Netherlands were eliminated in the first knockout round.
The latter are the second favourites to secure progression this time.
Austria – Serial underachievers out to prove their worth
Manager: Ralf Rangnick
Star Player: Marko Arnautovic
With this being Austria’s only fourth-ever appearance in the tournament, it’s barely surprising that their last-16 elimination in 2021 remains their best run in the tournament.
However, fans have renewed optimism after ex-Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick turned Das Team’s fortunes around since taking over in April 2022.
Rangnick’s side finished second in qualifying Group F behind Belgium and head into this summer’s showpiece in high spirits after tallying five straight wins, including a 6-1 demolition of Turkey last time out.
The veteran coach’s reform of the national team has instilled a sense of belief and determination within the squad, which features several household names, including David Alaba, Marcel Sabitzer and Marko Arnautovic.
Arnautovic’s antics in the last tournament turned him into a villain as his verbal abuse of North Macedonia left-back Ezgjan Alioski caused widespread condemnation.
Fresh off lifting the Scudetto with Inter Milan, the 35-year-old will touch down in Germany to polish his reputation in probably his last major tournament with Austria.
France – Opportunity to erase memories from Qatar
Manager: Didier Deschamps
Star Player: Kylian Mbappe
Less than two years after Argentina denied them a chance to become the first nation since Brazil in the 1960s to defend the World Cup crown, France are aiming to win their first continental title since 2000.
Despite being a permanent fixture at the tournament in the 21st century, Les Blues are still waiting for their third Euro success since David Trezeguet’s golden goal clinched the title at the start of the millennium.
The closest they got to conquering the most prestigious European competition was a runner-up finish in 2016 when Portugal toppled them in their home final, courtesy of Eder’s famous extra-time winner.
Reaching the knockout phase is a bare minimum Didier Deschamps will expect from his side, probably aware that any sub-par result could see Zinedine Zidane take his place in the dugout.
He’ll put the nation’s fate in the hands of the outgoing Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, who missed a crucial penalty against the Swiss in the last edition.
With amends to make in his final act as a PSG player, the 25-year-old comes into the tournament to redeem himself to the fans and banish the memory of his tragic waste three summers ago.
Netherlands – Can Koeman orchestrate the Dutch renaissance?
Manager: Ronald Koeman
Star Player: Virgil van Dijk
It’s been a while since the Netherlands last played a significant role on the big stage.
The home country of one of the world’s greats, Johan Cruyff, has not advanced past the Euro quarter-finals since 2004. Czechia knocked them out in 2021.
A dismal 2-0 defeat to below-par opposition left the nation perplexed, and another early exit at the 2022 World Cup only compounded the frustration and raised questions about the team’s future direction.
Ronald Koeman has somewhat steadied the ship since assuming the reins in January 2023, although the Oranje’s shortcomings came to the fore in a pair of defeats to France in the qualifying cycle.
If a 4-0 rout in March 2023 was anything to go by, the Netherlands should feel lucky if they claim a runner-up spot in this highly competitive section.
Koeman will rely on Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk to keep things straight at the back.
But with Jeremie Frimpong, Xavi Simons, Memphis Depay and Cody Gakpo in their squad, the Netherlands could be one of the dark horses in Germany.
Poland – Lewandowski’s ride into the sunset
Manager: Michal Probierz
Star Player: Robert Lewandowski
Poland and elite tournaments are not exactly a match made in heaven.
In three of their four previous Euro appearances, they failed to advance beyond the group phase, except for a quarter-final run in 2016.
That bleak picture spreads across other competitions, with three of their four World Cup forays this century ending at the first hurdle.
Despite qualifying for the 2022 World Cup knockout stage by the skin of their teeth, Poland served as a light sparring partner to France, who comfortably dispatched them 3-1 in the round of 16.
With that in mind, they must be relieved to be facing Les Bleus on Matchday 3, meaning they have two rounds to secure progression before they line up against Mbappe again.
The 148-capped megastar Robert Lewandowski gears up for his last taste of the tournament, desperate to lead his country to success after an underwhelming season at Barcelona.
The 35-year-old is in the autumn of his playing career, but European defenders still quake at the thought of guarding the formidable striker, who strives to leave a lasting legacy on the international stage.
See our main Euro 2024 page for more group previews, all Euro 2024 squads and lots more!
