Six records that could be broken at Euro 2024

The 2024 European Championship kicks off this week in what promises to be a summer of unforgettable international football action in Germany. 

This will be the 17th edition of the European Championship after the inaugural edition in 1960, and there are likely to be several records that will tumble this summer.

We’ve picked out seven records that could be broken at Euro 2024.

Youngest ever player at a European Championship

Lamine Yamal is the youngest player included in the squads for this summer’s tournament and the Barcelona teenager will make history if he appears at Euro 2024.

Yamal will be just 16 years and 337 days when Spain take on Croatia in their opening fixture on June 15, and an appearance would see the winger obliterate the previous landmark.

Kacper Kozłowski was 17 years and 246 days old when he appeared for Poland against Spain in 2020.

Youngest goalscorer

Yamal could therefore become the youngest goalscorer in European Championship history. The 16-year-old has already scored twice in six caps for Spain at senior level and a goal this summer would see him claim yet another record.

Switzerland’s Johan Vonlanthen became the youngest scorer at the tournament at Euro 2004. Aged 18 years and 141 days, Vonlathen’s goal against France broke the previous record by three months, which had been set by England’s Wayne Rooney just four days earlier.

Most European Championships played and scored in

Cristiano Ronaldo will have the chance to extend a whole host of European Championship records this summer. The Portugal captain already holds the record for most goals (14), tournaments played (5), matches played (25) and has scored in each of his previous five tournament appearances.

He can become the first player to feature at and score in six different European Championships this summer.

Longevity.

Oldest player to appear

The tracksuit-bottom-wearing Hungarian goalkeeper Gábor Király holds the record as the oldest player to feature in a European Championship, taking to the pitch against Belgium in 2016, aged 40 years and 86 days.

Kiraly’s record looks set to be eclipsed this summer with several 40-somethings chasing his title. Pepe has been included in the Portugal squad at the ripe age of 41 years, 109 days, while Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon is the oldest player selected at 41 years, 166 days, though is expected to spend the tournament as a backup to Angus Gunn.

The oldest outfield player to appear is currently Germany’s Lothar Mattheus, who was 39 years and 91 days when he faced Portugal in 2000.

Oldest goalscorer

Another record that Cristiano Ronaldo is gunning for.

Ivica Vastić might not be the most recognisable name to the casual football fan but the Austrian is out on his own as the oldest goalscorer in European Championship history.

The former Sturm Graz and LASK forward found the net with an injury-time penalty against Poland at Euro 2008. It was Austria’s first-ever goal at a European Championship and saw Vastić – who had been recalled after a two-and-a-half-year exile from the Austria squad – become the oldest scorer in the tournament’s history, surpassing a record that had stood since 1984.

Ronaldo will be 39 years 130 days on the opening day of Euro 2024.

Youngest coach to appear at the tournament

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann will be 36 years and 327 days old when the host nation kicks off the tournament against Scotland on 14 June.

He will break the previous record for the youngest-ever European Championship coach, eclipsing Srečko Katanec (Slovenia vs Yugoslavia, 2000) by just six days.

Read – Euro 2000 – Zidane’s zenith as France reign supreme

See more – Euro 2004 – Charisteas completes Greek miracle in Lisbon

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