France expected to top Euro 2024 group but watch out for Austria France are inevitably the favourites to top Group D at Euro 2024 but suggestions they will cruise through the first round might be wide of the mark given the presence of the Netherlands and a resurgent Austria in their section. The French are leading contenders to win the trophy but there are legitimate questions to be asked about the current condition of the 2022 World Cup runners-up. A home friendly defeat by Germany in March and a slightly fortuitous win over Chile a few days later suggested that Didier Deschamps' team need not necessarily be feared, AFP reports.
Kylian Mbappe's form is a concern to some extent, given he was not a regular for Paris Saint-Germain in the final months of the season and his departure from the club, and move to Real Madrid, have clearly been a distraction. Not that Deschamps necessarily agrees. "You don't think he's in form? He just scored 44 goals in a season," he said of Mbappe last week.
There are also questions to be answered about the form and fitness of Deschamps' defensive options -- not least Dayot Upamecano -- while France are hoping key midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni fully recovers in time from the foot injury which ruled him out of the Champions League final. The format of a 24-team Euros -- the four best third-placed teams as well as the top two in each group advance to the last 16 -- makes it hard to imagine France failing to reach the knockout phase. Any serious prob.
