Host nation Germany is the heavyweight in its European Championship group though Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland are capable of causing an upset.
Scotland would relish springing a major surprise on Germany in the opening game in Munich on June 14.
Hungary drew with Germany 2-2 in Munich in the last edition of the tournament, a match overshadowed by LGBTQ protests. It could be an issue again when the teams play in Stuttgart on June 19.
Germany was unable to beat Switzerland in their last two meetings. The Swiss, led by Bayer Leverkusen star Granit Xhaka, face Germany in Frankfurt on June 23.
Here is a closer look at Group A:
GERMANY
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann's shakeup of the squad in March seems to have had the desired effect. Nagelsmann inherited a team low in confidence when he took over from the fired Hansi Flick last September. Germany had lost its previous three games and failed to win any of its previous five. Nagelsmann had a rocky start with a friendly win over the United States followed by a draw against Mexico, then defeats to Turkey and Austria. It prompted his radical shakeup in which he dropped established players like Leon Goretzka, Mats Hummels, Niklas Sule, Emre Can and Julian Brandt, called up six new faces, and coaxed Real Madrid star Toni Kroos back out of international retirement to lead the squad. Germany went on to beat France and the Netherlands in its next two games, a timely boost in confidence just months before it was to host Euro 2024. Nagelsmann kept faith with those players for his tournament squad. Now that the sense of gloom surrounding the team is gone, Germany is targeting the title. But Germany has disappointed at every major tournament it has played in since reaching the 2016 semifinals.
SCOTLAND
Scotland hasn't won a game at the tournament since Euro '96, but the team will still be roared on by an expected 200,000 traveling fans known as the Tartan Army. Scotland coach Steve Clarke and his players and not traveling for the party, though. Scotland was eliminated in the group stage on all three of its previous European Championship appearances. Buildup has been dominated by injuries to key players, including Bologna's Lewis Ferguson, and right backs Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson. Scotland snapped a seven-game winless skid Monday when it beat Gibraltar 2-0 in a friendly. There's another tournament warmup Friday against Finland.
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HUNGARY
Euro 2024 will almost be a home tournament for Hungary, with six players in the squad earning their living in Germany's Bundesliga, and another - Hertha Berlin's Marton Dardai - playing in Germany's second division. Goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi and defender Willi Orban play for Leipzig, defender Attila Szalai and forward Roland Sallai played for Freiburg last season, and Hungary coach Marco Rossi included Union Berlin midfielder Andras Schäfer. Former Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, now with Liverpool, will lead the team's attack. Hungary is arguably enjoying is most successful period since the "Mighty Magyars" led by Ferenc Puskas of the 1950s. Hungary took a 14-game unbeaten streak to Dublin on Tuesday but lost 2-1 to an Ireland team that failed to qualify for the tournament. Rossi's team has a final warmup game Saturday against Israel.
SWITZERLAND
Switzerland reached the quarterfinals of the last edition, knocking out France in the round of 16 on penalties before losing to Spain, also on penalties. The Swiss qualified as runner-up behind Romania in a group with Israel, Belarus and Kosovo. Granit Xhaka is undoubtedly the team's key player. Switzerland coach Murat Yakin is spoiled for choice in goal with Borussia Dortmund's Gregor Kobel and Inter Milan's Yann Sommer vying for the No. 1 position. Monaco forward Breel Embolo recently returned from a serious knee injury and Yakin will hope the former Borussia Monchengladbach player remains injury-free before the tournament. Joël Monteiro (Young Boys) or Kwadwo Duah (Ludogorets) are alternatives. Switzerland beat Estonia 4-0 on Tuesday and will play Austria on a friendly Saturday before its first Euro 2024 match against Hungary in Cologne on June 15.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
CIARAN FAHEY
Fahey is a Berlin-based reporter for The Associated Press, covering sports in Germany and beyond.
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