1. 808onlive
  2. > News
  3. > [ 2024 European Cup Hungary ] The main lineup is highly anticipated, making them an absolute dark horse worth keeping an eye on!

[ 2024 European Cup Hungary ] The main lineup is highly anticipated, making them an absolute dark horse worth keeping an eye on!

Hungary reached the semi-finals of the UEFA European Championship in both 1964 and 1972, finishing third and fourth respectively. However, they had to wait 44 years until 2016 to return to the main stage of the tournament. 

In 2016, Hungary exited the tournament in the round of 16, while in 2020, they finished bottom of their group with 2 draws and 1 loss. Despite not securing a victory in the 2020 UEFA European Championship, they notably held both France and Germany to draws, with 1-1 against France and 2-2 against Germany.

Hungary is placed in Group A alongside the host nation Germany, Scotland, and Switzerland. Germany is the strongest team in the group, with Switzerland, Hungary, and Scotland following in that order. Realistically, Hungary's aim is to compete with Switzerland for the second spot in the group or secure the best third-place finish to advance.

Hungary became the first team to announce their final squad for this year's UEFA European Championship, even before any other team confirmed their preliminary squad. Coach Rossi also announced five standby players to be ready in case of injuries to any of his active players before their first match against Switzerland on June 15.

Liverpool star Szoboszlai has been appointed as the team captain, and recently operated players Fiola and Adam Nagy are included in the squad, with both expected to recover before the start of the tournament. The team also includes the return of Leipzig goalkeeper Gulacsi from injury and Berlin United midfielder Szalai. Similarly, Dárdai, who plays for Hertha Berlin in the 2. Bundesliga, is also part of the team.

In terms of the starting goalkeeper position, Coach Rossi has not yet decided between Dibusz and Gulacsi. The team will gather for training at Telki (near Budapest) on May 27, with all Hungary internationals except Adam Martin, Gozdog, Bolla, and Stieber expected to report on time.

Hungary's main lineup is exciting, with experienced players besides Szoboszlai, including goalkeeper Gulacsi, defender Orban, and forward Roland Sallai. Moreover, Hungary's path to qualifying for the UEFA European Championship has been relatively smooth, finishing as group winners to reach the tournament for the third consecutive time. Now ranked within the top 30 teams globally, Hungary is certainly a team worth watching.

Hungary's football prodigy Szoboszlai is one of only two players in the current squad playing in the English Premier League (the other being Milos Kecskes of Bournemouth). In the Hungarian lineup, Szoboszlai is positioned in a more advanced role than at Liverpool, allowing him the freedom to express himself and often produce devastating effects. At just 23 years old, he has already made 40 appearances for the national team, scoring 12 goals. Leading by example, he will be the key figure for Hungary's progression to the knockout stages.

Coach Rossi took charge in 2018 . During his six-year tenure, he successfully led Hungary to easy qualifications for the 2020 and 2024 UEFA European Championships. This Italian coach also guided the Hungarian team to promotion in the UEFA Nations League A division, where they defeated England twice and Germany once.

In fact, in Rossi's 62 matches coaching Hungary, he has won 32, drawn 14, which is a remarkable achievement.

Football standings
R Team
P Pts
1 Liverpool
7 18
2 Man City
7 17
3 Arsenal
7 17
4 Chelsea
7 14
5 Aston Villa
7 14
6 Brighton
7 12
7 Newcastle
7 12
8 Fulham
7 11
9 Tottenham
7 10
10 Forest
7 10
11 Brentford
7 10
12 West Ham
7 8
13 Bournemouth
7 8
14 Man Utd
7 8
15 Leicester
7 6
16 Everton
7 5
17 Ipswich
7 4
18 Crystal Palace
7 3
19 Southampton
7 1
20 Wolves
7 1