Arsenal‘s academy director and former German international, Per Mertesacker, has tipped England as the favourites to win the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament.

In an interview with Bild am Sonntag, Mertesacker praised the young talent within the England squad, particularly singling out Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka as key players.

England's forward #17 Bukayo Saka celebrates with England's forward #20 Phil Foden after scoring his team's third goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between England and Senegal at the Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, north of Doha on December 4, 2022.(Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
England’s forward #17 Bukayo Saka celebrates with England’s forward #20 Phil Foden after scoring his team’s third goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between England and Senegal at the Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, north of Doha on December 4, 2022.(Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

“The team has grown over the last few years,” he said. “like Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka. That’s something to be excited about.”

Despite his confidence in England‘s prospects, Mertesacker also expressed optimism for his home nation. He predicted that Germany, under the guidance of their new coach, Hansi Flick, will reach the semi-finals of the tournament. However, he acknowledged the pressure the team faces as a “relatively new team with a new coach.”

Mertesacker emphasised the importance of Germany‘s group stage matches against Scotland, Hungary, and Switzerland. “We have a very good chance of progressing in the group stage,” he said. “That will be an important step for the team. Get through this group and then take the mood in the country with us and grow from these experiences. We will need the group stage to really get everyone behind us so that this can be a successful summer.”

Euro 2024, hosted by Germany, kicks off on June 14th with Germany facing Scotland in Munich.

The tournament will see 24 teams compete across 10 cities, culminating in the final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on July 14th. England, drawn in Group C alongside Slovenia, Denmark, and Serbia, will begin their tournament against the Serbs on June 16th.

Arsenal stars set to shine at Euro 2024: A guide for Gunners fans

A record 11 Arsenal players will be showcasing their skills at Euro 2024. These players, representing nine different nations, include Jakub Kiwior (Poland), Kieran Tierney (Scotland), Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Aaron Ramsdale (England), Kai Havertz (Germany), William Saliba (France), Leandro Trossard (Belgium), Jorginho (Italy), Oleksandr Zinchenko (Ukraine), and David Raya (Spain).

Key matches featuring Arsenal players:

Euro 2024 kicks off with an exciting match between the hosts Germany (Kai Havertz) and Scotland (Kieran Tierney) on Friday, June 14th. This is just one of four fixtures where Arsenal teammates will face off against each other, adding an extra layer of excitement for Gunners fans.

Other notable matches include:

  • Saturday, June 15th: Spain (David Raya) v Croatia and Italy (Jorginho) v Albania
  • Sunday, June 16th: Poland (Jakub Kiwior) v Netherlands and Serbia v England (Ramsdale, Rice, Saka)
  • Wednesday, June 19th: Germany (Havertz) v Hungary and Scotland (Tierney) v Switzerland
  • Thursday, June 20th: Denmark v England (Ramsdale, Rice, Saka) and Spain (Raya) v Italy (Jorginho)
  • Tuesday, June 25th: France (Saliba) v Poland (Kiwior) and England (Ramsdale, Rice, Saka) v Slovenia
  • Wednesday, June 26th: Ukraine (Zinchenko) v Belgium (Trossard)

Arsenal’s Euro 2024 stars:

  • England: Ramsdale, Rice, Saka
  • Germany: Havertz
  • Spain: Raya
  • France: Saliba
  • Italy: Jorginho
  • Ukraine: Zinchenko
  • Scotland: Tierney
  • Poland: Kiwior
  • Belgium: Trossard

With so many Arsenal players participating in Euro 2024, it promises to be an exciting tournament for Gunners fans. You can even track all the results on our free and exclusive Euro 2024 wallchart, available to download here.