UEFA rejects national team bids for Euro 2024: What does this mean?

The UEFA has reduced the national teams' applications for Euro 2023 to 24 players. German Sky Sports reported this regarding the tournament rules. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, teams were allowed to have 26 players on their roster.

National teams' applications for major international forums usually consisted of 23 players before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, the governing bodies approved the expansion of the squad to 26 players before Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The expansion of the roster provided for the possibility of more replacements for players who withdrew due to the coronavirus infection. Instead, next year's UEFA Continental Championship will revert to its previous restrictions.

Also, the involvement of more players, combined with an increase in the number of substitutions from three to five, was to ease the burden on players with busy club schedules. The decision was based on the dates of the 2022 World Cup in November and December, in the middle of the national championship season.

Teams must decide on their squad for the Euros no later than 7 June this year, when the deadline from UEFA expires.

As Euro 2024 approaches, anticipation mounts among football enthusiasts worldwide, eagerly awaiting the exhilarating clashes of the continent's top teams. With the tournament's rich history and the fierce competition it consistently delivers, fans are turning to various sources for accurate football predictions. Analysts meticulously assess team performances, player form and tactical strategies to offer insights into potential outcomes. As the excitement builds, debates over favourites and underdogs intensify, fueling speculation and excitement. With each match promising twists and turns, the quest for precise predictions becomes paramount, amplifying the thrill of the Euro 2024 spectacle.

Euro 2024 draw results

А: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland

В: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania

С: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England

D: Poland/Wales/Finland/Estonia, Netherlands, Austria, France

E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Israel/Bosnia and Herzegovina/Ukraine, Iceland

F: Turkey, Georgia/Greece/Kazakhstan/Luxembourg, Portugal, Czech Republic

After the final at the "Olympiastadion" in Berlin, the captain of one of the European national teams will raise the famous Henri Delaunay trophy above his head.

In June 2008, Iker Casillas was the first to receive an updated version of the cup, which is one of the main symbols of the European Championship.

The new trophy replaces its famous predecessor and retains the features of the original, created in 1960 by Arthus-Bertrand and named in honour of Henri Delaunay. He is a former president of the French Football Federation who served as UEFA's first general secretary from the union's creation on 15 June 1954 until 9 November 1955.

The second version of the trophy, made of pure silver, is 18 centimetres taller and two kilogrammes heavier than the original. The new trophy perfectly reflects the scale and significance of Europe's most prestigious tournament.

Pierre Delaunay, son of Henri Delaunay, who is considered to be one of the fathers of the idea of organising the European Championships, was responsible for the creation of the new trophy. Delaunay Sr. died in 1955 without seeing his brainchild. But the updated award, in a classic style, immortalised his name in the memory of sports fans.

The trophy is not identical to the original Henri Delaunay trophy. The silver base has been enlarged to make the trophy more stable. The names of the winners of the European Championships, which used to be inscribed on the pedestal, are on the back of the trophy. The weight of the cup is eight kilogrammes and the height is 60 centimetres.

The original was made by the jewellery workshop Chobillon and later bought by Jan Arthus-Bertrand in Paris. The new cup was made by Asprey London.

It is well-known in the jewellery market and has a rich history of making prestigious prizes. Among the works of Asprey's subsidiary, Garrard, there is, for example, the America's Cup created back in 1848. UEFA not only wanted to improve the quality but to also enlarge the cup, as the original was too small in the opinion of the European Football Union.

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