Euro 2024 Group E Preview: Favourites Belgium Set to Battle Slovakia, Ukraine, and Romania

• Belgium enter Euro 2024 as a clear frontrunner to win Group E
• The Red Devils will aim to beat Slovakia, Ukraine, and Romania
• Romelu Lukaku set a scoring record for Belgium in the qualifiers

Euro 2024 is finally here.

Belgium enter the tournament as one of the main title contenders, and they have been given an easy draw to start their campaign.

Sports Brief breaks down their side and the teams that they will face in Group E.

Also, check out the previews we have done for Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D, and Group F.

Euro 2024 Group E Fixtures

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17/06: Ukraine vs Romania

17/06: Slovakia vs Belgium

21/06: Slovakia vs Ukraine

22/06: Belgium vs Romania

26/06: Belgium vs Ukraine

26/06: Romania vs Slovakia.

Euro 2024 Group E Preview

Belgium

Best finish: Runners-up (1980)

Euro 2020: Quarter-finals

Belgium decided to shake things up after a poor showing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, replacing Roberto Martinez with Domenico Tedesco as manager.

The signing has been a huge success for the Red Devils thus far, with Tedesco yet to lose in his first year with them.

They went unbeaten in the qualifiers, recording six wins and two draws to finish top of Group F. Romelu Lukaku starred for Belgium in their qualifying campaign, setting a new scoring record with 14 goals.

They will fancy their chances of advancing to the knockout round as Group E is the only Euro 2024 group to feature two countries outside the top 40 in the FIFA men’s team rankings (Slovakia and Romania).

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Belgian goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, was not included in the line-up after falling out with Tedesco a year ago, per Bein Sports. He played an important role in Real Madrid's win over Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final on June 1.

Ukraine

Best finish: Quarter-finals (2020)

Euro 2020: Quarter-finals

Ukraine's road to the 2024 European Championship wasn't easy. They needed to go through a qualifying play-off to secure a place in another major final.

They came from behind to beat Iceland 2-1 in the play-off final, recording a fourth consecutive appearance in the Euros in the process.

Ukraine have a solid squad for the continental finals, with Artem Dovbyk and Roman Yaremchuk leading the attack. They also have the speedy Mykhailo Mudryk and Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko manning the midfield.

Ukraine conceded just eight goals in the qualifiers, with Illya Zabarnyi and Vitaliy Mykolenko standing tall in defence. Ukraine will need the pair to be at their best for them to match their quarter-final showing at Euro 2020.

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Slovakia

Best finish: Champions 1976 (as Czechoslovakia)

Euro 2020: Group stage

Slovakia are flying high under coach, Francesco Calzona. They finished second in Group H behind Portugal to qualify directly for another major final.

He hopes that Slovakia will fare much better at Euro 2024 compared to their past showing in this tournament. They failed to advance to the knockout round after losing to Sweden and Spain in the group stage at Euro 2020.

For Slovakia to avoid that same fate, they will need Lukáš Haraslín to continue his solid play for them. He led the team in scoring in the qualifiers with three goals.

He scored 16 goals for Sparta Prague in the 2023-24 season, 11 of which came in the Fortuna Liga.

Romania

Best finish: Quarter-finals (2000)

Euro 2020: Did not qualify

Romania reached the final of the European Championship for the first time since 2016 after a highly successful qualifying campaign.

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They directly qualified for Euro 2024 after finishing top of Group I with 22 points. They went unbeaten in the group stage, recording six wins and four draws.

Romania's superb defence powered their success. They conceded just five goals in their qualifying matches. Only France and Portugal had better defensive numbers in the qualifiers than Romania.

For them to advance to the knockout round of the Euros for the first time since 2000, they will need their defenders, Radu Drăgușin and Andrei Burcă, to continue their solid play at the back.

Top players to watch at Euro 2024

Sports Brief also previously reported on the top 5 players set to star at Euro 2024.

Jude Bellingham leads the list after his effortsfor Real Madrid in the 2023-24 season.

He will look to achieve that same success with England in this year's Euros tournament.