Hungary vs Switzerland – Euro 2024: Live score, team news and updates as Dominik Szoboszlai leads the charge for Hungary against an experienced Swiss squad that includes Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri
Scenes in Cologne
The 43,000-seater stadium will also play host to England’s final group game against Solvenia. This was the view from the Switzerland team bus as they arrived. Goosebumps.
Why is a lad from Bury called Callum Styles playing for Hungary?
He might not have got the nod from the start this afternoon but you have to make yourself aware of Callum Styles.
Szoboszlai, Csoboth, Szappanos, Bendeguz Bolla, Botond Balogh. The Hungarian national team’s names would, for some, form a gruelling playground tongue twister.
Yet there’s one name that will stick out if you watch them in the Euros this summer: Callum Styles.
How could this 24-year-old lad, born in Bury and on the books at Barnsley, be playing for a country over 1,000 miles from his birthplace? And what is his role?
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Why is a lad from Bury called Callum Styles playing for Hungary?
Relaxed Hungary stars make first appearance
We have some footage of the Hungary players departing the team boss earlier ahead of the game.
Switzerland team news
Xhaka, Akanji, Sommer but no Shaqiri or Embolo from the start this afternoon. Burnley’s Amdouni also finds himself on the bench against Hungary.
Breaking:Hungary team news
RB Leipzig stars Peter Gulacsi and Willi Orban will be vital in goal and at the back. Szoboszlai becomes the youngster skipper in Euros history and there’s no place in the starting XI for Callum Styles.
Hungary’s main man
A lot will be said about the Liverpool midfielder and for good measure. He may have ended the domestic campaign rather gingerly but that should not make people forget how electric he was at the start of the campaign.
Nor how incredible he is for his national team all the time. At only 23 years old, Szoboszlai has been the skipper of Hungary for a couple of years now.
They were without him due to injury at the last Euros – after his goals got them to the tournament – and Hungary almost managed to make it out of group that contained Germany, Portugal and France.
‘Dominik’s future was written in the stars,’ claims Hungary boss Marco Rossi
Marco Rossi via UEFA:
Dominik’s future was written in the stars. People have had an eye on him since he was 15, becoming a potential national team player. I think what especially sets him apart is his great self-belief and confidence. It’s self-esteem and confidence, not arrogance. It’s something that comes from the perception he has of his own talent, and especially from the awareness of the work he puts into it
Hungary vs Switzerland key facts
Switzerland have won six of their last nine matches against HungaryHungary have won only one of their last nine matches at the European Championship across their last three tournament appearancesSzoboszlai recorded four goals and three assists in eight qualification gamesSwitzerland have made the knockout stages in each of their last three Euros campaignsSeven of the Swiss’ last 11 international matches have ended in a draw
How does the Germany-Scotland result change things?
Both teams will ultimately want to win this game and get off to a perfect start but they will now be aware of what a draw could mean for their qualification chances.
Hungary play Germany in their next game, meaning defeat here could leave them clinging on for dear life in their final game against the Scots.
Marco Rossi’s team come into that game in stunning form – in competitive matches. They progressed through their qualification group without tasting defeat and entre the tournament as many people’s dark horses.
Switzerland fans make their voice heard
Swiss fans can be a vocal bunch apparently. Supporters are gathering ahead of the 2pm kick-off in Cologne. This will be only the second meeting of the countries at major tournaments.
The first came at the 1936 World Cup!
EURO 2024 TEAM GUIDE – Switzerland: Euro 2020 quarter-finalists will now be looking to go even further
After making a major impact at Euro 2020, Switzerland will be determined to go even further on this occasion.
In the last edition of the competition, Switzerland showed excellent spirit as they overcame France and made it through to the quarter-finals, where they were beaten on penalties by Spain.
Being placed in the same group as hosts Germany won’t make matters easy for Switzerland this time around, but they will be hopeful that they can finish above Scotland and Hungary.
Manager: Murat Yakin
Star Man: Granit Xhaka
Tournament history: Quarter-finals (2020)
EURO 2024 TEAM GUIDE – Hungary: Belief is back after going unbeaten since 2022
Hungary come into Euro 2024 as the darkest of horses.
This is their best shot at a deep tournament run in decades, with a beloved coach, a well-drilled unit, and sprinkles of stardust.
The Magyarok are on a 14-game unbeaten streak stretching back to September 2022. Their last tournament, the 2022-23 Nations League, saw them beat England twice – including a 4-0 trouncing at Molineux – defeat Germany once, and finish second in a group also containing reigning European champions Italy.
Manager: Marco Rossi
Star Man: Dominik Szoboszlai
Tournament history: Third place (1964)
Now it feels like the Euros
Good afternoon and welcome to the first of three live blogs we have for today’s slate of Euro 2024 games. This, for me at least, is when a major tournament comes alive.
We kick things off with the intriguing clash between Hungary and Switzerland at the Cologne Stadium. Off the back of Germany’s hammering of Scotland on opening night, both these teams will be desperate not to lose.
A draw here and wins against Scotland would probably see both these sides progress to the latter stages. But enough of that forward planning for now. Today, we’ve got a host of players that will be familiar to Premier League fans and teams that will fancy their chances of going deep.
Ahead of kick-off, we’ll have updates, quotes from the bosses and plenty of images of the atmosphere down in Germany. Make sure you stay with us when the action gets underway at 2pm, as we’ll be taking you through all the events of what we hope will be a thrilling game!
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