5️⃣ dark horses to watch out for at Euro 2024 🐴 | OneFootball

The dictionary defines a dark horse as 'a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds'.

UEFA's expansion of the European Championship means there are more chances than ever before for unfancied outfits to make their presence felt.

Here are five to keep an eye on in Germany.

Turkey

Coached by Vincenzo Montella, Turkey reached the tournament thanks to a strong defensive spine which is backed up by some exciting options further forward.

They conceded just seven goals in qualifying and then went on to ship that amount in just two games from their friendlies earlier this year but those don't give too much cause for concern.

In captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu, they possess one of the best midfielders plying their trade in the game, while attacking teenage talents Arda Güler (Real Madrid) and Kenan Yıldız (Juventus) are primed to take the game by storm.

They were tipped as the big dark horses at Euro 2020 and flopped spectacularly, crashing out after losing all three games and scoring just once but there is reason to be confident of that changing and enjoying a potential deep run here, perhaps even to a semi-final like they managed at the World Cup in 2002 and Euro 2008.

None more so than in addition to their exciting squad, they will be backed by a huge support across Germany (thanks to its large Turkish population) which will turn each of their games into de facto home fixtures.

Hungary

Drawn in arguably the most open group at the competition along with hosts Germany, Switzerland and Scotland, there is a chance for anyone to use that as a springboard to a deep run.

If form is anything to go by, then chances are that will be Marco Rossi's Hungary, who cruised through qualification without tasting defeat.

In fact, that was part of a wider purple patch which extended back 14 games and 20 unbeaten months before that run came to a surprise end in Dublin against the Republic of Ireland in their first tournament warm-up fixture on a night when they never got going at all.

They are much greater than the sum of their parts with arguably the only true sprinkling of star dust at coach Marco Rossi's disposal being Liverpool playmaker Dominik Szoboszlai, whose set-piece deliveries and choice of pass on the break is key for this side.

They may not be the Magical Magyars of the past but this is a team with great experience who know their game plan inside out and possess all the tools to write another storied chapter in their country's glorious footballing history.

Italy

Classing the defending champions as a dark horse? Hear us out.

The build-up around Italy has been low-key in comparison to the other illustrious nations arriving in Germany and they are ranked as sixth favourites to defend their crown - hardly a big endorsement of the damage they can do this summer.

There has been plenty of upheaval in the three years since their victory in London with Roberto Mancini being replaced by Luciano Spalletti, grizzled veterans Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini stepping away and absences this time for potentially key figures like Sandro Tonali (banned) and Domenico Berardi and Giorgio Scalvini (injured).

That is why the mood music has been relatively quiet but as everyone found out at the last edition of this competition, you write the Azzurri off at your peril and in Spalletti, they have a coach who has waited so long for the biggest job in the peninsula and is determined to deliver in the hot seat.

Although the squad is not as strong as the one which triumphed last time out, they are organised and effective, which is enough for this team, an exciting blend of experience and potential, to cause plenty of problems for the more favoured outfits.

Georgia

Playing at their first ever European Championship, there are no real expectations on Georgia beyond the Black Sea.

Within the country itself though, there is a quiet confidence brewing which has been the case since their penalty shoot-out play-off win over Greece to book their ticket to Germany.

With good reason too given that this is as close to a golden generation as they may ever produce. The main man is obviously Serie A's 2023 MVP Khvicha Kvaratskhelia but he isn't leading them to success alone.

In Valencia's Giorgi Mamardashvili, they have LaLiga's Goalkeeper of the Season and although things haven't worked out for him at Ajax as he'd have hoped, Georges Mikautadze is also a top talent, while at the other end of the spectrum, veteran captain Guram Kashia will keep everything tight at centre-back.

In a difficult group along with Portugal, Turkey and the Czech Republic, anything that they get will be an unexpected bonus but don't write them off as tournament whipping boys.

Slovenia

Like Georgia, there is little buzz this summer around a side who are ranked 57th in the world - only two nations competing in Germany are lower in FIFA's standings.

Unlike Georgia, Slovenia's hopes don't rest on a spread of talent around the field but rather on the one genuine superstar they have in their ranks: Benjamin Šeško.

It is no surprise to see the Leipzig forward, who has just turned 21, linked with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Milan this summer and his price tag may only skyrocket further if he performs as expected on the continental stage.

Atlético de Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak does offer stability at the back but Slovenia's hopes will all be resting on how Šeško fares against the defences of England, Denmark and Serbia.

It is as tough a group as they could have been handed and again means that any result they can pick up against their much more fancied opponents will see this summer be considered a success.