When the Euros expanded from 16 to 24 teams in 2016, some old heads complained that it would let weaker teams into the tournament. But plenty of other people knew a 16-team field was too small to let almost any team in that hadn’t been a power for decades.

The underdogs have indeed had their day: Wales, Northern Ireland and Albania in 2016, and Scotland and North Macedonia in 2021. Their successes, and even their valiant failures, led many critics to admit they were wrong.

This time, everyone will be talking about Georgia, and for good reason. It’s the nation’s first major tournament of any kind since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in the 1990s, and it’s got a superstar in winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. You might have seen him play for Italy’s Napoli in the Champions League and Serie A, where he helped the club end a 33-year title drought last year.

There’s also a player from MLS on Georgia’s squad, Atlanta United midfielder Saba Lobjanidze.

6. Two stars’ swan songs

You won’t find cooler veterans than Germany’s Toni Kroos, 34, and Croatia’s Luka Modrić, 38. They’re both visionary midfielders and exceptional passers, and they both just helped their club, Spanish superpower Real Madrid, win a record 15th Champions League title.

They also both know the time is coming to ride into the sunset, and this will be their last time with their national teams. Kroos will retire after the Euros, while Modrić will step down from the national team and play one more club season with Real. Savor them while you still can.

5. One who’s still going

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is 39, and he doesn’t play for a big-time European club anymore. Instead, he’s cashing a fat paycheck at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr. But he said last month that he doesn’t plan to stop playing any time soon, and he uses his critics as motivation to keep at it.

If you’re new to this, know he’s got one of soccer’s biggest egos. If you’ve been around, you surely aren’t surprised.

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