Slovakia qualified with ease for the tournament losing only to Portugal in their qualifying group – a far better result than their poor 22/23 Nations League results.
The build-up to this one hasn't been completely clear sailing for manager Francesco Calzona, who had to do double duty in the run-up after taking over at Napoli for the final third of the season.
The Falcons will also need navigate a tricky group without their talisman, the (internationally) retired Marek Hamšík.
Keep an eye out for Playmaker's definitive guide to the Euros, complete with profiles on all 24 nations competing, in the latest issue of 'The Mighty Delta'.
Star man
Paris Saint-Germain defender Milan Škriniar had the second half of his season disrupted by an ankle injury that required an operation. The 29-year-old wasn't a regular starter for his side after returning from injury but should be fit and ready to captain his country at EURO 2024.
The former Internazionale man is certainly 'the biggest' name in the Slovakia squad and he will need to be at his best to ensure his side keeps out the rest
Slovakia's Euro 2024 squad
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper |  Fulham | |
| Goalkeeper | Newcastle | |
| Goalkeeper |  NE Revolution | |
| Defender |  Hertha BSC | |
| Defender |  FC Kobenhavn | |
| Defender |  Feyenoord | |
| Defender |  Salernitana | |
| Defender | Cagliari | |
| Defender |  Hatta Club | |
| Defender |  Paris SG | |
| Defender |  Spartak Trnava | |
| Midfielder |  Genk | |
| Midfielder | Hamburger SV | |
| Midfielder | VfL Bochum | |
| Midfielder | Hellas Verona | |
| Midfielder | Hellas Verona | |
| Midfielder |  Baník Ostrava | |
| Midfielder | Slovan Bratislava | |
| Midfielder | Napoli | |
| Forward | Sparta Praha | |
| Forward | Slavia Praha | |
| Forward |  Boavista | |
| Forward | Ascoli | |
| Forward | Feyenoord | |
| Forward | Slovan Liberec | |
| Forward | Slovan Bratislava |
Young gun
Winger Leo Sauer joined Feyenoord from MŠK Žilina initially on loan in 2022 but only made his first team debut for the Dutch side this season.
It was quite a debut though, Sauer came off the bench to score a last-minute equaliser as Feyenoord earned a draw away to Rotterdam rivals Sparta.
Still, just 18 years old, Sauer still has a lot of developing to do but a tournament like this could help him break out.
Wildcard
A lot was expected of Laszlo Bénes as a young player with the midfielder being compared to Marek Hamšík and being linked to some of Europe's biggest clubs.
It never quite worked out for Bénes but the 26-year-old was a key figure for Hamburger SV this season with 15 goals and 12 assists in 30 games across all competitions.
If Bénes takes his club form into this tournament he may make the difference.
Opinion
Being drawn against Belgium, Romania, and Ukraine makes progressing through Group E a very difficult prospect for Slovakia.
Calzona's team will have a tough time but there are reasons for cautious optimism especially after a promising qualifying campaign in which only Portugal could (narrowly) get the best of Slovakia.
Indeed, Slovakia progressed to the round of 16 in 2016 and were unfortunate last time out missing out on a best third-place finish due to goal difference.
Naturally, everyone will need to be at their very best but it's certainly possible. Captain Škriniar will marshal a strong defence but the Falcons may find it difficult to score enough goals.
Preferred formation: 4-3-3
![Europa Conference League [Qual.]](/img/bandeiras/5960_comp_ecl_20210616094629.png)
