England have become the latest nation to qualify for next summer's Euro 2024.
Gareth Southgate's side will be one of the most-fancied sides to lift the trophy on July 14, and laid down a marker of their credentials with a 3-1 win over Italy to secure their spot in Germany.
Here, Standard Sport assesses the state five other contenders are in, eight months out from the start of the tournament.
Germany
Germany’s appointment of Julian Nagelsmann has reinstated them as contenders on home soil next summer.
The Euro 2024 hosts have played friendlies since their ill-fated group-stage exit from the World Cup in Qatar last winter. But defeats to Belgium, Poland, Colombia and 4-1 to Japan proved the end of the road for Hansi Flick. He became the first-ever Germany manager to be sacked last month.
A managerless victory over France days later said everything, before Nagelsmann opened with a win and a draw this month.
Spain
While crashing out of the World Cup to Morocco and the March qualifying defeat to Scotland may have suggested crisis, Spain have actually been one of Europe’s most consistent sides in recent years.
With Gavi, Pedri and Manchester City ace Rodri forming a commanding midfield trio, Spain’s ability to keep the ball is as potent as in their 2008-2012 prime era. Goals come from Dani Olmo and veteran strikers Joselu and Alvaro Morata.
Seven-goal routs of Costa Rica and Georgia over the past year show their offensive firepower, yet Spain’s surprisingly solid defence earns them clean sheets, which are just as valuable.
Belgium
Belgium now find themselves in a new era, and it is difficult to see the trophyless 2016-2022 tenure of Roberto Martinez as anything other than a failure.
Given the staggering talents of the nation’s golden generation during that time, it is no real shock that the young generation breaking through are seen as less likely to bring silverware than the group they are phasing out.
However, big things are expected of Premier League trio Jeremy Doku, 21, Amadou Onana, 22, and 19-year-old Romeo Lavia. Under the stewardship of 38-year-old ex-RB Leipzig manager Domenico Tedesco, Belgium were the first nation to qualify for Euro 2024.
France
For most neutral observers, France and England are the two likeliest teams to seal European glory next summer. One needs only to glance over the star-studded French squad to see why they will surely be the front-runners in Germany.
France have won one World Cup and one Nations League campaign in the last five years, as well reaching another World Cup final. and the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud will be desperate to add a European Championships title to their collection.
Didier Deschamps’s side have won seven of their eight matches since the World Cup, losing just once, keeping five clean sheets, and scoring 18 goals.
Portugal
Portugal had a stroke of luck in landing a Euro 2024 qualifying group that includes Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Bosnia & Herzegovina. But to their credit, they have taken advantage — winning all eight of their qualifiers so far and conceding in just one of those matches.
At 38 and plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League these days, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to lead from the front. Only Romelu Lukaku has more goals in this qualifying campaign than the man with a world-record 127 in his Portugal career.
A front line as fearsome as Portugal's can never be ruled out.
