Euro 2024 Kicks Off with Fanfare, Honors German Legend Beckenbauer
The 2024 UEFA European Championship, known as Euro 2024, gets underway this evening as hosts Germany welcome Scotland to the Allianz Arena in Munich. The highly anticipated tournament is expected to draw over three million fans to fixtures across Germany, with an additional 12 million visitors descending on the country to be a part of the football festivities.
While the opening ceremony will not feature any live musical acts, it will pay special tribute to German footballing icon Franz Beckenbauer, who passed away earlier this year. Beckenbauer, a World Cup, European Cup, and Ballon d’Or winner, is one of only nine players to achieve this remarkable feat. After his illustrious playing career, he went on to manage the West German national team, leading them to the 1986 World Cup final before guiding them to victory in the 1990 edition.
“Beckenbauer’s legacy as a player and manager is unparalleled, and his contributions to the game will be forever remembered.” – Former teammate and friend, Gerd Müller.
The ceremony will see Germany’s two other European Championship winning captains, Bernard Dietz and Jurgen Klinsmann, join Beckenbauer’s wife Heidi on the field to present the trophy and honor the legendary defender’s legacy. Germany will be looking to win the European title for the fourth time in their history, cementing their status as the most successful side in the competition’s history.
Fans can look forward to an exciting summer of football, with the following events taking place in the coming months:
- 2024 UEFA Champions League
- 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
- 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
- Various domestic league competitions:
Fans can access free live streams to watch the Euro 2024 tournament from anywhere in the world.
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