Virgil van Dijk has identified the top contenders for Euro 2024 as the Netherlands secured a victory over Poland in their opening match. Despite Poland taking the lead with a goal from Adam Buksa in the 16th minute, the Netherlands quickly equalized when Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo scored in the 29th minute. Eventually, the Dutch secured all three points with a late goal in the second half.

Former Manchester United player Wout Weghorst, who had a loan stint at Old Trafford during the 2022/23 season, made an immediate impact off the bench by scoring the winning goal for his team seven minutes before the end of the match.

Van Dijk, who led his team against Poland, expressed his optimism about the Netherlands’ chances in the tournament by mentioning three nations he considers favorites to win.

The star defender identified England, Germany, and France as potential contenders for the title. Speaking ahead of the Netherlands’ 2-1 victory over Poland, he stated, “Are we favorites? England are really good, Germany, France… but so many other factors will also come into play. Hopefully, we can be competitive as well.”

England and France, who are yet to play, are considered strong contenders to win Euro 2024, alongside Germany.

However, the tournament hosts have already begun their journey by convincingly defeating Scotland 5-1, sending a strong message to their competitors. Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Niclas Fullkrug, and Emre Can all contributed goals in their comprehensive victory over Scotland last Friday.

Expectations for Germany at Euro 2024 had initially been modest despite their illustrious history in the tournament. However, their dominant performance against Scotland has heightened anticipation surrounding their potential in the competition.

Meanwhile, England and France are set to start their campaigns against Serbia and Austria, respectively.