What records could be broken at Euro 2024?

Euro 2024 will begin on Friday evening, with the tournament hosts Germany taking on Scotland in the opening match of the competition in Munich.

Germany will be expecting to challenge for the trophy on home soil, while France, England, Portugal and Spain can be counted among the favourites for the competition.

It is set to be a record-breaking European Championship, with Cristiano Ronaldo in the thick of it, and here Sports Mole takes a look at some of the records which could be broken at the competition.

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Most appearances at a European Championship

Ronaldo is currently level with legendary former Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas on five European Championship appearances, but he will move out on his own if he features at Euro 2024.

Indeed, the 39-year-old is preparing to take part in a sixth European Championship, and he will enter the tournament off the back of hitting a brace in Portugal's final warm-up fixture against Republic of Ireland.

Oldest player to feature at a European Championship

Gabor Kiraly holds the record for the oldest player to feature at a European Championship, with the goalkeeper 40 years and 86 days old when he turned out for Hungary against Belgium in June 2016.

Kiraly's record is under threat by Portugal centre-back Pepe, who will be 41 years and 113 days old when his national side open their Euro 2024 campaign against the Czech Republic on June 18.

Oldest player to score at a European Championship

Ivica Vastic is currently the oldest player to score at a European Championship, having netted a 93rd-minute penalty for Austria in a group-stage fixture with Poland at Euro 2008.

Vastic was 38 years and 257 days old when he registered, making him the oldest player to score in the finals of the tournament, but a certain Ronaldo, who will be 39 years and 130 days old on the opening day of the tournament, will have his eye on that record.

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Most goals in a single European Championship (player)

France legend Michel Platini scored nine times at Euro 1984, including two hat-tricks, but that record could be broken this summer.

A number of players will have their eye on Platini's total, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku potentially among those challenging for the Golden Boot.

Oldest goalscorer in a European Championship final

Leonardo Bonucci is the oldest goalscorer in the final of a European Championship, with the centre-back 34 years and 71 days old when he netted against England in the Euro 2020 final.

Ronaldo is the obvious name in this category when it comes to the players competing in Germany, and it is not too difficult to imagine Portugal progressing all the way to the final.

Youngest player in a European Championship

Barcelona star Lamine Yamal is in line to create history at Euro 2024, as he will become the youngest player in the finals of a European Championship if he features.

The record is currently held by Kacper Kozłowski, who was 17 years and 246 days old when he represented Poland at Euro 2020, but Yamal will be 16 years and 337 days old when Spain take to the field for matchday one.

Youngest goalscorer in a European Championship

Switzerland's Johan Vonlanthen is the youngest goalscorer in the history of the competition, having found the back of the net against France at Euro 2004 when he was 18 years and 141 days old.

Yamal will also be chasing this record in Germany, and the teenager has managed two goals for his national side, while he struck seven times for Barcelona during the 2023-24 campaign.

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Youngest player to appear in a final

Renato Sanches holds the record for the youngest player to appear in a final, as he was 18 years and 327 days old when he took to the field for Portugal against France at Euro 2016.

Fastest goal, hat-trick at a European Championship

Dmitri Kiritchenko scored after 67 seconds of Russia's clash with Greece back in 2004, and the record will again be on the line at this summer's European Championship.

Platini, meanwhile, holds the record for the fastest hat-trick, which came against Yugoslavia in 1984, needing just 19 minutes to score three times in the group-stage contest.

Most European Championship wins (team)

Germany and Spain currently sit at the top of this particular list with three victories each.

As a result, if either country were to win this summer, they would become the most successful country in the history of the competition.

Germany triumphed in 1972, 1980 and 1996, while Spain were victorious in 1964, 2008 and 2012, and both countries are being mentioned as potential challengers this summer.

Most goals scored in one European Championship (team)

France hold the record for most goals scored in a single European Championship, having netted 14 times at the competition in 1984.

Platini managed nine of those, and it will take some effort for the record to be beaten at Euro 2024, but it is certainly not impossible.