Nation ranked 157th in the world could qualify for Euro 2024

Quite the shock

A country ranked 157th in the world are on the verge of qualifying for Euro 2024 – despite winning just two of their group games. The final round of qualification fixtures are being played this week before the groups are decided and we’ll know, bar the play-offs, who will be heading to Germany. Tournament favourites like England, France, Italy and Spain have already qualified but there’s still places up for grabs which could be snapped up by some surprise nations. One of those who remains in contention is – according to UEFA’s Nation League rankings- the fifth-worst country, who are only ranked above Malta, Andorra, San Marino and Liechtenstein. That nation in question? Moldova. Currently fourth in Group E, Moldova are just two points behind their next opponent, the Czech Republic, who currently occupy second place. So far Moldova have only beaten the Faroe Islands and Poland so far this qualification campaign and losing just once to Albania, who’ve already qualified. In order to join Albania, Moldova must beat the Czech Republic. While the odds remain stacked against them, the minnow nation have been given a huge boost after reports confirmed that three of the Czech Republic’s star players were sent home. Jakub Brabec, Jan Kuchta and West Ham United full-back Vladimir Coufal were all told to leave the squad and return to their domestic clubs after being caught partying late on Saturday night. We're not sure if this makes Irish fans feel better or worse, because although it would be a great underdog story to see, it would be tough for Ireland to see a team even worse than them make an international tournament.