The previous years and the years immediately following had been pretty much the same for an international player from Luxembourg. They were mostly part-timers who stumbled from one crushing loss to the next.
The most World Cup and European campaigns without a qualifying spot belong to the Grand Duchy. 104 World Cup matches had only earned eight points until 2008. But as they approach their first-ever major tournament—just two games away—things are starting to change.
The first Euro 2024 play-off matchup between Luxembourg and Georgia is scheduled for this Thursday. The winner of that matchup might face either Greece or Kazakhstan in the final, which would take place in Germany.
Paul Philipp, president of the Luxembourg Football Federation, remarked, “You can always dream. We weren’t necessarily expecting a direct qualification.”
“We have to remember that we are a tiny nation and will never win the European Championship. It’s quite amazing that we are performing at this level.
