In-ball tech to aid officials, the inspiration for the tournament anthem and the cartoon character behind Belgium's away kit... things you might not know about Euro 2024

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Germany will get the ball rolling at Euro 2024 on Friday night when the host nation face Scotland at the Munich Football Arena.

The clash will be the first of 51 matches at the tournament, with matches being played across 10 different cities.

Germany will head into a home Euros among the favourites to lift the Henri Delaunay Trophy on July 14.

The final itself will take place at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Ahead of the tournament's opening match, Mail Sport takes a look at some of the things you might not know about Euro 2024.

Germany will get Euro 2024 underway when they face Scotland at the Allianz Arena on Friday

Germany buck the recent mascot trend

The last time the Euros was on German soil back in 1988, a rabbit named Berni was chosen to be the tournament mascot.

Berni had been preceded by the wooden toy Pinocchio in Italy in 1980 and the  cockerel Peno at 1984, while a rabbit at Euro 1992, Euro 1996's 'Goaliath' lion, and a devil and lion hybrid for Belgium and the Netherlands in 2000.

European Championship mascots in recent editions have largely had 'human' feel, from a cartoon boy Kinas in 2004, followed by twins in 2008 and 2012 and France's Super Victor in 2016.

A freestyler named Skillzy was the last mascot for the Europe-wide tournament in 2021, but this time around Germany have gone down the animal route.

Organisers last year unveiled a classic child's teddy bear toy named Albart as the mascot for Euro 2024.

Children had been invited by UEFA to name the bear, choosing from four options all a play on words from the German word 'bar' - meaning bear: Albart, Barnardo, Barnheart and Herzi von Bar. 

Albart was chosen after securing 32 per cent of the vote.

Organisers unveiled Albart the teddy bear at the mascot for Euro 2024 last year after a vote

Albart follows in the footsteps of Skillzy, the mascot for the last European Championship

Darren Garnham, who founded toy company Toikido which created the mascot, explained the design process to Mail Sport last year.

'UEFA's partner Fanatics approached us, they’d seen some of our character work with Smashlings, and said, “Do you want to come as part of the tender, we’re doing this UEFA project?”

'I love football, so I said “absolutely”. This started nearly a year ago, for where we are as Toikido, only being three years old, I thought: "God what a coup, if we could land it." Then they called and said we were down to the final two.'

Design specialist Anthony Rule edited and tweaked the character during meetings with UEFA, often sending over several versions in the same meeting.

'We designed the mascot, which was brilliantly done by Anthony. We’re his first ever job - he’s been freelance his whole life and he’s 50. I had to do his appraisal a few months ago and he said he’d never had one before.

'They gave us a brief of gender equality and sustainability and we designed something and then they came back and said, “Actually, we want a bear.”

'It’s a German thing,' Garnham explained, adding: 'Anthony did the shirt to be all-inclusive of all the nations.'

Organisers launched a #MakeMoves campaign in schools designed to encourage children to be active, creating special skills and celebrations which are being used as part of animations of Albart during the tournament.

'As a parent, I know how important it is to stimulate children's imagination,' said Phillip Lahm, EURO 2024 tournament director. 'We hope to create a fun and likeable character that will inspire them to enjoy playing football.'

Organisers hope the fun and likeable character that will inspire children to play football

Euro 2024 promise 'FIRE' with tournament anthem

The likes of Simply Red, Nelly Furtado and Enrique Iglesias have all had the honour of performing the official song at previous European Championships.

OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder, a three-time Grammy winner, wrote the lyrics for the track 'Fire'.

UEFA claim the track merges OneRepublic's soundscapes Meduza's anthemic house production and Leony's pop expertise into a track that embodies the fervour and spirit of football and music fans. 

'We had not done a collaboration in a long-time,' Tedder told UEFA. 'Especially not anything in the electric music world. It was time and we are stoked.'

'I like picturing lyrics where if I am in the crowd and the audience are listening at a festival or in a concert, those moments where you have goosebumps and you get lost in the moment and everybody around you, you feel like you are one organism.

The Italian production trio Meduza have worked on the official anthem for Euro 2024

OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder wrote the lyrics for 'FIRE', which will be played ahead of the final 

German singer-songwriter Leony completed the collaboration on the Euro 2024 track

'That's what this lyric is about, it is we are on fire tonight, it is not me, it is not you, it is us.'

Leony added: 'I heard the song that you guys [Meduza] sent me and I was like, I already see the stadium and people screaming the song, and that it what we tried to do with the lyrics.'

The artists are set to perform the track ahead of the final at the Olympiastadion on July 14.

Meduza, made up of Mattia Vitale, Simone Giani and Luca De Gregorio, have also created compositions inspired by the anthem which will be used as walk on music and during the trophy presentation.

'As football fans, we feel so proud and happy. It's a goal in life for us, to combine our two biggest passions in life,' the 2019 Grammy award winners told MailOnline last year.

'It's something that happens once in a lifetime and that's why we feel blessed and honoured to be part of this project.'

A 'connected' match ball will aid officials

Official tournament match balls have been used at the European Championships since the third edition in 1968, when the adidas unveiled the Telstar Elast.

The manufacturer has provided the official match ball for every European Championships since, regularly showcasing new developments.

The Tango Mundial used in 1984 marked the first time the tournament used a non-leather ball, while Euro 1996's Questra Europa featured colour for the first time. 

The eye-catching silver Roteiro in 2004 saw every individual match ball was inscribed to display the names of the teams, the date, the stadium and the coordinates of the centre circle.

This time around the match ball has been named as FUSSBALLLIEBE, meaning 'football love' in English.

UEFA and adidas unveiled the ball in Berlin last November, revealing that it will feature 'Connected Ball Technology'. In short, the ball will have a chip designed to improve the accuracy of semi-automated offside VAR decisions. 

The FUSSBALLLIEBE match ball contains a chip which will aid VAR offside decisions

The automated offside technology was in operation during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

Illustrations of each of the tournament's stadiums will appear on the ball alongside the name of each host city

The technology will be used at the Euros for the first time, but was previously seen in the adidas Al Rihla ball used at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.  

A sensor in the centre of the ball is capable of recording data 500 times a second to detect when the ball has been kicked. 

'The UEFA European Football Championship stands as the pinnacle of national team competition in Europe and we are committed to ensuring that every aspect, from the venues to the equipment, upholds the highest standards of quality and performance,' Zvonimir Boban, UEFA former technical director and chief of football, said at the time.

'We are, as always, confident that adidas' FUSSBALLLIEBE will mark another stride in our shared dedication to excellence.'

It is claimed the design represents the movement of the ball and the energy of the game. UEFA and adidas claimed the bold colours celebrates the vibrance that the competing nations bring. 

Illustrations of each of the tournament's stadiums appear on the ball alongside the name of each host city. 

Each host city have received 900 additional balls to donate locally to schools, football clubs and other initiatives, while one per cent of net sales will go to the Common Goal charity established by Juan Mata and streetfootballworld.

Belgium's cartoon inspired away kit...

Belgium will continue will their traditional red home kit at the tournament, but have continued their recent trend of using their away kit to honour something or someone associated with the country.

Their Euro 2016 kit was claimed to have been inspired by the nation's cycling heritage and success, while Tomorrowland festival was honoured in their Qatar 2022 design.

This time, Belgium have opted to honour the famous comic strip designer Herge, who was best known for creating Tintin.

Belgium's away kit has a sky blue shirt and brown shorts a tribute to iconic cartoon character Tintin, who was created by a Belgian cartoonist

 Tintin (pictured with dog Snowy - left) has remained popular across Belgium since his creation

As such, the away kit replicates his collared blue shirt, brown trousers and white socks. 'As a big Tintin fan, I am delighted that our Red Devils will be conquering Europe in a jersey based on one of Belgium's greatest heroes,' said Piet Vandendriessche, Royal Belgian Football Association chief executive.

'We are thrilled to pay homage to a true global icon: Herge. He not only captured my heart and my mind growing up, but that of so many generations. And that is exactly what the Red Devils, but also the Red Flames, are trying to achieve. 

'Hopefully Tintin will give them the inspiration to put up great performances, starting this summer in Germany.'

Familiar faces return as ambassadors 

Organiers have also unveiled an array of tournament ambassadors, covering each of the 10 cities which will host matches at Euro 2024.

The list of ambassadors is eye-catching, starting off with the selection of Kevin-Prince Boateng as the choice for Berlin.

The former midfielder started and ended his club career at Hertha Berlin, before spells at the likes of Tottenham, AC Milan and Barcelona, as well as representing the Ghanaian national team.

Former Hertha Berlin star Kevin-Prince Boateng will be one of city ambassadors at Euro 2024

Experienced referee Felix Brych was chosen to be the official  city ambassador for Munich 

The selections have included several players linked to their chosen city.

Former goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller has been chosen as a Dortmund representative and the likes of Alex Meier and Gerald Asamoah selected for Frankfurt and Gelsenkirchen after starring at local clubs.

Ex-Germany international Cacau is one of three ambassadors for Stuttgart, the club he helped to win the Bundesliga in 2007.

Several European Championship winners also feature, including women’s Euros champions Annike Krahn, Anja Mittag and Martina Voss-Tecklenburg.

Fans may also recognise Harald Schumacher, a member of Germany’s Euro 1980 winning squad. 

The goalkeeper, who is the representative for Cologne, is arguably most known for his famous challenge on Patrick Battiston at the 1982 World Cup.

The infamous challenge saw the Frenchman lose two teeth, break three ribs and sustained damage to his vertebrae.

Experienced referee Felix Brych is an ambassador for Munich, while the full list includes athletes from a range of sports such as hockey and bobsleigh, as well as Paralympians.