EURO 2016 - PREVIEW (Groups D to F)
With just hours to go until Euro 2016 kicks off in France when the hosts take on Romania, Direct Soccer previews the teams that will do battle in Groups D to F, a focus on some of the star players taking part and what key matches to look out for as the biggest football tournament in Europe this summer gets set to begin.
DIRECT SOCCER FACEBOOK COMPETITION - WIN A EURO 2016 FOOTBALL!
Don't forget there is still time to enter our fantastic competition to win an official Euro 2016 adidas Beau Jeu match football (RRP £99.95) thanks to our friends at adidas Teamwear. To win, all you need to do is visit and like our Direct Soccer Facebook page and post a comment on the Euro 2016 Football post about who you think will be the team that scores the most goals in the group stages of Euro 2016. It could be England, it might be Germany, but more importantly, it could be you that wins the football if you are one of the lucky people to guess correctly. (T&Cs: http://www.directsoccer.co.uk/euro2016comp)
The competition closes at 9am on the 15th of June so get guessing and good luck!
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GROUP D
SPAIN
Capital City – Madrid - Kit Colour - Red - Kit Manufacturer – adidas - European Championship Best Performance – Winners in 1964, 2008 and 2012 - Manager – Vicente Del Bosque
After years of under-achievement, Spain finally delivered the goods in 2008 winning the European Championships against Germany, kicking off a period of dominance in world football. After a successful 2010 World Cup win over the Netherlands and a 4-0 thrashing of Italy in 2012 to retain their European title, the Spaniards suffered a shock 1st round exit at the 2014 World Cup so will look to bounce back in France. A side mixed with experience and youthfulness, Spain will look to the likes of Andres Iniesta, Sergio Ramos and David Silva to lead the team back to glory. Despite there being no place in the squad for Chelsea's combative striker Diego Costa or hero of the 2008 Final, Fernando Torres, Spain still bolster a strong attack led by Juventus striker Alvaro Morata and Pedro. Expect the Spanish to reach the quarter finals at least.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Capital City – Prague - Kit Colour - Red - Kit Manufacturer – Puma – European Championship Best Performance – Runners-up in 1996 - Manager – Pavel Vrba
Runners-up at Euro '96, the Czechs have one of the oldest squads at the Euros this time, with 11 players in their 30's. Group winners in qualifying, the Czech Republic will rely on strong performances from goalkeeper Petr Cech and the experienced midfield duo of Tomas Rosicky and Jaroslav Plasil if they are to get through the group stages.
TURKEY
Capital City – Ankara - Kit Colour – Red - Kit Manufacturer – Nike - European Championship Best Performance – Semi Finals in 2008 - Manager – Fatih Terim
Turkey qualified for Euro 2016 by finishing as the best 3rd placed team in qualifying, knocking out favourites Holland on their way to reaching France. Managed by the experienced Fatih Terim, Turkey's star man is Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan while other players to look out for are Nuri Sahin who plays for Dortmund and striker Burak Yilmaz who has knocked in 19 goals for Ay-Yildizlilar (Turkey's nickname is the Crescent-Stars).
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David Silva's skills will be key to Spain's hopes of retaining their European Championship title for a 3rd straight triumph.[/caption]
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Ivan Rakitic - The Barcelona midfielder is the star of Croatian football and will be looked to lead the team to the next round.[/caption]
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Euro 2016 could be Robbie Keane's last tournament and Ireland will be hoping their record scorer can score the goals they need to escape the Group of Death.[/caption]
CROATIA
Capital City – Zagreb - Kit Colour – Red/White - Kit Manufacturer – Nike - European Championship Best Performance – Quarter Finals 1996 and 2008 - Manager – Ante Cacic
Croatia's strength is in the midfield and attack areas, with talents like Luca Modric, Ivan Perisic, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic the players to look out for. The Croatians will need a disciplined display from their defensive players if they are to make the knockout stages but after coming through qualifying as runners-up in Group H, they will be seen as the favourite to join Spain in the last 16.
KEY MATCH
Czech Republic v Turkey - June 21st, Lens
This match could decide who finishes 3rd and hopefully claims a last 16 place, or may even determine who gets 2nd behind Spain, depending on how both teams get on against Croatia. Expect a close but open game that will likely end a draw and lead to heartbreak for both teams in their quest to reach the 2nd round.
GROUP E
BELGIUM
Capital City – Brussels - Kit Colour – Red - Kit Manufacturer – adidas - European Championship Best Performance – Finalists in 1980 - Manager – Marc Wilmots
One of the youngest squads in the competition (the only player over 30 is their 3rd choice keeper), Belgium are seen by many as a dark horse for winning Euro 2016. The Belgians have a huge list of individual talent at their disposal, but have to piece it all together at a tournament soon or they could become the 2010's version of England's golden generation. Despite missing defensive rock Vincent Kompany through injury, the Red Devils still boast the likes of Tottenham duo Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen in defence. In the middle of the park Kevin de Bruyne and Eden Hazard run the show while the firepower in attack is provided by Everton's Romelu Lukaku.
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Stephan El-Shaarawy is one of the new stars of Italian football and the Roma attacker will hope to play a key part in the Azzurri's Euro 2016 campaign.[/caption]
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Kevin de Bruyne's first season in English football was affected by injury but the Belgian midfielder is fit again and ready to fire his country to Euro 2016 victory.[/caption]
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At 38 Gianluigi Buffon is approaching the end of his career, and the Italy goalkeeper will hope to sign off with a European Championship winner's medal.[/caption]
ITALY
Capital City – Rome - Kit Colour – Blue - Kit Manufacturer – Puma - European Championship Best Performance – Winners in 1968 - Manager – Antonio Conte
There is something about tournament football that seems to bring out the best in the Italy team. The Italians can stumble through qualifying, even the group stages, but still make their way deep into the tournament. Winners of their qualifying group, there's no place in the squad for the veteran maestro Andrea Pirlo or hot-headed striker Mario Balotelli. Instead a new wave of Italian football stars will look to guide the Azzurri to glory this summer with the likes of strikers Stephan El Shaarawy, Graziano Pelle and Simone Zaza expected to shine. Juventus trio Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci should be starters for the Italians and their experience will be vital to help see them past Belgium and Sweden in what will be Antonio Conte's last tournament as manager before he takes over the reins at Chelsea this summer.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Capital City – Dublin - Kit Colour – Green - Kit Manufacturer – Umbro - European Championship Best Performance – Group stages in 1988 and 2012 - Manager – Martin O'Neill
Each tournament brings a Group of Death and Group E is it, with the Irish facing a mammoth task to qualify for the knockout round. Martin O'Neill's industrious team got through a hard qualifying group containing Germany, Poland and Scotland to reach the playoffs where they saw off Bosnia to reach the finals. A side full of hard-working experience, Ireland won't be a pushover, and they will hope to spring a surprise and qualify from the group. It will need a lot of effort and luck to do so but after a great win over Germany in qualifying the Irish won't be taken lightly by any of their opponents. Don't expect Irish eyes to be smiling come the end of the group stages this time though.
SWEDEN
Capital City – Stockholm - Kit Colour – Yellow - Kit Manufacturer – adidas - European Championship Best Performance – Semi Finals in 1992 - Manager - Erik Hamren
When you mention Sweden, you have to talk about one man, Zlatan Ibrahimovic! A legend in Sweden (and in his own modest mind), Zlatan is the catalyst for the Swedes and will be the key player if Sweden are to advance from the Group of Death. A tough qualifying campaign saw them beat Denmark in the playoffs to reach Euro 2016. Ibrahimovic is capable of the stupendous at the flick of a football boot, as shown below with an outrageous overhead kick against England in 2013, but he isn't the only player in a yellow shirt to look out for. Other talented players in the Swedish line-up include Kim Kallstrom and Sebastian Larsson but they will need Zlatan to be on form if they are to get through the group.
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KEY MATCH
Belgium v Italy - June 13th, Lyon
With the group winners likely to come out of this match, the opening game for both teams could have a big say in who they meet in the next round. Group E winners will play the runners-up of Group D (Spain's group) while the runners-up will meet the Group F winners, which could be Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo! Expect a cagey opener which the experienced Italians will edge by a single goal.
GROUP F
PORTUGAL
Capital City – Lisbon - Kit Colour – Red - Kit Manufacturer – Nike - European Championship Best Performance – Finalists in 2004 - Manager – Fernando Santos
The Portuguese landed the easiest group at Euro 2016 and are expected to qualify comfortably for the next stage. Led by world-class footballer Cristiano Ronaldo in attack, Portugal reached the finals as Group I winners and will be looking to go far in the tournament. A team packed with experience in defence and attack, they should stroll through Group F with 3 wins out of 3. Players to keep an eye out for are the home-based midfield quartet of Danilo, Joao Mario, William Carvalho and 18 year old Renato Sanches who moves to Bayern Munich after the tournament ends.
ICELAND
Capital City – Reykjavik - Kit Colour – Blue - Kit Manufacturer – Errea - European Championship Best Performance – 1st Appearance - Manager – Lars Lagerback/Heimar Hallgrimsson
Iceland, a country with a population smaller than Bristol, reached the finals of the European Championships for the first time in their history after finishing runners-up to the Czech Republic at the expense of the Netherlands and Turkey. Iceland's new generation of talent will be fearless in their attempts to reach the last 16 and look out for Swansea midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson to be the star man of their side. Veteran striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, who has had a glittering career at the likes of Barcelona, Chelsea and Bolton Wanderers, will be a key member of their squad and could score the vital goals they need to qualify for the 2nd round.
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The Bayern Munich midfielder is known for his long-range goals and Austrian hopes will sit on this young star's shoulders.[/caption]
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One of the world's best strikers, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will look to lead Sweden to Euro 2016 glory in what could be his international swansong.[/caption]
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Cristiano Ronaldo will be out to show why he is one of the world's greatest ever players, and Portugal's hopes will rest on how well CR7 performs at Euro 2016.[/caption]
AUSTRIA
Capital City – Vienna - Kit Colour – Red - Kit Manufacturer – Puma - European Championship Best Performance – Group Stage in 2008 - Manager – Marcel Koller
The Austrians qualified for Euro 2016 with 9 wins out of 10 games, including a 4-1 thumping of Sweden. This young and exciting side should join Portugal in the next round and will be relying on star player David Alaba who plays his club football for Bayern Munich and Stoke's talented attacker Marko Arnautovic to lead the team through the group. Top scorer for Austria is 31 year old Marc Janko who has bagged 25 goals for his country, still a bit behind the legendary Toni Polster on 44.
HUNGARY
Capital City – Budapest - Kit Colour – Red - Kit Manufacturer – Adidas - European Championship Best Performance – 3rd in 1964 - Manager – Bernd Storck
The unfancied Hungarians battled hard to reach Euro 2016, knocking out Norway in the playoffs to reach their first European Championship since 1972 - back then the finals only included 4 teams. Hungary will go into the tournament as outsiders to qualify from their group, but will hope to spring a surprise and pip Iceland and Austria for the runners-up place. They will need to rely on a strong work ethic and discipline if they are to achieve this aim. Gabor Kiraly, the goalkeeper famous for his grey sweat pants, should make championship history by becoming the oldest person to play at the European Championships at the age of 40.
KEY MATCH
Iceland v Austria - June 22nd, Saint-Denis
Portugal should have the group sewn up by this point, so the key game will see Iceland take on Austria for the right to join them as group runners-up in the last 16. With the talented Alaba and Arnautovic at their disposal, expect Austria to win this game comfortably and book their place in the knock-out stage and a clash with the runners-up of Group B.
COMING NEXT - A LOOK AT THE HOST STADIUMS
