Euro 2016 Group C
GROUP C
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[Team Jersey Images © Soccerphile]
Germany
2014 World Cup champions Germany go into Euro 2016 slightly out of sorts. There have been some worrying defeats in friendly internationals and some of the experienced players such as Manchester United's Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Gomez at Besiktas seem past their best. That said, the German squad oozes quality, especially in midfield, where the talents of Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil are enough to win any match.
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Germany Kit 1 |
Germany Kit 2 |
Germany v Ukraine 12 June; Lille
Germany v Poland 16 June; Saint-Denis
Germany v Northern Ireland 21 June; Paris
Coach
Joachim Low
Record
1960, 1964 Did not enter; 1968 Did not qualify; 1980, 1976, Runners-up; 1988, 2012 Semi-finals; 1984, Group stage as West Germany*
1992, 2008 Runners-up, 1972, 1996 Champions; 2000, 2004 Group stage
Men to watch
Toni Kroos is technically accomplished, two-footed midfield dynamo of the highest order. His set-piece partnership with Thomas Muller in front of him is liable to be key for the Germans.
Surely will make it to the last four as they always tend to do.
Euro 2016 Betting
How they qualified
Topped Group D by a point from Poland.
On the sidelines
There is talk that "Jogi" Low may return to club management at some time after the tournament however his side fare at Euro 2016.
Analysis
Germany will line up in a 4-3-3 formation and look to dominant possession, though they have experimented with other formations recently with little apparent success.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Bernd Leno (Bayer Leverkusen), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona).
Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Emre Can (Liverpool), Jonas Hector (Cologne), Benedikt Howedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Dortmund), Shkodran Mustafi (Valencia), Antonio Ruediger (Roma).
Midfielders: Julian Draxler (Wolfsburg), Sami Khedira (Juventus), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Lukas Podolski (Galatasaray), Andre Schurrle (Wolfsburg), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United), Julian Weigl (Dortmund).
Strikers: Mario Gomez (Besiktas), Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Schalke).
Thomas MullerUkraine
Ukraine did remarkedly well to qualify for Euro 2016 with all the turmoil going on back home. The side is well-drilled and competitive but lacks flair. Many of the squad are also reaching the veteran stage with defender Vyacheslav Shevchuk, 37 and captain Ruslan Rotan, 34.
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Ukraine Kit 1 |
Ukraine Kit 2 |
Ukraine v Germany 12 June; Lille
Ukraine v Northern Ireland 16 June; Lyon
Ukraine v Poland 21 June; Marseille
Coach
Mykhailo Formenko
Record
1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 Did not qualify; 2012 Group Stage
Ukraine previously competed as part of the multinational Soviet Union*
Men to watch
Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kiev) and Yevhen Konoplyanka (Sevilla) are the two men in the squad who can supply a much needed X-factor. Both are speedy wingers who can dribble.
We predict Ukraine will be third in Group C behind Euro 2012 co-hosts Poland.
How they qualified
Third in Qualifying Group C behind Spain and Slovakia, Ukraine came through a play-off with Slovenia.
On the sidelines
Ukraine will be based at the Hotel Rennaissance Aix-en-Provence. Legend Andriy Shevchenko is now part of the coaching team.
Analysis
Ukraine stick to a tried and trusted 4-2-3-1 with Denys Garmash linking play behind a lone front man with Yarmolenko and Konoplyanka on the flanks.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Andriy Pyatov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Denys Boyko (Besiktas), Mykyta Shevchenko (Shakhtar Donetsk).
Defenders: Yevhen Khacheridi (Dynamo Kiev), Bohdan Butko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Artem Fedetskyi (Dnipropetrovsk), Oleksandr Karavaev, Oleksandr Kucher, Yaroslav Rakytskiy, Vyacheslav Shevchuk (all Shakhtar Donetsk).
Midfielders: Serhiy Rybalka (Dynamo Kiev), Denys Garmash (Dynamo Kiev), Serhiy Sydorchuk (Dynamo Kiev), Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kiev), Yevhen Konoplyanka (Sevilla), Ruslan Rotan (Dnipropetrovsk), Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Viktor Kovalenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Anatoliy Tumoschuk (Kairat), Oleksandr Zinchenko (UFA).
Strikers: Roman Zozulya (Dnipropetrovsk), Yevhen Seleznyov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Pylyp Budkivskyi (Shakhtar Donetsk).
Poland
Poland finished bottom of their group in a hugely disappointing Euro 2012. Things have improved considerably since then with a 2-0 win over Germany in Warsaw during qualifying and some good results in friendly internationals. Up front Arkadiusz Milik (Ajax) and Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) have forged a lethal partnership with Lewandowski scoring 13 goals in qualifying and the team registering a total of 33 - more than anyone else.
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Poland Kit 1
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Poland Kit 2
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Poland v Northern Ireland 12 June; Nice
Poland v Germany 16 June; Saint-Denis
Poland v Ukraine; 21 June; Marseille
Coach
Adam Nawalka
Record
1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 Did not qualify, 2008, 2012 Group Stage
Men to watch
A mainstay for the national team since 2008, Lewandowski scored on his international debut and has long been Poland's first-choice striker. He has only got better after moving from Dortmund to Munich.
We predict Poland to qualify from the group in second place.
How they qualified
Poland came second in Group D just behind Germany who they face again in Group C.
On the sidelines
Poland legend Wlodzimierz Lubanski is Poland's highest goalscorer with 48 goals with Lewandowski still in the 30's.
Analysis
Poland line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with the left-footed technician Milik just behind captain Lewandowski. Kamil Grosicki and Jakub Blaszczykowski on the wings are charged with supplying the ammunition.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea), Wojciech Szczesny (Roma), Artur Boruc (Bournemouth).
Defenders: Thiago Cionek (Palermo), Kamil Glik (Torino), Artur Jedrzejczyk (Krasnodar), Michal Pazdan (Legia Warsaw), Lukasz Piszczek (Dortmund), Bartosz Salamon (Cagliari), Jakub Wawrzyniak (Lechia Gdansk).
Midfielders: Jakub Blaszczykowski (Dortmund), Kamil Grosicki (Rennes), Tomasz Jodlowiec (Legia Warsaw), Bartosz Kapustka (Cracovia), Grzegorz Krychowiak (Sevilla), Karol Linetty (Lech Poznan), Krzysztof Maczynski (Wisla Krakow), Slawomir Peszko (Lechia Gdansk), Filip Starzynski (Zaglebie Lubin), Piotr Zielinski (Udinese).
Strikers: Arkadiusz Milik (Ajax), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Mariusz Stepinski (Chorzow).
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland are making their first appearance at the Euros. The side has a handful of experienced pros from the Premier League, but they look a bit short of talent at this level. The opening game against Poland in Nice will be vital to set a positive tone for the other matches.
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Northern Ireland Kit 1
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Northern Ireland Kit 2
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Northern Ireland v Poland 12 June; Nice
Northern Ireland v Ukraine 16 June; Lyon
Northern Ireland v Germany 21 June; Paris
Coach
Michael O'Neill
Record
First appearance at the Euros.
Men to watch
Will Grigg has been on fire for Wigan as they gained promotion back to the Championship and may be used off the bench. Southampton's Steven Davies was a model of consistency in the centre of midfield during the qualifiers and captains the side.
Difficult to see anything other than Northern Ireland finishing last in the group.
How they qualified
Topped Group F by a point ahead of Romania.
On the sidelines
Northern Ireland forward Kyle Lafferty had an unhappy spell as Italian side Palermo where he was accused on being "an out-of-control womanizer" by the club president. Lafferty scored seven goals in qualifying.
Analysis
Northern Ireland play 4-3-3, 4-1-4-1 or 4-3-2-1 and will look to catch teams on the break or go through the game undefeated.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Alan Mannus (St Johnstone), Michael McGovern (Hamilton), Roy Carroll (Linfield).
Defenders: Craig Cathcart (Watford), Jonathan Evans (West Brom), Gareth McAuley (West Brom), Luke McCullough (Doncaster), Conor McLaughlin (Fleetwood), Lee Hodson (MK Dons), Aaron Hughes (free agent), Patrick McNair (Manchester United), Chris Baird (Derby).
Midfielders: Steven Davis (Southampton), Oliver Norwood, (Reading), Corry Evans, (Blackburn), Shane Ferguson (Millwall), Stuart Dallas (Leeds), Niall McGinn (Aberdeen), Jamie Ward (Nottingham Forest).
Strikers: Kyle Lafferty (Norwich), Conor Washington (QPR), Josh Magennis (Kilmarnock), Will Grigg (Wigan).
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