Group D: Greece, Russia, Spain, Sweden If Cristiano Ronaldo is regarded as Europe’s best player, then Spain have arguably Europe’s most talented squad. And if football is played on paper, then I think Spain will win the tournament. In the group, Spain will encounter familiar foes. They had Russia & Greece in the same group at Euro 2004 (where ominously, Spain flopped). They had Sweden in the same Euro 2008 qualifying group, losing 2-0 in Stockholm but comprehensively outclassing the Scandinavians 3-0 in Madrid.
Spain are surely football’s biggest underachievers. The club sides are very successful, but at national team level, their only trophy is Euro 1964. For whatever reason, their achievements at international tournaments never reflect their true level of talent & potential. After starting the Euro qualifiers poorly, they got their act together & qualified in style. Spain seem to be a popular choice to win the tournament, with many football fans (myself included) admiring their passing, possession game with lots of intricate build-up. Playing such an expansive, attacking game require players with high level of technical sophistication, & Spain have them in abundance. So much so that big name forward Raul has been excluded from the squad. At least Spain don’t have to worry about trying to accommodate his particular strengths into the side. Spain’s main attacker will be Fernando Torres, arguably Europe’s best centre forward. Either David Villa or Dani Guiza should play alongside him. Midfield is probably Spain’s best department, where they can call on Cesc Fabregas, Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Ruben de la Red & Santi Cazorla. These players ooze creativity, & this is possibly Europe’s best midfield. Defensively, Puyol may lack pace, but Sergio Ramos (who can play centre back or right back) doesn’t. Casillas is one of the world’s best goalkeepers. Backup keeper Reina is also highly regarded. However, their mad, controversial coach, Luis Aragones, might be a liability, especially if he makes questionable decisions at crucial times.
Russia qualified for the tournament at England’s expense. With legendary Dutch coach Guus Hiddink at the helm, expect the Russians to be a well-drilled, disciplined outfit with flashes of flair. In truth, Russia underachieves – since the breakup of the USSR, they have not done as well as expected in international tournaments. Could it be that the collapse of communism has caused the footballers to be more lax? We can only speculate. But I believe this can be the best Russian team for a long time. Not just because of Hiddink. But also because Russian football is experiencing a boom. The clubs are bankrolled by wealthy investrors/owners, attracting an influx of foreign players & coaches into the league, & their influence has improved the level of Russian footballers. One of Russia’ best footballers is attacking midfielder Andrei Arshavin, so instrumental in helping Zenit St Petersburg win the UEFA Cup. He will be suspended for the first 2 matches after a red card in Russia’s last qualifier. His return in the third group match could tip the scales in Russia’s favour. Other key players include midfielders Bystrov & Zyranov, forward Pavlyuchenko & young keeper Akinfeev. I am not sure about Russia’s defence, but I believe Hiddink’s motivational & tactical acumen will help Russia advance to the next round.
Greece winning Euro 2004 was simply sensational & completely unexpected. To this day, I still find it hard to believe that they won it! Much credit for that triumph should go to the German coach Otto Rehhagel; the trophy must have done wonders to his reputation. He is still in charge of the Greeks, & this should benefit them in terms of continuity & stability. Many of the victorious side in 2004 are still around, so it may appear to be a case of “same old, same old”. The winning goalscorer in the Euro 2004 final, Haristeas, is still there, as is Limberopoulos. But Greece now have other forwards to choose from: Gekas, Sapligidis, Samaras & Amanatidis. So perhaps Greece are a bit stronger than they were in 2004. Basinas & Karagounis, the warriors of Euro 2004, will continue patrolling the midfield, as is Giannakopoulos. The tough, uncompromising defence should feature the likes of Dellas, Seitaridis, Goumas & Antzas. With the triumph in 2004, comes expectation of success. Greece can qualify to the next stage, but I don’t think they will. OK, the same thing was said before Euro 2004. But crucially this time, Greece will not have the element of surprise. Their group opponents now know what to expect, & will be eager to send the European champions packing.
Sweden are the only Nordic country to qualify for the tournament. Coach Lagerback is still around, so the old stereotypes of Nordic sides (indeed, Northern European sides) still hold true for the Swedes: disciplined, organized, hard-running & tenacious. Indeed, Lagerback has often been criticized for being unnecessarily too defensive. Critics may have a point, as Sweden do possess forwards of real quality. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is extremely talented, perhaps the best forward in the Nordic countries. But he is temperamental & has not scored for Sweden in a dozen internationals. The legendary Henrik Larsson, remarkably, will be there. He came out of international retirement at age 36. This will be his sixth international tournament, & he has scored in every tournament he participated in. Who would bet against him continuing that run? Other forward options include former “goldenboy” Johan Elmander, Markus Rosenberg, & Marcus Allback. Midfield should feature Kallstrom, Linderoth, Ljungberg, & Sebastian Larsson. The tough Olof Mellberg should lead the defensive line, & Andreas Isaksson should be first-choice goalkeeper. Sweden will be very difficult to break down, & a quarter-final place is not beyond them. However, even if Sweden reach that stage, it will be hard to see them progress any further as the squad does not seem to have as much depth as a number of other teams in the tournament.
Prediction:
1 – Spain
2 – Russia
3 – Sweden
4 - Greece
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