EUROMAG 2016

UEFA Euro 2016 - Group C: Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Northern Ireland

Germany: the current world champion tries to win the UEFA Euro for the fourth time.

Quick facts:

• Appearances: 12 - leading all teams
• Championships: 1972, 1980, 1996 - tied for most
• Runners-up: 1976, 1992, 2008 - tied for most
• FIFA-ranking: 5th

After the dissappointing final loss to Spain in 2008 and loss to Italy in the 2012 Semi-finals Germany bounced back in 2014 and won the FIFA World Cup 2014. They are now focused on the UEFA Euro once again and want to make it their fourth championship overall, after they won the competition last in 1996.

Coach: Joachim Löw  (since 2006, assistant-coach from 2004-2006)

Current squad:

• Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer / Bernd Leno / Marc-André ter Stegen / Kevin Trapp
• Full-backs: Mats Hummels / Shkodran Mustafi / Matthias Ginter / Jonathan Tah / Antonia Rüdiger / Jonas Hector
• Midfielders: Emre Can / Christoph Kramer / Sebastian Rudy / Toni Kroos / Sami Khedira / Mesut Özil / Mario Götze / Julian Draxler
• Strikers: Marco Reus / André Schürrle / Karim Bellarabi / Lukas Podolski / Thomas Müller / Kevin Volland / Mario Gomez

Players to watch during the tournament:

• Manuel Neuer: Arguably the best goalkeeer in the world, it will be interesting to see whether he plays as spectacular as he did during the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil (e.g. against Algeria)
• Sebastian Schweinsteiger: After his move from Bayern Munich to Manchester United the long-term national player is out of form and it will be interesting to see whether he can bounce back.
• Mats Hummels: After he announced his desire to leave Borussia Dortmund he will most likely be paired with his future teammate Jerome Boateng. 
• Mario Götze: He scored the winning goal against Argentina in the 2014 final but has disappointed in his team Bayern Munich ever since he moved there in 2013. Can he once against show the best at an important tournament?
• Thomas Müller: The best striker on the German team. Can he show it again during the UEFA Euro?
• Marco Reus: Having been in the form of his life he got injured during the last test before the FIFA World Cup started in 2014 and thus still waits for the fist title of his career. 

Prognosis: Germany is the big favorite in group C and will most likely make it to the next stage. From there on they will face fierce competition, but they are among the favorites to win the championship.


 
Ukraine: the first-time qualificant eyes the Quarter-finals.

Quick facts:

• Appearances: 2
• Championships: none
• Runners-up: nonce
• FIFA-ranking: 22nd

Ukraine co-hosted the last European Championship together with its group C opponent Poland, which marked the country's first participation in the tournament since it became independent from the Soviet Union in 1992. Despite a win in its opening game against Sweden the group stage marked the end for their outsider hopes. This year, they try to improve upon their previous participation and are eager to make it to the next round.

Coach: Mykhaylo Fomenko (since 2012)

Current squad:

• Goalkeepers:Andriy Pyatov / Denys Boyko / Mykyta Shevchenko
• Full-backs: Evgen Kchacheridi / Oleksandr Kucher / Evgen Selin / Artem Putivtsev / Mykyta Kamenyuka / Vyacheslav Shevchuk / Artem Fedetsky
• Midfielders:Taras Stepanenko / Maksym Malyshev / Anatoliy Tymoshuck / Denys Garmash / Sergiy Sydorchuk / Ruslan Rotan / Oleksandr Karavaev / Ivan Petryak / Viktor Kovalenko / Oleg Gusev
• Strikers: Andriy Yarmolenko / Artem Kravets / Roman Zozulya / Pylyp Budkivsky

Players to watch during the tournament:

•  Anatoliy Tymoshuck: The captain and former Bayern Munich player is already 37 years old and the UEFA Euro 2016 will most likely be his last tournament. Can he lead the team with his experience to the Quarter-finals and potentially further?
• Andriy Yarmolenko: THE superstar in the team. There are fewer players in the world which are heavier chased than the Ukrainian striker. Can he show potential new clubs why he is one of the hottest names on the market?
• Viktor Kovalenko: the youngster in the team. He just turned 20 in February but made already two appearances in the national team and 40 for its club Shakhtar Donetzk. He could turn out to be one of the most positive surprises of the tournament.  

Prognosis: Ukraine's chances to make it to the Quarter-finals are 50:50, but anything more would be a big surprise.



Poland: the national teams breakthrough year?

Quick facts:

• Appearances:3
• Championships: none
• Runners-up: none
• FIFA-ranking: 27th

Poland qualified for a European Chapionship in 2008 for the first time, just to finish the group - which included Germany - last with only one duce against the host Austria. Four years later the country expected big things from their national team as they co-hosted the UEFA Euro 2012 with the Ukraine, just to be disappointed with a last place in the group stage again. This year, however, they are grown as a team and are the favorite to finish the group as the second team.

Coach: Adam Nawalka (since 2013)

Current squad:

• Goalkeepers:Wojciech Szczesny / Luksz Fabianski / Przemyslaw Tyton / Artur Boruc
• Full-backs: Kamil Glik / Michal Pazdan / Bartosz Salamon / Igor Lewczuk / Jakub Wawrzyniak / Lukasz Piszczek / Artur Jedrzejczyk
• Midfielders: Grzegorz Krychowiak / Tomasz Jodlowiec / Ariel Borysiuk / Piotr Zielinski / Karol Linetty / Filip Starzynski / Maciej Rybus / Bartosz Kapustka / Jakub Blaszczykowski / Kamil Grosicki / Pawel Wszolek
• Strikers: Robert Lewandowski / Arkadiusz Milik / Lukasz Teodorczyk

Players to watch during the tournament:

• Lukasz Piszczek: The outside defender is playing a strong season for Borussia Dortmund under its new head coach Thomas Tuchel. It will be interesting to watch whether he can translate his form to the national team.
• Piotr Zielinski: The 21 old midfielder has already made 13 appearances for Poland, and scored three times. He currently plays for FC Empoli where he played 33 games during the season but is already being linked to Europes greatest clubs.
• Jakub Blaszczykowski: The former captain moved to Fiorence at the beginning of the season and had a disappointing campaign. If he finds his form, however, he can be a difference maker.
• Robert Lewandowski: The Bayern Munich superstar is one of the best strikers in the world - if not the best. He will make life difficult for every opposing defence.

Prognosis: Chances are good that Poland will make it past the group stage for the first time in history. How far they will get in the tournament is to be seen but will probably depend on one player - Robert Lewandowski.




Northern Ireland: The newcomer with(out) outsider chances?

Quick facts:

• Appearances: 1
• Championships: none
• Runners-up: none
• FIFA-ranking: 26th

Its Northern Ireland's first appearance at an European Championship - and that alone was a big win for the small country already. Despite its small size the country loves football and the qualification for the tournament was well deserved. That it won't be easy for the opposing teams had Greece to experience in the qualification matches as they got defeated twice and can also be seen by its high FIFA ranking, which lists them in the spot above Poland.

Coach: Michael O'Neill (since 2011)

 
Current squad:

• Goalkeepers: Michael McGovern / Alan Mannus / Roy Carroll
• Full-backs: Jonny Evans / Patrick McNair / Craig Cathcart / Gareth McAuley / Aaron Hughes / Luke McCullough / Lee Hodson / Conor McLaughlin / Michael Smith
• Midfielders: Steven Davis / Oliver Norwood / Stuart Dallas / Shane Ferguson
• Strikers: Jamie Ward / Niall McGinn / Kyle Lafferty / Conor Washington / Billy McKay / Liam Boyce / Josh Magenis

Players to watch during the tournament:

• Steven Davis: The 31 year old appeared in 75 matches for Northern Ireland and has a lot of experience. He is aso three-times Scottish Champion and knows how to be successful.
• Patrick McNair: He is only 21 years old but shows a lot of potential. He appeared in 8 games for his team Manchester United - which is a lot given the copetition he is facing and the fact that defenders are only rarely substituted. 

Prognosis: Even though the FIFA ranking would suggest otherwise Northern Ireland is the big outsider in this group.