Netherlands
How they qualified: Finished 1st in European Qualifying Group E
Team Base: Krakow
The Dutch come into this year’s tournament with a major point to prove to the footballing world.
After playing the villain in the 2010 World Cup final Holland’s reputation was dented and the image of total football was replaced with a hard nosed, hard playing efficient side that had the potential to play great football.
The qualifying group for the tournament was a dream for Bert Van Marwijk’s side as they averaged almost four goals a game, but conceding eight goals, including three to Hungary and three to Sweden, was a slight dark spot on a confident qualifying performance.
The squad’s age has come into question recently with many wondering if the squad may have peeked in 2010 and its time to win a major tournament is gone. Mark Van Bommel is 35 and will surely be playing his last tournament in a Holland shirt while Joris Mathijsen at center back and Dirk Kuyt are both hovering in the wrong side of 30.
Their strength in depth has been questioned too and with Arjen Robben finishing the season on a rather depressing note, and Wesley Sneijder spending most of the year on the bench at Inter, the mentality of the squad’s key players could prove to be a factor.
They are still very much a contender to lift the trophy and quality emanates through the starting line-up. Robin Van Persie could well be the most inform forward not in a Madrid or Barcelona shirt this season and he will be a key to their success.
WFD Predicted Starting XI: 4-2-3-1
Stekelenburg
Van der Wiel - Heitinga - Mathijsen - Bouma
Van Bommel - De Jong
Robben - Sneijder - Kuyt
Van Persie
WFD predicted group finish: 2nd
The Netherlands Group Schedule: (All times local)
Match 1: June 9 v Denmark - Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (19:00)
Match 2: June 13 v Germany - Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (21:45)
Match 3: June 17 v Portugal - Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (21:45)
Denmark
How they qualified: Finished 1st in European Qualifying Group H
Team Base: Kolobrzeg
A tricky side to deal with, Denmark do have an outside chance of making their way out of the group of death and into the Euro 2012 quarterfinals.
There may not be enough magic in the air for the Euro 92 winners to pull off another shock and win the tournament, but this is a Danish side that finished above Portugal in the qualifying stages and handed them a 2-1 defeat in the groups final game.
They also came close to defeating Holland in their opening game of the 2010 World Cup and Morten Olsen is so encouraged by the new talent in the squad that he’s signed on to be the national team’s head coach until 2014.
Thomas Sorensen’s absence in goal due to injury will cause a problem but Manchester United backup Anders Lindeguard will provide more then ample cover for the Stoke keeper while Liverpool’s Daniel Agger will look to anchor an experienced back-four.
Going forward Nikolas Bendtner will be looking to continue his international form that always seems to elude him at club level, while Ajax’s exciting young prospect Christian Eriksen will be using this tournament to prove himself against the continents best and catch the eye of Europe’s elite.
Don’t count them out, a win against Portugal and a draw against Germany will see the Danish sitting pretty for a spot in the knockout round.
WFD Predicted Starting XI: 4-2-1-3
Lindeguard
Jacobsen - Agger - Bjelland - S.Poulsen
Kvist - Zimling
Eriksen
Rommedahl - Bendtner - Krohn-Dehil
WFD predicted group finish: 4th
Denmark Group Schedule: (All times local)
Match 1: June 9 v Netherlands - Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (19:00)
Match 2: June 13 v Portugal - Arena Lviv, Lviv (19:00)
Match 3: June 17 v Germany - Arena Lviv, Lviv (21:45)
Germany
How they qualified: Finished 1st in European Qualifying Group A (Perfect Record)
Team Base: Gdansk
Arguably the strongest side going into the tournament, the runners up of the 2008 tournament are no longer considered a young plucky team filled with wonderkids. They’re now the real deal.
A fourth European Championship trophy is being predicted for Joachim Low’s side and few would bet against the firepower and quality they possess going forward, while a sturdy back four anchored by Phillip Lahm will prove a very difficult group to break down.
Old hand Miroslav Klose could have played for the host nation Poland, but German football is thanking its lucky stars (all three of them on the shirt) that the man of Polish decent chose not to, as he closes in on Gerd Muller’s international goal scoring record of 68 goals.
Talent runs through the squad and the strength in depth will be important in the later stages of the tournament as injuries and bookings take their toll.
They’re favorites for a reason and few can look past one of the most exciting teams on the planet.
WFD Predicted Starting XI: 4-2-3-1
Neuer
Boateng - Hummels - Badstuber - Lahm
Schweinsteiger - Khedira
Muller - Ozil - Podolski
Klose
WFD predicted group finish: 1st
Germany Group Schedule: (All times local)
Match 1: June 9 v Portugal - Arena Lviv, Lviv (21:45)
Match 2: June 13 v Netherlands - Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (21:45)
Match 3: June 17 v Denmark - Arena Lviv, Lviv (21:45)
Portugal
How they qualified: Finished 2nd in European Qualifying Group H; defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-2 on aggregate in playoff.
Team Base: Opalencia
The distraught finalists in 2004 on home soil, Portugal have had a chip on their shoulder for eight years. The new Holland of international football, Portugal are becoming known as the nearly men who always have the potential to win a major tournament but never quite live up to the hype.
One man that does live up to the hype however, is Cristiano Ronaldo. The self-proclaimed 10/10 Real Madrid star has had an incredible 2011/12 and if Portugal are to do anything this tournament, he will have to play a major part in their side.
Manchester United’s Nani and Porto’s Joao Moutinho will also be key figures to look out for in the Portugal attack, while Real Madrid’s Pepe and Fabio Coentrao will both have to step up their defensive duties as Portugal look to fight their way out of the group of death.
Denmark defeated them in the qualifying stages of the tournament and Bosnia and Herzegovina almost pulled off a shock result in the playoffs, but with their backs against the wall, a thumping 6-2 victory at home over the eastern Europeans sent Paulo Bento’s men off to Poland and Ukraine.
WFD Predicted Starting XI: 4-1-2-3
Patricio
Pereira - Pepe - Alves - Coentrao
Veloso
Meireles - Moutinho
Ronaldo - Postiga - Nani
WFD predicted group finish: 3rd
Portugal Group Schedule: (All times local)
Match 1: June 9 v Germany - Arena Lviv, Lviv (21:45)
Match 2: June 13 v Denmark - Arena Lviv, Lviv (19:00)
Match 3: June 17 v Netherlands - Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (21:45)
Stadiums:
Kharkiv Metalist Stadium
Capacity: 38,633
Described as looking like a giant spider due to its external supporting pillars, the Metalist Stadium has been remodeled four times since it was first opened in 1926.
Its most recent facelift included the addition of undersoil heating, a new pitch and an expansion in its capacity by around 6000 seats, all costing around $75m
Situated in the east of the city the stadium sits on the site of the Holy Spirit cemetery along with the Metalist City complex. Bored fans during the game will be able to go shopping in the stadium’s three-storey mall.
Games: (All times are local)
Netherlands v Denmark June 9th (19:00)
Netherlands v Germany June 13th (21:45)
Portugal v Netherlands June 17th (21:45)
Arena Lviv
Capacity: 34,915
The tournament’s smallest stadium will play host to one of the biggest group games on June 9th when Portugal meet Germany in group B’s second match of the tournament.
The original Lviv arena hosted Ukraine’s first ever recorded match in 1894 and the stadium was opened with a bang when Marko Devic struck a last minute winner to lift a 10-man Ukraine side past Austria in November 2011.
Situated to the south of the city of Lviv, the Lviv Arena boasts some of the best views in a football stadium with its steep sides while a partially transparent roof holds in the crowd atmosphere while allowing the fans to bask in the summer sun.
The outside of the ground is a mixture of old and new Ukrainian architecture with a slight wave to the roof and crisscross markings on its side that look like a giant game of pickup sticks.
Games: (All times are local)
Germany v Portugal June 9th (21:45)
Denmark v Portugal June 13th (19:00)
Denmark v Germany June 17th (21:45)
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