The UEFA Euro 2012 Preview

The UEFA Euro 2012 tournament begins today and while we've already put you on to the gear it's time to get down to the nitty gritty: The actual teams on the pitch. We're breaking down each group and giving predictions on how each squad will fare. The NFL season doesn't begin for another three months so it's time to show some love to the O.G. football, check out the UEFA Euro 2012 Preview.

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Poland made it's first appearance at a European Championships in 2008 and it would be fair to say that they didn’t exactly set the world alight – taking just one point from their three group games. This year they enter with more optimism. Not only will they have the home crowd behind them, as co-hosts of the tournament, but they have lost just one of their last eight games.

Key men: Wojciech Szczesny – Arsenal’s goalkeeper is a real figurehead for the Polish team, and is rated by many as one of the best young keepers in world soccer. Robert Lewandowski – The young striker, who currently plays in Germany for Borussia Dortmund, is attracting the attention of Europe’s top clubs. Poland will be hoping he lives up to the hype.

Outlook: The passionate home support with power the Poles into the knockout stage.

A team that promised so much after an impressive showing at Euro 2008 has fizzled out to nothing. Russian fans will be desperate for their big names – Andrey Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko – to regain some form and steer their aging squad through the group.

Key man: Andrey Arshavin – Technically still an Arsenal player, but seemingly on his way out, Arshavin will be keen to show he’s still got the skill that made him one of the stars of Euro 2008.

Outlook: It’ll be very close, but Russia should sneak out of the group.

In soccer there’s a saying about teams like Greece: Park the bus. Meaning, get as many players as possible behind the ball to stop the opposition scoring, and hope to get a lucky goal at the other end. It can be effective, they won Euro 2004 using exactly those tactics, but times have changed. Unless they can find an unexpected creative spark, their chances of progressing to the knockout stage are slim.

Key man: Georgios Samaras – The Celtic striker is possibly their only chance of scoring goals, which are kind of important in soccer.

Outlook: Sorry Greece, you’re going home.

Organized in defence but fairly impotent going forward, it is hard to see much room for optimism among fans of the Czech Republic. They desperately need to find a way to score goals, but it is hard to see it happening.

Key men: Petr Cech – Chelsea’s goalkeeper will head to Poland on a high, having just won the Champions League. On his day, he’s one of the best in the world. Tomas Rosicky – If this team are going to score goals, this man will need to be firing on all cylinders. On form, the Arsenal midfielder can provide much needed creative spark.

Outlook: Making it out of the group would be a huge achievement.

The men in orange reached the World Cup final in 2010, losing to a brilliant Spain side. The Dutch media were not happy though, firing criticism at the team for abandoning their traditional attacking style of Total Football. Following that disappointment, they have adapted their approach – becoming the one of the most exciting attacking sides in Europe, and scoring more times than any other team in qualification. As tends to be the way, their attacking approach means that they can sometimes be shaky in defence.

Key men: Robin Van Persie – What is there to say about Robin Van Persie that hasn’t been said? The best striker in the Premier League. A class act. Could be one of the stars of Euro 2012. Wesley Sneijder – He was one of the best players at the World Cup in South Africa, and still has the ability to unlock any defence.

Outlook: Should easily make the semi-finals.

Germany: boring and efficient, right? Wrong. The Germans are playing the most attractive soccer in Europe – playing the kind of game Barcelona would be proud of. With a mix of experienced pros and exciting young talent, they could be set to win their fourth European Championship.

Key men: Mesut Ozil – Brilliant on the ball, incredible vision, and he can score too. The Real Madrid midfielder is the chief creative spark in a team of creative players. Thomas Muller – Quick, hard working, a great passer of the ball, and always seems to appear at the right place at the right time. A classy player.

Outlook: Champions.

This squad seems to have been around forever, which is either a great thing – they’ve got plenty of experience – or a nightmare…because they’ve not managed to win a thing, and aren’t getting any younger. Of course, one thing they do have in their favour is a guy by the name of Cristiano Ronaldo. With him in the side, anything can happen. If he fails to get going, they’re in big trouble.

Key man: Cristiano Ronaldo – Who else. His arch nemesis, Leo Messi, isn’t around to steal the spotlight – will CR7 step up and lead his team to glory?

Outlook: An early exit could be on the cards.

You might be thinking that these guys have no chance in this group, but don’t sleep on the Danes. They’ve got one of the most exciting young talents in world soccer running the show (more on him in a second), and in Nicklas Bendtner, an unpredictable frontman for him to feed.

Key man: Christian Eriksen – So, back to the exciting young talent. This guy is quick, tricky, and possesses great vision. This could be his opportunity to announce himself on the world stage.

Outlook: It looks unlikely that they’ll progress, but you never know what can happen at the Euros.

Understandably the team to beat, they boast the most creative and intelligent midfield lineup in the tournament, perhaps in any tournament. David Silva, Juan Mata, Cesc Fabregas…oh, and two other guys - Xavi and Iniesta. Barcelona striker David Villa is out through injury, so Spain will need Chelsea’s Fernando Torres to step up.

Key men: Xavi and Iniesta – They come as a pair, so it’s only right that their write-up does too. In tandem, they completely control the game – pulling the strings of anyone on the pitch, including the opposition.

Outlook: Final, at least.

The last time an Italian team entered a major tournament surrounded by controversy and scandal, they won the World Cup. This team might not go that far, but they’ll be tough to beat. As you’d expect, their approach is to stifle the opposition and keep the ball, hoping that their strikers can provide the magic.

Key man: Mario Balotelli – How could anyone but Mario Balotelli be the key man to watch on this team? He’s as likely to score the best goal you’ve ever seen as he is to punch someone and get sent off. Forza, Balo!

Outlook: Quarter Finals.

Creative and exciting in midfield, but vulnerable at the back – Croatia could struggle to handle the attacking prowess of Spain, but if they beat Ireland and sneak a draw or better against Italy, they could progress to the knockout stage. It’s a fairly big ‘if’ though.

Key man: Luka Modric – One of the best playmakers in world soccer, on the shopping list of every major European club. Fantastic on the ball, surprisingly gutsy, and passing ability you could only dream of.

Outlook: They’ll go down fighting, but they’ll go down.

Finally back in the big show after a decade of failed qualification attempts and Thierry Henry related controversy, Ireland face an incredible tough task if they want their time in Poland to last longer than three games. 20,000 fans are expected to make the trip, hoping to cheer their team on to a typically Irish giant killing.

Key man: Robbie Keane – Ireland’s experienced captain might not be as quick as he once was, but as he has shown in the MLS with the LA Galaxy, he still knows how to find the back of the net.

Outlook: They need a miracle.

After gaining automatic qualification as hosts, Ukraine have gone two years since their last competitive game, so it is easy to see how they might be underprepared. They face the tough task of playing three teams ranked higher than them in the world rankings, but with home advantage, you never know what might happen.

Key man: Andriy Yarmolenko – A young midfielder, linked with a possible transfer to Arsenal, who faces the responsibility to creating and scoring his teams goals.

Outlook: An early exit for the co-hosts.

It wouldn’t be a major international tournament without the England team causing some drama. This year’s group have a new manager (but not the manager the country wanted), a captain stripped of the job, and an ever growing injury list. Expectations aren’t high…until the first game, from which point England fans will expect nothing less than a run to the semi finals.

Key men: Wayne Rooney – England’s only truly world class outfield player. He’ll miss the first two games due to suspension, but if England are to do anything in the latter stages of the competition, Rooney will need to be on top form. Joe Hart – Increasingly mentioned as the best goalkeeper in the world, England will need Hart to be as solid as ever behind an unsettled back four.

Outlook: Quarter Finals.

A new start was required after a horrific World Cup campaign than saw the team and management publicly fall out. The core of this French team is young and very talented, but is balanced by proven stars such as Franck Ribery, Samir Nasri, and Patrice Evra.

Key man: Karim Benzema – The Real Madrid striker had a great season with the Spanish champions, and France will be hoping he’s ready to be the focal point of their attack this summer. Yann M’Vila – One of the hottest prospects in the game, linked with every big club in Europe, M’Vila is a strong, intelligent midfielder who can dominate the opposition.

Outlook: Semi Finals.

After failing to qualify for the World Cup in 2010, Swedish fans will be demanding a good showing from their team this time around. Sweden always prove tricky opponents in major tournaments, not least because of the unpredictability of their key man.

Key man: Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Tall, skilful, and totally unpredictable. Ibrahimovic could be incredible or anonymous. He is Sweden’s only chance of progressing through this tough group.

Outlook: England and France should prove too tough for the Swedes to beat.