Innehållsförteckning för The Complete Guide to Euro 2016 från World Soccer

Going into his sixth major tournament finals with England, Wayne Rooney is honest enough to admit he’s only played at his best in one of them. But will being captain finally see the 30-year-old achieve his full potential at Euro 2016? Rooney made a dramatic impact on European football’s biggest stage when he starred as a teenager in the same tournament in Portugal 12 years ago, scoring four goals. But since England’s dramatic exit on penalties in Lisbon – and his subsequent move from Everton to Manchester United – Rooney’s international career has fallen agonisingly and narrowly short of real greatness. The stats are good; in fact they’re fantastic. He is now England’s record scorer, with more than 50 goals, and is closing in on Peter Shilton’s all-time record of…

Having made his international debut as a substitute in a friendly against Oman in September 2012, Darren Randolph’s second appearance also came from the bench, against Spain the following June. But when he had to come on and take over from Shay Given just before half time in October 2015, it was a whole new experience. This time it was against world champions Germany in a vital Euro qualifier – which the Republic ended up winning 1-0. HAVE YOU ALWAYS DREAMED OF TAKING PART IN A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT WITH THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND? To be honest, playing soccer was never my big dream when I was growing up. I played every sport when I was a kid and my plan was to try and get a scholarship to play…

In 1958, a teenage Pele made his debut on the world stage, becoming the youngest player to win a World Cup as Brazil triumphed in Sweden. It also marked the last time Wales appeared at a major international tournament – Pele’s solitary strike knocking them out in the quarter-finals. Fifty-eight years on, goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey is part of a formidable Wales defence that conceded just four goals in their 10 Euro 2016 qualifiers. Now the 29-year-old cannot wait to showcase the small British nation on the international stage. IN 2007, YOU MADE YOUR SENIOR WELSH DEBUT IN A 2-2 DRAW AT HOME AGAINST NEW ZEALAND. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER OF THAT GAME? That New Zealand game was a long time ago, in Wrexham, north Wales. I was a young kid…

OVERVIEW Albania, with their players spread around Europe, secured an historic first-ever qualification for the finals of a major tournament with key wins over Portugal and Armenia. Qualification against the odds Few people gave Albania any hope of making it out of a qualifying group that also featured Portugal, Denmark and Serbia. But a stunning 1-0 away win over Portugal in their first game, thanks to a goal from Bekim Balaj, gave them a platform from which to launch their campaign. Battle of Belgrade Home and away draws with Denmark helped to sustain their position in the group, but they were given a huge boost when awarded all three points after the game against Serbia in Belgrade. The match was abandoned when a drone carrying a flag with Albanian nationalist…

OVERVIEW Despite being able to call on players based at some of Europe’s leading clubs, Croatia struggled in the qualifiers. They changed coaches during the campaign and now fancy their chances of reaching the knockout stage in France. Among the elite Croatia have qualified for five out of six Euro finals since the break-up of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. They have also reached four out of five World Cups, including the 1998 finals when they finished third. Swastika controversy Croatia were deducted a point and forced to play two games behind closed doors after their home match against Italy was played on a pitch with a swastika clearly marked out in the grass. Coach changes Niko Kovac was sacked as coach following the defeat away to Norway. His replacement,…

OVERVIEW Les Bleus will have plenty of talent at their disposal as hosts of the 24-team tournament and are among the favourites to win the title, despite their lack of competitive action over the last two seasons. Friendly fire France face the perennial problem of tournament hosts: they have played only friendly matches since their 2014 World Cup quarter-finals defeat by Germany. However, coach Didier Deschamps insists that will not be a problem as, in the past 18 months, his side have played Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Brazil, England, Germany and Holland in friendlies. Big-money movers Last summer, Deschamps saw young French talent fetch big money in the transfer market, as Anthony Martial cost Manchester United £36m and Internazionale paid £26m for Geoffrey Kondogbia. Speculation surrounds the future of star man…

OVERVIEW Iceland became the smallest nation ever to qualify for the finals of the European Championship when they drew with Kazakhstan in September. It followed home-and-away wins over Holland, as well as victories over Turkey and Czech Republic. No fluke Iceland’s Euro qualification was no fluke. They came close to qualifying for the 2014 World Cup but lost to Croatia in a play-off in November 2013. All-year round football Iceland has a population of just 360,000 – the same size as Coventry – and only 21,508 registered players. But a programme of investment in facilities means football can now be played all year round. Under-21 success Iceland have enjoyed success at under-21 level, with many of the side that reached the 2011 Euro Under-21 finals progressing to the senior side.…

OVERVIEW Inspired by top scorer Robert Lewandowski, Poland came through a tough qualifying group to reach their third successive finals. Euro record Having failed to reach any finals before 2008, they were co-hosts in 2012 but failed to get beyond the group stage. Second best They finished second behind Germany in their qualifying group. The key results were beating Germany 2-0 in Warsaw, a late draw against Scotland in Glasgow and a 2-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland in Warsaw which sealed qualification. Lewandowski means goals Qualification was fired by Robert Lewandowski, who was top scorer in qualifying with a record-equalling 13 goals. Bust-up The campaign was marred by a fall-out between Lewandowski and Jakub Blaszczykowski, who are former Borussia Dortmund team-mates. Blaszczykowski lost the captaincy when he was…

OVERVIEW A defensive-minded Romania will compete in their first finals since 2008 after qualifying from an unexceptional group, ahead of rivals Hungary but behind Northern Ireland. Top defence They had the best defensive record in qualifying, conceding just two goals, but were also miserly at the other end, scoring only 11 times. They endured a national-record goal drought of 428 minutes which included a run of four straight draws in the second half of the campaign. Keeper competition There is competition for the goalkeeping slot between Ciprian Tatarusanu and Costel Pantilimon, but, elsewhere, coach Anghel Iordanescu has to choose mostly from domestic-based players. That Vlad Chiriches is the team’s star man speaks volumes about their quality. Ageing squad Many key players are ageing: Razvan Rat is 35, playmaker Lucian Sanmartean…

OVERVIEW After their disastrous World Cup campaign in Brazil, coach Vicente Del Bosque introduced some new faces to the squad, but many of the old guard remain as they bid to win a record third successive Euro title. World Cup reboot Spain’s first-round exit at the 2014 World Cup offered Del Bosque the chance to rebuild. Some new blood was introduced – Paco Alcacer, Thiago Alcantara, Marc Bartra, Dani Carvajal – but lots of familiar faces remain: Iker Casillas, Andres Iniesta, David Silva and Sergio Ramos. However, Spain no longer have the “X factor” as Xabi Alonso and Xavi both retired after Brazil. Hiccup in Slovakia The Euro 2012 winners suffered a hiccup in qualifying for Euro 2016, losing away to Slovakia – their first qualifying defeat in eight years.…

OVERVIEW Fatih Terim’s side travel to France this summer on a high after their dramatic last-minute qualification for the finals. Last-minute drama Turkey squeezed through to Euro 2016 as the best third-placed team after finishing behind Czech Republic and Iceland in their qualifying group. They appeared to have little chance of qualification, but in their last two games they won away against the Czechs and beat Iceland with a last-minute goal – a free-kick by Selcuk Inan – to clinch their place in the finals. Terim in charge again Terim is in charge of the national side for a third time. In his first spell, Turkey qualified for their first major finals, Euro 96, and in his second, he guided them to the semi-finals of Euro 2008, where they lost…

OVERVIEW Four years on from the death of their manager Gary Speed, and inspired by Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale, the Welsh have qualified for their first major tournament since they made the World Cup in 1958. Success out of tragedy Four years ago, Chris Coleman became Wales manager in tragic circumstances following Speed’s death and he has succeeded in fostering a club mentality among the players. “We are like brothers on the pitch,” said star man Bale as fans in Cardiff celebrated a win in the final qualifying match against Andorra. Together from youth level Bale heads a group of players who played together at youth and under-21 level and were given their senior debuts by John Toshack. The Real Madrid forward was top scorer in qualifying with seven…

Northern Ireland are about to take part in their first major tournament since the 1986 World Cup, and for Michael O’Neill these finals will be his first. But having made history in 2011 by becoming the first man to lead an Irish side to the group stage of a European club competition, with Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League, the 46-year-old can’t wait to embark on yet another new adventure. YOU WORKED OUTSIDE OF FOOTBALL WHEN YOU STOPPED PLAYING. DO YOU DRAW UPON THOSE EXPERIENCES NOW? I’ve certainly had life experiences outside of football, definitely. I worked in financial services for a number of years, and when I did undertake my coaching career I went in right at the bottom. So this has been 10 years in the making. I…

Michel Platini was the inspirational captain of the France side that won the European Championship on home soil in 1984. His ninegoal tally, including two hattricks, is still a tournament record, and included the opening goal of the Final, against Spain in Paris. Two years earlier, Michel Hidalgo’s side had suffered penalty heartbreak against West Germany in the World Cup semi-finals. But a fine team – remembered for a midfield of Platini, Jean Tigana, Luis Fernandez and Alain Giresse – went all the way to the Euro Final, where they faced a Spain side hit by injuries and suspensions. An uncharacteristic slip by Spain keeper Luis Arconada allowed Platini’s free-kick to spin through his hands and over the goalline. France then had Yvon Le Roux sent off but held on,…

The 1976 tournament produced a classic Final between the holders, West Germany, and surprise package Czechoslovakia. It was decided by a shoot-out – and settled by one of the most remarkable penalties ever seen. Antonin Panenka sensationally dummied German keeper Sepp Maier, who dived one way while he gently chipped the ball over him and into the net. The cheeky spot-kick sealed a 5-3 victory for the Czechs and a place for Panenka in the history books. PANENKA IN HIS OWN WORDS “After each training session I used to stay behind after a game with our goalkeeper and take penalties – we would play for a bar of chocolate or a glass of beer. Since he was a very good goalkeeper, it became an expensive proposition for me. So, sometimes…

Hosts France will start as one of the favourites to win Euro 2016, having triumphed twice on home soil in previous tournaments: the 1984 Euros and the 1998 World Cup. And Hugo Lloris therefore has a great chance to follow in the footsteps of past skippers Michel Platini and Didier Deschamps. The 29-year-old heads to the finals after an exceptional season with Tottenham Hotspur, helping them to push aside the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United and break into the top four. He made his senior debut for Les Bleus in November 2008, having previously played for the under-21s, and captained his country for the first time in a friendly victory over England at Wembley in November 2010. WHAT ARE YOUR EARLIEST MEMORIES OF FRANCE IN MAJOR TOURNAMENTS? The…

Four years ago, the Republic lost all three games at the Euro finals – including a 2-0 defeat to Italy, who they face again this time – and Stephen Ward had just suffered relegation from the Premier League with Wolves. Now he’s back in the big time with Burnley and eager to put things right on the European stage. IRELAND HAD A DISAPPOINTING TIME AT THE LAST EUROS. WHAT IS THE TARGET THIS TIME? I think, first and foremost, we have a target of trying to get out of the group. With the new format, the way that it’s set up now, you’ve obviously got a much better chance of getting out of the group. I know it’s an old clichŽ, but you take each game as it comes. They’re…

OVERVIEW One of the most impressive and improved performers in the competition so far, Austria qualified for the finals for the first time after topping their group, ahead of Russia and Sweden. Their only previous finals appearance was in 2008, when they were co-hosts with Switzerland. Nine wins from 10 in qualifying After drawing with Sweden in their opening game, Austria recorded nine straight victories, including two 1-0 wins over Russia. Only England, with 10 victories, had a better qualifying campaign. Koller the miracle worker Little enthusiasm greeted the initial appointment of Swiss coach Marcel Koller in October 2011. Out of work since being sacked by German club Bochum in September 2009, he may not have been the big name that the fans wanted as a replacement for Dietmar Constantini,…

OVERVIEW The Czechs made it through to the finals despite being drawn in a potentially difficult group along with Holland, Turkey and Iceland. A team with few well-known stars, coach Pavel Vrba has moulded his players into a side that is greater than the sum of its parts. Low expectations Expectations were low at the start of the qualifying campaign, but an injury-time winner in the opening game at home to Holland galvanised a side who went on to win their first four games, while all their rivals struggled. Impressive history The Czechs have an impressive record at the European Championship, winning (as Czechoslovakia) in 1976, reaching the Final in 1996, the semi-finals in 2004 and the quarterfinals in 2012. They have qualified for every tournament since 1996. Home-based With…

OVERVIEW The World champions have undergone some changes since their 2014 triumph in Brazil. But despite some problems during qualifying for the Euros, Joachim Low’s side will be among the favourites in France. Blips in qualifying Although Germany qualified as winners of their group – ahead of Poland, Republic of Ireland and Scotland – it was far from plain sailing for the Nationalmannschaft. They suffered defeats in Poland and Ireland, and did not confirm qualification until the final game. Personnel changes Low has overseen a number of personnel changes since the World Cup. Bastian Schweinsteiger was appointed captain following the international retirement of Philipp Lahm, while Per Mertesacker and Miroslav Klose also stepped down. Return of Reus Marco Reus is back after missing the World Cup through injury, although Ilkay…

OVERVIEW Italy qualified comfortably but are a hard-working squad rather than a star-studded team these days. Easy does it Italy won seven games and drew three in qualifying, but did not set the world alight. One-nil home wins over Malta and Bulgaria, and a victory in Azerbaijan, took them over the finishing line. Unbeaten in 50 games Victory over Norway in their final game extended the Azzurri’s unbeaten run in qualifying to 50 games, going back to 2006. But since then they have lost friendlies to Belgium and Germany. Debate over oriundi Caps during qualifying for Franco Vazquez and Eder reignited the debate about foreign-born “oriundi” and says a lot about the paucity of Italian talent. Andrea Pirlo, 36 and now playing in MLS, is still a contender, as is…

OVERVIEW After a poor World Cup and an opening Euro qualifying loss to Albania, the team reached France 2016 at a canter, with a number of exciting new players introduced. Early setback After a disappointing campaign in Brazil, the surprise home defeat by Albania prompted the sacking of coach Paulo Bento. Stroll under Santos Under new boss Fernando Santos they reeled off a record seven consecutive competitive victories. They also claimed the notable friendly scalps of Argentina and Italy, neither of whom they had managed to beat in the previous 40 years. Comparisons with Figo and co The performances may not have been as impressive as the results, but a sense of optimism is noticeably sweeping through Portuguese supporters and the domestic press, fuelled above all by the emergence of…

OVERVIEW The 2018 World Cup hosts almost missed out on Euro 2016, but their campaign was revived after Leonid Slutsky replaced the highly paid Fabio Capello midway through the qualifiers. Capello sacked Russia’s qualifying campaign was dominated by debate over the tenure of Capello. The Italian was one of the world’s highest-paid coaches but he was sacked in July 2015 after Russia won just two of their first six qualifiers. Turnaround under Slutsky Under Slutsky, Russia enjoyed a remarkable turnaround, winning their last four games to pip Sweden to second place in the group. Foreign debate Russia will travel to France with one eye on preparations for the 2018 World Cup on home soil. Calls to naturalise foreign-born players – such as Lokomotiv Moscow keeper Guilherme, CSKA defender Mario Fernandes…

OVERVIEW Zlatan Ibrahimovic holds the key to success in France after the PSG forward inspired his countrymen to victory over neighbours Denmark in the play-offs. Zlatan the play-off hero Sweden are heading to France after a play-off victory in which Ibrahimovic proved to be the difference, scoring an acrobatic volley from a corner and a brilliant free-kick. Lucky qualifiers In truth, Sweden were fortunate to have the safety net of the play-offs after coming third in what was a relatively easy qualifying group. They dropped points with draws against Austria, Russia and Montenegro, while defeats to Russia and Austria last September left them playing catch-up for the automatic places for France. Under-21 promise Erik Hamren’s side have struggled in defence since the retirement of Olof Mellberg, but there are positive…

Since being promoted to the Premier League with Swansea City, the same battered shin pads have protected Ashley Williams’ legs in battles with some of the best strikers in the world. The same pair of pads, bought from a simple high-street store in Stockport for a few pounds, have been worn since he made his Wales debut while still in the lower leagues. They have been with him while making more appearances than any other player in the English top flight since that promotion in 2011 and while racking up 58 caps for his country in eight years, missing just eight internationals in that time. It says something about the way the 31-year-old approaches the game. It’s what has made him such a success – certainly with Wales when he…

After Europa League success with Sevilla in 2014 and then winning the Champions League with Barcelona last year, Ivan Rakitic has enjoyed plenty of continental success at club level. Now the 28-year-old midfielder wants some on the international stage. If things had turned out differently, however, he could have been lining up for Switzerland in France, rather than Croatia. YOU WERE BORN AND RAISED IN SWITZERLAND, AND CAPPED AT UNDER 17, 19 AND 21 LEVELS BEFORE CHOOSING TO REPRESENT CROATIA... When my father was 20 he was a footballer – not professional but he played – and he had the opportunity to escape the dangerous zone [of Yugoslavia] and build a new life. My father is Croatian but went to school in Bosnia. My mother is also Croatian but lived…

Harry Kane, England’s exciting young striker, says he has a long list of England heroes who have been an influence on his career – from Alan Shearer to Teddy Sheringham and Wayne Rooney to David Beckham. But he goes to France 2016 with an opportunity to put his own name in lights. The Tottenham Hotspur forward has been one of the finds of the season for England manager Roy Hodgson, making an instant impact in his fledgling international career. Four goals in his first 10 games mean he is a serious contender to start up front in France as England face Russia, Wales and Slovakia – whether that is alongside captain Rooney or even, remarkably, in place of him. So what is the secret for a player who topped 28…

Gareth McAuley has done it the hard way. Starting out in the League of Ireland, he played for Linfield, Crusaders and Coleraine – where he came up against future national manager Michael O’Neill – before moving to England and establishing himself as a Premier League regular. Now, at the age of 34, he is preparing to represent Northern Ireland at their first major tournament for 30 years. McAuley started at the bottom in England, with League Two Lincoln City, before moves to Leicester City, Ipswich Town and finally, in 2011, West Bromwich Albion. “Gareth was playing in the Irish League until he was 24,” explains Michael O’Neill. “I played in an Irish Cup Final against Gareth when I was coming to the end of my career and he was playing…

OVERVIEW Les Diables Rouges (“the red devils”) are ranked number two in the world by FIFA and will be taking part in the European Championship finals for the first time since 2000, when they co-hosted the tournament with Holland. Top of the pile Belgium sealed top spot in their qualifying group with a win over Israel in Brussels – a result that moved them to the top of the FIFA rankings for the first time. They were not entirely convincing in the qualifying campaign, however, losing away to Wales and benefitting from Bosnia-Herzegovina’s collapse in form. World Cup foundations The current side is still built around those figures who were crucial to the team that reached the last 16 of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil: midfield marshal Axel Witsel,…

OVERVIEW England were the only team with a 100 per cent record in the qualifiers. Drawn in a relatively easy group, they won their opening game, in Switzerland, to take an early lead that was never relinquished. Since their best Euro performance, when they reached the semi-finals on home soil in 1996, England have reached the quarter-finals twice, in 2004 and 2012. Contract talks Roy Hodgson survived the disappointment of the last World Cup, when England failed to get out of their group in Brazil, but his employers will only discuss a new contract for the manager after the Euro finals have finished. “What we wanted to avoid was the slightly unsavoury position we had with Fabio Capello in 2010,” says the FA’s chief executive Martin Glenn. Young blood With…

OVERVIEW Hungary have qualified for their first major tournament since the 1986 World Cup, beating Norway in the play-offs with a gutsy, well-organised performance. Change of coaches Hungary changed coaches three times during the course of the qualifying campaign. Attila Pinter was sacked in September 2015 after defeat at home to Northern Ireland. He was replaced by Pal Dardai, coach of Hertha Berlin’s youth team, who made steady progress, drawing away to local rivals Romania. But when Dardai was made Hertha’s first-team coach, the Bundesliga club would not let him continue with Hungary, so technical director Bernd Storck stepped in and oversaw qualification. Play-off triumph Norway were technically superior in the play-offs but Hungary defended heroically and scored goals from unlikely sources: debutant Laszlo Kleinheisler and Tamas Priskin, in his…

OVERVIEW The green-and-whites qualified for their first Euros, and their first tournament finals since the 1986 World Cup, with a squad drawn from a limited pool of players – but one that has been galvanised by manager Michael O’Neill. Lafferty’s goals were crucial Northern Ireland’s campaign got off to a flying start with a win in Hungary, thanks to a goal from Kyle Lafferty. Another Lafferty goal secured victory over Greece in Athens on their next trip overseas. A 3-0 win against Greece, at the rebuilt Windsor Park in Belfast, secured qualification. Small squad O’Neill deserves huge credit for making the most of limited resources. He has less than 40 professional players to work with and the situation has been made worse by a change in regulations that has allowed…

OVERVIEW The traditional qualities of hard work and team spirit have taken the Republic to their second successive Euro finals after an absence of 20 years. Play-off triumph The Republic qualified for France after beating Bosnia-Herzegovina in the play-offs. On paper, the opposition had plenty of stars (Edin Dzeko, Miralem Pjanic), but Irish spirit and organisation proved decisive: a classic case of being greater than the sum of their parts. Stalled after bright start They enjoyed a bright start to the qualifying campaign, with a win in Georgia, a 7-0 thrashing of Gibraltar and a 1-1 draw with world champions Germany. But a home draw with Scotland stalled the campaign in a tough group where Germany and Poland came out on top. Victory in Dublin over Germany boosted hopes of…

OVERVIEW Slovakia are preparing for their first Euro finals after wins over Spain and Ukraine in the qualifiers. Key victories Slovakia qualified for their first European Championship after finishing second behind Spain in their group. The most eye-catching result was the home win against Spain, but the opening victory over Ukraine in Kiev would prove just as important in the end. Kozak the innovator Jan Kozak has assembled a tight-knit squad of hard-working players and the coach is not afraid of innovation, occasionally deploying youngsters or switching tactics. Spread across Europe Slovakia’s key players are spread around Europe, including those in Italy (Marek Hamsik and Juraj Kucka), England (Martin Skrtel) and Russia (Jan Durica). Vladimir Weiss, who was once with Manchester City, now plays his club football in Qatar with…

OVERVIEW Vladimir Petkovic’s inexperienced side recovered from a poor start in qualifying to reach their fourth Euro finals. Second to England The Swiss qualified for the Euro 2016 finals after finishing second in their group, behind England. They made it despite a disappointing beginning, in which they lost at home to England and away to Slovenia. The turning point of the campaign came when they fought back from 2-0 down in the return game against the Slovenians, winning 3-2 thanks to late goals from substitutes Josip Drmic and Valentin Stocker. Under-17 legacy The Swiss will have one of the youngest squads in France. Members of the 2009 world under-17 title-winning side, such as Haris Seferovic and Granit Xhaka, have made the step-up to the senior side. Other key players, such…

OVERVIEW Ukraine put their domestic political troubles behind them to beat Slovenia in the play-offs, with wingers Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka leading the way. Second time lucky? Ukraine have qualified for only their second major finals. Their previous tournament qualification was for the 2006 World Cup, when Andriy Shevchenko inspired the team to the quarter-finals. Co-hosts in 2012 They were co-hosts with Poland in 2012 but losses to England and France resulted in elimination at the group stage. Play-off victors Ukraine qualified for France via a play-off against Slovenia after finishing third, behind Spain and Slovakia, in their qualifying group. They suffered an early setback in qualifying, losing at home to Slovakia in their opening game. Lack of stars The current side lacks that star quality, although Konoplyanka has…