Postmedia soccer writer Kurtis Larson will be France to cover Euro 2016.



The action starts June 10 with France playing Romania.

Follow Kurtis on Twitter at @KurtLarSUN and check out our Euro 2016 landing page throughout the tournament for his stories.

GROUP A

Team: France

Best finish: Champions (1984, 2000)

Euro appearances: 8

Marquee player: Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)

Oddsmakers say: +325 (A bet of $100 will win you $325)

How they got here: Qualified as host

The skinny: The French. So talented. Usually favourites. But there's usually some form of scuttlebutt at major tournaments.

Six years ago, France's 2010 World Cuppers abandoned a training session mid-tournament due to Nicolas Anelka's feud with head coach Raymond Domenech.

This time around it's controversy involving multiple players and allegations Karim Benzema attempted to extort teammate Mathieu Valbuena using a sex tape.

As a result, neither made head coach Didier Deschamps' Euro roster, despite Benzema scoring 28 times for Real Madrid in 2015-16.

So, there's that. Not many sides in the world have the luxury of leaving top talents off their rosters, but Deschamps puts character ahead of club performance.

Still, Les Bleus has two top strikers in Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) and Olivier Giroud (Arsenal). And Deschamps' midfield — led by Juventus star Paul Pogba — might be the most talented in the tournament.

While defensive depth remains a concern, the French have lost just once since September of last year, a stretch that includes wins over the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Serbia and Portugal.

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Team: Romania

Best finish: Quarterfinals (2000)

Euro appearances: 4

Marquee player: Vlad Chiriches (Napoli)

Oddsmakers say: +15000 to win

How they got here: Finished second in Group F, edging out Hungary and Finland for automatic qualification.

The skinny: The Romanians were one of four teams to remain unbeaten in UEFA Euro qualifying. Still, they managed just a second-place finish — behind Northern Ireland — in Group F.

One statistic, though, lends the Tricolori hope. The Eastern Europeans conceded just two times over 10 European qualifiers, giving them the best goals-against average in all of Europe.

At the opposite end, however, the fact they scored just 11 times is the principal issue. And without a star player to name throughout a roster littered with domestic-based players, Romania will likely be in a fight to emerge as a third-place finisher.

Still, in group play the goal is to not concede and capitalize on a chance, a set piece late in games. There are so few goals in this side it's not even worth naming the attacking options.

Look for Romania to claw and scrap its way to single-goal games that could go either way.

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Team: Albania

Best finish: Have not previously qualified

Euro appearances: 1

Marquee player: Lorik Cana (Nantes)

Oddsmakers say: +35000 to win

How they got here: Finished second in Group I, edging out Denmark for automatic qualification.

The skinny: Much like fellow Group A participants Romania, the Albanians don't have a big name to speak of. They're more pragmatic than pretty. They're more defensive than anything.

The fact they managed to navigate a formidable qualifying group surely counts for something. After all, Albania started Group I play with wins over Portugal and Armenia, in addition to back-to-back draws with Denmark.

That said, Denmark will feel hard done to not be at its ninth finals after Serbia forfeited three points to Albania early in qualifying, allowing the Eagles to finish two points ahead of Denmark in the qualifiers.

Through eight games, Albania conceded just five times against UEFA sides capable of scoring goals. Head coach Gianni De Biasi also has experienced defenders to lean on.

Defenders Elseid Hysaj (Napoli) and Arlind Ajeti (Frosinone) both play in Italy while captain and centre-back Lorik Cana plays in France.

For Albania, Euro 2016 is about doing the things that got them here: Playing mistake-free, hard-as-nails defence while converting the few opportunities they'll see.

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Team: Switzerland

Best finish: Group stage (1996, 2004, 2008)

Euro appearances: 4

Marquee player: Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City)

Oddsmakers say: +6600 to win

How they got here: Finished second in Group E, five points clear of third-place Slovenia.

The skinny: Alongside France, the Swiss are undoubtedly favoured to advance from a group that's split in terms of quality.

Stoke City midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri is in the prime of his career next to Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) and Valon Behrami (Watford), whom also compete in the English Premier League.

Centre-back and captain Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus) patrols the back end for a Swiss side that's always a threat to get to at least the last eight at every major tournament they enter.

Still, despite having a roster littered with top talent playing in top leagues across Europe, Switzerland hasn't shown it can compete with the big boys of UEFA.

La Nati twice fell to England in Group E qualifying and aren't exactly in top form heading into this competition. The red and white also have lost to mid-majors in Ireland and Bosnia & Herzegovina in recent months.

The good news for Switzerland is it opens Euro 2016 with winnable games against Albania and Romania. Passage could be secured before they meet Les Bleus, the side that crushed them at the 2014 World Cup, on June 19.

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GROUP B

Team: England

Best finish: Third place (1968)

Euro appearances: 9

Marquee player: Harry Kane (Tottenham)

Oddsmakers say: +750 (A bet of $100 will win you $750)

How they got here: England finished atop Group E, nine points clear of second-place Switzerland

The skinny: The Three Lions are back in the mix for at least a semifinal appearance at Euro 2016 after cruising through European qualifying.

England was the only UEFA nation to win 10 of 10 en route to accumulating a ridiculous plus-28 goal difference.

Following an embarrassing display at the 2014 World Cup, England has restored faith. Manager Roy Hodgson has called on a young squad to replace names like Gerrard, Lampard, Defoe and Lambert.

Wayne Rooney remains in the mix for yet another major tournament, though his lack of scoring form leaves his place up for debate.

Much of England's success will rest with Harry Kane (Tottenham) and Jamie Vardy (Leicester City). The attacking duo scored a remarkable 49 combined league goals in 2015-16, arguably making them the post potent striking tandem in the tournament.

The only concern could be England's midfield, where a gaggle of ordinary, if not uninspiring talent is pooling.

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Team: Russia

Best finish: Champions (as Soviet Union in 1960)

Euro appearances: 9

Marquee player: Aleksandr Kokorin (Zenit St. Petersburg)

Oddsmakers say: +6600 to win

How they got here: Finished second in Group G, two points ahead of Sweden.

The skinny: The Russians appeared to be heading for a Euro playoff before sacking Italian bench boss Fabio Capello midway through qualifying.

As if an early draw to Moldova wasn't bad enough, the Russians twice lost to surging Austria during European qualification, ending Capello's time in charge.

In came manager Leonid Slutsky, who righted the qualifying ship to four consecutive wins over Sweden, Liechtenstein, Moldova and Montenegro.

Twelve months following that turmoil, the Russians find themselves firmly in the hunt to advance from a balanced Group B containing decent competition.

Russia's aging, domestic-based side might have to turn back the clock if it's to advance beyond the second stage. Truth is, this is another Eastern European side that doesn't have many goals in it.

Much like Albania and Romania, though, the Russians have always been stingy. They conceded just five times in qualifying and will look to grind their way into the knockout stages.

Worrying, though, is their form of late. Outside a 3-0 win over Lithuania, the Russians have dropped recent results to Croatia, France and the Czech Republic.

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Team: Wales

Best finish: Has not previously qualified

Euro appearances: 1

Marquee player: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)

Oddsmakers say: +5000 to win

How they got here: Finished second in Group B, four points clear of third-place Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The skinny: The Welsh undoubtedly benefited from being lumped in with a weak qualifying group that included the likes of Andorra, Cyprus and Israel.

Still, work had to be done. And much of that work was done by striker Gareth Bale, who scored seven of Wales' 11 goals during European qualifying.

While there's no question Wales is a one-man team — maybe more so than any other Euro participant — manager Chris Coleman has The Dragons playing as a team.

Wales conceded just four times in qualifying, pitching six consecutive shutouts that included a draw and win over powerhouse Belgium. Let that sink in.

Truth be told, Wales could finish anywhere from second to last in Group B. Heck, is a first-place finish ahead of rival England that big of a stretch at this point?

The two UK sides meet in a massive fixture on June 16 in Lens.

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Team: Slovakia

Best finish: Has not previously qualified

Euro appearances: 1

Marquee player: Marek Hamsik (Napoli)

Oddsmakers say: +1500 to win

How they got here: Finished second in Group C, three points clear of third-place Ukraine.

The skinny: Slovakia, who are almost always overlooked, have top talents in Europe.

Liverpool centre-back Martin Skrtel is the skipper while creative midfielder Marek Hamsik is capable of unlocking any defence in UEFA.

Since the 2010 World Cup, though, Slovakia's problem has always been its lack of strikers. Manager Jan Kozak will carry just two forwards into these Euros — Adam Nemec and Michal Duris.

Neither play at a high level. Nemec, you'll recall, couldn't hack it with Major League Soccer outfit New York City FC last season.

But there's something to be said for a Slovakian side that managed to navigate a qualifying group containing Spain, Ukraine and Belarus.

They even beat Spain 2-1 in Zilina to kick off qualifying. As we've seen with Slovakia over the years, its a team that's capable of shocking anyone on any given day.

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GROUP C

Team: Germany

Best finish: Champions (1972, 1980, 1996)

Euro appearances: 12

Marquee player: Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)

Oddsmakers say: +325 (A bet of $100 will win you $325)

How they got here: Germany finished atop Group D, a point clear of Poland and four points clear of Ireland.

The skinny: Eight of the 11 players who started for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final remain. German legends Miroslav Klose and Philipp Lahm have moved on.

Naturally, that makes the Germans clear favourites to win another major trophy as the vast majority return under Joachim Low to potentially cement themselves as a Spain-like dynasty.

There were minor hiccups in qualifying — losses to Ireland and Poland — but Die Mannschaft did enough to claim top spot in Group D by final match day. They won't really turn it on until they open against Ukraine on June 12 in Lille.

There's not much more to say. Up and down results in recent exhibitions are easy to look past when you simply take a look at Germany's roster.

A reminder: The world champions still have Thomas Muller, 26, who's poised to break a number of international scoring records assuming he plays through 2022.

Germany's attacking unit boasts seven players with 15 or more goals at the international level. At the back, Mats Hummels, Benedikt Howedes and Jerome Boateng hold things down in front of all-world goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

There's hardly a weak spot to speak of. A story to watch, though, is the potential farewell tale for midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger, 31, and Lukas Podolski, 31.

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Team: Ukraine

Best finish: Group stage (2012)

Euro appearances: 2

Marquee player: Andriy Yarmalenko (Dynamo Kyiv)

Oddsmakers say: +8000 to win

How they got here: Finished third in Group C, needing a playoff win over Slovenia to qualify.

The skinny: Like a number of mid-major teams in UEFA, the Ukrainians enter major tournaments without fear. They have the quality to surprise most teams on any given day.

They've lost just once — 1-0 to Spain in the qualifiers — the previous 12 months, including friendly wins over fellow qualifiers Wales, Romania and Albania.

They're certainly a step down from the likes of Germany and Poland, but there's no reason the Eastern Europeans can't sneak into the second round on four points.

A Matchday 2 meeting with Northern Ireland will be key for head coach Mykhaylo Fomenko, who deploys top talents on the wings.

Andriy Yarmalenko, a 6-foot-2 skillful lefty, played hero during qualifying. The 26-year-old cuts in from the right and has an ability to unbalance fullbacks.

Opposite Yarmalenko, Sevilla winger Yevhen Konoplyanka is capable of just as much. Both have vast experience playing for club and country in UEFA.

Then there's the rest. Ukraine doesn't have much else. The trio of strikers Fomenko has called on have a combined 15 international goals and goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov is gaffe prone.

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Team: Poland

Best finish: Group stage (2008, 2012)

Euro appearances: 3

Marquee player: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Oddsmakers say: +4000 to win

How they got here: Finished second in Group D, three points ahead of third-place Ireland.

The skinny: Along with Austria, the Poles are a sexy pick to to make a deep run for the first time at a European championship.

Led by Robert Lewandowski, Poland's run of form since mid-2014 has been nothing short of remarkable.

Not only did they knock off Germany in a Euro qualifier two Octobers ago, but they embarked on a stretch that saw them lose just once in 17 fixtures.

Much like Wales, Poland is somewhat of a one-man team, with Lewandowski playing the role of Gareth Bale. Lewandowski scored 42 times for Bayern Munich this season.

Unlike Wales, though, Poland has a few more complementary players. Arkadiusz Milik, 22, couldn't stop scoring for Ajax this season and Poland outscored Germany in qualifying.

The Poles scored 33 times in 10 qualifiers, averaging more than three goals per game in a decent group that contained four competent teams.

Answers upfront, however, are undercut by lingering questions at the back. Head coach Adam Nawalka has called upon a pair of domestic players to feature side-by-side at the back.

Legia Warsaw's Michal Pazdan and Artur Jedrzejczyk have limited experience compared to Kamil Glik (Torino) and Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund) and could be what holds Poland back.

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Team: Northern Ireland

Best finish: Has not previously qualified

Euro appearances: 1

Marquee player: Kyle Lafferty (Birmingham City)

Oddsmakers say: +25000 to win

How they got here: Finished atop Group F ahead of Romania, Hungary, Finland and Greece.

The skinny: The green and white army slugged it out in a UEFA qualifying group that wasn't for the faint of heart. Consider this: Northern Ireland needed just 16 goals through 10 games to pitch a 6-1-3 record in a group that featured 21 clean sheets in 30 games.

Sorry, Northern Ireland, that tells us that you were the best of a lacklustre bunch. Heck, the mighty Greeks finished bottom of Group F — behind the Faroe Islands — after making the previous World Cup.

Nonetheless, head coach Michael O'Neill will do his best to put together a cagey game plan for a side laden with players from the English Championship.

Striker Kyle Lafferty did manage to find the net seven times in qualifying but must step things up considerably if he's to take advantage of the few opportunities he'll get.

There aren't many more goals in the team, meaning things will likely come down to scraping out a result against Ukraine.

To their credit, Northern Ireland has managed to grind out results against Slovakia, Scotland, Qatar, Wales and Slovenia lately, though none were convincing.

Making matters worse is the fact Lafferty exited a recent friendly against Slovakia with a leg injury, the extent of which remains unclear.

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GROUP D

Team: Spain

Best finish: Champions (1964, 2008, 2012)

Euro appearances: 9

Marquee player: Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona)

Oddsmakers say: +550 (A bet of $100 will win you $550)

How they got here: Finished atop Group C, six points clear of second-place Slovakia.

The skinny: Gone are Spanish legends in David Villa, Xavi and Xabi Alonso. In come strikers Alvaro Morata, 23, (Juventus) and Lucas Vazquez, 24, (Real Madrid).

Legendary coach Vicente del Bosque has turned back the clock to call up 35-year-old Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Bilbao) at the expense of World Cup flop Diego Costa (Chelsea).

Aduriz scored 36 times for Bilbao during the 2015-16 season, making him arguably the most in-form Spanish striker at the moment.

Despite having a few unproven commodities up front, this is a Spanish side that still boasts one of the best midfields in the tournament.

Manchester City's David Silva has never gotten the international credit he deserves while Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) is back for what could be his final major tournament.

At the back, Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) and Gerard Pique (Barcelona) are still considered world class despite having a lacklustre showing two years ago in Brazil.

The only controversy at the moment could be in net, where there's growing support to bounce Iker Casillas in favour of Manchester United netminder David de Gea.

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Team: Czech Republic

Best finish: Champions (1976)

Euro appearances: 9

Marquee player: Petr Cech (Arsenal)

Oddsmakers say: +8000 to win

How they got here: Finished atop Group A, two points ahead of Iceland and four points ahead of Turkey.

The skinny: A somewhat uninspiring roster backed up their return to an elite tournament with impressive qualifying run that included wins over the Netherlands, Turkey and Iceland.

Czech legends Tomas Rosicky and Petr Cech (both of Arsenal) will do their best to get the Czechs to the knockout phase for a second consecutive European championships.

Up front, aging striker David Lafata, 34, will look to do something he has never done at the international level: score goals.

Lafata has scored 84 times in four seasons with domestic side Sparta Praha but has scored just nine times with the national team since 2006.

Behind him, Rosicky, still captaining the Czech Republic, is looked at as the player who makes things tick. The three-time Czech football of the year is in his 17th year with the national team.

Manager Pavel Vrba has called on a defensive unit with vast amounts of experience. Fenerbahce centre-back Michal Kadlec will look to lock things down in front of Czech domestic talents in David Limbersky and Roman Hubnik.

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Team: Turkey

Best finish: Semifinals (2008)

Euro appearances: 4

Marquee player: Arda Turan (Barcelona)

Oddsmakers say: +8000 to win

How they got here: Received automatic qualification as best third-place finisher on 18 points, five ahead of the Netherlands in Group A.

The skinny: Having missed out on every major tournament since Euro 2008, Turkey returns to the mainstream looking to show its domestic-based side is good enough to compete with the best in UEFA.

Turkey followed up a decidedly average qualifying campaign with confidence-boosting wins over Sweden and Austria in March. Their only loss in more than a calendar month came against England on May 22.

While goals will undoubtedly be hard to come by, Turkey boasts a decent enough midfield led by Barcelona's Arda Turan, who could act a something of a playmaker behind younger legs in 23-year-old Oguzhan Ozyakup (Besiktas) and 22-year-old Hakan Calhanoglu, 22, (Bayer Leverkusen).

Turkey's defence is entirely domestic-based but managed to concede less than a goal-per-game in a modest qualifying group that did contain the likes of the Netherlands and Czech Republic.

Now, the Czechs and Turks are set to meet again on the final day of Euro group play after splitting the series during qualifying. Look for that fixture to be one that will likely determine if either side advances to the knockout stage.

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Team: Croatia

Best finish: Quarterfinals (1996, 2008)

Euro appearances: 5

Marquee player: Mario Mandzukic

Oddsmakers say: +2800 to win

How they got here: Finished second in Group H, a point ahead of Norway.

The skinny: The Croatians have underperformed for more than a decade since finishing third at World Cup 1998 — in France, coincidentally.

Now they enter yet another major competition with astronomical expectations and a lineup laden with veterans who are more than capable of advancing beyond the group stage at a major tournament for the first time since 2008.

Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic is a notable face up front, followed by midfield playmaker Luka Modric, 30, who is coming off a 90-minute performance in Real Madrid's Champions League win last month.

At the back, Croatian legend Darijo Srna, 34, captains a side he has guided through every major tournament since Euro 2004 (excluding World Cup 2010).

The longtime Shakhtar Donetsk defender has appeared 130 times for his country since 2002, potentially making this his final major tournament.

There are questions, though, concerning head coach Ante Cacic's preparation. Croatia didn't exactly line up a billing of pre-tournament tests heading into its June 12 opener against Turkey.

Instead, Croatia played friendlies against minnows Moldova and San Marino, hammering the latter 10-0 on June 4.

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GROUP E

Team: Belgium

Best finish: Third place (1972)

Euro appearances: 5

Marquee player: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

Oddsmakers say: +1000 (A bet of $100 will win you $1000)

How they got here: Finished atop Group B on 23 points, two points clear of Wales.

The skinny: Belgium was disappointed to not make the semifinals at Brazil 2014. Now, they're young attacking core is two years older and looking to give their country a deep run at a major tournament for the first time since Mexico 1986.

Head coach Marc Wilmots has an embarrassment of riches up front, including Liverpool's Divock Origi and Christian Benteke, whom might not even start in Belgium's opener vs. Italy in Lyon on June 13.

You have the option when Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Romelu Lukaku (Everton) and Eden Hazard (Chelsea) are in your bag of tricks.

Even more astonishing, all of the aforementioned names are under 26. They haven't even ripened to their full potential. Nonetheless, Belgium's attacking unit is among the most dynamic in the tournament.

Behind them, Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini and Tottenham's Mousa Dembele — not exactly slouches — help connect things.

But for all of those not named Germany, there's always a catch. Wilmots must find a solution as injury concerns and selection issues have jumbled things at the back.

Manchester City's Vincent Kompany will miss the tournament through injury and many have lamented the fact that Belgium lacks true fullbacks.

As a result, Wilmots has danced with the idea of playing with four centre-backs. After all, it worked for Germany in 2014.

Belgium is one of the favourites to win this event. If not this one, then it has to be two years from now in Russia. If not, this could be a wasted generation.

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Team: Italy

Best finish: Champions (1986)

Euro appearances: 9

Marquee player: Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)

Oddsmakers say: +1400

How they got here: Finished atop Group A on 24 points, four clear of Croatia and five clear of Norway.

The skinny: For a side that didn't lose a single fixture in qualifying, Italian bench boss Antonio Conte has taken a lot of heat.

Some pundits have referred to Italy's Euro 2016 squad as one of the worst in Italian football history. A bit harsh? We'll see.

Even a poor Italy side is good enough to advance at almost every major tournament. And seeing as they left Brazil in disgrace two years ago, the Azzurri has quite a bit to prove.

Potentially holding Italy back are injuries to playmakers Claudio Marchisio (ACL) and Marco Verratti. And the fact they lack a proven goal-scorer up front among a group of five strikers with a grand total of 11 goals between them.

The lack of play-making potential made it even more mind-boggling that Conte looked the other way when Major League Soccer stars Sebastian Giovinco and Andrea Pirlo held their hand up.

Still, Italy moves forward with a solid back line that still consists of Juventus trio Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci in front of ageless netminder Gianluigi Buffon.

This is still an Italian side with more than enough to at least get beyond the group stage and into the knockout phase, where anything can happen. It's quite possible all the negativity is a bit much considering the quality that still exists within Conte's team.

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Team: Ireland

Best finish: Group stage (1988, 2012)

Euro appearances: 3

Marquee player: Robbie Keane (L.A. Galaxy)

Oddsmakers say: +10000

How they got here: Finished third in Group F before advancing past Bosnia & Herzegovina in a playoff.

The skinny: The good news for the Irish is they'll be fresh for their tournament-opener against Sweden on June 13.

A win against the group's other mid-major is likely Ireland's only hope of advancing out a group that contains giants in Belgium and Italy.

That said, the Irish rarely make it easy on opponents. They pulled off a 1-1 draw in Germany during the qualification phase before drawing Poland, and then later defeating Germany in Dublin, to secure passage.

With Ireland, what you see is what you get. It's a hard-working side, littered with players from the English championship that are going to fight until the end.

Captain Robbie Keane is the only player competing outside the UK, but it's unclear how much more the 35-year-old can give at the highest level.

At the back, Sunderland defender John O'Shea is also in his final days. Irish bench boss Martin O'Neill won't be shy in how he sets his team up come next week.

Expect the Irish to sit in and look to knick a goal off a set piece or through a moment of brilliance the other way.

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Team: Sweden

Best finish: Semifinals (1992)

Euro appearances: 6

Marquee player: Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Oddsmakers say: +8000

How they got here: Finished third in Group G before advancing past Denmark in a playoff.

The skinny: Pundits still look at Sweden and ponder if Zlatan Ibrahimovic is some kind of mistake.

He's the opposite of everything that is football in Sweden — structure, hard work, no-nonsense defending.

Ibrahimovic destroyed that stereotype. The 34-year-old ex-PSG striker is why people tune in to watch an otherwise rigid Scandinavian nation.

After scoring eight goals in qualification, Ibrahimovic single-handedly lifted Sweden past Denmark in the third-place playoff to send the blue and yellow through.

In terms of those in line to assist Ibrahimovic, there isn't much aid. Sunderland midfielder Sebastian Larsson has experience at the highest level but is far from a game-changer.

At the back, Mikael Lustig (Celtic), Andreas Granqvist (Krasnodar) and Martin Olsson (Norwich City) will do their best to hold off Italy and Belgium to give Ibrahimovic a chance.

As mentioned with Ireland, Sweden's best chance might come down to whether it can collect three points in its opening game.

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GROUP F

Team: Portugal

Best finish: Runners-up (2004)

Euro appearances: 7

Marquee player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

Oddsmakers say: +2000 (A bet of $100 will win you $2000)

How they got here: Finished atop Group I on 21 points, seven ahead of Albania.

The skinny: Led by the world's best player, Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese will look to rectify that travesty that happened two years ago in Brazil, where they embarrassed themselves in their opening game with Germany.

When you have Ronaldo, you always have a chance. The 31-year-old is coming off of yet another ridiculous season in which he scored 51 times and took Real Madrid to another Champions League crown. He was recently voted to his ninth consecutive UEFA Team of the Year.

Enough about Ronaldo, though. This could be Portugal's final chance to not only get to, but when a final. They came close when they hosted the event in 2004.

While Portugal undoubtedly has the talent upfront in Nani and Ronaldo, there are massive questions at the back.

Ricardo Carvalho, 38, is still the picture alongside Bruno Alves, 34, in the centre of defence. Head coach Fernando Santos only rostered two defenders on the right side of 30.

Then there's 33-year-old Pepe. An enigma in the world of football who was the principal reason Portugal didn't advance at World Cup 2014.

Will Portugal's questionable back end hold Ronaldo back at another major tournament?

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Team: Iceland

Best finish: Has not previously qualified

Euro appearances: 1

Marquee player: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City)

Oddsmakers say: +6600

How they got here: Finished second in Group A, two points clear of third-place Turkey.

The skinny: One of the darlings of this Euro, Iceland makes its first appearance at a major tournament after just missing out on an appearance at the previous World Cup.

The way in which Iceland went about revolutionizing its youth development has been used as a model in other parts of the world as the volcanic island of 330,000 people has somehow become relevant.

For the longest time, ex-Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, 37, was the only Icelandic player people knew. While Gudjohnsen is still in the side that will travel to France this week, there are many more household names in the mix.

Midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, 26, has found a home at Premier League outfit Swansea City, while a number of his teammates are playing at decent levels in Italy, Denmark, France and Germany.

Iceland's systematic approach and improved tactical awareness saw it shock the world throughout European qualifying. They twice took down the Netherlands, ending the former world champs' run of seven straight appearances at the event.

While it's not an easy group by any stretch of the imagination, there's no reason to believe Iceland can't make even more history by at least advancing beyond the initial stage at France 2016.

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Team: Austria

Best finish: Group stage (2008)

Euro appearances: 2

Marquee player: Marc Janko (Basel)

Oddsmakers say: +3300

How they got here: Finished atop Group G on 28 points, eight points clear of Russia.

The skinny: Led by Leicester City stalwart Christian Fuchs at the back, Austria finds itself as one of the sleeper picks for Euro 2016 after running the table with a 9-0-1 qualifying record.

Up front, Basel's Marc Janko doesn't seem like a game-changing striker, but his knack for the goal and his ability to turn defenders and fire home gives Austria a legitimate scoring threat up front.

Head coach Marcel Koller also has attacking fullback David Alaba (Bayern Munich) at his disposal, helping provide width to an Austrian side that went dormant for close to a decade.

The Austrians looked like one of Europe's top teams during qualifying, conceding just five times in 10 matches and accumulating a plus-17 goal difference.

Austria hasn't advanced beyond Round 2 at a major tournament since finishing third at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland.

Their close proximity to Germany has always made their woeful performances a bit bizarre. This could be their best chance in a half-century to reinvigorate the program.

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Team: Hungary

Best finish: Semifinals (1964)

Euro appearances: 3

Marquee player: Gabor Kiraly (Szombathelyi Haladas)

Oddsmakers say: +20000

How they got here: Finished third in Group F before knocking off Norway in a playoff.

The skinny: They don't score. They don't concede. The Hungarians are going to France to defend.

During qualifying, Hungary finished with a plus-2 goal-different, conceding just nine times in arguably the weakest qualifying group. Every match they played was a one-goal game.

There aren't many goals in Bernd Storck's team, though he did bring along ex-Sporting Kansas City striker Krisztian Nemeth, who has shown flashes of brilliance at the club level.

Other than that, Hungary boasts a roster full of domestic-based players and with very few players featuring in top European leagues.

The one attraction could be 40-year-old goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, who has more than 100 appearances for Hungary.

The half-bald netminder, who had stints in England with Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Burnley and Fulham, has been featuring for Hungary since 1998.