“Finally!” my cousin exclaimed as the draw of Euro 2016 came out.

“Do you know what that means?” his eyes twinkled as he said those words. “Top level football games will be on air each weekday. It’s like everyday would be Christmas for a month.”

My cousin loves football and so do I. From June 10th, football lovers like my cousin and I get to enjoy a mini world cup of the world’s most popular sport.

The event has 24 top ‘footballing’ nations of Europe battling it out in France for the right to be called Europe’s best team.

The teams are divided into six groups of four teams each. Two top teams from each group will then proceed into the 16-team knockout phase of the tournament, which in turn will be followed by quarterfinals, semi-finals and the final.

The semi-finals will take place on July 6th and July 7th respectively; while the final will be held on July 10th at Stade de France, Paris. All that sums up to 51 games in 31 days! So basically, it’s party time for football lovers.

Let us take a brief look at the favourites to lift the Euro crown.

Germany:

The world champions are the favourites to win the Euro championship. The German team believes in team discipline, spirit and synergy. They stress on ball possession, passing the ball, attacking and being incisive.

They boast star players like Mario Gotze, Mesut Ozill, Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, etc. They are in group C along with Poland, Ukraine and Northern Ireland and are expected to stroll through into the next round.

Spain:

Spain’s team is full of star players. Whether it is attack, defence or midfields, the reigning European champions are well-covered in all areas.

They have players like Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta, Alvaro Morata, Sergio Ramos, etc. They have arguably the best squad comprising World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012 winners. If they click as a team, they would go all the way. They face Croatia, Czech Republic and Turkey in Group D.

France:

The host nation has been in great form recently. The upcoming players for them are in prime form. Players like Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann are world class and capable of winning any match on their own.

Therefore, a bit surprisingly, the French are among the top favourites to win this Euro Championship. They are in an easy Group A along with Albania, Switzerland and Romania.

Italy:

The Italians, like always, are not the most fanciful of sides but they are champions in being pragmatic and finding a way to get the desired results. They are not as strong as the other favourites, but will focus on what they do best to succeed.

The main players to look for in their side are Lorenzo Insigne, Gianlugi Buffon and Leonardo Bonnuci. They are in a tough group (Group E) featuring Belgium, Sweden and Ireland and the probability of them becoming the champions is quite low.

England:

England’s team is also full of young players. Players like Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy are their main strengths. Their progress in the tournament will depend on their ability to defend well. Upcoming players like Delle Ali and Raheem Sterling will also be the men to watch in their side. They are in Group B along with Wales, Slovakia and Russia.

Belgium:

Belgium has a number of star players but they are inexperienced in performing well at top tournaments like Euro 2016. They have a star-studded squad in Romelu Lukaku, Radja Naingollan, Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne, Alex Witsel, Thibaut Courtois, to name a few among their ranks. If they tick as team, they are quite capable of surprising the world.

Portugal:

Portugal are in group F along with Iceland, Austria and Hungary. Like Belgium, they are also expected to ring quite a few surprises. Their star players include Cristiano Ronaldo, Renato Sanchhez, Joao Mario, Ricardo Quaresma and Pepe.

So there you have it — a curtain raiser for a gala sporting event that happens once in four years. Get hold of your packet of chips or popcorn, settle on your couch and enjoy every match. Cheers for a great tournament!

For a full list of venues, matches’ schedule, tables and pairings please visit http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro

Players to look for:

Cristiano Ronaldo

Any discussion of a top football tournament is incomplete without the mention of Cristiano Ronaldo. The three-time World Player of the Year has been in good form for Real Madrid this year. And his five goals in Euro qualifying matches made him the leading scorer in European Championship history.

It’s always good to see the Portuguese in action at the international level, though he has not won any trophies at this level. Let us hope he will dazzle us with his usual flair and skill and sets the tournament alight with his performances.

Paul Pogba

The French player is a world class player. He may not have the flair of Ronaldo or Messi, but his all round capability in attack, defence and midfield makes people in awe of his skills.

At 23, he is the hottest property in world football. Ever since his teenage years, he wanted to be the best and he is well on his way to doing so. He will be the architect, driving force, engine and all such things for France in the tournament.

Zlatan Ibrahimovich

Arguably the world’s biggest ego-driven footballer has what it takes to be among the best. If the big Swede performs at the top of his ability, we are in for a treat. Ibrahimovic scored 11 goals in Euro qualifying matches and averages better than a goal every two games in international football.

Gareth Bale

Though he performs in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo, the performances of this player are vital for the success of Real Madrid. He is the main reason Wales are in the European championship. He scored seven of Wales’ 11 goals in qualifying and also claimed two assists.

Eden Hazard

Though he has had a bad season for Chelsea, Eden Hazard has rediscovered his top form lately that made him player of the 2014-15 season in the Premier League. The Belgian surely will be a big source of entertainment for football fans.

Other top players to look for, apart from the aforementioned ones, would include the likes of Harry Kane (England), Thomas Muller (Germany), Antoine Griezman (France), Robert Lewandowski (Poland).

Published in Dawn, Young World, June 11th, 2016