Thursday 2 June 2016

Euro 2016 Preview (Group F - Portugal / Iceland / Austria / Hungary)

Team: PORTUGAL
Squad: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2016_squads#Portugal
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2016/teams/team=110/squad/index.html

Captain: Cristiano Ronaldo
Key Players: Cristiano Ronaldo; Joao Moutinho; Pepe
Potential Breakout Player: Joao Mario
Notable Absentees: Tiago Mendes (injury); Fabio Coentrao (non-selection)
Best Historical Finish: Runners-up (2004)
Minimum Expectation: Quarterfinals
How Far Could They Go: Semifinals

Portugal qualified top of their group over Albania, Denmark and Serbia thus making it to their sixth straight Euro tournament. They have not missed a major tournament since World Cup 1998. In their last five Euros, they have gotten to a minimum of the quarterfinals at each tournament with the crushing defeat to the unfancied Greeks in Portugal in 2004 still their highpoint at a major tournament.

This Portugal team is not all Ronaldo despite what seems to be the prevailing opinion. Is he the best player on the team, certainly. He certainly is the best attacker at the tournament, but he does have some quality teammates. Rui Patricio is a solid goalkeeper with a significant amount of experience, the Pepe/Carvahlo central defensive pairing is an old one but a good one. The midfield will be led by Joao Moutinho but there is a raft of talented youngsters coming through to aid in Joao Mario/William Carvahlo/Danilo/Andre Gomes/Renato Sanches. Up top though is where there is an excessive reliance on Ronaldo.

The Portuguese team have a group they should handle relatively easily, but then the run-in becomes quite the challenge. This could be Ronaldo's last chance to win the Euro as a key player, he has an interesting (but raw) supporting cast and in as wide open a tournament as this one, Portugal are a contender.

Team: ICELAND
Squad: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2016_squads#Iceland
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2016/teams/team=58/squad/index.html

Captain: Aron Gunnarsson
Key Players: Gylfi Sigurdsson; Ragnar Sigurdsson; Kolbeinn Sigthorsson
Potential Breakout Player: Kolbeinn Sigthorsson
Notable Absentee: Rurik Gislason (non-selection)
Best Historical Finish: N/A
Minimum Expectation: Qualification (Already achieved)
How Far Could They Go: Second Round

Before there was the fairy tale of Leicester City, there was the magical story of Iceland. Having missed out on qualifying for the World Cup in 2014 in the playoffs, the Icelandic team achieved a historic qualification by finishing second in their group. Put into perspective, Iceland has a population of ~330,000. They are by far the smallest country to have qualified for this event or any Euro in history.

The Icelandic team is led by Gylfi Sigurdsson who is the creative hub for a team that plays and attractive and energetic style of football. Gudjohnsen was brought back into the fold as a sentimental choice but the goals for this squad will come from the forward pairing of Sigthorsson and Finnbogason. Halfredsson, Gunnarsson and Bjarnason will provide the midfield drive in front of a defensive line with loads of experience playing together.

Iceland will not be going to the tournament just to make up the numbers and with a well drilled, experienced group with a dash of creativity, qualification to the second round is a real possibility.

Team: AUSTRIA
Squad: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2016_squads#Austria
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2016/teams/team=8/squad/index.html

Captain: Christian Fuchs
Key Players: David Alaba; Marko Arnautovic; Aleksandar Dragovic
Potential Breakout Player: Alessandro Schopf
Notable Absentee: Michael Gregoritsch
Best Historical Finish: Group Stage (2008)
Minimum Expectation: Second Round
How Far Could They Go: Quarterfinals

First time qualifiers, having previously made the tournament in 2008 as a co-host, the Austrians do have international pedigree having made a couple World Cup semifinals (1934; 1954) but in the early days of international football. Their qualification campaign was a surprise but brilliant nonetheless. Nine wins, twenty-two goals scored, only five conceded and unbeaten in ten games is impressive by any measure.

A young team that are not yet at their peak, Austria's best player is Alaba with his role in midfield alongside Baumgartlinger; Harnik and Junuzovic. Schopf broke into the squad after qualification was assured but he now appears to be a key player going forward. The defence has a settled look about it with the likes of Fuchs/Dragovic/Wimmer/Hinterseer/Klein/Prodl all solid options. The attack will be lead by the silky skilled Arnautovic and the lanky Janko.

The Austrians are enjoying quite a resurgence and this appears to be a bright generation coming through. There are a couple players in their prime or even on the wane, but the vast majority of this team will look at this tournament as the first of many. They should advance from this group.

Team: HUNGARY
Squad: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2016_squads#Hungary
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2016/teams/team=57/squad/index.html

Captain: Balázs Dzsudzsák
Key Players: Balázs Dzsudzsák; Adam Szalai; Tamas Priskin
Potential Breakout Player: Laszlo Kleinheisler
Notable Absentee: Daniel Tozser
Best Historical Finish: Semifinals (1964; 1972)
Minimum Expectation: Qualifying (Already achieved)
How Far Could They Go: Group Stage

Long gone are the days of the legendary Magical Magyars where some of football's first superstars with names like Puskas and Kocsis led Hungarian teams to World Cup finals (1938;1954) and semifinals at the Euros (1964; 1972). Qualification was achieved through the playoffs, where the Hungarians got past Norway.

Dzsudzsak is the class player on the squad and will need to supply the likes of Szalai and Priskin to get the goals. Barring Kiraly (the now 40 year old goalkeeper famous for his track pants), Gera and Juhasz the entire squad is under 30. Only Szalai and Kleinheisler play football for a team in a top European league - Szalai's Hannover 96 got relegated from the Bundesliga and Kleinheisler's Werder Bremen barely survived - so that should give an idea of the lack of pedigree within the side.

A limited but industrious team, even in this relatively weak group Hungary will struggle to advance and potentially picking up the odd point may represent a certain level of success. A major tournament experience will serve the team well but no shock advances here.

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