BLACKLEAF'S GUIDE TO EURO 2008 TEAMS
Here's a guide to the 16 teams playing in Euro 2008, which starts on Saturday with Switzerland VS Czech Republic...
Group A
Czech Republic
Qualification: Beat Germany 3-0 in Munich to top their group.
Manager: Karel Bruckner
Captain: Undecided
European Championships highlights: Winners, 1976 (as Czechoslovakia); runners-up, 1996
Euro legend: Pavel Nedved
Star Man: Petr Cech
World Ranking: 6
Portugal
Qualification: Lost only one game, but a few nervous draws along the way.
Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari
Captain: Cristiano Ronaldo
European Championships highlights: Runners-up, 2004
Euro legend: Luis Figo
Star Man: Cristiano Ronaldo
World Ranking: 9
Switzerland
Qualification: Co-hosts
Manager: Jako "Kobi" Kuhn
Captain: Alexander Frei
European Championships highlights: Group Stage: 1996/2004
Euro legend: Johan Vonlanthen
Star Man: Alexander Frei
World Ranking: 48
Turkey
Qualification: Won last two games to qualify after facing elimination.
Manager: Fatih Terim
Captain: Emre
European Championships highlights: Quarter-Finals, 2000
Euro legend: Hakan Sukur
Star Man: Hamit Altintop
World Ranking: 25
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Group B
Austria
Qualification: Co-hosts
Manager: Josef Hickersberger
European Championships highlights: First ever appearance
Euro legend: N/A
Star Man: Emanuel Pogatetz
World Ranking: 101
Croatia
Qualification: Won 9 of 12 games to top England's group.
Manager: Slaven Bilic
Captain: Nico Kovac
European Championships highlights: Quarter-Finals, 1996
Euro legend: Davor Suker
Star Man: Luka Modric
World Ranking: 13
Germany
Qualification: First team to qualify, but conceded first place in group to Czech Rep
Manager: Joachim Low
Captain: Michael Ballack
European Championships highlights: Winners 1972 and 1980 (as West Germany) and 1996
Euro Legend: Jurgen Klinsmann
Star Man: Michael Ballack
World Ranking: 5
Poland
Qualification: Impressive in topping a difficult group ahead of Portugal
Manager: Leo Beenhakker
Captain: Maciej Zurawski
European Championships highlights: First ever appearance
Star Man: Ebi Smolarek
World Ranking: 27
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Group C
France
Qualification: Finished second in group behind Italy, edging Scotland
Manager: Raymond Domenech
Captain: Patrick Viera
European Championships highlights: Winners 1984 and 2000
Euro legend: Michel Platini
Star Man: Franck Ribery
World Ranking: 7
Italy
Qualification: The World Champions topped the group ahead of France, despite a few wobbles
Manager: Roberto Donadoni
Captain: Fabio Cannavaro
European Championships highlights: Winners, 1968
Euro legend: Luigi Riva
Star Man: Andrea Pirlo
World Ranking: 3
Netherlands
Qualification: Second behind Romania but qualified with a game to spare
Manager: Marco van Basten
Captain: Edwin van der Sar
European Championships highlights: Winners, 1988
Euro legend: Marco van Basten
Star Man: Ruud van Nistelrooy
World Ranking: 10
Romania
Qualification: Cruised home ahead of Netherlands with two games to spare
Manager: Victor Piturca
Captain: Christian Chivu
European Championships highlights: Quarter-Finals, 2000
Euro legend: Gheorghe Hagi
Star Man: Adrian Mutu
World Ranking: 12
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Group D
Greece
Qualification: The European Champions secured second place with two games to spare with 31 points
Manager: Otto Rehhagel
Captain: Angelas Basinas
European Championships highlights: Winners, 2004
Euro legend: Theo Zagorakis
Star Man: Theofanis Gekas
World Ranking: 8
Russia
Qualification: Second in group behind Croatia, edging out England
Manager: Guus Hidd ink
Captain: Andrei Arshavin
European Championships highlights: Winners, 1960 (as USSR) and Group Stage, 1996/2004 (as Russia)
Euro legend: Viktor Onopko
Star Man: Andrei Arshavin
World Ranking: 24
Spain
Qualification: Topped group, despite losing away against Northern Ireland and Sweden
Manager: Luis Aragones
Captain: Iker Casillas
European Championships highlights: Winners, 1964
Euro legend: Luis Suarez
Star Man: Fernando Torres
World Ranking: 4
Sweden
Qualification: Finished second in group, edging out Northern Ireland
Manager: Lars Lagerback
Captai: Freddie Ljungberg
European Championships highlights: Semi-Finals, 1992
Euro legend: Henrik Larsson
Star Man: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
World Ranking: 23
Here's a guide to the 16 teams playing in Euro 2008, which starts on Saturday with Switzerland VS Czech Republic...
Group A
Czech Republic
Qualification: Beat Germany 3-0 in Munich to top their group.
Manager: Karel Bruckner
Captain: Undecided
European Championships highlights: Winners, 1976 (as Czechoslovakia); runners-up, 1996
Euro legend: Pavel Nedved
Star Man: Petr Cech
World Ranking: 6
Portugal
Qualification: Lost only one game, but a few nervous draws along the way.
Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari
Captain: Cristiano Ronaldo
European Championships highlights: Runners-up, 2004
Euro legend: Luis Figo
Star Man: Cristiano Ronaldo
World Ranking: 9
Switzerland
Qualification: Co-hosts
Manager: Jako "Kobi" Kuhn
Captain: Alexander Frei
European Championships highlights: Group Stage: 1996/2004
Euro legend: Johan Vonlanthen
Star Man: Alexander Frei
World Ranking: 48
Turkey
Qualification: Won last two games to qualify after facing elimination.
Manager: Fatih Terim
Captain: Emre
European Championships highlights: Quarter-Finals, 2000
Euro legend: Hakan Sukur
Star Man: Hamit Altintop
World Ranking: 25
*******************************
Group B
Austria
Qualification: Co-hosts
Manager: Josef Hickersberger
European Championships highlights: First ever appearance
Euro legend: N/A
Star Man: Emanuel Pogatetz
World Ranking: 101
Croatia
Qualification: Won 9 of 12 games to top England's group.
Manager: Slaven Bilic
Captain: Nico Kovac
European Championships highlights: Quarter-Finals, 1996
Euro legend: Davor Suker
Star Man: Luka Modric
World Ranking: 13
Germany
Qualification: First team to qualify, but conceded first place in group to Czech Rep
Manager: Joachim Low
Captain: Michael Ballack
European Championships highlights: Winners 1972 and 1980 (as West Germany) and 1996
Euro Legend: Jurgen Klinsmann
Star Man: Michael Ballack
World Ranking: 5
Poland
Qualification: Impressive in topping a difficult group ahead of Portugal
Manager: Leo Beenhakker
Captain: Maciej Zurawski
European Championships highlights: First ever appearance
Star Man: Ebi Smolarek
World Ranking: 27
************************************
Group C
France
Qualification: Finished second in group behind Italy, edging Scotland
Manager: Raymond Domenech
Captain: Patrick Viera
European Championships highlights: Winners 1984 and 2000
Euro legend: Michel Platini
Star Man: Franck Ribery
World Ranking: 7
Italy
Qualification: The World Champions topped the group ahead of France, despite a few wobbles
Manager: Roberto Donadoni
Captain: Fabio Cannavaro
European Championships highlights: Winners, 1968
Euro legend: Luigi Riva
Star Man: Andrea Pirlo
World Ranking: 3
Netherlands
Qualification: Second behind Romania but qualified with a game to spare
Manager: Marco van Basten
Captain: Edwin van der Sar
European Championships highlights: Winners, 1988
Euro legend: Marco van Basten
Star Man: Ruud van Nistelrooy
World Ranking: 10
Romania
Qualification: Cruised home ahead of Netherlands with two games to spare
Manager: Victor Piturca
Captain: Christian Chivu
European Championships highlights: Quarter-Finals, 2000
Euro legend: Gheorghe Hagi
Star Man: Adrian Mutu
World Ranking: 12
**********************************************
Group D
Greece
Qualification: The European Champions secured second place with two games to spare with 31 points
Manager: Otto Rehhagel
Captain: Angelas Basinas
European Championships highlights: Winners, 2004
Euro legend: Theo Zagorakis
Star Man: Theofanis Gekas
World Ranking: 8
Russia
Qualification: Second in group behind Croatia, edging out England
Manager: Guus Hidd ink
Captain: Andrei Arshavin
European Championships highlights: Winners, 1960 (as USSR) and Group Stage, 1996/2004 (as Russia)
Euro legend: Viktor Onopko
Star Man: Andrei Arshavin
World Ranking: 24
Spain
Qualification: Topped group, despite losing away against Northern Ireland and Sweden
Manager: Luis Aragones
Captain: Iker Casillas
European Championships highlights: Winners, 1964
Euro legend: Luis Suarez
Star Man: Fernando Torres
World Ranking: 4
Sweden
Qualification: Finished second in group, edging out Northern Ireland
Manager: Lars Lagerback
Captai: Freddie Ljungberg
European Championships highlights: Semi-Finals, 1992
Euro legend: Henrik Larsson
Star Man: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
World Ranking: 23
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