Gallery

Czech national soccer team pose for a official family photo in mountain village of Seefeld, near Innsbruck, Austria on Friday May 28, 2004. (Upper row L-R) Tomas Hubschman, Marek Jankulovski, Martin Jiranek, Vratislav Lokvenc, Jan Koller, Marek Heinz, Milan Baros, Roman Tyce, Miroslav Matusovic. (Middle row L-R) Zdenek Grygera, Pavel Mares, Rene Bolf, David Rozehnal,Stepan Vachousek, Jaroslav Plasil, Tomas Galasek, Tomas Rosicky. (Lower row L-R) Antonin Kinsky (GK), Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky, coach assistent Miroslav Beranek, head coach Karel Bruckner, Petr Cech (GK), coach assistent Jan Stejskal, coach assitent Jaroslav Silhavy, Tomas Ujfalusi, Vladimir Smicer, Jaromir Blazek (GK). AFP PHOTO

The Czech Republic will be solid contenders for the title if they can safely negotiate their first round group that includes Holland, Germany and Latvia. Led by European player of the year Pavel Nedved, the team hope to go one better than 1996 when they lost the final to Germany.

Holland's national starting team for their Euro 2004 Play-off, first leg match against Scotland 15 November, 2003 at Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland. First row, left to right, Andy van der Meyde (7), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (5), Edgar Davids (8), Marc Overmars (11) and captain Frank de Boer. Second row, Ruud van Nistelrooy (9), goal keeper Edwin van der Sar (1), Jaap Stam (3), Phillip Cocu (6), Patrick Kluivert (10) and Andre Ooijer (2). AFP PHOTO/IAN STEWART

Holland's multi-talented squad have hit patchy form in the run-up to Euro and will have to improve dramatically if they hope to repeat their 1988 triumph. Euro 2000 on home soil also remains a bitter memory after a series of missed penalties led to a semi-final defeat to Italy.

Photo of the German soccer team taken 28 May 2004 in the southern town of Winden. Top line L to R: Jens Nowotny, Thomas Brdaric, Kevin Kuranyi, Michael Ballack, Christian Woerns, Fredi Bobic, Dietmar Hamann and Christian Ziege. Middle line L to R: trainer Rudi Voeller, co-trainer Michael Skibbe, Jens Jeremies, Christian Rahn, Miroslav Klose, Paul Freier, Arne Friedrich, Sebastian Kehl, goalkeeper-trainer Sepp Maier and co-trainer Erich Ruthemoeller. Bottom line L to R : Bernd Schneider, Philipp Lahm, goalkeepers Jens Lehman, Oliver Kahn and Timo Hildebrandt, defender Andreas Hinkel and midfielder Torsten Frings. AFP PHOTO DDP/OLIVER LANG

Germany remain the most successful team in European hisory with three titles but their form heading into Tuesday's opener against Holland has been miserable. Not to be underestimated, Rudi Voller's side went to the 2002 World Cup out of sorts and still reached the final.

Latvian National football team pictured 02 June 2004 in Riga. Front row, L-R: Marians Pahars, Olegs Blagonadezdins, Mihails Zemlinskis, Aleksandrs Kulakovs, Aleksandrs Starkovs, Genadijs Karavajevs, Jurijs Andrejevs, Vitalijs Astafjevs, Imants Bleidelis, Andrejs Rubins; Secand raw, L-R: Leonards Andzans, Maris Verpakovskis, Vits Rimkus, Jurijs Laizans, Andris Piedels, Aleksandrs Kalinko, Andrejs Pavlovs, Maris Smirnovs, Igors Korablovs, Jurgis Pucinsks,D ags Cuda. Third raw, L-R: Marks Vascinskis, Dzintars Zirnis, Andrejs Prohorenko, Igors Stepanovs, Valentins Lobanovs, Mihails Miholaps, Arturs Zakresevskis, Andrejs Stolcers, Aleksandrs Jurovskis. AFP PHOTO/ILMARS ZNOTINS

Seven of the Latvia's Euro debutants come from capital side Skonto Riga, who are also coached by national manager Aleksandrs Starkovs. They meet Holland, Germany and the Czech Republic in a first round baptism of fire.

The three Swiss goalies (from back to front) Pascal Zuberbuehler, Joerg Stiel and Fabrice Borer practice juggling with footballs during a training session of the Swiss team at Praia del Rey 09 June 2004 in preparation for the European Nations championship. Switzerland will play against Croatia 13 June 2004, their first match of the Euro 2004 in Portugal. AFP PHOTO JOHN MACDOUGALL

For Swiss goalkeepers (from L) Pascal Zuberbuehler, Joerg Stiel and Fabrice Borer, their Euro-2004 opening match against Croatia on June 13 is crucial. One victory would come in handy before playing against defending champion France then England.

People use phone booths shaped as footballs, 09 June 2004 in the center of Faro ahead of the European Nations championship. Host Portugal will play 12 June 2004 in Porto the eURO 2004 opening game vs Greece. AFP PHOTO / DDP MARCUS BRANDT

People in the southern Portuguese city of Faro make calls from telephone booths shaped as footballs. The 3-week tournament kicks-off on June 12 with matches between Portugal and Greece while Spain clash with Russia later the same day.

Italy's forward Christian Vieri smiles prior the training session at the Restelo stadium in Lisbon 09 June 2004. Italy will train in Lisbon until 14 june when they fly to Porto for their first EURO 2004 match against Denmark. AFP PHOTO/ Vincenzo PINTO

Italy will turn to their scoring predator Christian Vieri as a key source of goals in Portugal. The massive Inter Milan striker has scored 22 times in 40 matches for Italy going into the tournament.

French forward Thierry Henry speaks to journalists during a press conference, 09 June 2004 in Santo Tirso, some 25 kilometers north of Porto, three days before the opening game Portugal vs Greece of the European Nations Championships in Portugal. France will play its opening game vs England 13 June. AFP PHOTO FRANCK FIFE

France striker Thierry Henry is engulfed in a media frenzy during a conference at Porto on Wednesday whilst his teammate Louis Saha (L) is all but ignored. The defending champions meet arch rivals England in a highly anticipated opener to Group B on Sunday.

Italy players pose together with coach Giovenni Trapattoni (C) during a photo session in Coverciano training camp near Florence 27 May 2004. The Italian national team are in Coverciano until June 5 and will fly out to Portugal two days later for the summer's European 2004 football championship. Italy have been drawn to face Sweden, Denmark and Bulgaria in Group C of the tournament. AFP PHOTO/Vincenzo PINTO

Will Italy finally break a jinx that has lasted since 1982 and win a major tournament. In a squad spoilt for talent, they will again be one of the favourites but need that crucial piece of luck that has so far eluded them, in particular at Euro 2000 when victory was snatched from their grasp by France.

Photo of the Danish soccer team taken in Copenhagen 28 April 2004. Top line from left to right: goalkeeper Thomas Soerenssen, Martin Laursen, Claus Jensen, Jon Dahl Thomasson, Jesper Groenkjaer and Morten Wieghorst. Bottom line from left to right: Thomas Helveg, Martin Joergensen, Daniel Jensen, Niclas Jensen and Rene Henriksen (C). AFP PHOTO - SVEN NACKSTRAND

Denmark are familiar with their role of underdogs but have proven the experts wrong on more than one occasion. The team swept to the 1992 title in Sweden and need a similar run of good form and luck to reach the latter stages this time round. They face Italy in a crunch opening match on Monday.

The Swedish national soccer team line up for a team photo prior to the Euro 2004 championships starting in June in Portugal 01 June 2004, in Stockholm. Upper row from L-R Kim Kallstrom, Teddy Lucic, Petter Hansson, Andreas Jacobsson, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Olof Mellberg, Johan Mjallby och Mikael Nilsson. Middle row from L-R coach Tommy Soderberg, Alexander Ostlund, Marcus Allback, Magnus Hedman, Andreas Isaksson, Magnus Kihlstedt, Mattias Jonson, Erik Wahlstedt and coach Lasse Lagerback. Front row from L-R Tobias Linderoth, Anders Svensson, Christian Wilhelmsson, Erik Edman, Henrik Larsson, Fredrik Ljungberg, Pontus Farnerud and Anders Andersson.

Sweden have been rock solid in their build-up to Euro including a win over England but the disappointment of Euro 2000 lingers. The team were eliminated in the first round and will be on full alert for their opening clash with Bulgaria.

The Bulgarian team (from top and left to right) Predrag Pajin (18), Zdravko Zdravkov, Daniel Borimirov, Ivailo Petkov, Marian Hristov, Dimitar Berbatov, Stylian Petrov (19), Georgi Peev, Martin Petrov, Zdravko Lazarov, Rosen Kirilov poses before their friendly match against Greece 18 February 2004.

Not many experts have tipped Bulgaria to win the tournament but coach Plamen Markov has fashioned a hard working organised outfit capable of producing a surprise. They face Sweden in their group opener on Monday in a wide open Group A that also includes Italy and Denmark.