It's Euro time!

Ah, it’s that time of the year again when club football comes to an end. Yes, I am sure we all miss the joy of turning on the TV on weekends whilst having a drink and enjoy some top-notch football, irrespective of whether it is the Bundesliga, the La Liga or the Premier League. Usually one would have to wait for more than 2 months for the football to resume. But not this time. Come June 8th, we shall all be able to witness and enjoy the most coveted international football event of this year: The Euro 2012. And these are the 4 teams, according to me, to watch out for.

1) Germany:

Currently ranked the 2nd best national team in the world as per the latest FIFA rankings, Germany are definitely one of the favourites for this tournament. They are captained by Phillip Lahm, perhaps the best full-back in the world, Manuel Neuer is a nearly impenetrable fortress between the goalposts and they have a phenomenal attack in players like Klose and Podolski. Not to mention the two Marios, Gomez and Gotze, the former a goal machine and the latter, a young magician in the making! The 3 time World Cup and European Cup Champions will certainly be worth watching and pose a deadly threat to every team participating.

2) England:

Once again, England seemed to be in a mess when John Terry was stripped off the captaincy and coach Fabio Capello stepped down as the manager. It was just a few months before the biggest international tournament of the year and they were without a captain and manager. Typical England. But things seemed to be getting back on track when the FA recently appointed Roy Hodgson as the man to run the national team. Although many may have been less-than-happy about his decision to drop the experienced Man United centre-back Rio Ferdinand, England still remain one of the favourites in this tournament after beating Belgium in their pre-tournament friendly, 1-0. Also, this team sees the arrival of many young players such as Arsenal starlet Alex-Oxlaide Chamberlain and Man United striker Danny Welbeck. With Steven Gerrard as the skipper, this star-studded team promises to entertain and progress in this year’s European Cup!

3) The Netherlands:

The 2010 FIFA World Cup finalists will look to end their 24-year wait for a major title. And they might just do it, too. The team which gave the world total football is a prime contender for the European Cup this year. With key players such as Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder, the team has perhaps the best midfield duo in the whole tournament. Also, with players like the quick Ibrahim Affelay and Elia, this team is the perfect blend of experience and youth. And how can we forget the Arsenal talisman and captain, Robin Van Persie who scored a brace in their 6-0 win over Northern Ireland in their last pre-tournament friendly! After topping group E in the qualifiers and scoring an astounding average of 3.7 goals per match, no defence would like to put themselves up against this team. The Oranje, as they are called, are surely a team to watch out for in Poland and Ukraine!

4) Spain:

Last but definitely not the least, the world’s best team, Spain! The 2010 World Cup and Euro 2008 Champions will be looking to clinch their third major trophy in five years. Comprising a team of superstars from both Real Madrid and Barcelona, this team are the ultimate favourites to win. Led by Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, this team has a midfield orchestrated by Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, who are said to be the men behind Lionel Messi’s success. The midfield also consists of the reliable and clever Cesc Fabregas and is glued together by the unsung hero of La Liga, Xabi Alonso. However, the absence of David Villa is a huge blow to the side and they will have to keep their goal-scoring hopes in the Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente and a man who has slowly been getting back his form, Fernando Torres.

These are the 4 teams to keep your eyes on throughout the tournament and all in all, let’s hope the UEFA Euro is an exciting event which showcases some really good football!