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Football in Europe will continue with Euro 2020 after the club season, postponed from last summer but with its original branding.
Just as the whole campaign has been a unique one, played out in front of empty stadiums and with an intense calendar that has put pressure on star players like never before, Euro 2020 promises to be an unpredictable event.
Originally slated to be played out all over the continent, it is unclear as yet if this will be the case once it finally kicks off. Indeed, with the COVID-19 pandemic worsening over much of western Europe, the original plan may well be modified.
Euro 2020, will arguably be the most open major international tournament in years. Here is a power ranking of the leading five candidates – but beyond them it is worth noting that there are the likes of Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Croatia and even Denmark who have the capacity to make life difficult for opponents.
Euro 2020 Power Ranking
5. Spain
For so long the big dogs of international football, Spain’s prospects heading into Euro 2020 are those of an outsider.
They have been placed in a very manageable group alongside Poland, Slovakia and Sweden, so should have few problems getting going in the tournament.
However, recent performances from Luis Enrique’s side have been rather unconvincing. There was, admittedly, the thumping 6-0 win over Germany in the Nations League last November, but that has proven to be an exception rather than the norm.
Instead, results like the 1-0 loss to Ukraine during the October international break and a 1-1 draw with 10-man Switzerland in November have been more typical. During these latest internationals have been held at home by Greece, required a brilliant late winner to overcome Georgia and struggled past Kosovo.
As Euro 2020 approaches, there is no doubt this Spain side has talent in its ranks, but even the likes of Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and Gerrard Moreno cannot be compared to the generation that boasted Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres.
If Spain were to win Euro 2020, it would come as something of a shock.
Euro 2020 Power Ranking continued...
4. Belgium
Going all the way at Euro 2020 promises to be complicated for FIFA's No.1 team in the world, Belgium.
One of the chief reasons for this is the lack of form of Eden Hazard. The former Chelsea man has barely been fit since joining Real Madrid and has recently suffered a fresh muscular setback after a two-month spell on the sidelines. If he is not fit and firing, Belgium’s prospects at Euro 2020 will diminish significantly.
Head coach Robert Martinez does have other offensive aces to call upon, however. Most notable among these are Manchester City maestro Kevin De Bruyne and Inter hitman Romelu Lukaku, who has been one of the most in-form strikers in European football this season.
Allied to this is an extremely experienced defensive line that may not be absolutely elite but is capable of frustrating even very good teams.
Belgium have recorded some eye-catching results of late, too. While an 8-0 win over Belarus earlier this week will get the headlines, it is their 4-2 success over Denmark – a team that has barely lost in five years – that is deserving of more attention but flew under the radar undetected.
So Belgium look in decent shape heading into Euro 2020 – the Hazard issue aside.
3. Portugal
Portugal proved how good a tournament team they are five years ago when they won the European Championship in France. They were led by Cristiano Ronaldo and anchored by a well-organised defence, and Fernando Santos’ principles remain the same.
Ronaldo, of course, is Portugal’s ace going into Euro 2020, but there is far more to the attacking armoury of this team than just the Juventus star. With the likes of Joao Felix, Diogo Jota and Bernando Silva backing him up, there is much more to Portugal than just ‘CR7’.
It is Portugal’s defence, however, that will be vital in this competition. In Ruben Dias, they boast one of the signings of the summer anywhere in world football as he has shone with Manchester City, and Jose Fonte, still redoubtable even in the final years of his career.
Recent results have been solid without being brilliant – but that is no worry ahead of Euro 2020. That's the way Santos likes his team to roll.
This team seems to be flying under the radar a little, which is ridiculous given its talent, solidarity and tournament know-how.
Their biggest issue at Euro 2020 is that they have been placed in a group alongside Germany and France – two of the other big favourites to lift the title.
Euro 2020 Power Ranking continued...
2. France
Ahead of Euro 2020, world champions France have some of the finest talent in the game available to them and boast a pool of players bristling with quality throughout their ranks. Moreover, they have a highly experienced coach in Didier Deschamps and go to Euro 2020 looking to repeat the World Cup-European Championship double they managed in 2000.
Traditionally, it has been difficult for a team to follow up World Cup success by winning the subsequent Euros, but Spain have done it since Les Bleus first achieved it. Now Deschamps is aiming to do it both as player and coach.
When France won in Russia, it was a success greeted with modest acclaim. Croatia had been many neutrals’ favourites heading into the final due to the pragmatic way that Deschamps had set his side up in. Having played much more attractively at Euro 2016 only to lose out to a defensive Portuguese outfit, Deschamps realised that this solidity was key to being a strong tournament team.
At Euro 2020, Deschamps will attempt to forge the squad atmosphere he managed at the World Cup.
Despite having Kylian Mbappe, one of the great weapons of modern day football, France are not a side that score many goals or generate much excitement. What they do, however, is win games and that will make them very dangerous at Euro 2020.
1. England
England have never won the European Championship but at Euro 2020, the stars may just align for the Three Lions.
Crucially in this international tournament, they will play all their matches at Wembley, which is an immense advantage that should not go unnoticed. Moreover, all the key stages of Euro 2020 will be played out in London. Should England reach the latter stages of the competition, this should give them a significant leg up.
Moreover, manager Gareth Southgate has a wealth of depth in his options throughout the team, aided by the emergence of stars such as Jack Grealish and Mason Mount over the course of the last 18 months. His biggest problem may be finding a formula that suits them the best.
One man who promises to be absolutely central to England’s hopes at Euro 2020 is Harry Kane, who is now up to 34 international goals. Beyond the Tottenham striker, there is arguably a lack of goals in the squad.
Indeed, only Raheem Sterling has more than five in the recent group brought together by Southgate. Marcus Rashford is the only other viable option and the Manchester United man is out of form right now.
England may be top of this power ranking, but the race for Euro 2020 is an open one and much could happen between now and June, when the tournament begins.
