24. North Macedonia
There’s always that one side coming out of nowhere to qualify for a European Championship tournament. This year’s installment features North Macedonia — a country which (prior to EURO 2020) had never qualified for a major tournament before. After breezing through League D of Nations League, North Macedonia upended both Kosovo and Georgia en route to securing a spot in the field.
There is some quality within the squad. Napoli starlet Eljif Elmas figures to be a major cog in North Macedonia’s midfield. 37-year-old Goran Pandev — a veteran of Serie A dating back to 2001 — still remains as a wily goal-scoring threat off the bench. Losing Udinese striker Ilija Nestorovski to injury was certainly a blow. However, this team shouldn’t be taken lightly. On March 31st, North Macedonia earned a 2-1 victory over Germany (in Germany) during World Cup qualifying.
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23. Russia
The spine of this Russia side remains extremely old. Workmanlike Yuri Zhirkov is still expected to shoulder the yeoman’s work out on the left flank at age 37. Plodding striker Artem Dzyuba will look to manhandle respective center backs with a gigantic frame and glacial movements inside the box. The midfield does have some class (Aleksei Miranchuk, Aleksandr Golovin, Denis Cheryshev).
However, the team as a whole is quite stagnant and direct. It won’t be surprising anyone as it did when it hosted the 2018 World Cup. Russia has lost three of its last five matches — which included a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Serbia. Making matters more difficult, the Russians are placed inside Group B — featuring the likes of Belgium, Denmark, and geographical rival Finland.
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22. Hungary
The Hungarians unfortunately were placed in the ‘Group of Death’ as the proverbial lambs for slaughter. The odds of this squad emerging from Group F is highly unlikely, as it’s competing against three of the tournament’s biggest favorites (France, Germany, Portugal).
On a positive note, Hungary isn’t a side without some credible talent. Goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi has been a fixture in the starting XI for RB Leipzig over the last few years. Fellow club teammate Willi Orban figures to play a fair amount — as does Germany-based striker Adam Szalai. However, the headliner of the group is 20-year-old wunderkind Dominik Szoboszlai. He’s arguably the most talented Hungarian prospect we’ve seen in decades. Clever with the ball at his feet and dynamic when going at defenders, he’s the type of talent Hungary can build a squad around for the next 10+ years.
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21. Finland
Similarly to North Macedonia, Finland also qualified for its first major tournament in the history of its football program. It finished second in Group J directly behind Italy. Finland had gone through a period in which it had failed to qualify for the EURO’s/World Cup on 32-straight occasions. This group in particular had risen through the ranks at the u21 level. There’s a real sense of camaraderie and cohesion with the pool of players cultivated by manager Markku Kanerva.
Bayer Leverkusen keeper Lukas Hradecky is arguably the headliner of the team. He was outstanding during the qualification process. Interestingly enough, the pool at large is comprised of players plying their trades all over the world in various leagues. Among them is goal-scoring machine Teemu Pukki of newly-promoted Norwich City. If there’s one guy offering a major threat in the final third, it’s Pukki.Â
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20. Czech Republic
The Czech Republic had fallen on hard times from a global footballing standpoint. Long gone are the days of Jan Koller, Petr Cech, Pavel Nedved, and Tomas Rosicky. After a strong Nations League performance, Czech Republic finds itself in yet another major tournament. This roster doesn’t necessarily have an elite talent. However, there are some quite competent athletes with the ability to help Czech Republic emerge from a group featuring Scotland, England, and an aging Croatia side.
While the defense is a bit nervy, Sevilla keeper Tomas Vaclik is a proven commodity. The midfield features a number of promising talents playing in top leagues throughout Europe. West Ham’s Tomas Soucek likely will play alongside captain Vladimir Darida (Hertha Berlin) and Jakub Jankto (Sampdoria). Up top, the possibility exists where Czech Republic could pair Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick with Burnley’s Matej Vydra.
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19. Scotland
The breakthrough finally came! After toiling away for nearly 20 years, Scotland finally qualified for a major tournament. Scotland last featured at the 1998 World Cup, and since then things have been rather rough from a national team standpoint. However, this group triumphantly qualified after beating Serbia 5-4 on penalties. The lynchpin of the evening was undoubtedly keeper David Marshall.
As we look towards this tournament, Scotland is pitted with England, Croatia, and the Czech Republic. It won’t be easy to advance from this group — though it’s not as treacherous as one may think when viewing it on paper. Scotland has beaten Czech Republic on two-straight occasions dating back to Nations League fixtures. There are high-end talents scattered throughout the squad — including Liverpool left back Andrew Robertson, Man U midfielder Scott McTominay, Aston Villa’s John McGinn, and Newcastle striker Ryan Fraser. Scotland might not play the most aesthetically-pleasing style of football, but it can be effective when bunkering in with physicality, shape, and discipline.
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18. Slovakia
No one is expecting much from Slovakia in this tournament. The small squad out of Central Europe nudged into the tournament after beating Northern Ireland in extra time during the play-off final. There are some concerning signs for this group if we’re assessing their latest run of matches. Besting Russia by a score of 2-1 is positive — though drawing both Malta and Cyprus during World Cup Qualifying is quite concerning.
The roster as a whole certainly has some ability. Second-choice Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka assumes the position for Slovakia. A stingy defense features Bundesliga veteran Peter Pekarik and the team’s best player in Inter’s Milan Skriniar. In the midfield is where you’ll find Slovakia’s most talented players. Marek Hamsik is still a threat to produce at age 33. However, the group’s real strength at this point sits with a trio of players competing at high levels in both Germany and Italy (Cologne’s Ondrej Duda, Napoli’s Stainslav Lobotka, Sassuolo’s Lukas Haraslin). Lobotka is especially threatening as a silky deep-lying midfielder with sublime distribution.
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17. Wales
Wales narrowly edged out both Slovakia and Hungary for second place in Group E (behind Croatia) — thus giving it automatic qualification into this tournament. The squad prides itself on being a compact unit rooted in discipline and organization. It’s a reason why Wales allowed the least amount of goals during the qualification process (six in only eight matches).
This side is also one where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. There are some interesting talents on this roster — namely Ethan Ampadu, Harry Wilson, Daniel James, and David Brooks. Veterans Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen, and Gareth Bale are still hanging around. Lastly, Tottenham’s Ben Davies is integral to the team’s defensive efforts. Sitting in one of the tournament’s toughest groups isn’t great (Italy, Switzerland, Turkey). However, Wales plays a style of football which most certainly can be successful in this sort of setting. If Iceland can do it, Wales certainly can with a far more talented roster collectively speaking.
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16. Ukraine
Ukraine has a real chance to make some noise in this tournament. Group C is widely regarded as the weakest in the tournament — and the likes of Austria, Northern Macedonia, and a volatile Netherlands side certainly doesn’t scare Ukraine in the least bit. In recent times, Ukraine has notched four-straight draws (all by scores of 1-1). Much like Wales, this is an organized side which doesn’t take too many chances.
That’s not to say, however, that the group is void of attacking talent. Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi is one of the most impressive attack-minded midfielders in Serie A. He’s the straw that stirs this Ukrainian drink — spraying the ball to teammates on the flank, offering the lethal final pass, and also taking players on for his own run at goal. Man City left back/left-sided midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko is a virtual lock to start. The same can be said for Gent striker Roman Yaremchuk and fellow Atalanta midfielder Viktor Kovalenko. This roster is interesting from the standpoint that much of it plays for one of the two prominent sides in Ukraine (Shakhtar Donetsk, Dynamo Kyiv). As such, there’s a built-in chemistry here. When sprinkling in higher talents from Belgium and Italy, you’ve got a side no one should overlook.
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15. Turkey
We often speak about ‘Golden Generations’ for certain footballing nations. One could make a strong case that Turkey is currently in the middle of one. There’s some really gifted footballers all over the pitch for this side — particularly as it pertains to the backline. One could make a case that the trio of center backs on Turkey’s roster (Caglar Soyuncu, Ozan Kabak, Merih Demiral) rivals virtually any squad not named France or Portugal from a depth and talent standpoint. That’s not even including promising Lille outside back Zeki Celik.
From an offensive standpoint, AC Milan attacking midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu has proven time and time again to be an immensely dynamic player. He’s the type of talent which can change a match at the drop of a hat. The Lille duo of Yusuf Yazici and Burak Yilmaz have terrific chemistry with one another. Both are highly intelligent footballers, and know how to exploit pockets of space quite deftly. There’s also starlet Cengiz Under from Leicester City. He’s easily capable of entering a match off the bench and turning it on its proverbial head. Group A is certainly tough (Italy, Wales, Switzerland). With that said, there’s a reason why many are focusing on Turkey as a trendy dark-horse pick to advance deep in the tournament.
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14. Poland
Collectively, Poland might not be as talented as Turkey. However, the mere presence of Robert Lewandowski vaults this team up into a higher standing. Whenever the world’s best No. 9 is on the pitch, that team has a puncher’s chance to advance. Piotr Zielinski of Napoli is an exceptionally talented central midfielder, and striker Arkadiusz Milik is quite capable in his own right. However, this side begins and ends with Lewandowski.
Poland’s group is somewhat feasible in terms of getting to the knockout stages. Spain is the prohibitive favorite — though Sweden and Slovakia are far from world-beaters. If Lewandowski gets on a hot streak, Poland will ride him for as long as it can.
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13. Sweden
In one of the pre-tournament’s biggest disappointments, the long awaited return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been postponed indefinitely. Approaching his 40th birthday, Zlatan was set to make his first appearance in a major tournament for Sweden since Euro 2016. However, he was left off the squad due to a knee injury. Without Zlatan, Sweden will rely on Robin Quaison of Mainz 05 and youngster Alexander Isak of Real Sociedad to carry the team in the attacking third.
In Euro qualifying, Quaison led Sweden with five goals in nine appearances — while Isak contributed three goals. The Swedes have some good options in the middle of the field, namely Marcus Berg, Emil Forsberg, and Viktor Claesson. Claesson enjoyed a nice qualifying campaign and has played well following his return from a knee injury. Sweden will be tested straight away in group play, with Robert Lewandowski’s Poland and perennial contender Spain also in Group E.
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12. Austria
Austria has an excellent opportunity to make some noise in Euro 2020. Despite bringing three goalies to the tournament that have a combined 13 caps, Austria features a talented roster. Defensively, Austria is in good hands with David Alaba (who is joining Real Madrid), Bayer Leverkusen’s Aleksander Dragovic (89 caps) and Martin Hinteregger.
In the middle of the pitch, captain Julian Baumgartlinger and Stefan Ilsanker lead an otherwise young group of players that includes Hoffenheim’s Christoph Baumgartner (who has three goals in eight caps). Up top, the Austrian’s are led by Marko Arnautovic and the tricky Marcel Sabitzer.
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11. Netherlands
Joining Austria atop Group C should be the Netherlands. However, there is no doubt that the Oranje are a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to winning under Frank de Boer. Not having Virgil van Dijk for this tournament is less than ideal. Matthijs de Ligt likely will be paired by Daley Blind in the center of the backline.Â
There’s talent all over the pitch — though we still don’t trust this team. Since the pandemic began, Netherlands has won only five of 11 matches. Memphis Depuy can only do so much up top without a consistent running mate. Ultimately, the midfield will have to drive this team. It’ll involve Georginio Wijnaldum, Frenkie de Jong, Donny van de Beek, and Marten de Roon to all have big tournaments. It’ll also be fascinating to see whether de Boer opts to utilize 19-year-old wunderkind Ryan Gravenberch.
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10. Denmark
Paired with Belgium in Group B, Denmark won’t be favored to top its group but should still be plenty good enough to advance past the group stage. The squad has nothing to discuss when it comes to who is playing keeper, as Leicester City’s Kasper Schmeichel is the clear No. 1 (and captain). Barring injury, Denmark’s backline is also set — with Milan’s Simon Kjær, Andreas Christensen (Chelsea), and Jens Stryger Larsen (Udinese) figuring to claim sports within the starting group.
Denmark also has plenty of class in the midfield. You’ll see Christian Eriksen want to get on the ball as much as possible. His ability to link with Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will be integral for Denmark in its hopes of manufacturing goal-scoring chances. Veteran Thomas Delaney likely will continue to play a pivotal role in the midfield. Up top, manager Kasper Hjulmand has a host of options — starting with Kasper Dolberg and Yussuf Poulsen. It’ll be fascinating to see how Denmark will further incorporate Barcelona striker Martin Braithwaite as well as Hoffenheim’s Robert Skov. Skov has five goals in only nine caps for the Danes.
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9. Switzerland
While it isn’t quite the ‘Group of Death’, Group A should be highly competitive. Joining Switzerland in the group will be Italy, Turkey, and Wales. In order to win, the Swiss will need to control the middle of the pitch. Luckily, the squad has a talented group to patrol the midfield — including national stalwarts Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) and Xherdan Shaqiri (Liverpool). Those two Premier League vets will be joined by Denis Zakaria and Steven Zuber. Shaqiri should be well rested after not featuring a ton for Liverpool. He’s a much different player with Switzerland — and is often given the creative license to attack the final third with considerable freedom.
Benfica’s Haris Seferovic will be a main target up top. In 73 caps, Seferovic has 21 goals. Breel Embolo and Admir Mehmedi will also be quality options for the Swiss in the attack. Defensively, the group has a nice mix of experience and talent. However, a few of their defenders (Ricardo Rodriguez, Manuel Akanji) can be prone to some mistakes. It’ll be fascinating to watch this side play the United States in a friendly on May 30th.
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8. Croatia
The spine of Croatia’s historic 2018 World Cup run remains essentially the same…sans Ivan Rakitic. A core member of the squad for years, he retired from international competition last September. You’ll virtually see the same group of players littered throughout the roster. The inherent issue with that involves collective age. This is an older roster with plenty of tread on the proverbial tires. Domagoj Vida and Dejan Lovren are battle-tested — though will struggle against attackers with pace and athleticism.
For as inherently brilliant as Luka Modric is, he’s approaching his 36th birthday. Ivan Perisic — another integral member of the team — recently turned 32 years of age. Not all is doom and gloom for the Croatians. Mateo Kovacic, Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic, and Nikola Vlasic are all very good players within the midfield. Up top, some combination of Ante Rebic, Andrej Kramaric, and Josip Brekalo should elicit goal-scoring opportunities. In its last 11 matches, Croatia has a record of 4-6-1.
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7. Italy
Following the national embarrassment of failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Italy is on its way back to being one of the best sides in the world. Since its failure, Italy has introduced a ton of promising, young talent to its national team. Starting at the back, Gianluigi Donnarumma is firmly entrenched as the keeper — and should remain in net for years to come. The Italian backline is led by a pair of icons, Juventus’ Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. Additionally, Atalanta’s Rafael Toloi — born in Brazil — was granted permission to play for Italy and could play a starting role.
One growing concern within the national team is the health of MF Marco Verratti. The PSG man injured his knee a few weeks ago and his availability for the opening game versus Turkey is in doubt. 23-year-old Manuel Locatelli will be tasked with picking up the slack if Verratti is unable to go, and he will have plenty of help from Nicolo Barella (24, Inter), Lorenzo Pellegrini (24, Roma), and Stefano Sensi (25, Inter). Italy also features plenty of skill up top. Veterans Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne remain the go-to pair — but 23-year-old Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Moise Kean (21, PSG), and Federico Bernardeschi will have a role to play. Italy won all 10 of its qualifying games ahead of Euro 2020, and enter the tournament on a 25-game unbeaten streak.
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6. Belgium
In the midst of its Golden Generation’s prime, Belgium has enjoyed quite the ride over the past few years. The team reached the quarterfinals at the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016, and were the third-place finisher at the 2018 World Cup. The Red Devils enter Euro 2020 as FIFA’s No. 1 ranked team in the world. There are stars littered throughout the roster. Real Madrid netminder Thibaut Courtois remains the top option in goal. Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham), Jan Vertonghen (Benfica), Jason Denayer (Lyon), and Thomas Meunier (Dortmund) are just a handful of top options defensively — though Meunier is also an option in the midfield.
Of course, the star of the show remains Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne. For Belgium to win the competition, De Bruyne must play at his world-class best. The generational talent has plenty of help around him, with Axel Witsel (Dortmund), Yannick Carrasco (Atletico Madrid), Youri Tielemans (Leicester City), Thorgan Hazard (Dortmund), Hans Vanaken and Nacer Chadli all available. Belgium is also loaded up top. In addition to Inter’s Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard of Real Madrid, Belgium has budding stars such as 19-year-old Jeremy Doku and Leandro Trossard — who has scored twice so far in WC qualifying.
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5. England
Gareth Southgate has quite a roster at his disposal. Following a run to the semifinals at the 2018 World Cup, England is poised to make a run at the Euro 2020 title. England is strong at every level of the pitch. Jordan Pickford will be the reluctant top choice in net (especially with Nick Pope out injured). Defensively, Southgate has numerous stars — including City’s duo of Kyle Walker and John Stones, Man U’s Harry Maguire, Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell, Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Reece James (Chelsea), and Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid).
At midfield, England’s embarrassment of riches continues with top young stars Phil Foden (21) and Mason Mount (22) leading the way. The two breakout stars are joined by West Ham’s Declan Rice (22), Jordan Henderson, and Aston Villa star Jack Grealish. Fresh off a 23-goal showing at Tottenham, Harry Kane remains the main attraction up top. But unlike the World Cup, he should have some more help finding the net. Raheem Sterling is a favorite of Southgate and is likely to start, but Marcus Rashford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin could crack the Starting XI. With players like Jadon Sancho (21), Mason Greenwood (19), Bukayo Saka (19), and Jude Bellingham (17) also on the squad — it is clear England has a bright future.
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4. Germany
Nobody ever wants to be involved in the ‘Group of Death,’ but Germany finds itself in that exact position. A member of Group F alongside reigning World Cup winners France, defending Euro winners Portugal, and Hungary, Germany will need to bring its best in order to advance. Ready to step down following the tournament, Joachim Low will look to go out on a high note. The legendary Manuel Neuer remains the man between the posts. Defenders Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Nik Sule (Bayern Munich) and Matthias Ginter (Mönchengladbach) appear to be locks to start in back of the patented 3-4-3 alignment.
The engine of the German midfield begins and ends with Joshua Kimmich. One of the world’s most versatile players, Kimmich is a virtual ball magnet — seemingly always involved in the action. Pairing him next to another world class player in Toni Kroos should only unlock Kimmich’s talents further. To put into perspective how good that duo is, Germany has the luxury of bringing Ilkay Gundogan off the bench. We also are treated by the return of prolific goal scorer Thomas Muller. It’s weird to say, but he still seems vastly underrated. Germany also offers a plethora of pacy wide options — including Serge Gnabry, Timo Werner, Leroy Sane, and the 18-year-old starlet Jamal Musiala. With the hard-working wingback pairing of Robin Gosens and Lukas Klostermann, this team has a chance to score a boatload of goals.
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3. Spain
After a historic stretch between 2008-2012 that saw Spain win back-to-back Euro’s and a World Cup, the national team hit a bit of a lull. Spain flamed out in the Group Stage at the 2014 World Cup, lost in the Round of 16 at Euro 2016, and again at the ’18 World Cup. However, the team is now back to being a top competitor. Spain has lost just one match since falling 3-2 to Croatia in November 2018. The Euro 2020 roster is eye-opening due to the fact that ZERO Real Madrid players made the cut. But still, there is plenty of talent present.
David de Gea remains in the mix — though Unai Simon of Athletic Bilbao appears to have the edge to start at keeper. Jordi Alba is a lock to start on the backline, and will likely be joined by Marcos Llorente (who plays MF for his club), Aymeric Laporte, and Pau Torres. Laporte — born and raised in France — recently garnered the ability to represent Spain through his great-grandparents. He immediately will upgrade a backline which had been aging rather rapidly. Rodri should function as the deep-lying regista in place of national team legend Sergio Busquets. You’ll likely see Spain utilize younger players in the attacking part of the field (Ferran Torres, Dani Olmo) along with the presence of Atleti Madrid icon Koke and Juve forward Alvaro Morata. It will be strange seeing a Spanish side without Sergio Ramos on the roster. However, Spain is making a rise decision by unleashing its crop of highly talented young players.
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2. Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo is the ultimate showstopper. However, at age 36, he might not be the most dangerous player on the pitch point and time. Portugal is ushering in a ‘Golden Generation’ right before our eyes. From an attacking standpoint, this roster is LOADED with world class talents — the likes we haven’t seen in a Portugal side in quite sometime. Having Ronaldo function as the poacher in the center of the field makes sense. He’s still electric in the box — with both movement and in the air. Manager Fernando Santos can flank him with a number of truly dynamic talents (Bernardo Silva, Andre Silva, Joao Felix, Diogo Jota).
Lyon’s Anthony Lopes will be in goal, and he’ll be behind a defense two Man City defenders (Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo), Borussia Dortmund wingback Raphael Guerreiro, and 37-year-old Lille veteran Jose Fonte. The defending European champions are stacked at midfield. Ruben Neves and Renato Sanches are potential starters, with Danilo Pereira and Bruno Fernandes jockeying for play time. Without question, this squad has a chance to yet again repeat as the European Champions.
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1. France
The defending World Cup champions are entering Euro 2020 with a stronger squad than it had in Russia. Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris remains the stalwart in goal, Kylian Mbappe is still just 22 years old, and now France is adding another world class attacking player to its roster for the first time in six years. Real Madrid star Karim Benzema is making his return to the national team following a disgraceful exit. Adding Benzema to an attack that already boasts Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and Ousmane Dembele is absolutely absurd.
Three top-notch midfielders will continue to control the game — N’Golo Kante, Adrien Rabiot, Paul Pogba — and France has no shortage of talent on defense with the likes of Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane, and Presnel Kimpembe available to manager Didier Deschamps. France are the team to beat.
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