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As qualification commences towards the cusp of completion, we begin to gather our thoughts and wonder, Which team is going to win the European Championship in 2012. We can ponder the many possibilities but we simply don't know the fate that lies ahead of the champions set to win. Click read more to watch videos! When I put my head down to think about the teams that could be victorious and win this prestigious honour, only three come to mind. It takes dedication, determination and a bit of luck to win these type of high profile tournaments and the three teams that seem to revel in these are, most obviously the reigning world champions Spain, the innovative and ever-green, well coached Germany and the ultra attacking Netherlands. SPAIN With Spain, every football fan knows exactly what they will be getting at Euro 2012. At Spain's core, is the Barcelona setup and at times they are untouchable as their delicate style of play commands the field. With the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, along with Silva, and Alonso, opponents may have to wait minutes before they even get a chance to touch the ball. This team thrives on ball retention, ultimately making possession their best asset and strength when facing other teams. It works to their advantage, as it causes their agile offence to be strategic and creative as they work the football up the field. As for the defence, keeping the ball means less opportunities being created by the opposing side to score goals. Spain is without question, one of the most attractive teams of all time and are highly ambitious to write their name in the history books.....once more. Many football fans will label them HUGE favorites for next year's tournament.
GERMANY With Germany you have an extremely young and vibrant football team that are coached by a great manager, Joachim Löw. Germany has everything necessary to win Euro 2012 but I must admit, they have a dark cloud circling above their heads when it comes to bringing home the bauchspeck (yes, that's German for bacon). Although Germany have won 3 world cups and other major tournaments, they are also known for losing the most finals. They lost their most recent final to the current holders, Spain, in 08'. Germany is solid through out their entire team; from the excellent back four to their extremely qualified midfield, lead by two world beaters Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Ozil and the upcoming Mario Gotze to add that bit of dynamism to their team. Finally, up top, they have the ever reliable Miroslav Klose, who relishes the international stage along with the extremely potent Mario Gomez who at the moment really can't stop scoring. NETHERLANDS The Netherlands never seem to have the luck necessary to win these kinds of tournaments, as they have lost finals before in their history, however, the squad they have assembled is one of their best and they surely know how to put on a spectacle when they play. This is an extremely attacking football team, out scoring every other team in qualifications, stacking up a mountainous 35 goals in 9 games! With the likes of Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Robin Van Persie, we are talking about some of the greatest attacking footballers on the planet. Their defence may very well be seen as a weakness as it is quite youthful and inexperienced in tournaments such as this, however they have only conceded 5, which leaves them with the best goal differential at this stage. Holland play a similar style to Spain, or rather Spain plays a similar style to Holland considering this is the birthplace of "total football". They hold possession of the ball, play simple short passes and they thrive on this to create their chances. This leads to frustration for many opponents, who in the end start playing into the hands of the Dutch players and become disorganised on the field, leaving craters of holes in the defence and midfield. As the Dutch have earned a notorious reputation as great underachievers, I am certain these players would love to get that tag off their backs. I would not be surprised if I saw Holland lifting the trophy next summer. This leads to my conclusion that the eventual winner of the European Championships will be one of these three discussed teams. If you disagree, feel free to comment and give me your input on this article. | ||
