Expert Picks

GROUP A

To qualify: Portugal and Switzerland

PORTUGAL

Though some of their more recognizable star players have now retired from the international scene, Cristiano Ronaldo has the ability to carry his country deep into the tournament.
 
SWITZERLAND

Alexander Frei has spent a good part of this season injured and only recently returned to play.

GROUP B

To qualify: Germany and Croatia

CROATIA

A number of players on the team who will move for large transfer fees this summer, but the player that really makes this team tick is Luka Modric.
 
GERMANY - McMahon’s pick for champions
The team is very dependant on the play of captain Michael Ballack although Germany looks to have more firepower up front than they did two summers ago. Mario Gomez might get amongst the goals as well.

GROUP C

To qualify: France and Italy, no make that France and Netherlands, there again it might be Netherlands and Italy—you get how tight this one will be.

FRANCE

Every tournament has to have a group of death and for Euro 2008 Group C is it. Karim Benzema does not have the name recognition of some of his illustrious teammates but over the next ten years this youngster could be one of the world’s best.
 
ITALY

Luca Toni may have only scored twice in Germany in 2006, but he was pivotal to Italy’s success—a massive
player both in size and in temperament.  
 
NETHERLANDS

Rafael van der Vaart is the pulse of Hamburg of the Bundesliga and his midfield promptings and an eye for a long-range shot will be important for the Netherlands.

GROUP D

To qualify: Spain and Russia—I will regret picking both of them!

RUSSIA

Andrei Arshavin has outstanding individual skills with great anticipation and has the ability to fill a number of different roles in midfield and attack—a real craftsman.

SPAIN

Last summer Fernando Torres’ move from Atletico Madrid to Liverpool was widely questioned given the money Liverpool paid and the fact that Torres had never scored twenty goals in a season. Nearly 12 months on Torres has scored twenty goals and much more and is considered a bargain at more than $45 million.