Story highlights
Euro 2016 restarts with last 16 Saturday
Poland faces Switzerland in first tie
Host France plays N. Ireland Sunday
Iceland plays England in Nice Monday
Two days without football can be a long time – but fear no longer, the real drama at Euro 2016 is about to start with the knockout rounds.
That’s right, one moment of brilliance or one calamitous mistake could be the difference between a quarterfinal or a quick flight home.
So here we go: 16 teams, four games from glory, only one winner – who’s your pick?
Who’s the favorite?
It would take a brave person to bet against world champion Germany, even if Jogi Low’s team has yet to reach top gear.
When it comes to tournament football, the Germans know what it takes and will be difficult to dislodge in the later stages.
Host nation France is heavily fancied but could find its way to the final blocked by England, Spain or Italy as well as the Germans.
Defending champion Spain next faces Italy in a rematch of the 2012 final, but is also being backed to reach the last four.
And look out for Belgium – it’s in the kinder half of the draw and has one of the most talented squads at the tournament.
Dark horses emerge
There’s always one team which gets labeled as “dark horses” going into the tournament, but the way the draw has worked out means there’s more than one team which could surprise the odds.
One of those is Croatia – a team which just loves playing in France, where it finished third at the 1998 World Cup.
This generation is blessed with some wonderful talent including Real Madrid’s Luka Modric and Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic.
But it’s the performances of Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic which has caught the eye.
Perisic, who scored the winning goal in the 2-1 victory over Spain, has encapsulated the energy, unyielding spirit and technical prowess of this Croatian side.
Add in the likes of captain Darijo Srna, defender Vedran Corluka and penalty-saving goalkeeper Danijel Subasic, and it’s clear to see why many are tipping Croatia.
Read: Ronaldo turns on style as Portugal draw to reach last 16
On Saturday in Lens, Ante Čačić’s side faces Portugal – a team which could yet go all the way despite only just scraping its way out of the group stage.
Portugal, which drew all three games and finished behind Hungary and Iceland in Group F, made the semifinals on home soil in 2004 and in Cristiano Ronaldo boasts one of the best players on the planet.
The Real Madrid man has had a mixed tournament – throwing a reporter’s microphone in the lake just hours before scoring twice in the 3-3 draw with Hungary.
Ronaldo, the first man to score at four European Championship finals, has been ably assisted by former Manchester United teammate Nani – but the duo might have their work cut out against Croatia.
Another team to watch is Poland – unbeaten so far and set to take on Switzerland in Saint-Etienne on Saturday, it could yet surprise a few people.
Poland was unfortunate in its goalless draw with Germany – a game it should have won given the chances it created.
If it can get talisman Robert Lewandowski up and firing then it could go deep into this tournament.
Lewandowski, who finished the season as top scorer in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich after netting 30 goals, has yet to score in France but don’t bet against him ending his drought on Saturday.
And then there’s England – though based on precedent, Roy Hodgson’s side will probably go out on penalties, but you never know.
Minnows march on
There was some trepidation ahead of the tournament with the number of teams being expanded from 16 to 24, but the success of the so-called smaller nations has allayed those fears.
The smallest country to compete at the championship with a population of just 330,000, Iceland has made it through to the knockout phase on its first appearance at a major international tournament.
Iceland, which will face England in Nice on Monday, finished second in Group F courtesy of a dramatic last-minute win over Austria.
The result sent the nation’s fans and commentators into total meltdown.
And don’t forget the likes of Wales and Northern Ireland – two teams which face each other for a place in the quarterfinal.
Wales, led by the hugely impressive Gareth Bale, thrashed Russia 3-0 to win its group, while Northern Ireland, playing at the Euros for the first time, finished as one of the best third-placed teams.
It’s not just Bale who has been on fire – check out Liverpool’s Joe Allen and Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey, two players who should help Wales reach the last eight.
Ronaldo outshone
While Lionel Messi has been breaking records with Argentina at Copa America, Ronaldo has had a tough time in France.
He’s come in for plenty of criticism for his displays and, while his two goals against Hungary silenced the critics, it won’t be long until the sniping starts again should Portugal fail to make the last eight.
What’s worse for Ronaldo is that he’s been outperformed by two of his Real Madrid teammates.
Bale’s three goals in three games have propelled Wales into the knockout stages in its first major tournament for 58 years, while Modric was a standout star for Croatia before missing the Spain game with an injury. It might be time for the Portugal captain to up his game.
Early tournament troubles
It seems a long time ago since images of fighting and disorder were being shown on televisions around the world.
Arrests were made, tear gas was fired and police were in constant attendance as fans threw bottles and chairs across the street.
But the trouble which plagued the opening days of the tournament, particularly in Marseille, appears to have faded.
UEFA has handed out a number of fines with fans setting off flares inside stadiums, while one man ran onto the pitch to get a selfie with Ronaldo after Portugal’s draw with Austria.
But it looks like the party spirit has finally broken out in France and long may it continue.
Ireland fans the world’s best
For all the talk of fan trouble at the Euros, there is one set of supporters who have become the toast of France.
Meet the Republic of Ireland’s hardy bunch who have been singing and dancing their way across the country since the start of the tournament.
They’ve wooed ladies, sung lullabies to babies, danced with rival fans and even been the subject of praise from the French media.
They’ve made friends everywhere they’ve gone and the singing’s been in tune for the most part.
Next stop for the Irish is Lyon and a date with host France – it could be one big party.
Who is Will Grigg?
You might have thought fans would be singing about some of the world’s most famous players at Euro 2016 – but you’d be wrong.
Nope, they’re actually going crazy for Will Grigg – the Northern Ireland striker who has his own anthem which has gone viral online and in the analogue world too.
Forget that Grigg hasn’t actually played a second of football at the tournament – you’re never going to get this song out of your head.
And it’s not just the Northern Ireland fans who have got this song on repeat.
Life’s a pitch
While the football might have been easy on the eye at times, the surfaces have been less kind.
European soccer’s governing body has come in for heavy criticism over the poor quality of the pitches at the championship.
Earlier this week, UEFA revealed it would relay the surface in Lille ahead of the last-16 stage, with grass being transported from the Netherlands.
There have also been repairs to the pitches in Marseille and at the iconic Stade de France, which will host the July 10 final.
A number of coaches have hit out at the conditions of pitches, with France coach Didier Deschamps particularly aggrieved.
“The pitches should be better and we’re not happy,” tournament director Martin Kallen said last week.
“We have taken measures to preserve pitches but in a summer tournament you don’t expect it to rain so much.”
Bye bye Zlatan
Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought down the curtain on his international career after Sweden’s 1-0 defeat by Belgium on Wednesday.
The forward made 116 appearances for Sweden, scoring 62 goals, but has called time after he decided against playing at the Olympic Games.
The forward, who is without a club after leaving French champion Paris Saint-Germain, made his international debut as a 19-year-old.
It was a sad end to the 34-year-old’s time with the national team, as it exited at the group stage.
“Unearthing a new Zlatan? No, he is special, he is unique,” coach Erik Hamren said.
“I don’t think that in a small country like Sweden you will find another player like him.”
Bosses on the brink
Every coach heads into a major tournament knowing their job could be on the line.
One mistake, one bad performance or one piece of bad luck can make all the difference and there are plenty of coaches already looking over their shoulder.
Hodgson’s England has been slated in the UK media after finishing second in Group B behind near neighbor Wales – that despite having defeated the Welsh 2-1.
A goalless draw against Slovakia after radically changing the team that had beaten Wales has put Hodgson under pressure with his current deal set to expire at the end of the tournament.
Should England do the unthinkable and lose to Iceland, it’s safe to say Hodgson will be looking for a new job.
But he’s not the only one. Russia’s Leonid Slutsky has already offered to quit his role, while Austria coach Marcel Koller is in the firing line after his team exited the tournament without winning a game.
Hamren, whose Sweden side drew once and lost twice, has already said he’ll be leaving the role.
And you can be sure a whole lot of Europe’s top coaches will be worrying they’re next for the chop if it all goes wrong.
Who are you tipping?
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