Group F is one of the quieter groups of the lot. While the teams on show aren’t the greatest, the quality of some of the players is of the highest level. Boasting Champions League winners and Bundesliga champion(s), the group consists of 8th ranked Portugal, 10th ranked Austria, 20th ranked Hungary and 34th ranked Iceland. With all four teams having a reasonable chance to progress to the knockout stages, Group F is amongst the most exciting. Here, we take a look at five players who can have a say on the outcome of the group:
5: Balazs Dzsudzsak (Hungary)
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Having qualified for their first Euros since 1972, Hungary must make full use of their opportunity as you don’t know when they’ll play at a major tournament next. However, Hungary have a fearless leader, and role model in the form of Balazs Dzsudzsak - A right winger who has been in decent form for club and country, although he scored only one goal during qualifying.
Now on the big stage, it’s up to the Hungarian skipper to lead from the front and make an impact. A set piece expert who is lethal with free kicks, he can also run riot around defenders with his exceptional dribbling skills.
On his day, Dzsudzsak is a force to be reckoned with and will have the burden on carrying the weight of the entire nation on his shoulders.
4: David Alaba (Austria)
At the age of 23, Alaba has won it all at club level. Be it the Champions League or the Bundesliga, he has been there and done that. Arguably the most versatile footballer in the world, Alaba can thrive at any position he plays. Be it at left back or holding midfield or left wing, Alaba has done it all and has had tremendous success, regardless of where he is deplpoyed.
Used primarily as a holding midfielder for Austria, Alaba needs to pull the strings while shielding the defence. Possessing an exquisite passing range, and a strong left foot, Alaba can unleash long range strikes which frequently find the back of the net. With the likes of Marko Arunautovic and Marc Janko in the side, Austria are poised to go through to the knockout stages for the first time in the country’s history.
3: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Iceland)
Good news for Iceland fans is that Gylfi Sigurdsson has found form at the right time. After a disastrous first half of the season at Swansea, he was instrumental in the Welsh club’s survival as he contributed 11 goals and 3 assists in the space of 20 games.
As for Iceland, Sigurdsson has been their key player during the qualifying stages, as his three goals in two games against Netherlands justify his importance to the team. Sigurdsson has formed a formidable partnership with captain, Aron Gunnarsson as it allows him to bomb forward and create chances for this Iceland team on a regular basis. He is lethal from dead-ball situations in particular and opposing defenders will have to think twice before fouling Iceland players near their goal.
The presence of Sigurdsson, Gunnarsson, and striker Kolbein Sigthorsson makes Iceland a very dangerous team.
2: Marc Janko (Austria)
You don’t often find 32 year old footballers leading their nation’s forward line with aplomb. But, hey! The towering 6 foot 5 inch Austrian veteran Marc Janko is doing just that. He was the top scorer for Austria during the qualifying campaign with an impressive 7 goals.
With a prolific goal record at club level as well, Janko will be looking forward to terrorizing defences with his power. He is a traditional centre forward with his hold-up play, and finishing ability. With the likes of Marko Arunautovic and David Alaba supplying him from the midfield, Austria should not be short on goals in France.
1: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Well, this comes as no surprise. A team with Ronaldo at the fore always has a chance to do go all the way. However, with an impressive, though unbalanced Portugal team backing him up, the Real Madrid hit-man has to do bulk of the scoring. Ronaldo was not his usual majestic self throughout qualifying, but his handful of goals (5) helped Portugal win an easy group and made him the competition's all-time top scorer.
Bustling with pace, power, trickery, and a lethal nose for goal, Ronaldo often makes defenders regret their profession. Ronaldo is the probably the best footballer Portugal have ever produced.
Although Ricardo Quaresma is a doubt after picking up a muscle injury, the Portuguese still have quality players such as Pepe, Nani, Joao Moutinho, and the exciting Renato Sanches to enable Cristiano, and potentially finish as group winners.
