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Euro 2020 is just around the corner and it promises to be an exciting summer as the top European nations prepare to fight it out for continental glory. The teams have all announced their squads and the much-awaited tournament, which was postponed last year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, promises to be an absolute cracker.
Teams like France, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Netherlands and England, among others, have named strong squads. The managers are pulling out all the stops to ensure they bring the Euro 2020 title home. The biggest competitions almost always deliver a raft of surprises and we're expecting no less this time around.
Euro 2020 kicks off on June 11
It's hard to predict what is going to happen in the high-profile tournament with several European nations possessing star-studded squads. By the end of the summer, we will have a new set of heroes. Here, we make some bold predictions for Euro 2020.
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#5 Surprise team of the tournament - Poland
Poland are the dark horses of Euro 2020. However, manager Paulo Sousa will need to be wary of his side being over-reliant on Robert Lewandowski. The Bayern Munich striker has enjoyed yet another incredible domestic season, winning the European Golden shoe after scoring 41 goals in just 29 appearances in the Bundesliga.
He is also Poland's top scorer, with 66 goals in 118 appearances. Sousa will configure his team to bring out the best of the 32-year-old striker. The supporting cast includes players like Piotr Zieliński and Mateusz Klich, who are all coming off impressive showings in the 2020-21 season.
They also have Arkadiusz Milik, who was on loan at Marseille for the second half of the season, to support Lewandowski. He scored 10 goals and provided two assists from 16 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit across all competitions. Napoli midfield lynchpin Zielinski has continued to flourish despite the several managerial changes that the Partenopei have undergone over the last few seasons.
He can also play in a variety of roles and alongside Leeds United's Matheus Klich and they have what it takes to provide Lewandowski with top-quality service. Lokomotiv's Grzegorz Krychowiak will be a formidable presence behind them in defensive midfield.
Their backline, led by Benevento's Kamil Glik and Jan Bednarek of Southampton, can hold their own against the very best in the business. With a bit of good fortune, Poland could go a long way in Euro 2020.
#4 Player of the tournament - N'Golo Kante
N'Golo Kante won four back-to-back man-of-the-match performances from the second leg of the quarter-final to the final of the UEFA Champions League for Chelsea. He has shown that he still has what it takes to be the difference maker on the big stage.
Kante has been in sublime form of late, covering every blade of grass on the turf and running adversaries ragged. The Frenchman will be the first name on Didier Deschamps's starting XI and for good reason. With the 30-year-old on the pitch, opposition players find it hard to play their natural game.
Kante played a starring role in France's 2018 World Cup triumph. We expect him to replicate those heroics or even do one better at Euro 2020 given the kind of form he has been in of late.
a#3 Surprise story of the tournament - Eden Hazard hitting form again
A couple of years back, Eden Hazard was arguably the best attacker in the Premier League. When he copped his dream move to Real Madrid, he was expected to be a top replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, Hazard's stint at the Santiago Bernabeu has been plagued with injuries and the Belgian has underperformed drastically as well.
Belgium manager Roberto Martinez believes that Eden Hazard has finally hit good fitness levels and will be a difference maker in the coming tournament. In an interview with the newspaper Le Soir (via Marca) in the final week of May, he said:
"During this time, we've seen a sad and worried Eden who was no longer himself because his body was no longer responding. Today, and since March, I see a medically strong body that will help Eden get back to being himself."
If that is true, we might just see the Hazard of old again. His ability cannot be questioned and if he can regain fitness, he will be the surprise package of Euro 2020.
#2 Golden Boot winner - Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is 36-years-old but he continues to be one of the most prolific goalscorers in Europe. He won the Serie A Golden Boot after scoring 29 goals in 33 appearances for Juventus. Ronaldo was able to score almost a goal per game despite most of his teammates underperforming.
Portugal have one of the strongest squads heading into Euro 2020. With playmaker Bruno Fernandes in prime form, Ronaldo will have no shortage of quality service. He is also likely to be partnered up front with Andre Silva, who has been in great goalscoring form himself.
Ronaldo has repeatedly elevated his game on the big stage. Given the fact that he is approaching the end of his career, there is no doubt that he will give his absolute best in the upcoming tournament. He is also just s goals away from displacing Iran's Ali Daei as the top scorer in international football. Euro 2020 could very well be the stage where he dethrones Daei to create history.
#1 Euro 2020 champions - France | Runner up - Belgium
France have pretty much the same squad that won the World Cup in 2018, with almost all their players at the peak of their powers heading into Euro 2020. They have even upgraded their striking department, bringing Karim Benzema back into the squad.
Benzema will be partnered up front with Kylian Mbappe who continues to be a nightmare for defenders. With Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante in midfield and the likes of Varane, Jules Kounde, Theo Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard making up the supporting cast, they are among the strongest sides in the tournament.
Belgium have an incredibly talented squad as well. Romelu Lukaku, the chief architect behind Inter Milan's 2020-21 Serie A triumph, will lead the line. He will be supported by the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Dries Mertens and Yannick Carrasco, among others, and the Red Devils have the quality to go all the way.
We are predicting a showdown between France and Belgium with Les Bleus prevailing eventually.
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