Euro 2020: Who is likely to qualify?

Group F: Spain, Sweden, Norway, Romania, Faroe Islands, Malta

Spain should be strong enough to win their qualifying group

Early on in the Nations League, it looked like Luis Enrique had reinvigorated Spain to the point where they could become as feared as they were about a decade ago. But their big wins over England and Croatia were followed by losses in the reverse fixtures, and suddenly it feels like La Furia Roja are back in the spot they occupied post-World Cup – a brilliant technical side with some clear weaknesses.

Those weaknesses honestly shouldn’t matter too much in this group, however. Sweden and Norway are both solid, workmanlike sides but nowhere near the level of England or Croatia in terms of attacking talent, while Romania, the Faroe Islands and Malta are simply miles behind Spain and both Scandinavian sides right now.

Basically, Spain should qualify in a cake-walk which leaves the runner-up spot as a likely Scandinavian shoot-out between the Swedes and Norwegians. And that one is quite close to call, in my opinion. Both sides won their Nations League groups, with Sweden gaining promotion to League A, and Norway into League B.

Clearly, Sweden have been more successful recently; their run to the World Cup quarter-finals was impressive and the post-Ibrahimovic era has seen Emil Forsberg emerge as a potential star. But some of their other big names – Marcus Berg, Andreas Granqvist, Sebastian Larsson – aren’t getting any younger and are probably closing in on the end of their international careers.

Norway meanwhile have been resurgent of late, interestingly under a Swedish coach, Lars Lagerback, who was also responsible for Iceland’s shocking run to Euro 2016’s quarter-finals.

They don’t have many big names – Bournemouth’s Josh King is perhaps their most well-known player, although youngster Martin Odegaard, on loan at Vitesse from Real Madrid, is also one to watch – but after a loss to Bulgaria they went unbeaten in the Nations League to win their group and have won 8 of 10 games in 2018.

I’d probably favour Sweden as they’re the more proven outfit right now, but to see Norway edge them out to finish behind Spain is definitely a possibility.

Prediction: Spain and Sweden to qualify