Euro 2020: Who is likely to qualify?

Group H: France, Iceland, Turkey, Albania, Moldova, Andorra

World Cup winners France have been given a relatively soft draw

Despite so-so results in the Nations League – they missed out on winning their group, which was taken by the resurgent Netherlands – World Cup winners France could hardly have asked for a softer draw here. Avoiding tough Pot 2 teams like Denmark, Wales and Germany, France have instead been faced with Iceland, who appear to be on a major slide, and Turkey, who were also relegated in the Nations League.

We all know how much depth France have in terms of talent – names like Varane, Mbappe, Griezmann, Dembele, Umtiti, Lloris and Pogba simply roll off the tongue – so if they even drop a single point in this group I’d be shocked.

That should leave the runner-up slot, and in all honesty, it could be anyone’s. Well, it won’t likely go to Moldova or Andorra, as both sides finished at the lower end of their groups in the Nations League’s bottom division, League D.

Iceland are probably the favourites; they surprised everyone with their run at Euro 2016 and although the World Cup wasn’t as successful, they still picked up a respectable draw with Argentina. Their results in the Nations League and in their friendly fixtures suggest a slide though – they haven’t actually won a game since October 2017 and recently drew with Qatar of all sides.

Turkey haven’t really looked great either, though; a strong 2-3 win over Sweden in the Nations League was the only high point of that campaign – they also lost twice to Russia and then to Sweden in the reverse fixture, resulting in their relegation. And they notably lost twice to Iceland in World Cup qualifiers, too.

That leaves Albania, and to be frank they simply don’t appear to have the talent in their ranks to bother the top three sides, despite a recent 1-0 victory over Wales. I suspect Iceland will likely edge Turkey to take the runner-up spot, but Turkey could just as easily force Iceland into 3rd if Iceland’s slide continues.

Prediction: France and Iceland to qualify