One of a world’s biggest sporting events is here as TSN and TSN.ca is giving we finish coverage of UEFA EURO 2012. Our run of organisation previews continue on TSN.ca currently with a demeanour during Group D – that includes England, France, Sweden and co-host Ukraine.

ENGLAND

Despite being a home of one of a many prestigious soccer leagues in a whole sport, a 1966 World Cup stays a usually vital prize that England has captured.

Euro 2008 was quite catastrophic for a Three Lions as they crashed out during a subordinate theatre and did not attend in a tournament.

So what lies in-store for a 2012 squad?

Jason deVos says: Before each vital contest begins, English fans lift a expectations for their organisation over belief. Critical thinkers know, however, that England could onslaught to strech a knockout theatre of this tournament. With Wayne Rooney dangling for a initial dual organisation games, Darren Bent recuperating from damage and doubtful to be compare fit and Frank Lampard’s deficiency due to a thigh injury, there are doubt outlines around where a goals will come from. Add to that a using argument between John Terry and Rio Ferdinand, and England has troubles in defense. Roy Hodgson has usually usually been commissioned as a new male in charge, and he will need to use his substantial trust to tract a march over a initial turn for England. It won’t be easy, though, as both France and Sweden will imagination their chances of promulgation England home early.

Player to Watch: With Rooney suspended, their abyss adult front will be put to a test. Arsenal’s 23-year-old Theo Walcott might paint England’s best wish during production corruption in a opening dual matches. Despite usually 9 goals in 30 appearances with Arsenal in 2011-12, Walcott still has some-more general knowledge than Manchester United’s Danny Welbeck and some-more talent than Liverpool’s Andy Carroll.

Euro 2012 Squad:

Goalkeepers: Robert Green (West Ham), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Jack Butland (Birmingham).

Defenders: Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Leighton Baines (Everton), Phil Jones (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool). Martin Kelly (Liverpool).

Midfielders: Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Scott Parker (Tottenham), Ashley Young (Manchester United), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool).

Forwards: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Andy Carroll (Liverpool).

Road To Euro 2012:

Group: G – Bulgaria, Montenegro, Switzerland, Wales

Record: 5-0-3

Key Match: England competent for Euro 2012 though pang a better during a organisation stage, winning 5 of a 8 games they played to acquire their place in a tournament. But their final organisation diversion played Oct. 7 during Montenegro looms largest. The 2-2 lift that Montenegro warranted with an additional time idea was still adequate to send England by to a categorical tournament, though a 74th notation red label to Wayne Rooney led to England’s heading scorer being dangling for 3 games (later reduced to two), a outrageous blow to their chances of being crowned champions.

Tournament History: 2008 – Did Not Qualify, 2004 –Quarter-Finals, 2000 – Group Stage

Best Finish: Third Place (1968, 1996)

FRANCE

France’s track to Euro 2012 was reduction than convincing, carrying to lift out a final notation win after being matched early in subordinate by lesser-lights such as Albania and after bested by Belarus (on home soil, no less).

So who will step adult for France to try to retrieve some of a honour that enveloped a republic when it ruled a soccer universe in 1998 and 2000?

Jason deVos says: France has suffered a satisfactory share of embarrassments of late. Finishing final in Group A during a 2010 FIFA World Cup (after reaching a final 4 years earlier) and finishing bottom of Group C during Euro 2008 (after winning a contest in 2000) are dual examples. But a French have an glorious growth complement that continues to furnish sparkling talent, and conduct manager Laurent Blanc will have a likes of Franck Ribery, Samir Nasri and Karim Benzema during his disposal. Benzema notched 21 goals for Real Madrid in Spain’s La Liga this season, and he will be looking to make his symbol as Blanc’s go-to male adult front for France. Les Bleus will go as apart as Ribery takes them, however. It will be over a organisation stage, though isn’t expected to be all a approach to a final.

Players to Watch: The male who salvaged a nation’s subordinate from a margin is one of a many weapons in Manchester City’s championship arsenal. The 24-year-old distributor Samir Nasri was an costly off-season merger for City and paid dividends with his skills on set-plays and crosses. If France can modify a opportunities he’s firm to create, they might be means to once again be a force among their European peers.

Euro 2012 Squad:

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Cedric Carrasso (Bordeaux).

Defenders: Gael Clichy (Manchester City), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Philippe Mexes (AC Milan), Adil Rami (Valence), Mathieu Debuchy (Lille), Anthony Reveillere (Lyon).

Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Samir Nasri (Manchester City), Alou Diarra (Marseille), Yann M’Vila (Rennes), Blaise Matuidi (PSG), Marvin Martin (Sochaux).

Strikers: Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle), Karim Benzema, (Real Madrid), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Olivier Giroud (Montpellier), Jeremy Menez (PSG), Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille).

Road to Euro 2012:

Group: D – Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Romania

Record: 6-1-3

Key Match: France won a organisation during roughly a final probable minute. Facing contingent second-place finishers Bosnia and Herzegovina in a final subordinate compare on Oct 11, France found itself down 1-0 late in a game. However, a tainted in a box sent Samir Nasri to a chastisement symbol in a 78th minute. He converted, giving France a indicate it indispensable for involuntary qualification.

Tournament History: 2008 – Qualified, 2004 – Quarter Final, 2000 – Champions

Best Finish: Champions (2000, 1984)

SWEDEN

Don’t tell Sweden they were a second-place team.

The sole organisation to validate automatically for a contest notwithstanding not winning their group, Sweden was usually one detriment behind a really gifted Dutch organisation in Group E.

A republic that was once a Semi Final long-lived in a early 90s has found itself in a rival forest of sorts, disposition on a talents of Henrik Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimovic for roughly a decade before a former retired.

Ibrahimovic remains, though that of his gifted teammates will step adult alongside him?

Jason deVos says: Sweden will wish that it can be a warn organisation in this group, and if Zlatan Ibrahimovic comes prepared to play, they could dissapoint possibly France or England for a place in a knockout stage. Ibrahimovic led a approach in subordinate with 5 goals, though was superbly upheld by Christian Wilhelmsson, Sebastian Larsson and Kim Kallstrom, who all contributed 3 goals apiece. Kallstrom is a pushing force in midfield, and if he and Ibrahimovic can find their form, Sweden could be primed to dissapoint a odds.

Player to Watch: Sweden’s 26-year-old set-piece dilettante Sebastian Larsson is an intriguing name to watch via a tournament. His penalty-spot idea opposite The Netherlands was instrumental in branch a waves and permitting a Swedes a giveaway pass to a tournament. If he and Ibrahimovic get on a roll, there’s no reason to consider Sweden can’t compete.

Euro 2012 Squad:

Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven), Johan Wiland (FC Copenhagen), Par Hansson (Helsingborg).

Defenders: Mikael Lustig (Celtic), Olof Mellberg (Olympiakos), Andreas Granqvist (Genoa), Martin Olsson (Blackburn), Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich Albion), Mikael Antonsson (Bologna), Behrang Safari (Anderlecht).

Midfielders: Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar), Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland), Anders Svensson (Elfsborg), Kim Kallstrom (Lyon), Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow), Samuel Holmen (Istanbul), Emir Bajrami (Twente), Christian Wilhelmsson (Al Hilal)

Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan), Johan Elmander (Galatasaray), Tobias Hysen (IFK Goteborg), Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven), Markus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen).

Road To Euro 2012:

Group: E – Finland, Hungary, Moldova, The Netherlands, San Marino

Record: 8-2-0

Key Match: With a ability to control their possess destiny, a Swedes stepped adult in a final subordinate game. Knowing that a win over a dominant Dutch patrol would give them an demonstrate pass to a Finals, Sweden stormed behind from a 2-1 necessity with dual goals in dual mins to take a 3-2 lead they would helper to a final whistle.

Tournament History: 2008 – Qualified, 2004 – Quarter Final, 2000 – Qualified

Best Finish: Semi Final (1992)

UKRAINE

Hosting Euro 2012 might be a event of a lifetime for Ukraine. For a organisation that has never competent for a contest given achieving autonomy from a Soviet Union, Ukraine has been sitting flattering for a past 4 years, even if it has not been sitting comfortably.

Ukraine was selected to co-host a contest with Poland behind in 2007 during what might now be seen as a high-water symbol for Ukrainian soccer. The preference came one year after a pretender Ukrainians took a World Cup by storm, advancing to a Quarter Finals before descending to a eventual-Champions from Italy.

The organisation had a initial ambience of success and was prepared to acquire a world.

Since then, however, things have left sideways. The patrol finished a apart fourth in a subordinate organisation in hopes of creation Euro 2008 and a 1-0 playoff better on home dirt to Greece kept them out of a 2010 World Cup.

What’s left wrong? Well, a many trustworthy answer might be that time simply is not on their side as one era of talent has unsuccessful to furnish a second wave.

Jason deVos says: Co-hosts Ukraine would have struggled to validate for this contest were it not being played on home soil, and there is small to trust that their appearance will final some-more than their 3 scheduled organisation games. Andrei Shevchenko was a shining actor in his prime, though those days are prolonged gone, and a fact that he is still in row for Ukraine speaks volumes about their miss of quality. Coach Oleh Blohkin will have to lift off a teenager spectacle if he is to beam his organisation over a organisation stage.

Player to Watch: Andriy Yarmolenko. At usually 22, he’s turn one of a chosen idea scorers in a Ukrainian Premier League and, if he can live adult to his sky-high potential, could shortly turn a child of force adult front that a vaunted series 7 has turn over a past dual decades.

Euro 2012 Squad:

Goalkeepers: Oleksandr Goryainov (Metalist Kharkiv), Maxym Koval (Dynamo Kyiv), Andriy Pyatov (Shakhtar Donetsk).

Defenders: Bohdan Butko (Illychivets Mariupil), Olexandr Kucher (Shakhtar Donetsk), Taras Mikhalik (Dynamo Kyiv), Yaroslav Rakitskiy (Shakhtar Donetsk), Yevhen Selin (Vorskla Poltava), Yevhen Khacheridi (Dynamo Kyiv), Vyacheslav Shevchuk (Shakhtar Donetsk).

Midfielders: Olexandr Aliyev (Dynamo Kyiv), Denys Garmash (Dynamo Kyiv), Oleh Gusev (Dynamo Kyiv), Yevhen Konoplyanka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Serhiy Nazarenko (Tavriya Simferopol), Ruslan Rotan (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (Bayern Munich), Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kyiv).

Forwards: Andriy Voronin (Dinamo Moscow), Marko Devic (Metalist Kharkiv), Artem Milevskiy (Dynamo Kyiv), Yevhen Seleznyov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv).

Road to Euro 2012:

Group: As a co-host nation, Ukraine competent automatically for Euro 2012.

Record: 2-6-0 (in final 8 International friendlies)

Key Match: The team’s bad record in new friendlies might be means for concern, though let it not be pronounced that a organisation is coasting interjection to a involuntary qualification. The organisation mislaid to some tough foe of late in associate qualifiers Italy, France and Sweden as good as playoff teams Estonia and a Czech Republic. The organisation was mins divided from a lift with reigning Copa America Champs Uruguay on Sep 2 before surrender in a 87th notation in a 3-2 loss.

Tournament History: First time subordinate for European Finals.

All 31 games from UEFA EURO 2012 will be promote in high clarification with 26 games on TSN, 4 games on TSN2 and one diversion on CTV. TSN’s coverage of UEFA EURO 2012 starts Friday with Poland holding on Greece with pregame coverage commencement during 11am et/8am pt.