Tabla de contenidos para June 2016 en Australian FourFourTwo

Just a few months ago, the A-League was at its lowest ebb. In its 11 years, it had never seemed more tarnished, less valued and in deep, deep trouble. On the pitch, quality was low, outside of Aaron Mooy and some new signing called El Tuna (which we learnt means Prickly Pear cactus in Spanish and not "big fish that comes in a can"). Off the field and things were even worse – fans and the sport's guardians had never been more divided. The landmark deal taking the EPL to Optus looked like it might threaten next year's TV talks for A-League rights... and there were more than a few who felt time might yet again be ticking down on a national football league in Australia. But what a difference…

2 Adelaide United (Fernando Rech, Bruce Djite) 2 Seongnam Ilhwa (Dong-Hun Kim, Joaozinho), Asian Champions League, Hindmarsh Stadium, April 11, 2007 The Lead Up That year was our first foray into Asia at the club. It wasn’t our first Asian Champions League game but it was a big game at home against Seongnam, a massive Korean team. I was only young then, happy-go-lucky, just enjoying the game with no pressure or anything like that. I felt pretty comfortable playing. Viddy [Aurelio Vidmar] was the coach and he gave me a lot of confidence when I was playing here so I felt comfortable going into the game. The Match Back then in the Asian Champions League, only the top team went through, so we had to win to stay alive. It…

2006 Makes his debut for Nacional after progressing through the youth ranks. 2008 After a breakout season with Nacional he is signed by Sampdoria in the Serie A. 2009 Moves on loan to San Lorenzo and then Recreativo Huelva in search of game time. 2011 Moves back on loan to Nacional, winning his first Uruguayan title with the club. 2012 Signs a three-year deal with Greek club Panathinaikos. 2014 Returns home and signs with Danubio, winning a second league title in Uruguay. 2015 Signed by A-League side Melbourne City on a two-year deal.…

“I wanted to enjoy an experience outside Spain before I ended my career...” Josh Risdon releases Andy Keogh down the right flank, the Irishman loops in a cross to Diego Castro on the edge of the box. Cue a moment of magic. Perth Glory’s Spanish marquee then produces one of the moments of the 2015/16 A-League season, firing a sublime first-time volley into the bottom corner with Melbourne City’s Thomas Sorensen motionless. For the modest Castro: “...it’s a nice goal. “It’s a bit different than a lot of other goals that I’ve scored because I hit it in a different way,” he says. “In my career I have not scored many goals, but I’ve had the luck to score some really nice ones. I haven’t scored as many because I’ve…

“When you make spectacular things it’s always good and you get some press out of it.” It felt like Newcastle Jets were always going to miss the 2015/16 A-League Finals – but upon Morten Nordstrand’s arrival in January, they had hope. The ex-Denmark international was a revelation on the Hunter, scoring four goals and providing two assists in his 11 appearances. His arrival coincided with the Jets claiming 10 points in four games to fire Finals hopes, albeit in vain. Remarkably he made his Jets debut after only two training sessions, fresh from a holiday and more than two months without playing or training. He admits it was “hectic”, yet in his next game he set up the winner. Two games later against Wellington Phoenix, he scored twice, including a…

You helped England come from behind to win 3-2 in Germany – how did that feel? It was unbelievable. When Eric Dier scored that header in the last few minutes, it felt like we’d won something. Even though it was a friendly we can take a lot from it, like belief – for the last 20 minutes we outplayed the world champions, away. We’ve got young lads who can be world-class in the future, so playing from an early age and beating the world champions gives us a lot of hope. We hear you’ve been watching clips of Paul Gascoigne at Euro 96 – is that true? I’ve watched clips of him playing against the Netherlands and Scotland, because I like the way he played. He was unbelievable in that…

1 THEY HAVE GARETH BALE… Well, let’s start with the obvious. Wales’ frontline boasts one of the world’s best players; a forward who makes opposition defenders nervous, knowing they can’t switch off for a second. Bale can create something from nothing. Remember his ridiculous solo goal in the 2014 Copa del Rey Final, when he took a detour through Barcelona’s technical area? He’d done the exact same thing for Wales against Iceland six weeks earlier. Moreover, he’s at the right age, loves playing for his country and is in decent form: despite Real Madrid’s inconsistent La Liga campaign, the 26-year-old directly contributed to 26 goals in 20 games up to April 19. That’s a better ratio than Cristiano Ronaldo. But don’t tell Ronaldo that, for God’s sake. 2 …BUT THEY…

What will it mean to you to be captaining Wales at a major tournament? Leading the team out in that first game of the tournament we’ve longed for, the tournament we’ve worked so hard to get to, will be the proudest moment of my career. Wales have had really good teams in the past with quality players who haven’t had the chance we’ve got in front of us – we don’t want to be on the first plane home. We’re a good team and we shouldn’t be fearful going into the tournament. What did you think when you were drawn in the same group as England? As players, we had a feeling we’d draw them. There’ll be a little bit more riding on that game than just three points, but…

So you’re going into Northern Ireland’s first major tournament since 1986... I think the gap will make it extra special. There are generations of people who haven’t seen us play at a tournament. We’re going there to surprise people. How has this team been so successful? With Northern Ireland, it used to be that you just turned up and ran your heart out. Now, the manager has a plan for every game and shows us ways we can win. Once we could see that working, it gave everyone the confidence we could turn teams over. His preparation and planning is incredible – probably the best and most detailed that I’ve come across. Are his team-talks as long as the epic speech he gave at the BBC Sports Personality of the…

What will it mean to you, representing the Republic of Ireland at a major tournament? It will be a dream come true. You grow up watching these tournaments, and to be going there is a huge achievement for every one of us. Obviously, the memory that sticks out from when I was a kid is watching Robbie Keane score against Germany at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. I was a youngster at the time, and it’s those sort of things that you dream about being a part of in the future – playing in competitions like this. You reached the play-offs from a group that included Poland and world champions Germany. What was the highlight? That night we won against Germany at home. Obviously, that was…

EUROPEAN football is in good shape and continually changing with many countries playing a very attractive style of football. This makes European football exciting and gives fans plenty to shout about. The Euros is a very decent tournament and outside of the World Cup, it’s up there along with Copa America as one of the best tournaments in the world. There are some great young players coming through and with teams playing such a fast transitioning game now, fans are always on the edge of their seats. Germany will be one of the teams to beat and it will be interesting to see how Spain bounce back after their early exit at 2014 World Cup. England are once again going to have some support. I think England will take the…

REDS SKY DELIGHT Five months ago, they were deadset last – yet they won the Premiership. In the finals, they faced the best single-season striker the A-League has ever seen as well as Australia’s most fearsome midfielder. But they were thrashed them 4-1. By the time you read this, Adelaide United are very possibly Champions. Either way, it has been an amazing season. KING O’ THE CASTELEN The semi between Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar was always going to be entertaining – but it ended up being the most breathtaking game in A-League history. At 3-0, Roar looked to have booked another Grand Final spot. Romeo Castelen begged to differ. His hat-trick put Wanderers in front and helped seal their third Grand Final in four years.…

REPEAT OFFENDERS Amateur players are more likely to suffer recurrent injury problems than professionals. A study featuring 43 top-level European teams, 19 Swedish first division outfits and 10 Swedish amateur sides found that 35 per cent of amateur players couldn’t shake off a recurring knock, while 16 per cent of pros had repeat injuries. BE FIRST ON THE SPOT Finding that sides who go first in a shootout win 60 per cent of the time, two researchers say it would be fairer to alternate the order of kicks after each round, and also allow a team that misses to take first next time. KANGAROO BOOTS! Football boots made of kangaroo leather are perceived as being a better fit when compared to leather and synthetic footwear. A study of 20 players…

“Footballers are always required to solve tactical problems and make decisions under pressure. This requires significant amounts of brainpower, which we only have limited resources of – like a battery. Unfortunately the brain interprets the heart beating quickly as potential danger. Under pressure it doesn’t think or problem-solve in meticulous detail; it just reacts to the moment, which is bad for performance. Players need to become comfortable with being uncomfortable, so that they can perform in high states of arousal. A lot of people go through the motions in training and then crumble under pressure in a match situation. You need to recreate the pressure of competition in training. Imagining yourself being involved in a high-pressure situation is an effective way of getting better at this. Staging a practice penalty…

So the biggest ever European Championship is almost here. But will it be the best ever? It’s a great start that England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are all going. Then there’s the hosts, brimming with exciting young talent led by Paul Pogba, while Cristiano Ronaldo will be trying to make up for a poor World Cup, as will Spain and Italy as a whole. Minnows from Albania to Iceland will be hoping to leave their mark, and Germany will want to show why they’re world champions. Oh, and don’t forget Zlatan’s swansong. Will Euro 2016 be the best? There’s every chance.…

JONAS ERIKSSON The Swede became a multi-millionaire when he sold his stake in a media firm, but his comfy status has not diminished his appetite for having footballers bark abuse at him. “The money hasn’t changed anything,” he purrs. “The best thing in my life is still refereeing.” STRICTNESS 4/10SCARINESS 6/10GAME FLOW 8/10CONTROVERSY 6/10CARD-ISSUING EXTRAVAGANCE 6/10JEALOUSY OF PLAYERS’ WAGES 0/10 CUNEYT CAKIR A mild-mannered insurance clerk by day, Cakir is ruthless once he crosses the white line, throwing around cards as if they’re confetti and enthusiastically clamping down on time-wasting. He’s as likely to make the semi-finals as the Turkish team aren’t. STRICTNESS 9/10SCARINESS 8/10GAME FLOW 4/10CONTROVERSY 5/10CARD-ISSUING EXTRAVAGANCE 10/10INCORRUPTABILITY 10/10 FELIX BRYCH He’s German and a lawyer, so it’s perhaps not a huge shock that Brych doesn’t confound stereotypes…

It’s your first tournament and Romania’s first since 2008 – what does it mean to you? For my generation, this is a big moment. Considering the state Romanian football has been in for some years now, reaching the group stage is a big achievement. Playing for the national team and representing an entire country can’t be compared with anything else in the world. I’d give anything for a big Romania performance at Euro 2016. You start against hosts France in the tournament curtain-raiser… It’s the cherry on top of the cake to meet France in our first game – I’m thrilled we’re going to play the opening match. It’s for moments like these that you fall in love with football when you’re a kid. What should people expect from this…

Switzerland finished a distant second to England in qualifying, but after taking Argentina to extra time at the last World Cup, the Nati look primed for their best ever European Championship showing... though to be fair, that won’t take much. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Spread the load. The Swiss might lack a top striker but they shared scoring duties in qualifying – 14 players found the net. STRENGTHS Experience: most of their regulars play in the top flight in England, Germany or Italy. Two great full-backs – Juventus’ Stephan Lichtsteiner and Wolfsburg’s highly coveted Ricardo Rodriguez – help a strong backline, while a midfield led by Xherdan Shaqiri supports teenage talent Breel Embolo. WEAKNESSES Only two teams netted more goals than Switzerland’s 24 in qualifying, but nearly half of those came…

What was the main thing you learned about international tournament football during the World Cup in Brazil? I learned it’s totally different to playing with your club week in, week out. It’s much more demanding in terms of your concentration levels. You’ve got to take things in your stride, but not look too far ahead. In the big tournaments you’ve just got to focus on your next game and get through it, then go from there. It’s definitely more intense. You’re away from your family for a long time, too, although it’s good to get to know team-mates who you maybe wouldn’t spend quite as much time with otherwise. What do you think is England’s biggest strength? The way Roy Hodgson has us playing means we’re always on the front…

Russia are finally set to arrive at a major tournament with some hope. Not since the dark-horse days of Euro 2008 and the emergence of Andrey Arshavin have they had such a capable, effective unit. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Trust in Slutsky. Russia’s chances were in peril for much of the campaign until the gloom of Fabio Capello was ditched in favour of the CSKA Moscow head coach. Slutsky was a revelation, guiding the team to four straight wins to seal their place. STRENGTHS Their attacking unit. Artem Dzyuba provides a challenge to any defence, and he’s ably supported by Roman Shirokov and the explosive Aleksandr Kokorin. WEAKNESSES An ageing defence may struggle to contain Europe’s elite. The creaking centre-back pairing of Sergei Ignashevich and Vasili Berezutski (above) performed well during…

What is Slovakia’s goal at this tournament? The main goal is to advance from a very tough group – that would be a big success. It would be beautiful to repeat our achievement from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where we got into the last 16. Spain hadn’t lost a qualifier for eight years before you beat them in 2014. How special was that? Beating one of the best teams in the world was a fantastic, unforgettable feeling. Winning the first match of qualification, away in Ukraine, and then winning at home to Spain really increased our confidence going forward. What do you think of your group in France? Do you have enough quality to beat England? Our group is really very difficult. England are big favourites, and…

No country had ever won their European Championship qualifying group from pot five, but Northern Ireland did just that to reach their first major tournament since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. It was an achievement that came totally out of the blue (no stars, no real form going into qualification) but Michael O’Neill and his players surprised everyone. True, their group wasn’t the most challenging, and the total capitulation of top seeds Greece certainly helped. But Northern Ireland showed impressive consistency to not only beat the Euro 2004 champions home and away, but also win in Hungary and lose only once, in Romania. Northern Ireland have played in three World Cups – you’ll be seeing a lot of Gerry Armstrong’s winning goal in 1982 against hosts Spain this summer…

You were a key player when Ukraine reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 2006. Can this team achieve similar success? That was the greatest period for our national team. The previous generation of players wrote these pages of history. I think our team can match those achievements. What is the biggest strength of this Ukraine team? Our team spirit, determination, commitment and character. We also have speed and technical ability. We achieve our aims by showing our best individual skills, while playing as a united team. Can a good performance lift the mood of the Ukrainian people? In this complicated situation, football unites the hearts of all Ukrainian fans and citizens. I hope it helps them to keep their heads high. We are focused on our games, but are also…

There was a time when it looked as if Spain would dominate international football forever more, a bit like King Joffrey in Game of Thrones , only with more benevolence and less wine poisoning (spoiler alert for something that happened 16 months ago). Before the 2014 World Cup, Vicente del Bosque’s side had won the previous three international tournaments, lost only once in three years and had lifted the past two European Under-21 Championships to ensure a ready-made production line of next-generation talent. What followed in Brazil, beginning with a 5-1 defeat to the Dutch, was nothing short of a capitulation. David Villa, Xavi and Xabi Alonso retired from international football. The expectation was that Iker Casillas would follow suit. Also, Diego Costa (above) was ill-equipped to…

What was the key to winning a difficult qualifying group? Beating the Netherlands in the first match gave us a big boost: they’d finished third at the World Cup just three months earlier. We followed that with three more wins in a row. Pavel Nedved says it’s better for the Czech mentality to be drawn into a tough group as outsiders, as you were in Euro 96. Do you agree? It may be true that tougher groups motivate us more. I know it was a similar situation in 1996. But I also remember the last Euros, when we faced Russia, Greece and Poland, and fans said we had to go through because it was an easy group. You’ve been in the past three Euros – how does this squad compare?…

Croatia are struggling to find an identity, with the mood around the team at an all-time low following a rash managerial change last autumn. Tactical experiments have done little to inspire confidence, so nobody quite knows what to expect. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Don’t rely on Mario Mandzukic. Despite starting nearly every game, the Juventus striker scored just one of Croatia’s 20 goals. STRENGTHS Any team would love to have a playmaker axis of Real Madrid’s Luka Modric and Barcelona Treble-winner Ivan Rakitic. WEAKNESSES Manager Ante Cacic looks out of his depth. His largely unimpressive background does not earn him much respect or authority in a star-studded dressing room. MOST LIKELY TO… Lead the way in fines for crowd behaviour. Radicals among the (remaining) fans have taken to making fascist salutes…

After more than a decade in the dregs of international football, Belgium’s national team spied a new dawn in the summer of 2012. A fresh crop of young, hungry talent suddenly stood up to defeat the Dutch 4-2 in a packed King Baudouin Stadium, and from that moment, everything changed. After failing to feature in five successive major tournaments, the Red Devils went on to win their qualification group for the World Cup in Brazil. They were boosted not only by a previously unseen popularity among Belgians, but also by an ever-expanding range of players confirming their huge potential in the biggest European leagues, particularly in England. By the time Marc Wilmots’ men had narrowly lost out to Argentina in Brasilia’s quarter-final, the small kingdom’s footballing elite had established itself…

When it comes to the draw, there has been no such thing as the luck of the Irish in recent times. First, there was the Republic of Ireland’s ill-fated appearance at Euro 2012, which ended in three defeats from three, against Croatia, Spain and Italy. The final of Euro 2012? Spain against Italy. Then came an unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign, when they finished fourth in their group behind Germany, Sweden and Austria. Germany went on to be world champions, and all three teams will compete in France this summer. Perhaps they would be given an easier draw in Euro 2016 qualification? Nope – Germany again, and Poland, and Scotland. Theirs was pretty much the toughest of all nine groups, with even Georgia refusing to be whipping boys. The Irish…

After a disastrous World Cup campaign that saw the Azzurri eliminated at the group stage – just as they were in South Africa four years previously – Italy needed to shake things up. And there was no better man to reboot a squad that still featured several of the 2006 vintage than Antonio Conte. The former Juventus manager hasn’t been afraid to make some tough but important decisions. The 23-year-old Marco Verratti is acting as the new Andrea Pirlo, with the veteran himself starting only three qualifiers, while Southampton’s Graziano Pelle (above) has been tasked with restarting the Italian tradition of No.9s, having received his first call-up aged 29. In under two years as Azzurri coach Conte has called up more than 60 players, which suggests he has been keen…

LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Fix the problems in midfield. Sweden were lucky to have the play-offs as a safety net after Russia and Austria exposed their soft centre and forced them into a two-tie tussle with the neighbouring Danes. Zlatan Ibrahimovic should advertise a certain energy drink, because he gives Sweden wings. More than the team, the country’s entire football culture has been Zlatanised. This could be the 34-year-old’s last tournament; Swedes hope he’ll make it count. STRENGTHS Zlatan. He’s in the form of his life, scoring 19 goals in his previous 21 competitive internationals. Elsewhere, promoting some of the 2015 European U21 Championship winners has provided a youthful energy that’s been lacking for some time. WEAKNESSES Zlatan. Coach Hamren’s only plan is to get the ball to his super-striker. When…

Iceland are heading into unknown waters. It’s the first time they have qualified for a major tournament, their stout defence leading the way with just six goals leaked in 10 matches as they did the double over the Dutch to seal their spot in the finals with two games to spare. So what’s next? LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Don’t take your foot off the gas. Iceland blew a two-goal half-time lead in their post-qualification game against Latvia to draw 2-2, before losing in Turkey in the final group game. They can’t afford to relax now. STRENGTHS A well-organised defence kept six clean sheets in qualification, including twice against the Dutch. The team is a very tight unit. WEAKNESSES They lack strength in depth. Injuries to key players such as Gylfi Sigurdsson…

“Uri Geller says he moved the ball. It did move – I have no idea why, but it did” FACT FILE Full name Gary McAllister Date of birth 25/12/1964 Height 6ft 1in Position Midfielder Place of birth Motherwell, Scotland Clubs 1981-85 Motherwell 70 games (8 goals); 1985-90 Leicester City 225 (52); 1990-96 Leeds United 294 (45); 1996-00 Coventry City 140 (26); 2000-02 Liverpool 87 (9); 2002-04 Coventry 60 (12) Clubs managed 2002-03 Coventry; 2008 Leeds; 2011 Aston Villa (caretaker) International 1990-1999 Scotland 59 (5) Playing honours Scottish Division One 1985; Football League First Division 1992; FA Cup 2001; League Cup 2001; UEFA Cup 2001; UEFA Super Cup 2001 Gary McAllister strolls into the hotel bar, looking as if he could play a top-flight game tomorrow. Fit, relaxed, happy and enthusiastic…

Luis Suarez is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in world football right now for his goal-scoring exploits with Barcelona. But for all of the magic he has produced on a football field, he will be remembered just as much for all the bad things that have happened on it. Suarez has created controversy wherever he has gone, earning the reputation as one of the bad boys of world football. He was given a seven-match ban in the Netherlands for a bite on PSV midfielder Otman Bakkal while at Ajax. At Liverpool, he got a 10-game ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, and he was banned again for four months after munching on the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at Brazil 2014. While at Liverpool he…

“There’s been sacrifices – but you don’t see them as sacrifices because it’s what you want to do...” Five years ago he was working 9am-5pm four days a week at KFC while trying to keep alive his A-League dream. Now he’s got Ange Postecoglou talking him up as a genuine Socceroos prospect and whispers of a European move. The journey of 24-year-old Adelaide-born left-back Craig Goodwin has taken plenty of twists and turns, but the 2015/16 season is when he’s truly arrived with a side who lifted the Premiership. Unable to earn a contract with Adelaide United’s National Youth League side after two years of trying, Goodwin moved to the big smoke of Melbourne in 2011 where he played with Victorian Premier League club Oakleigh Cannons and worked at KFC…

What are your first memories of watching England growing up as a child? I remember Michael Owen’s goal against Argentina. It was amazing – I watched it, dreaming of doing that kind of thing one day. That’s one of the earliest memories that sticks out. I was very young at the time, but I’ve been watching England with my brother and my family for as long as I can remember, cheering when we scored. I’ve always been a big fan. Two years ago, when you were still trying to break into the Spurs team, did you expect to be going to this tournament? It’s always been a goal of mine to get into the England senior team and play at major tournaments. It seemed quite a long way away back…

“Getting two results against the best team in the world, as we did, is a big statement” How does it feel, knowing you’ve helped Wales to qualify for their first ever Euros? We said for a while before this campaign that it was probably our best chance, with at least two teams qualifying per group. We’re a good bunch of players and have picked up some good results. It was a bit strange to be backing ourselves for a change, rather than being underdogs, so hopefully we can do ourselves justice at the tournament. Will no longer being underdogs change how other teams look at Wales? Yeah, I think people will definitely look at us differently. It’s a big statement when you get two results against the best team in…

What has been your over-riding emotion in the build-up to the tournament? There’s obviously excitement, but also a bit of nervousness and fear. But that’s good, because it means you’re in the right frame of mind to prepare. You can’t allow this wave of positivity to detract from the main objective: making sure we perform and give ourselves as much chance as possible to progress from the group. You’ll face Poland, Ukraine and Germany in Group C. What’s your view of the draw? It is a tough one. When I look at the other groups, there are one or two we’d probably have opted to be in rather than the one we got. But we just have to deal with that, and I believe we have played teams of the…

Your debut was in a win over Spain – will Euro 2016 be even more special than that? Without a doubt. The Spain game was a bonus – they were on a run and would win the World Cup and European Championship. I was on loan at Royal Antwerp and still to make my Manchester United debut, so it was a big moment, but this feels bigger. Excitement is building among players and fans. We’ll go not just to be part of it, but to properly compete. What will it mean to you to represent Northern Ireland at a major tournament? I didn’t think it would be possible – none of us did – to be in a major tournament, until a third of the way through the campaign. We’d…

You’ll be 34 by the time Ireland’s first game at Euro 2016 comes around. Does that make you appreciate this tournament more? Yes, probably. If I’m included in the squad it will be my first tournament, and the chance to play for your country in a major tournament doesn’t come around often. Going back 10 years I was playing in the League of Ireland, which was brilliant for me, but playing in the Euros was always a dream of mine. I don’t know why I’ve reached my best form now. Maybe it’s finding the right position, getting game time and more experience. I’m able to cope with the big games now. Playing in the hole in a 4-4-1-1 or a 4-3-1-2 has suited me. What were the most memorable moments…

“You have the knack of scoring plenty of goals from midfield. What’s your secret?”Ryan Smith, via Twitter Tim Cahill Hangzhou Greentown and Socceroos hotshot “You need to have two things: desire and a good engine. So many of my goals came from sheer desire – wanting to get into the box and put my head where others were afraid to go. It didn’t have to be the perfect cross; if the ball was in the box I’d always do everything to get to it. You have to be really fit as well. You need that engine, so that in the 80th minute when the defender marking you is tiring, you are still running and can go past them and convert a chance. Make sure you have more stamina than them.…

Prevent to prolong “Injuries can shorten a player’s career. To reduce my risk of injury I work on my abdominal and lower back muscles, because they play a key role in acceleration and deceleration.” 400 The number of sit-ups Ze Roberto does each day KNOW WHEN TO SCORE “I don’t have much sex with my wife in the lead-up to a game or directly after. Sex must not interfere with an athlete’s routine. You must know the right time to have sex. With experience, you’ll discover the perfect timing.” Stay hungry “Most players retire when they lose their motivation to compete. I always have a goal: I want to win titles and enjoy the job I love. That’s what keeps me going.” 8 HOURS The amount of sleep the former…

1 KINGSLEY COMAN France Age 19 Position Winger Very few fans can have experienced as galling a “typical, just typical” moment as the one suffered by Juventus supporters when Coman, on loan at Bayern Munich, helped to knock his parent club out of the Champions League in March. Coman’s delectable cross bang on 90 minutes enabled Thomas Muller to force extra time, before the youngster wrapped up the win with a searing solo counter-attack. It looks inevitable that he’ll stay in Bavaria. Meanwhile, the fact that France can call on Coman (19), Anthony Martial (20), Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane (both 23) for years to come is, frankly, terrifying. 2 BERNARDO SILVA Portugal Age 21 Position Midfielder Monaco’s chief policy of late is to approach talented youngsters and buy low,…

How good is this France squad and what is the atmosphere like within the group? We have a good, solid squad. We feel good together and we laugh a lot. On the pitch, our recent friendly matches went well, even if there are still a few defensive issues to sort out [France won 3-2 in the Netherlands before beating Russia 4-2 at home]. I don’t know if those lapses came because we relaxed a bit too much or lost focus, but they’re something we must work on before the tournament. We were 2-0 up in both games and still managed to concede in each one. Russia scored from a set-piece and that’s certainly something we need to fix. The coach was not laughing about that. Which young French talent could…

Perennial underdogs, Albania are set to make their debut appearance at a major tournament, controversially qualifying after being awarded three points from an abandoned match in Serbia following the infamous ‘drone incident’. They are drawing on patriotic pride for inspiration. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Stay compact. Incredibly, the Eagles didn’t concede a goal on their travels in qualifying, even producing a shock win against group winners Portugal. At home, they were more adventurous, and lost focus as a result. STRENGTHS With no one to set them apart in terms of individual class, their only hope is team spirit. These lads have that in abundance. WEAKNESSES They lack true quality across the lines, as well as experience of any kind at this level. MOST LIKELY TO… Hear opponents singing their national anthem.…

What are this Switzerland side’s strengths and weaknesses? [Laughs] I’ll never tell you our weaknesses! Our most important strength is our team spirit. We’re only a small country – we’re not France or Spain – so we have to show strength as a group. What do you think of Group A? Our first objective is to get past the group stage, then after that, we’ll see. It’s important to remember that we play Albania and Romania before we play France. We want to take points from those two games, even though they won’t be easy: both of those teams are very good defensively. Of course we want to get points against France, too, but if we play well in the first two games, the job will already be done. How…

It’s a tournament appearance 58 years in the making. Wales’ single previous showing was in the 1958 World Cup – and yet they’ve made it to the last eight of a European Championship before. In 1976 Wales topped their group before losing to Yugoslavia over two legs, but as in those days the finals comprised only four teams, this de facto quarter-final is considered a qualifying play-off by UEFA. Welsh fans needn’t care about such injustices any more. Joe Jordan’s handball in ’77; Paul Bodin’s missed penalty in ’93; Russia’s failed drugs test in 2003 – it’s all in the past. Wales are in the European Championship proper, and they’re hungry for more. Neutrals have crudely branded Chris Coleman’s team as ‘Gareth Bale + 10’, but the team doesn’t revolve…

What do you think of Group B? It’s not the hardest, but also not the easiest. England are the favourites. They might not be among those fighting for the title, but they’re a strong side. With Wales, it’s obvious they’re built around Gareth Bale and, to a lesser extent, Aaron Ramsey. They’re dangerous, but there is no point going to the Euros if you’re afraid of Wales and Slovakia. What was it like working with Fabio Capello? And has new coach Leonid Slutsky told the players how he had to retire from playing after falling out of a tree? He always smiles when we talk about it. We laugh about how the branches weren’t able to hold his weight! Working with Fabio Capello wasn’t easy. At training camps we were…

It looks like you’re going to be first-choice No.1 at the Euros. What will that mean to you? It would mean the world. The last year has been a whirlwind because it was only March [2015] when I got my second cap. It had been five years since my first, and I wasn’t sure the second one was going to come, but I’ve played nine times in the last year. The Greece game, when we qualified, was just unbelievable – the highlight of my career. We won 3-1 and for the last 10 minutes we knew we’d done it. That was surreal. I just tried to soak up all of the celebrations. I can’t wait to get to France now. I’ve got 12 people from my family travelling – I’m…

Polish pundits see Adam Nawalka’s boys as a potential dark horse, and having Robert Lewandowski certainly boosts their chances. He scored one of his country’s two goals as the Euro 2012 co-hosts crashed out, bottom of their group, four years ago. Now they’re looking to seal a spot in the last eight. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Support Lewandowski, reap the benefits. Operating with a more attacking line-up allowed the Bayern Munich man to show his cutting edge. Beating Germany for the first time also helped to make the campaign memorable. STRENGTHS Goals: a whopping 33 of them in 10 qualifying games. Their No.9 can’t miss, it seems, and partner Arkadiusz Milik recently equalled Luis Suarez’s record for scoring in six consecutive Eredivisie games at Ajax. WEAKNESSES The Poles are vulnerable at…

What are you expecting from your first senior tournament with Spain this summer? I’ve dreamt about this so many times, and fought so hard to make the dream a reality, that I hope to enjoy it – going to the Euros and trying to win it – as much as possible. Bringing home the trophy would be brilliant for every Spaniard. That would be an image I would save for the rest of my life. As a Celta Vigo player, has it been odd to train with the likes of Andres Iniesta? No, because everything has happened so quickly, I’ve barely been able to think about it. I’ve come to see wearing the Spain shirt as like going out for a meal with my friends from home. The manager asks…

After a topsy-turvy campaign that saw them seal a last-minute automatic spot at the finals as the best third-placed team, Turkey are feeling bullish. In 1996, they were inexperienced. In 2000, they were unlucky. In 2008, they were the tournament’s most exciting team. Now they’re eyeing an unlikely run to the final. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Don’t be blasé. Turkey anticipated fighting it out for first place, but began with one point from their opening three qualifying games. Three wins to nil during their run-in, against the Dutch, the Czech Republic and – thanks to an 89th-minute winner – Iceland, got them over the line. Just. STRENGTHS Coach Fatih Terim has top-level creative players such as Hakan Calhanoglu and captain Arda Turan at his disposal. WEAKNESSES Goals. Burak Yilmaz got injured…

260 Premier League goals (a record), 18 per cent of which were penalty kicks LIONEL RICHIE His favourite singer $30M World-record transfer fee when moved from Blackburn to Newcastle HOW SHEARER CELEBRATED HIS GOALS Calmly 1% Right arm straight up, running back to the halfway line and laughing like a cat 99% As a freeman of the city of Newcastle, he is allowed to graze his cattle on the town moors. Handy He told reporters he celebrated winning the title in 1995 by ‘creosoting the fence’ GOALPOST Shearer’s answer to the question: ‘What was your favourite toy as a child?’ LEEDS UNITED He scored more goals against them (22) than any other team $16,000 Shearer’s salary for each of his pundit appearances on Match of the Day ONE-WORD TIMELINE 1970…

I don’t think I ever really knew I’d made it as a player to be honest. I never really got to that point where to that point where I had a long-term contract and a bit of stability, it was always on the edge. I think now that I’ve retired and been away from the game for a while, I realised I managed to make it to the level I’d always hoped and that was to play in the A-League and play overseas. I was happiest towards the end of my time at North Queensland. I’d been out of the team for a long time and it looked like my A-League career was probably going to come to an end. I unexpectedly got back in the team and played really…

The Estadio Centenario in Montevideo was the location as Uruguay and Australia battled in the second-leg of their 2002 World Cup qualifying play-off. Australia held a 1-0 advantage going into the game after Kevin Muscat converted a penalty in the first leg at the MCG. However, Uruguay ran out 3-0 winners in the return leg, advancing 3-1 on aggregate to make it to the World Cup at Australia’s bitter expense. In the stands that day was 14-year-old Bruno Fornaroli, who had just moved to the nation’s capital a year earlier to join the Nacional youth team. Four years later, Uruguay and Australia would meet again, but this time it was the Socceroos who got the better of their South American opponents. Fornaroli was not in the stands for the first…

“When you’ve got two Spaniards behind you, it’s easy to get on the ball and punish teams.” After a dismal 2014/15 campaign, Western Sydney Wanderers made wholesale changes in the off-season but rguably their best acquisition was a proven A-League winner in Mitch Nichols. The 26-year-old won back-to-back Championships with Brisbane Roar in 2011 and 2012 but his career had stagnated since, including a frustrating spell in Japan with Cerezo Osaka where he was frozen out of the first-team for non-football reasons. Wanderers rescued Nichols from Cerezo on a two-year deal and he delivered in 2015/16, filling an attacking midfield role never adequately covered since Shinji Ono’s exit. Nichols finished the regular season as the club’s joint top scorer with 10 strikes, along with four assists, playing an integral role…

"Playing for England, I always feel that I’m going to score goals. My record is there for all to see.” Wayne Rooney utters those words with certainty – there isn’t even the merest hint of doubt in his voice. And it really is a record: 109 caps, 51 goals. In the 46 years since Sir Bobby Charlton hammered home his final international goal in the Colombian capital of Bogota, millions have graced England’s football fields. Millions have dreamed of wearing the Three Lions shirt. Millions have dreamed of scoring in it. But only one man has been able to surpass Charlton’s long-elusive tally of 49 goals for England – and that man is sitting in front of FFT, in a studio in Manchester’s Trafford Park. It’s eight months now since…

“We had mixed emotions out in Bosnia. We lost, but it’ the best been involved in For you, what were the most special moments in the qualifying campaign? Belgium, home and away. We drew 0-0 away, and after that we believed in ourselves and went from strength to strength. When we beat them 1-0 in Cardiff, the whole place was rocking. There were mixed emotions when we qualified in Bosnia: we lost 2-0 but it’s probably the best defeat I’ve ever been involved in! How much have the Welsh supporters contributed to your success? They’ve been fantastic. The atmosphere in that Belgium game was the best I’ve ever played in. I used to go and watch Wales with my parents when I was younger – I remember us beating Italy…

You’ve been playing for Northern Ireland for 13 years, so how special is it to finally reach a tournament? We’ve been through tough times but it looks like we’ve turned the corner and left all that behind us. There have been times when we’ve been pretty close to a tournament, but we struggled to back up a big win with another in the next game. Our mentality has changed now, though – we’re unbeaten in 10 games, which isn’t like us at all! What was it like being banned, so having to watch the match against Greece that clinched qualification? Pretty nervous – I’m not one for watching games. I couldn’t play because of my red card against Hungary – what I call my seven-second head loss [laughs]. It was…

SWEDEN STOP IBRA, CREATE HISTORY To make the flying start they need in Group E, the Republic of Ireland must do something they’ve never managed before: beat Sweden in a competitive match. Two draws and four defeats since 1949 is a dismal record. And the latest loss, in Dublin three years ago, came courtesy of one Zlatan Ibrahimovic. But supporters of Martin O’Neill’s team believe that, Ibra apart, Sweden are nothing special. As former player and assistant manager Liam Brady recently claimed: “Take Ibrahimovic out of the equation and I don’t see the Swedes as anything to write home about.” In Paris, however, Sweden’s superstar – who scored 11 goals in qualifying – will be hugely motivated to make his mark on the finals. Curb the captain’s influence and Ireland…

What does qualifying mean to you? I was close to tears when Jonny Walters scored the second goal against the Bosnians. You realise what it means to the fans, and that you’re going to represent your country at a major tournament. It was something that I’d always wanted as a kid, and everything fell into place when Jonny scored that goal. You just missed out on the final squad for Euro 2012. Does that make it even more special to be involved this time? Definitely. I never really thought I’d make that squad – my form wasn’t great – but you still have that disappointment of getting the phone call to say you’re not going. The tournament was a bit difficult to watch, as I’d been in and around the…

If you watched England play Italy in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals and remained conscious throughout, then give yourself a pat on the back. You should also, however, consider using your insomnia to fight crime, instead of sitting on a sofa watching 120 minutes of goalless tedium between two teams intent on settling their differences from the penalty spot. That morning, Roy Hodgson’s men managed no shots and 176 fewer passes than their opponents in the 30 minutes added on. At least Mario Balotelli produced the odd satellite-bothering effort, and Andrea Pirlo a delicious Panenka penalty in the shootout. Four years on, the England team that arrives in France for Euro 2016 is thankfully much changed, yet extra time’s stodgy trudge towards an inexorable shootout is constant. Ten of the last…

MASTERCLASS Dele Alli Spurs and England’s midfield dynamo The 20-year-old prodigy shares his secrets on how to be brave on the ball and express yourself without fear. PRO TIPS Tim Cahill Australia’s all-time leading scorer Outlast the opposition and find the net in the final 10 minutes thanks to the ex-Everton hotshot’s sage advice. TRAINING Ze Roberto Veteran Palmeiras and ex-Bayern midfielder Old hands, prepare to reinvent your game: the evergreen Brazilian reveals his blueprint to playing beyond 40.…

1 Relish the challenge Have faith in your game “When I made my debut for Spurs and for England I just felt excitement. I’d never played in huge, packed stadiums like that before so I didn’t know what to expect, but as soon as I crossed the white line and the referee blew his whistle, I focused on the game. It’s strange to think all those people are there to watch you play football, but you just have to relax and play your own game. Enjoy the challenge and you’ll play well.” 2 Showcase your skills Do what comes naturally to you “Dan Micciche was my manager as I came up through the MK Dons academy system and he was big on me expressing myself as much as possible. He…

GK GIANLUIGI BUFFON He’s one of the best goalkeepers in the world, ever. It shows just how good he is that not only he is still going at the age of 38, but people still believe him to be one of the best in his position. RB CHRISTIAN PANUCCI He rarely, if ever, got the praise his performances deserved. His approach was to not do anything for himself, but work hard for his team-mates. He was tough to beat and strong in the tackle. CB LILIAN THURAM He was one of the best in the world, and a really nice guy with it – he deserves everything he has won. They all talked about him when I was at Parma, and then I got to play with him at Juventus.…

STADE DE FRANCE SAINT-DENIS  Opened 1998 Capacity 81,338 Club None Euro 2016 highlight Final Did you know? The 13,000-ton roof’s striking elliptical shape is intended to symbolise the universality of sport in France. It’s obvious, really. Right? PARC OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS LYON  Opened 2016 Capacity 59,186 Club Lyon Highlight Semi-final Did you know? The stadium was meant to be finished in 2014, but construction delays resulted in it only being completed in January 2016. PARC DES PRINCES PARIS  Opened 1897 Capacity 48,712 Club Paris Saint-Germain Highlight N. Ireland vs Germany Did you know? This was the scene for one of France’s greatest football occasions: their 2–0 victory over Spain in the final of Euro 84. STADE GEOFFROY-GUICHARD SAINT-ETIENNE  Opened 1931 Capacity 42,000 Club Saint-Etienne Highlight Slovakia vs England Did you know?…

DINARD WALES The coastal resort is considered one of the most ‘British’ in France, having been a popular cross-Channel destination among upper-class sorts in the 19th century. Gareth Bale & Co. can look forward to donkey rides and Punch and Judy shows aplenty. 3533 miles Albania will have to travel the furthest during the group stage, as they hop from their Perros-Guirec base to Lens, Marseille and Lyon. And then back again. Anyone for Travel Scrabble? SAINT-MARTIN-DE-RE SPAIN French engineer Vauban was tasked with overhauling the island’s defences in the 1670s, protecting its inhabitants during a long siege. Spain’s defence may need some tips following their last World Cup showing. BORDEAUX BELGIUM As the global home of wine, Bordeaux’s local industry makes some $20 billion each year. It shouldn’t be…

IRRITATING ‘CELEB’ FAN ON MARSEILLE BEACH @GeorgeLineker Non-too-terrible view from my office this afternoon THE ‘INSIDE THE CAMP’ SELFIE @Vardy7 Great training with the #lads today! Bring on the first game!! And Russia, bring your vodka!!! MASSIVE OVERREACTION TO ENGLAND’S 1-0 WIN OVER RUSSIA @henrywinter Transcendent, seminal, oracular. Hodgson’s Russian roulette propels England forward. Gunner Kane emphatic. #ENGRUS CALL COLLYMORE, PART I @StanCollymore Should Kane be KNIGHTED like COLLYMORE should be? CALL ME, STAN COLLYMORE. Free call back til 6pm. Come on! ENTIRE NATION MOBILISED AGAINST REFEREE AFTER ERROR @Sfzofficial ¡Mr Cüneyt Çakir! ¡You are the enemy of Slovakia! Do you have mezes in your foolish eyeballs?¿ Hlupák! GANTRY MELTDOWN @jpearcefootball Surely if the ball bounces off down over the line, then into the goalkeeper’s neck and in, TWO goals…

CRISTIANO RONALDO $9.00 Portugal Caps 125 Goals 56 His goalscoring form at club level is as mind-blowing as ever, and a quick glance at the other teams in Portugal’s group – Hungary, Iceland and Austria – gives you the feeling that Fernando Santos’ side won’t need to go too far in the competition for Ronaldo to trouble the top of the scorers chart. ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI $17 Poland Caps 75 Goals 34 Europe’s hottest out-and-out striker, Lewandowski scored 13 goals in qualifying to match the tournament record set by David Healy (yes, really) eight years previously. Poland may not give him the service he enjoys at Bayern, but group foes Ukraine and Northern Ireland will still be terrified. ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC $35 Sweden Caps 112 Goals 62 Having netted in each of…

Romania have only ever won one of their 13 games at the European Championship, against England in 2000, but optimism is on the up. With no big names in the team, the Tricolorii hope to cause an upset or two with an approach that’s rather at odds with Romanian football traditions. LESSONS FROM QUALIFYING Possession isn’t everything. Romania are happy to concede possession and then counter, even against opponents they’d previously have looked to assert authority over. This is a team built on unity. Nobody is irreplaceable, and as unknown quantities that could be a help, not a hindrance. WEAKNESSES With no commanding presence in midfield and a rather resigned attitude going forward (Raul Rusescu, above, has one goal in 10 caps), Romania rely on organisation and efficient pressing. That…

As captain of Albania, what does it mean to the country to have qualified for a major tournament for the first time? It’s a dream, not only for us players but for the whole nation, who have their own representative among the biggest nations in football. What are the team’s strengths? De Biasi has helped us to play well. We have speed and power from an attacking point of view, and a fantastic defence: in qualifying we conceded only five goals, three of them after the 90th minute. We didn’t concede away from home. What do you think of the group? I wanted to avoid France because I think they’ll be ready. Switzerland will be a difficult game – I know their coach [Vladimir] Petkovic well from Lazio. Romania are…

Out with the old, in with the new. Gone are the players of England’s so-called ‘golden generation’ (World Cups: 0, European Championships: 0), and in their place come exciting youngsters. Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Ross Barkley and Eric Dier are all likely to play a substantial role this summer. However, skipper and record goalscorer Wayne Rooney remains the go-to guy for the fiercely loyal Roy Hodgson, despite press protestations that the Manchester United man should not be selected in the starting XI. Reaching the finals in France may not have been the toughest ask, but England can still take a great deal of pride and belief from winning all 10 of their matches. The Three Lions regularly qualify with some degree of comfort, but not always with quite this lack…

What did it mean to qualify for the Euro 2016 finals? Getting Wales to a tournament for the first time in over half a century was a fantastic achievement. The hard thing was getting there; now we’re looking to surprise a few people. We’ve got a nucleus who have been together for six or seven years so when you meet up you don’t feel uneasy or uncomfortable – everyone feels like they’re at home. So when you feel like that, you are able to express yourselves fully. How does it feel to be a cult hero among the Wales fans? It’s special. When we beat Belgium at home last summer, to have the supporters singing my name for 20-odd minutes really was a great feeling. Go on, then, tell us…

Slovakia has become the home of one of Europe’s most unpredictable national teams, with experienced coach Jan Kozak leading his side to wins against Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine, as well as defeat at home to Belarus. Confidence has spread throughout a squad which has now been together for a long time. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Keep your nerve. Slovakia came storming out of the blocks in qualifying, winning six out of six, including a 2-1 victory over European champions Spain. But as a spot in the finals grew closer, they stumbled to two defeats and a draw in their next three. STRENGTHS They have a solid defence marshalled by captain Martin Skrtel, two strong holding midfielders in Juraj Kucka and Viktor Pecovsky, and a true leader in attack: playmaker and captain…

How did it feel to win the World Cup, and how much will that experience help this year? The feeling was amazing, and something special. We know how to work at a tournament now – how to prepare, how to play. When you are world champions, you go into the European Championship aiming to win it. That is our target. Who are your rivals to win the tournament this year? France are contenders, of course – they are a good team and are playing at home. Then there’s Spain, and England were strong when we played them recently. They pressed high, they were aggressive and they also played good football. We must focus on our own game, though. If we face France or England we’ll have to concentrate to beat…

Unrest in the east of the country has brought strange times for Ukrainian football: Shakhtar Donetsk have been playing ‘home’ games 750 miles away in Lviv, with Dynamo Kiev reclaiming top spot. Euro 2016 is a chance to unite the nation behind their football team. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Win the crunch matches. Ukraine’s success came down to a play-off against Slovenia, who knocked them out at the same stage ahead of Euro 2000. A 3-1 aggregate win ensured Ukraine came through a Euros qualifying campaign for the first time, having co-hosted the tournament in 2012. STRENGTHS The powerful Andriy Yarmolenko and the pacy Yevhen Konoplyanka, of Dynamo and Sevilla respectively, are dangerous wingers. WEAKNESSES In Andriy Pyatov, they possess a goalkeeper with a great propensity for a clanger. MOST LIKELY…

What are Poland’s realistic aims? Getting out of the group. After that, I don’t think anyone would like to play Poland. Anything can happen. We beat Germany for the first time ever during qualification; once we beat the world champions, why should we fear anyone else? After a disastrous Euro 2012 on home soil, then failing to reach the World Cup, expectations weren’t high. Why have things changed? We came together as a unit thanks to our coach. At the same time, our key players started having important roles with their clubs, and that always helps. The atmosphere is so much better than in the past. Robert Lewandowski is the superstar, but who could be the discovery of the tournament? The entire team, I hope! Bartosz Kapustka is a big…

Gone are the days when the Czechs were part of football’s elite. Still, Pavel Vrba has created a side that aren’t easy on the eye but aren’t easy to beat, either. They won’t fear anyone, even in a tough group. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Give Petr Cech some help. Topping a very hard group was impressive but the Czechs didn’t keep a single clean sheet, conceding the first goal in five of their 10 games. In all, they let in 14 – more than Estonia, Bulgaria, Scotland and Finland, among others, and by far the most of any team to qualify. STRENGTHS This is a determined, coherent unit, capable of causing a major upset. WEAKNESSES The likes of Milan Baros and Jan Koller are no more, and this squad lacks potency…

How do you rate Turkey’s chances? We’re a tournament team. Only at Euro 96 did we not qualify from the group stage. Last time we played in the Euros, in 2008, we qualified for the semi-finals, and we have to try and repeat that. If we can’t, we will be unsuccessful in my view. How excited are you about your first major tournament? I’m counting down the days. Most of my team-mates will be playing in their first tournament too, and in Europe there are lots of Turkish people so I expect to see them in the stands supporting us. You’ve been drawn against Spain, Croatia and the Czech Republic, whom you faced in qualifying and in Euro 2008, when you came from 2-0 down after 75 minutes to win…

What are Croatia’s strengths? Our midfield, definitely. Any team with Rakitic and Modric would say the same. You can’t overestimate their importance – they give the team security. Rakitic is a regular for Barcelona, Modric for Real Madrid – what more do you need to say? Who else should we look out for? I’d highlight Ivan Perisic [No.4, left, with Marcelo Brozovic] – and not just because he’s my room-mate! He was our best player in qualifying. Then there are the strikers, [Nikola] Kalinic and Mandzukic, and young guns such as [Mateo] Kovacic, [Mario] Pasalic and [Alen] Halilovic. Is this group even harder than the one in 2012, with Spain and Italy? It’s hard, but this group offers us a better chance. Obviously Spain are favourites again, but they weren’t…

Do you believe Belgium are the best team in the world, as the FIFA rankings said you were until April? We have to show that in the Euros – that’s the most important moment. We are a good team but there are also a lot of big teams there: Spain, Germany, France... They have the experience, whereas we’ve never won anything. But you never know. OK, we’ve been first in the FIFA rankings – that’s nice – and in the last four years we’ve only lost two competitive games. That’s why we were first in the rankings. But really we have to win something. Would you agree this is Belgium’s golden generation? Yes. For a long time Belgium didn’t have a group with this quality, so we’re under a lot…

Which were the most special moments in qualifying? When the final whistle went against Bosnia & Herzegovina, it was the best feeling you could have. Everyone wrote us off, but beating Germany was a big turning point and an amazing night that will live with me forever. I was up against Andre Schurrle and Marco Reus – Mesut Özil was playing, too – and to keep a clean sheet against the world champions gives you a boost that you can play against the best players in the world. We proved that on our day we can beat anyone. How did you react when you were drawn into a group with Italy, Belgium and Sweden? I thought: ‘Woah, OK…’ It was kind of typical: we get tough groups quite a lot.…

How do you view Italy’s chances at Euro 2016? There are many strong teams, but I think we’ll be able to hold our own. We have people in the squad who have played in three World Cups and they will give us their experience, while we bring our young freshness and try to learn what they teach us. How are you approaching your first tournament? With peace of mind. It’s an important, difficult tournament, but we must face it without fear and bring our fans joy. How would you describe Antonio Conte? What can Chelsea fans expect once he joins them after Euro 2016? He leaves nothing to chance. For him, one play can change the game – a well-studied corner is a weapon. He will definitely do well in…

You’re in a very tough group. Would you be happy with third? Of course not. We want to win the group. We have all the ingredients: a lot of good players, a good atmosphere and a superstar. You mention the superstar – what’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic like? He’s a great guy. He doesn’t speak much but he doesn’t have to make fancy speeches because he leads by example. That’s why we really appreciate him as a captain. What do you think when people say you’re a one-man team? Of course if you have a player like that he’s going to hog the headlines – that’s fine by us! We have a better chance of winning the game if we give him the ball as much as we can. He’s one of…

Portugal are in good shape heading into Euro 2016. After appointing Fernando Santos in September 2014, A Seleccao reeled off seven straight wins in qualifying to book their place in France on the back of a national record run of consecutive victories in competitive matches. Their favourable group draw has left supporters optimistic that record can be extended into double figures. Pragmatist Santos has also guided his team to victories over Argentina and Italy, after Portugal had gone 40 years without beating either. With the tournament’s best player in their ranks, plus a healthy mix of experienced campaigners and bright new talent (including 18-year-old Renato Sanches, above), hopes are high that Portugal can continue their impressive Euros record. In six appearances, they have reached the semi-finals on four occasions, going…

What are Portugal’s aims for the tournament? We have the best player in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo, so we want to go and win. We have a strong team, a fantastic manager and the full support of the nation. I think we’re very well organised, we’re a very close-knit squad and we have players who are extremely dangerous offensively. How important will Cristiano Ronaldo be to your chances? He’s a leader for us, and what he has achieved for so many years is phenomenal. He has so much quality and pace, and he’s also an excellent character in the dressing room. He brings lots of big-match experience. How much are you looking forward to your first senior tournament with Portugal? Do you have ambitions to start after playing in…