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      Euro 2024 predictions: SunSport experts pick out their winners, dark horses and if England can go all the way in Germany

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      EURO 2024 kicks off TONIGHT… at last!And our team of SunSport experts have had their say on who they think will leave Germany triumphant this summer.Can England Harry Kane lead the Three Lions to success this summer?Credit: GettyThe host’s chances at the Euros will be bolstered with the return of the experienced Toni Kroos, who returned from international retirement in March.Defending champions Italy are placed in a tricky Group B, alongside three-time winners Spain and 2018 Fifa World Cup runners up Croatia.Cristiano Ronaldo, the highest Euros goalscorer of all time, will head the Portuguese attack for a sixth time.While bookies favourites England look to go one step better this time round and finally grasp a major trophy after an agonising 58 years.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSHere, SunSport’s football reporters offer their own predictions ahead of the festival of football that starts tonight at the Allianz Arena in Munich with Germany against Scotland.DAVE KIDDWINNERS: France. They have the deepest squad, the best player in the world in Kylian Mbappe and more experience than any  nation at going deep in tournaments.BEATEN FINALISTS: Portugal. A hugely-talented and well-balanced squad who are capable of going all the way — and should have done so in Qatar.SURPRISE PACKAGE: Serbia. Very capable of beating England in Sunday’s opener and getting to the quarter-finals at least. Most read in FootballOften under-achieve but they are in form and dangerous this time around.PLAYER OF TOURNAMENT: Antoine Griezmann. Was outstanding at the World Cup but might even outshine team-mate Mbappe in Germany.GOLDEN BOOT: Romelu Lukaku. Belgium have an easy group, in which their big centre-forward could build up an  unassailable lead.ONE TO WATCH: Florian Wirtz. Was Bayer Leverkusen’s star boy in their unbeaten Bundesliga season and is ready to translate his red-hot form on to the international stage for the host nation.SunSport’s David Kidd believes France will win Euro 2024Credit: AFPMARTIN LIPTONWINNERS: Portugal. As long as Roberto Martinez has the courage to treat Cristiano Ronaldo as a squad member and not his star player. CR7 is 39, not 29.BEATEN FINALISTS: France. Scheduled to meet England in Dortmund in the second semi. It might take too much out of the winner for them to recover for the final.SURPRISE PACKAGE: Hungary. The glory days of the 1950s are long ago but quietly the Magyars are becoming quite mighty again.Dominik Szoboszlai has shown his quality. Potential last eight side.PLAYER OF TOURNAMENT: Bernardo Silva. Manchester City star has the freedom to play where he wants and if Portugal fly he will have the most powerful wings.GOLDEN BOOT: Harry Kane. England might fall short but they should make the last four — so that is six games for the  skipper to bag a bucketful.ONE TO WATCH: Roland Sallai. Hungary right-winger has impressed  at Freiburg and is coming into his peak at 27.Football reporter Martin Lipton says Roberto Martinez’ treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo is crucial to Portugal’s chances of winning Euro 2024Credit: GettyHow Portugal have performed at the Euros with Cristiano Ronaldo

      CRISTIANO RONALDO has been a model of longevity for more than two decades in an outstanding international career.
      Euro 2004
      After making his international debut in 2003, Ronaldo’s first Euros came in 2004.
      Ronaldo marked his Euro debut with a goal in a 2-1 defeat to Greece – his first for Portugal.
      He scored his second in the semi-final win over the Netherlands, but Portugal met Greece again in the final, losing 1-0 in shock result.
      Euro 2008
      Ronaldo was Portugal captain four years later but Euro 2008 was the least impactful tournament he’s had.
      There was still time for a standout performance, though, as Ronaldo scored once and set up two more in a group-stage win over the Czech Republic.
      Euro 2012
      Playing at Real Madrid at the time, Ronaldo was the top goalscorer at Euro 2012, with three goals, including a brace in the group stage against the Netherlands.
      Portugal’s quarter-final against Czech Republic was heading towards a stalemate with 10 minutes to go and they needed a special moment from him.
      His powerful header in the dying minutes took Portugal to the semi-finals where they lost on penalties to Spain.
      Euro 2016
      Ronaldo scored three goals in Euro 2016, with Portugal crowned CHAMPIONS after defeating France 1-0 in extra time in the final.
      After suffering an injury inside the opening 16 minutes against France, he was forced to watch from the sidelines.
      Yet the Portugal captain became a cheerleader, and helped coach his team-mates to the historic victory.
      He matched Michel Platini’s record of nine goals by the end of Euro 2016.
      Euro 2020
      Ronaldo made history again with FIVE goals at Euro 2020, the most of any player at a Euros.
      Yet it was arguably Portugal’s least exciting affair, as they exited in the Round of 16 following a 1-0 defeat to Belgium.
      With his goals in this tournament, Ronaldo became the top goalscorer at the European Championship with 14 goals.

      CHARLIE WYETTWINNERS: England. It really is now or never for Gareth Southgate and his talented squad.BEATEN FINALISTS: Portugal. Along with France and England, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co are among the tournament’s best three teams.SURPRISE PACKAGE: Georgia. Their first-ever major tournament but the Georgians could be a handful.PLAYER OF TOURNAMENT: Jude Bellingham. Did not take long to become a fan favourite at Real Madrid and provided an assist for the key second goal in their Champions League final win. He is going to be the best player in the world — and Euro 2024 could be his tournament.GOLDEN BOOT: Bellingham. He has proved with Real that he knows where the goal is with 23 to his name in his debut season — and he could end up scoring more than Harry Kane.ONE TO WATCH: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Georgia’s Napoli winger (left) is a terrific player and rediscovered his best form just before the end of the Serie A season.Jude Bellingham has been backed to win TWO major individual trophies during the EurosCredit: PADAN KINGWINNERS: Portugal. They had the quality and depth to have won the World Cup. And if Cristiano Ronaldo can drag one final show from himself, they have a massive chance of winning this.BEATEN FINALISTS: France. They are too good, surely, not to reach the final but once again perhaps not quite good enough to win. Only a side with similar quality but better cohesion can stop them.SURPRISE PACKAGE: Hungary. With Dominik Szoboszlai as their talismanic captain they’ve beaten some big teams. Now it’s time to do it at a tournament.PLAYER OF TOURNAMENT: Bruno Fernandes. Manchester United’s captain can take out the frustrations of his club season on Europe with Portugal.GOLDEN BOOT: Kylian Mbappe. If France play seven games, it will almost certainly be Mbappe’s goals that get them through.ONE TO WATCH: Johan Bakayoko. The Belgian star of PSV Eindhoven’s  title win is already on the shopping list of bigger European clubs.A manageable group gives him the chance to show why.Three SunSport reporters chose Dominik Szoboszlai’s led Hungary as the ‘surprise package’Credit: EPAEURO 2024 LIVE: LATEST UPDATES FROM THE TOURNAMENTTOM BARCLAYWINNERS: France. They have the best player in Kylian Mbappe and a manager in Didier Deschamps who knows how to get it done on the big stage.BEATEN FINALISTS: Portugal. They have the most complete squad   but question marks surround boss Roberto Martinez after he struggled to get the best out of Belgium’s golden generation.SURPRISE PACKAGE: Hungary. Dominik Szoboszlai and Co showed  how dangerous they are by thrashing England 4-0 on their own patch two years ago.PLAYER OF TOURNAMENT: Kylian Mbappe. The world’s best player has just moved to the world’s biggest club Real Madrid, and will want to show he is le coq of the walk.GOLDEN BOOT: Cristiano Ronaldo. The goal machine remains as prolific as ever.ONE TO WATCH: Xavi Simons. Talented Dutch winger had such a good campaign on loan from PSG last season at RB Leipzig that Bayern Munich want to borrow him now.Great things have been predicted for ‘world’s best’ Kylian MbappeCredit: AFPJACK ROSSERWINNERS: France. As much as we would all love to see England triumph, it is hard to look past the French. They have some making up to do after being knocked out by Switzerland in 2021.BEATEN FINALISTS: Portugal. Roberto Martinez has an attacking arsenal any manager would envy. Behind the forward line there are some wily old operators.SURPRISE PACKAGE: Austria. Boss Ralf Rangnick may well have been a flop at Manchester United, but he has really got Austria going. They have six wins and a draw from their last seven games — including victory over hosts Germany.PLAYER OF TOURNAMENT: Kylian Mbappe. Now leading France not only as their best player but also the captain, Mbappe will want to make another big impact.READ MORE SUN STORIESGOLDEN BOOT: Harry Kane. Fresh from an incredible goalscoring season with Bayern Munich, Kane remains England’s greatest hope of progress.ONE TO WATCH: Warren Zaire-Emery. France’s 18-year-old sensation won the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year at PSG. England’s Harry Kane is pipped to in Golden Boot by two SunSport reportersCredit: AP More

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      Major Chelsea blow as Olise’s transfer release clause ‘not straightforward’ and only some clubs can trigger it

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      CHELSEA have been dealt a huge blow after sources claimed that they are unable to trigger Michael Olise’s release clause.This comes after Chelsea contacted Crystal Palace over a move for Olise as the Blues look to step up their attacking transfer plans.Michael Olise has a bizarre condition in his release clause, according to reportsCredit: GettyThe Blues missed out on the winger, 22, last summer as he penned a new deal at Selhurst Park.But Chelsea had hoped to trigger the £60million release clause through a structured transfer package of instalments this summer.But now it is understood that Olise’s release clause in his Palace contract is far from straightforward.In fact, it can only be triggered by a Champions League club, claims The Telegraph.read more football newsThis comes as a major blow to Chelsea after they failed to qualify for next season’s edition of Europe’s top competition.Instead, the Stamford Bridge club suffered another disappointing campaign, before being offered some consolation in the final months as they rose from 11th to sixth in the Premier League.However, they were robbed of their Europa League place after Manchester United – who finished eighth in the Prem – won the FA Cup against rivals Manchester City at Wembley.Instead they will play in the Conference League.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSNonetheless, Chelsea believe being outside of Champions League will not impinge their ability to land Olise, and trust that they will not have to pay more than any other interested party.But Chelsea fans are in bits over the news.Forgotten Chelsea flop Hakim Ziyech lashes out and throws boots away after being subbed in World Cup qualifierOne supporter wrote: “Oh no, so Olise isn’t coming? All the excitement just went out the window.”Another said: “Oh for God sakes, so Chelsea not be able to trigger it!”Meanwhile the west London club faces competition for Olise’s signature from United, Man City, Newcastle and Arsenal.The Frenchman scored 10 times in 19 games during the 2023/24 campaign, but missed much of the season due to a hamstring problem.Elsewhere Palace have also reportedly slapped the same £60m price tag on Eberechi Eze, who made Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 England squad ahead of Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish. More

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      Dortmund boss Edin Terzic QUITS after ‘violent’ bust-up with Mats Hummels before Champions League final

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      BORUSSIA DORTMUND boss Edin Terzic has quit the club.He departs after leading the German giants to the Champions League final, which they lost 2-0 to Real Madrid.Edin Terzic has left Borussia DortmundCredit: PAMats Hummels slammed Terzic days before the finalCredit: RexTerzic, 41, has resigned after an alleged bust-up with Mats Hummels.Just days before the final at Wembley, the veteran centre-back criticised the manager’s tactics against other top teams in an interview.Hummels said: “I was furious because I was of the opinion that Borussia Dortmund shouldn’t play like that – against any opponent in the world. ‘I didn’t think it could go on like this. I felt insulted in my honour to stand on the pitch in that kit. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”So submissive, so inferior in footballing terms. “The two Stuttgart games and the away game in Leverkusen. That was barricading with 11 men in the box.”German outlet Bild report that the comments made Terzic lose his temper and a confrontation with Hummels supposedly turned violent.Dortmund were in the process of discussing punishments for both when the manager offered his resignation.Most read in BundesligaEURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSTerzic and Hummels reportedly “made peace” before the final.The former West Ham assistant worked as a scout and youth-team coach at Dortmund before landing a job under Slaven Bilic at the Hammers for two years from 2015.Borussia Dortmund fans release flares during half-time of Champions League final in second Wembley security breachHe then returned to his boyhood club as an assistant to then gaffer Lucien Favre.After he was sacked, Terzic got the job on an interim basis.Marco Rose was then appointed manager but following his dismissal, he got the job on a full-time basis.Terzic won the domestic cup with Dortmund in 2021 and saw them narrowly lose the title to Bayern Munich in a dramatic final day of the 2022/23 season.Inside Terzic’s bust-up with HummelsBy Alex Smith
      Just days before Dortmund’s biggest game in years, Mats Hummels spoke to the press and questioned Edin Terzic’s tactics against top opponents.
      They finished the season in fifth and will play Champions League football next season thanks to their own run in Europe, handing the Bundesliga an extra place.
      But ending up outside the top four is underwhelming for Dortmund and Hummels was unhappy with his boss.
      He went as far as saying he was “furious” and “insulted” by his defensive tactics.
      Terzic was supposedly fuming and confronted Hummels about his remarks.
      Things reportedly turned violent and the boss has now quit.
      However, Dortmund attacked well and created plenty of chances in the final as they took the game to Real Madrid, who again found a way in Europe. More

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      When is Toni Kroos retiring?

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      EURO 2024 will take place in Germany this summer with some of the best footballing talent in Europe on display.Many of the sport’s serial winners such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Robert Lewandowski and Toni Kroos, will take to the pitch at the huge international tournament.Toni Kroos and Luka Modric both claimed their sixth Champions League win in JuneCredit: GETTYReal Madrid’s ageing midfield duo of Modric and Kroos showed no signs of slowing down after the pair lifted their sixth Champions League title at Wembley in June.But it will soon be the end of an era for one of the two maestros after Kroos revealed his retirement plans earlier this year.When is Toni Kroos retiring?Toni Kroos has enjoyed a phenomenal career in football winning some of the highest honours the game has to offer.The German made his debut for European giants Bayern Munich aged 17 and went on to win the first of three Bundesliga titles that season.READ MORE IN EURO 2024He also won his first Champions League with the club in 2013, beating rivals Borussia Dortmund in the final.Kroos made the £20million move to Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid in July 2014.EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSThe midfield maestro went on to make 465 appearances for Los Blancos, winning 21 trophies including five Champions Leagues, five Club World Cups and four La Liga titles.Kroos was also part of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad.Most read in Euro 2024He quit international football in 2021 but came out of retirement ahead of Euro 2024 in his native country, following talks with Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann.Kroos will, however, call time on his illustrious career after the European championship this summer.He confirmed his decision on Instagram: “July 17th, 2014 – the day of my presentation at Real Madrid, the day that changed my life. My life as a footballer – but especially as a person. “It was the start of a new chapter at the biggest club in the world. After 10 years, at the end of the season this chapter comes to an end.”At the same time this decision means that my career as an active footballer will end this summer after the Euro championship. “As I have always said: Real Madrid is and will be my last club. I am happy and proud, that in my mind I found the right timing for my decision and that I could choose it by my own. “My ambition was always to finish my career at the peak of my performance level.”Who is in Germany’s squad for Euro 2024?Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona)Defenders: Waldemar Anton (Stuttgart), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstadt (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)READ MORE SUN STORIESMidfielders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Chris Fuhrich (Stuttgart), Pascal Gross (Brighton and Hove Albion), Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)Forwards: Maximilian Beier (Hoffenheim), Niclas Fullkrug (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart)PLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament. More

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      Chelsea star Ian Maatsen trades luxury holiday on half-a-million pound yacht for shock Netherlands Euro 2024 call-up

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      CHELSEA ace Ian Maatsen had to dump his glitzy summer holidays to compete in Euro 2024 for the Netherlands.Maatsen, 22, spent the season on loan at Borussia Dortmund where he shone bright as he helped the Bundesliga giants reach the Champions League final where they lost 2-0 to Real Madrid.Chelsea ace Ian Maatsen had to cut his sunny holidays to Greece shortCredit: instagram @maatsen_Maatsen has linked up with the Netherlands for Euro 2024 after a late call-upCredit: GettyMaatsen stood out at Borussia Dortmund during his loan stint from ChelseaHowever, the full-back was initially left out of Ronald Koeman’s squad for the European championship in Germany, much to the surprise of many.Thus, the Dutchman decided to spend his summer holidays in Greece with his girlfriend where he would regroup while enjoying some sunshine.The defender sailed for Mykonos and shared some snaps of his luxurious holiday on social media aboard his £564,000 yacht.Maatsen and his girlfriend looked set for a month-long vacation in the Med while island hopping on a Hermes Yacht.Read More on FootballHowever, the left-back finally got the call from the Dutch national team and immediately swapped the sunny Greek weather for Germany’s rainy and cloudy climate.Koeman has been dealt a couple of devastating injury blows with both Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong and Atalanta ace Teun Koopmeiners ruled out of the tournament.So the ex-Everton boss decided to shake things up and gave Maatsen a call so the player could fly to Wolfsburg for training.Netherlands’ Euro campaign kicks off on Sunday when they take on Poland at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg.Most read in Euro 2024EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSKoeman’s men are facing a daunting task as they have been drawn in Group D, which also includes Austria and France.Maatsen could now play a major role in the tournament following an impressive campaign that saw him register a total of 38 appearances for Dortmund.A look at Chelsea’s forgotten wonderkidsThe wideman also made the Champions League’s Team of the Season – this all comes after another successful loan stint at Burnley whom he helped earn Premier League promotion last year.However, it doesn’t seem certain that Maatsen will be returning to Chelsea this summer as he prefers a permanent move to Dortmund, just like Manchester United ace Jadon Sancho.EURO 2024 LIVE: LATEST UPDATES FROM THE TOURNAMENTChelsea ace Maatsen wants to stay at Dortmund next seasonNetherlands Euro 2024 guideRONALD KOEMAN has overhauled Holland’s playing style after returning for a second stint in charge.

      Captain Virgil van Dijk will be expected to be a stalwart in defence while Xavi Simons will be hoping for a breakout tournament. But they may miss injured Frenkie de Jong.
      MANAGER: Ronald Koeman
      Ex-Barcelona and Everton boss was the scourge of England as a player when he knocked Graham Taylor’s side out of World Cup qualifying in 1994.
      STAR MAN: Virgil van Dijk
      Liverpool star has won everything there is to win at club level and will be counted on to keep things tight at the back.
      How Holland attack
      The Netherlands will play with a typically Dutch patient possession-based build-up.
      They will stagger their positions to play through the lines, but can be overly individualistic in the final third.
      How Holland defend
      The Dutch will play with a medium block, allowing the opposition to break the first line before engaging in the midfield area.
      They can run into problems when they fail to protect the middle of the pitch.
      Read the full Netherlands 2024 guide here, including predicted line-ups, odds and Wags More

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      Three football fans sentenced to jail for racial abuse of Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr in legal first in Spain

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      THREE Valencia fans have been sentenced to jail in a Spanish legal first for racially abusing Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr.Racist chants were aimed at Vinicius during a LaLiga match at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium on May 21, 2023.Three Valencia fans have been sentenced to jail for racially abusing Vinicius JrCredit: PAThe fans were found guilty of a “crime against moral integrity” with “aggravating circumstance of discrimination based on racist motives”.An initial 12-month sentence was reduced to eight months after an agreement reached at the preliminary investigation stage.The guilty fans have also banned from entering any football stadium in which La Liga and/or Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) matches are played for two years. Brazil star Vinicius joined LaLiga, Real Madrid and RFEF in bringing the case to court. READ MORE IN football La Liga president Javier Tebas said:, external “This ruling is great news for the fight against racism in Spain, as it goes some way to redressing the disgraceful wrong suffered by Vinicius Jr and sends a clear message to those individuals who go to a football stadium to hurl abuse.”La Liga will identify them, report them, and there will be criminal consequences.“I understand that there may be some frustration at the length of time it takes for these sentences to be handed down, but this shows that Spain is a country that guarantees judicial integrity.”We at La Liga can only respect the pace of justice, but once again we demand that Spanish legislation evolve to give La Liga sanctioning powers that can speed up the fight against racism.”Most read in FootballReal Madrid said in a statement: “The three accused have accepted their criminal responsibility and have made public a letter of apology addressed to Vinícius Júnior, Real Madrid C.F. and other people who felt denigrated and offended by their behavior.”This is the first conviction for acts of this nature handed down by criminal courts and tribunals.”Real Madrid, which participated in this prosecution together with Vinícius Júnior, will continue working to protect the values of our club and eradicate any racist behavior in the world of football and sport.” More

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      England boss Gareth Southgate fires warning to his squad after Iceland shocker and tells them to ‘get the focus right’

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE has warned: Jude Bellingham cannot solve England’s problems on his own.The Real Madrid superstar joins up with the Three Lions on Sunday after being given time off to recover from his Champions League triumph.Returning midfield hero Jude Bellingham can’t take all the responsibility, says England manager Gareth SouthgateCredit: GettySouthgate has spotted areas that need fixing after the 1-0 loss to IcelandCredit: RexBellingham arrives at St George’s Park with his England team-mates still reeling from Friday night’s humiliating 1-0  Wembley defeat to Iceland.Southgate admits Bellingham can lift the squad — who head for the Euros in Germany tomorrow  — but the boss said: “I’m sure he will but it is not his responsibility to do that.“It is for all of us to get the focus right, to make sure our mentality is right and make sure we’re working on the areas that need to be better than against Iceland.“We are not putting everything on Jude.READ MORE ENGLAND NEWS“We’ve got a lot of good players and it is a collective thing to go and try to win this tournament.“If we are relying on one person, that isn’t going to be a team that wins.”Bellingham, 20, had a stellar first season with Real, winning LaLiga then clinching Euro glory with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.Southgate gave the ex-Birmingham and Dortmund midfield star extra time off to recharge.Most read in Euro 2024Ivan Toney, Joe Gomez, Declan Rice and Aaron Ramsdale reflect on Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Iceland in England’s final warm-up gameCredit: GettyPLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament.
      EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSHe missed both  the 3-0 friendly win over Bosnia and that disastrous final warm-up against Iceland.Now all eyes  are on  getting England firing for the Euro 2024 Group C opener against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen next Sunday.England star Kieran Trippier reveals ‘lunatic’ team-mate drove TRACTOR to training and did donuts on the pitchSouthgate added: “He is, of course, a player with fabulous mentality and will have a big impact on the whole group.“But the biggest thing over the last couple of games is we’ve never had the collective together on the pitch at the same time.“There are still players we are finding out about and it sharpens the focus leading into Serbia.”John Stones is a fitness worry after his ankle knock against Iceland. The defender will be assessed by England’s medical staff today.With Harry Maguire out of the squad due to a calf injury, Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah is on standby.Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker saw the Three Lions struggleCredit: GettyGareth Southgate will take the handbrake off at Euro 2024… because he has no choiceBy Charlie Wyett

      GARETH SOUTHGATE will have no choice but to take the handbrake off his England team at Euro 2024.
      The defensive crisis gripping the Three Lions means the only option in Germany, within ­reason, will be outright attack.
      Southgate has often been lambasted for his safety-first approach — even if he points out you must go back to Walter Winterbottom’s sides in the 1950s to find an England manager with a better scoring record.
      But with the crocked Harry Maguire left out, Luke Shaw not fit enough to start the tournament and John Stones having made just 12 ­Premier League starts this season, this is not a defence you would stake your life on.
      The last time England went to a major tournament in Germany — the 2006 World Cup — the four centre-backs selected were Sol Campbell (68 caps), Rio Ferdinand (47), Jamie Carragher (25) and John Terry (24).
      This time, when England fly out on Monday, the quartet will be Lewis Dunk (six), Joe Gomez (14), Marc Guehi (ten) and Ezri Konsa (three).
      It makes Southgate’s decision not to recall the 49-cap Eric Dier for his ­provisional squad even stranger — especially considering his strong end to the season with Bayern Munich.
      The elder statesman in his defence — and the one who absolutely has to stay fit — is 71-cap Stones. More

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      Why Premier League conquerors Olympiacos’ European success is no miracle after Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool triumphs

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      OLYMPIACOS have officially made history as the first ever Greek club to win a European trophy.The Greek giants also became the first team to win a Uefa honour outside of the world’s top five league competitions since 2011 after beating Fiorentina 1-0 in the Europa Conference League final at rivals AEK Athens’ OPAP Arena ground.Olympiacos’ Europa Conference League triumph was no miracleCredit: GettyOlympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis has been building a European club since 2010Credit: RexOlympiacos have beaten some of the biggest Premier League clubsCredit: GettyMany have understandably coined the Piraeus outfit’s success as a miracle, but there is a lot more to it.The Greek Superleague has made headlines around the world often in recent years for all the wrong reasons due to fan violence and alleged corruption.In turn, football fans around the globe wrongfully dubbed Greek football with a series of unflattering monikers, such as “farmers’ league”.But Olympiacos transcend the Greek league and their recent track record proves that as they have made it out of the group stages of a major European competition in 14 out of their last 16 attempts.Read More on FootballUnder Evangelos Marinakis, who took over the club in 2010 and won 10 Superleague titles as well as four domestic Doubles, the team has made it out of the group stages of a major Uefa competition 11 times out of the last 13 attempts.And all of that has been under a Greek budget at a time when Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and US money is taking over football.Olympiacos have evolved into a European club that has also picked up some major scalps along the way from Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, AC Milan and more.All of the above also fell at the fiery Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium which poses as a powerful fortress filled with passionate, rowdy and loud fans who have been the backbone of this club since its creation in 1925 and always demand nothing less than perfection.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe Red and White have bested a series of Premier League clubs along the way, such as Liverpool whom they beat 1-0 in 2004 in their first ever European match at Karaiskakis, a few months before the miracle of Istanbul.Olympiacos went on to overcome the likes of Manchester United, Burnley, West Ham and Aston Villa, while Tottenham, Chelsea and Wolves couldn’t win in Piraeus.Olympiacos receive FIERY heroes’ welcome after Europa Conference League triumphBut no Prem club has ever struggled more against Marinakis’ club than Arsenal.So far the two clubs count six wins each against one another with none of their 12 previous meetings ending in a draw.In fact, Olympiacos have beaten Arsenal three times at the Emirates, which is more than the Gunners’ home losses to rivals Tottenham who have only won twice across all their visits at that ground.The Greeks rose to prominence in Europe largely thanks to a series of milestones they have reached in recent years, all of which set new standards that were never lowered.Arsenal pose as one of those unforgettable nights as they became the first ever English club Olympiacos ever beat away in 2015 after a 3-2 victory at the Emirates.The Gunners also became the first Premier League club the port city outfit eliminated in the knockout stages of a major competition in 2020 when they knocked them out of the Europa League’s Round of 32.Olympiacos’ milestone victories over the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United laid some strong foundationsCredit: GettyHow it all startedBut the night that truly changed everything took place in 2007 in Germany when the pride of Piraeus finally won an away game in the Champions League following 10 unsuccessful years.The unfancied conquerors defeated Werder Bremen 3-1 at the Weserstadion and never looked back since.Olympiacos, though, for years couldn’t even tie their previous best finishes that saw them making the quarter-finals of the Champions League and Europa League in 1999 and 1993 respectively.That came to an end this year in the Europa Conference League, and they did it in style as they eliminated Maccabi Tel Aviv from the Last 16 with the greatest comeback victory in Greek football history as they won 6-1 away after an embarrassing 4-1 loss at home.Other than the title win in Nea Filadelfia, Villa pose as the most recent milestone as Unai Emery’s side became the first ever Prem side Olympiacos eliminated by winning both legs – a 4-2 in at Villa Park and a 2-0 victory in the return fixture.But those milestones wouldn’t have happened without all the hard work that went into the club the last few years with Marinakis – also owner of Nottingham Forest – adhering to European standards since his arrival at the wheel.Jose Luis Mendilibar’s impactManagers like Ernesto Valverde, Marco Silva, Pedro Martins and now Jose Luis Mendilibar have left bits of their philosophy deeply ingrained into the club’s mentality, philosophy and character.Mendilibar especially transformed Olympiacos in just three months and has already made a strong case as the club’s greatest ever manager ahead of past legends like the aforementioned tacticians as well as Dusan Bajevic and Marton Bukovi.The Spanish tactician brought his experience and winners’ mentality a year after winning the Europa League with Sevilla but simply unlocked the best of the abilities of every star he already had at his disposal, unlike predecessors Diego Martinez and Carlos Carvalhal.Mendilibar found the likes of Kostas Tzolakis, Santiago Hezze, Rodinei, Vicente Iborra, Francisco Ortega as well as Ayoub El Kaabi and just let them play their game by implementing his own philosophy while reinstating some much-needed confidence to the team.The Basque head coach was also helped by the club’s greatest ever January transfer window that saw the likes of David Carmo, Chiquinho and Andre Horta taking things to the next level.Veterans like Giorgos Masouras, Youssef El Arabi and captain Kostas Fortounis also kept the standards sky high in the meantime with their past experience of European success.Star signingsThe club’s structure has attracted a number of stars thanks to its own star quality which is headed by Champions League and World Cup winner Christian Karembeu, who has been working with the club since 2013 as an ambassador.That led to the signings of Mathieu Valbuena, Esteban Cambiasso, Marcelo, Eric Abidal and Daniel Podence, who came back for another stint last summer on loan from Wolves.The work Olympiacos have put in behind the scenes was proven this season when the Under-19s became the first ever Greek club to win the Uefa Youth League.Marinakis’ investment and support shown for the likes of Jose Anigo and Thomas Benedet who ran the academies as well as youth manager Sotiris Silaidopoulos also led to two league titles in the last two years.There was a method and logic into this year’s miracle, which coincidentally took place 20 years after Greece’s stunning Euro 2004 triumph.SunSport previously analysed the Greek national team’s triumph all those years ago which carried many similarities to Olympiacos’ recent success.Learning from Euro 2004 failuresAnd the Superleague outfit will now need to avoid the same mistakes that saw Greece decaying and missing out on all major competitions in the last 10 years, including the upcoming Euros.Olympiacos have been raising the bar for years, and now it has been higher than ever.Thus, the demands have shattered whatever glass ceiling there was and there is a major hangover awaiting the club, who won’t have to worry about qualifiers for the first time since 2015 as they made it straight into next season’s Europa League.READ MORE SUN STORIESGreece lost their first match after Euro 2004 at Albania and missed out on the 2006 World Cup before completely dropping their standards following the 2014 World Cup.Marinakis has claimed those standards will be raised even higher as he suggested the Europa League is on Olympiacos’ sights next, and that’s exactly what needs to be done to follow such a hard act as this past season.PLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament. 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