Sport in 2012 - Euro 2012

It’s 16 years since football came home for Euro 96 but its still the last time any home nation made it to the semi-finals of a major international tournament.

Ireland and England will be hoping to change that when they arrive in the Ukraine and Poland this summer. England’s task looks to be the slightly simpler of the two, but then thoughts only have to turn to South Africa in 2010 when a lacklustre side made heavy work of a supposedly simple group.

Ireland meanwhile can take solace from their last outing at a major tournament in 2002, when they were only narrowly defeated on penalties by their Group C rivals Spain. Unfortunately for the Irish, this year’s Spanish side take to the field as favourites to win the competition as they feature six members of Fifa’s 2011 World Team of the Year.

For the present, Euro 2012 promises to be the tournament where many of the stars of the future flourish. Mario Gotze is a flamboyant German playmaker sure to make an impression in Group B – the traditional group of death – which includes Portugal and the Netherlands alongside the Germans.

Euro 2012 could be the tournament for a certain preened Portuguese goal-scorer to stamp his mark. Cristiano Ronaldo - if fully fit and given license to roam - could achieve what the great Lionel Messi has failed to do so far and shine on the international stage. A Spanish victory in the competition is on the cards, but as in England 16 years ago, it would be foolish to write off the Germans.