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June 10, 2016 |
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VANCOUVER, B.C - The 2016 UEFA European Championship tournament will kickoff today in France with the host country taking on Romania. Fans from around the world will be glued to all the action to see which team comes out on top as Euro 2016 Champions.
Vancouver Whitecaps players have chimed in and give their predictions, and thoughts on who will win each group and finish runner-up. How many players will back Coach Carl Robinson's Wales side and which particular players are the Whitecaps most looking forward to watching? Have a look for yourself.
Carl Robinson
Group Winners: France, England, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Portugal.
Group Runner-Up: Switzerland, Wales, Poland, Turkey, Italy, Iceland.
Final: France defeats Italy.
"France, just because they've got good players. They've got a good mix at the moment and there's no pressure on them."
On Wales: "I think they'll get through the group, I'm hoping they'll get through the group, I want them to win the group. If they get through the group it's a fantastic achievement. I've been asked to be on TV to commentate, so if they win, then I'll be on TV a lot more."
"We missed out in 2004 with Russia in a two-legged playoff. I thought that was the closest we've come since then. What Wales have done, and credit to the Football Association of Wales is... they've gone back to the drawing board in 2004 and they've devised a plan to try and promote young players as a group to come though the system to be ready for the 2014/2016 European Championships and World Cups. We didn't make it in 2014, and 2016 we did. It was a ten-year plan that was put together and they deserve all the credit in the world. We're seeing some of the best players at the moment coming through Wales in a generation. Obviously, you talk about Ryan Giggs, Gary Speed, and Mark Hughes, fantastic individuals as well. The team and spirit as the moment is phenomenal and it's because they've been through the programs together, the U12's, U14's, U16's, U18's, U20's, U23's and the B Team. They've been through it all together and credit to them for putting a plan in place, because we're seeing the rewards. I hope now they can go and enjoy it, but show how good they are because it's a tough group. I think it's a tougher group for other teams in the group, other than Wales. There's more pressure on them, other teams, rather than there is on Wales."
Players most looking forward to watching: Gareth Bale, Wales.
Paolo Tornaghi
Group Winners: France, Russia, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal.
Group Runner-Up: Switzerland, England, Poland, Turkey, Belgium, Iceland.
Final: Germany defeats Spain.
On Italy and Giovinco: "It can be a bad mistake for us not having a player like Giovinco. He's sharp, he had a fantastic 2015 and he's the only guy in the Italian roster that is in the middle of the season. All the players there are finished, tired, maybe they have a little injury soreness. I think a player like Giovinco that is very quick, has confidence and he's in form. I would like them to bring him on maybe for the last 20 minutes of the game. I'm not saying he isn't a starter, maybe if the game goes bad, you have the threat of Giovinco. Put the guy in for 20 minutes, he's going to be sharp and quick."
Note: Sebastian Giovinco was not named to Italy's Euro 2016 squad.
Players most looking forward to watching: Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Graziano Pelle.
"I like Pelle, he's a guy that's not playing in Italy. In Italy we have this thing that we don't care too much about the players that play outside Italy, but Pelle is very good. He's a good goal-scorer and we need a player like this. Hopefully he's going to score many goals for us."
David Ousted
Group Winners: France, England, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Portugal.
Group Runner-Up: Switzerland, Russia, Northern Ireland, Croatia, Italy, Iceland.
Final: Germany defeats France.
"They have such a good team all over the place. At every position I think they have real quality players and as a unit, I think they're a little bit stronger than some of the other nations. I've got Germany to win it. They've got one of the best goalkeepers in the world (Manuel Neuer)."
Players most looking forward to watching: Eden Hazard, Manuel Neuer, Thibaut Courtois.
Fraser Aird
Group Winners: France, England, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Portugal.
Group Runner-Up: Switzerland, Wales, Poland, Croatia, Sweden, Austria.
Final: France defeats England.
"I think France will be there, I think they have a great young team even though they're missing a few key players. I think they have a great team. Obviously being in France, I think they have a great advantage. Just watching them a few times, they're a great side."
Players most looking forward to watching: Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Paul Pogba, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Tim Parker
Group Winners: France, England, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Portugal.
Group Runner-Up: Switzerland, Russia, Poland, Croatia, Italy, Austria.
Final: Germany defeats Belgium.
"I think they just have the most players playing at the highest level right now and I think that will translate into the Euro tournament."
Players most looking forward to watching: Mats Hummels, Antoine Griezmann.
"I'm a little disappointed Fernando Torres didn't get put in the Spain lineup."
Kekuta Manneh
Group Winners: France, England, Germany, Croatia, Belgium, Portugal.
Group Runner-Up: Switzerland, Slovakia, Northern Ireland, Spain, Italy, Hungary.
Final: France defeats England.
"I want England to win, I'm an England fan, but I think France hosting it and the calibre players they have, they're a young squad and very exciting to watch. If I was to name my top ten players it would be a lot of French guys in my top ten. I think they are going to win. It would be actually great to have Karim Benzema on the team, but I think they can do it without him."
Players most looking forward to watching: Anthony Martial, Antoine Griezmann, Kingsley Coman, Paul Pogba, Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Eden Hazard, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Erik Hurtado
Group Winners: France, England, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Portugal.
Group Runner-Up: Switzerland, Wales, Ukraine, Croatia, Italy, Austria.
Final: Spain defeats Portugal.
"I just think Spain is a better team overall. Ronaldo is going to be able to get his team to the final, but Spain is going to beat them. They're going to touch, move, touch, move, and goal."
Players most looking forward to watching: Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Kendall Waston
Group Winners: France, England, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal.
Group Runner-Up: Switzerland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Croatia, Belgium, Austria.
Final: Spain defeats Germany.
"From years before they have been competing very good. There performance is always nice so I think the percentage of winning is good for them."
Players most looking forward to watching: "No, I've already seen all of them."
Nicolas Mezquida
Group Winners: France, England, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal.
Group Runner-Up: Switzerland, Russia, Poland, Turkey, Belgium, Austria.
Final: Germany defeats Spain.
"Right now they have the best players and the best team. They showed it in the last World Cup."
Players most looking forward to watching: Mario Götze, Robert Lewandowski.
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