Kick-off for Europe

The start of the selection company EURO'2008 is an occasion for an inventory of the composition of qualification groups with the selection of their hypothetical favorites. And yet - with special attention to the company collected by lot under the letter "E" , or more simply - Russian.

What's new Louise Felipe Scolari, who became the second with the Portuguese national team at Euro 2004 and the fourth at the 2006 World Cup, begins the third qualifying cycle with a declaration of a radical renewal of the squad. Figo and Pauleta completed their careers in the national team. Fresh faces include Sporting midfielders Martins and Moutinho, forwards Almeida and Quaresma, defender Rocha.

What happens . Instead of Serbs, Poles or Finns may act as main opponents, but this should not affect the plans of the Portuguese national team to leave the group.

Already played 1 match in a group:

BELGIUM - KAZAKHSTAN 0: 0 (August 16, 2006)

What's new. For the first time in the last 10 years, Zidane is not just absent from the roster - there is not even hope that he will appear, as was at the decisive stage of the previous qualification. The team has a new main goalkeeper - Gregory Coupe, the permanent champion of France in recent seasons, who finally waited for Fabien Barthez to retire. Plus a number of new faces in the lineup - midfielder Rio Antonio Mavuba and quarterback Francois Clerk.

What happens. France and Italy, as the owners of two tickets to the final tournament, are, firstly, boring, and secondly, extremely doubtful. At least three more teams will compete for leaving the group: Ukraine, Scotland and Georgia.

What's new. The status of world champions in which the team last stayed 24 years ago. New head coach: Marcello Lippi quit three days after the Berlin triumph, Roberto Donadoni took his place, raising to the sixth place in Serie A the not rich and not famous “Livorno”.

What happens. Absenteeism by world champions in the final Euro 2008 tournament is almost ruled out, although inviting Donadoni is a risky experiment.

One match has already been played in the group:

Faroe Islands - Georgia 0: 6 (August 16, 2006)

What's new. The Greek team could not be allowed to qualify for the Euro 2008: according to national law, the Minister of Sports of Greece can appoint and dismiss the head of the football federation, which is a gross violation of FIFA rules. As a result, the Greek government had to pass a new law on sports. The composition of the national team has not changed much since 2001, when the national team was headed by Otto Rehagel; most of the heroes of Euro 2004 are still in service.

What happens. Otto Rehagel will not be able to surprise his Norwegians, Hungarians, or Turks with his pragmatic football, and his team still does not know how to play otherwise. If the winner of the last European Championship is not at the next, you should not be surprised.

What's new. In an August friendly match against Serbia, Pavel Nedved said goodbye to the team. Poborski and Koller also will not play in her form. But the coach Karl Bruckner remained, who, despite the failure at the 2006 World Cup, was offered a new two-year contract.

What happens. No matter how the confrontation with Germany ends, the Czechs will be among the participants in Euro 2008.

What's new. The coaching staff left by Jürgen Klinsmann was led by his assistant Joachim Lev. Young, but already tested during the 2006 World Cup, the composition was replenished by the Berlin defender with Turkish roots Malik Fathi. And Jens Lehmann no longer needs to compete with Oliver Kahn for a place in the national team gates.

What happens. The team, created for the home World Cup 2006 and hardened during it, was sentenced by rumor to victory at Euro 2008. 75% of German fans, according to a Stern magazine survey, believe that Lev will succeed at least as well as Klinsmann.

What's new. The new coach is Steve McLaren, who made a name for himself in Middlesbrough (but by no means made any result for this team). The new captain is John Terry, who has already managed in the new season to confirm the status of the most successful defender in Europe. The absence of David Beckham - by such a decision (and so far only by him) Maclaren means "freshness of ideas" and "independence of judgment." Half a dozen newcomers, none of whom, however, have yet to see the new Gerrard or Rooney.

What happens. Formally, England is the favorite of our group. But taking into account all the above circumstances, it may well give way to the first line of Croatia or Russia.

What's new. The Croats followed the path (by the way, unsuccessful) of the Bulgarians and appointed the coach of the ex-football player from the most successful convocation of the team. And not the legendary Davor Shuker, but another bronze medalist of the World Cup-98 - Slaven Bilich. The new coach immediately began to break the rules established by his predecessor Zlatko Kranjčar, who was anathematized in Croatia after a draw with Australia by Guus Hiddink at the 2006 World Cup. Bilich put the son of the former coach Niko Kranchar on the bench, and also returned to the exiles - Milan Rapaich, Dynamo Kyiv goran Sablich, as well as naturalized Brazilian striker Eduardo Da Silva. Rejecting Kranchar’s tactical experiments, Bilić offered the Croats a standard 4-4-2 with two support teams (a young and little-known Luka Modric works together with Niko Kovacs), as well as with active flanks in the person of Srna and Rapaich.

What happens. Either access to Euro 2008 instead of Russia, or complete disappointment in local young coaches.

What's new. Guus Hiddink, whose invitation makes the team an object of increased interest - for the whole continent and danger - for competitors.

What happens. We hope all conceived on the qualifying cycle. And then more.

What's new. Israel has a very decisive and strict head coach - Dror Kashtan. The first thing he put out of the team the best defender Ben Haim - for violation of discipline. Then, true, he forgave him, but now everyone in Israel understands: you won’t get sick of Chestnut.

What happens. Nominally, the Israeli team is a third-order team in the group. However, in the last qualifying round, the Israelis played on equal terms with France and Switzerland. Beating the Israeli team is an extremely difficult task, however, it itself is also not very capable of winning. And you won’t leave anyone out of the group.

What's new Motto: "Not by washing, so by Katanese." The Macedonians rely on the experience and luck of Srechko Katanets. In 2000 and 2002, he already led to the finals of the European and World Championships the national team of his native Slovenia. By the way, Mackendon’s account already has a strategically important away win for Estonians.

What happens. Stubborn resistance to each of the favorites, especially the Croatian national team. She has old scores for Katanets. The Russians, by the way, too.

What's new. Almost nothing: there are traditionally few decent football players in the country, and the few that are there are not really anyone to change. The phrase “Mart Poom and Andreas Oper - the national team leaders” in Estonia has been repeating for six years now.

What happens. The Estonian national team will again take away points, and not only from Andorra. And Poom and Oper will again be its leaders.

What's new. Nothing substantial. David Rodrigo, who has led the team since 1999, has renewed the contract for another 4 seasons. His bet on proven bayonets from amateur clubs of the dwarf homeland and neighboring Spain and France.

What happens. It would be great to repeat the result of the previous cycle. Then four points were taken from the Macedonians and one from the Finns. True, in a recent sparring with the Belarusians the Andorrans were a miserable sight.

One match has already been played:

Estonia - Macedonia 0: 1 (August 16, 2006)

What's new. Almost nothing. The veteran coach Luis Aragones was persuaded to stay, and it is still far from the generational change - at the 2006 World Cup, the Spanish national team was one of the youngest teams.

What happens. In recent years, Spain has undermined the reputation of a champion qualifier. But this time, big problems with getting into the finals of the wards of Aragones are not expected. Unless they themselves compose.

What's new. Players from the Dutch youth team, who won the European Championships in the spring at their age, which should eventually replace Koku, van Nistelrooy, De Clair and Oeyer. By the way, the new striker of Real Madrid has already been successfully replaced by the clashed Klas-Jan Hüntelar, who, according to van Basten, is finally ripe for the national team. In the center of midfield, they play young Stein Shars from AZ, and in defense - Urby Emanuelson from Ajax. Van Basten remains committed to the 4-3-3 scheme, changing only its staffing.

What happens. Holland will almost certainly come to the finish of the qualifying tournament first. Oh, the second - at least.

PLAYING SEPTEMBER 2:

Scotland - Faroe Islands - Group B - 6 p.m.

Judge: Egorov (Russia).
Glasgow. Celtic Park.

NORTHERN IRELAND - ICELAND - GROUP F - 18:00

Judge: Skjerven (Norway).
Belfast. Windsor Park.

ENGLAND - ANDORRA - GROUP E - 20:00

Judge: Brugger (Austria).
Manchester. Old Trafford.

MALTA - BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - GROUP C - 21:15

Judge: Weilguard (Denmark).
Ta Kali. "Ta Kali."

GEORGIA - FRANCE - GROUP B - 20:00

Judge: Wegeref (Netherlands).
Tbilisi. "Boris Paychadze."

HUNGARY - NORWAY - GROUP C - 22:00

Judge: Bramhar (Holland).
Budapest. Magyari Ooty.

BELARUS - ALBANIA - GROUP G - 21:00

Judge: Asumaa (Finland).
Minsk. Dynamo Stadium

SERBIA - AZERBAIJAN - GROUP A - 22:15

Judge: Kircher (Germany).
Belgrade. "Red Star".

CZECH REPUBLIC - WALES - GROUP D - 22:15

Judge: Ericsson (Sweden).
Greenhouse. "At Stinadlech."

POLAND - FINLAND - GROUP D - 22:30

Judge: Duhamel (France).
Bydgoszcz. "Kshishkovyak."

LUXEMBOURG - HOLLAND - GROUP G - 22:30

Judge: Ferreira (Portugal).
Luxembourg. "Jose Barthel."

GERMANY - IRELAND - GROUP D - 22:45

Judge: Medina Cantalejo (Spain).
Stuttgart Gottlieb-Daimlerstadion.

SLOVAKIA - CYPRUS - GROUP D - 22.15

Judge: Orekhov (Ukraine).
Bratislava. "Tegelnoe Pole".

ITALY - LITHUANIA - GROUP B - 22:50

Judge: Hansson (Sweden).
Naples. "San Paolo".

LATVIA - SWEDEN - GROUP F - 22:00

Judge: Ceferin (Slovenia).
Riga. Skonto.

ROMANIA - BULGARIA - GROUP G - 21:00

Judge: Farina (Italy).
Constanta. "Farul."

MOLDOVA - GREECE - GROUP C - 22:15

Kishinev. Zimbru.

ESTONIA - ISRAEL - GROUP E - 22:30

Judge: Verbist (Belgium).
Tallinn. Stadium "A Le Cauc Arena".

SPAIN - LIECHTENSTEIN - GROUP F - 00.00

Judge: Bozhinovsky (Macedonia).
Badajoz. Stadium "El Vivero".