Euro 2004

[jdl22]

Thought I would get a thread started about the coming European Cup tournament which begins in June. Two months early doesn't feel like too long to me to begin talking about the biggest sporting event this summer except maybe the olympics (my vote is still for Euro 2004).

For those of you unaware, Euro 2004 is a tournament consisting of the best teams from accross Europe. They went through a qualifying stage and the finals of the tournament has the 16 teams that qualified.

Here are the groups:
Group A
Portugal, Spain, Greece, Russia
Group B
France, England, Switzerland, Croatia
Group C
Sweden, Denmark, Bulgaria, Italy
Group D
Czech Republic, Latvia, Germany, Netherlands

Top two in each group advance to the second round.

Here are my picks:
Group A: Portugal, Spain
Group B: France, England
Group C: Sweden, Italy
Group D: Germany, Netherlands

I think those will be the rankings also with the first team finishing top and second in second.

I have given pretty much straight up vanilla picks so I'll give some likely upsets. I think Greece will give Spain a big fight for the second spot in the group (home ground advantage and the shame of the last world cup will have Portugal top) and maybe win it. Greece finished above Spain in qualifying for this tournament. England have looked shaky as of late, I wouldn't be surprised to see them crash out with the Croats going through.