England's opponents in Euro 2012

FRANCE

(Monday, June 11, Donetsk)

World ranking: 15th

How qualified:

A resurgent France put a bitterly disappointing World Cup campaign behind them to finish one point clear of Bosnia & Herzegovina at the top of Group D.

However, it wasn't plain sailing for the French, who won six of their ten qualifying matches.

They started with a bitterly disappointing home defeat to Belarus, but improved as the qualifying tournament went on and came from behind to secure a crucial 1-1 draw with Bosnia in their final game.

Strengths:

Having changed a number of their players in the wake of last summer's South African debacle, a youthful French side now offer a considerable threat in attack.

Marseille's Loic Remy has emerged as a powerful centre-forward, with Karim Benzema offering a more technical alternative, but the real strength is in a midfield that features Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye and Manchester City's Samir Nasri.

The divisions of the past appear to have been mended, with new boss Laurent Blanc having fostered a new sense of team spirit.

Weaknesses:

Having swept away much of the old guard, Blanc has assembled a new-look side with limited tournament experience. Indeed, having made wholesale changes, the new France boss presides over a squad containing no one who has scored more than five international goals.

There are also question marks over the solidity of the defence, which is built around Valencia's Adil Rami and the occasionally unreliable Philippe Mexes.

While France have undoubtedly turned a corner in the last 12 months, they remain something of an unknown quantity.

Previous meetings:

England have played France on 28 previous occasions, but while they have won 16 of those matches, their recent record is not good.

England have failed to win their last five meetings, with the most recent resulting in a 2-1 defeat at Wembley in November 2010 thanks to goals from Benzema and Mathieu Valbuena.

Next year's tournament opener is a repeat of England's first game in Euro 2004, a 2-1 defeat that saw Zinedine Zidane score two stoppage-time goals.

Manager:

Blanc was appointed manager after Raymond Domenech was dismissed in the wake of last summer's World Cup disaster.

He made his mark immediately, vowing to stamp out the dissent that had engulfed the French camp in South Africa, and has subsequently proved adept at creating a less explosive atmosphere in the national set up.

Star man:

Franck Ribery has tended to underachieve on the international stage, and this is surely the Bayern Munich winger's last opportunity to reproduce his stellar club form in a major tournament.

If he does that, he could be one of the stars of Euro 2012. But he has flattered to deceive so often in the past that a strong showing cannot be taken as a given.

If they were an England player they would be:

Jack Wilshere. Talented, youthful, and offering plenty of potential for the future. But are they good enough or experienced enough to do themselves justice next summer?

SWEDEN

(Friday, June 15, Kiev)

World ranking: 18th

How qualified:

Sweden qualified for Poland and Ukraine as the best runners-up from the nine qualifying pools.

They finished three points behind Holland in Group E, having won eight of their ten games.

The most impressive of those victories came in their final qualifier, an action-packed 3-2 home win over Holland.

Strengths:

It is something of a cliché, but Sweden's greatest strength always tends to be their reliability and organisation.

Traditionally well drilled defensively, they also carry a threat in attack thanks to the likes of Sunderland midfielder Seb Larsson and AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich.

They boast plenty of tournament experience and always tend to be competitive in the finals of a major competition.

Weaknesses:

A lack of flair was certainly evident as Sweden lost in a friendly at Wembley last month, and there must be a fear that some key players are starting to get past their best.

Ibrahimovich is an enigma, and if he is having one of his not uncommon off days, there is a lack of alternative match winners in the squad.

There is also a lack of depth in Swedish football at the moment, with very few youngsters emerging to make their mark.

Previous meetings:

Regular rivals in major tournaments, England have played Sweden in 22 matches, winning just seven.

Prior to November's friendly, England had gone 43 years without a victory over Sweden, a run that included two draws in World Cup finals and a defeat in Euro 92.

However, the tide finally turned last month, with a Daniel Majstorovic own goal securing England a 1-0 win.

Manager:

Erik Hamren was appointed Sweden manager in 2009 and follows in a long line of no-nonsense bosses who have taken charge of the national side.

He has won the Norwegian title with Rosenborg and claimed a Danish league crown with Aalborg.

Star man:

Ibrahimovich must frustrate his managers at both club and international level, but he is undoubtedly the leading light in the Sweden team.

His performances against English sides tend to be wretched though, something he will desperate to address in Kiev.

If they were an England player they would be:

Frank Lampard. People tend to write them off, but they always seem to be there doing what they always do. We're all aware of their weaknesses, but perhaps they still have a major performance in them?

UKRAINE

(Thursday, June 24, Donetsk)

World ranking: 55th

How qualified:

Ukraine qualified for next year's tournament automatically as one of the co-hosts.

As a result, they have only been playing friendlies for the last few months, and their results have been patchy at best.

They beat Austria 2-1 in their most recent outing and secured a creditable 3-3 draw with Germany, but have lost to both France and Sweden since the turn of the year.

Strengths:

As the co-hosts, Ukraine will have almost 50,000 supporters roaring them on when they face England in their final group game.

The former Soviet republic has been preparing for this tournament for half-a-decade, and regard qualifying for the knockout stage as a minimum requirement.

The bulk of their squad has been together for a number of years and can therefore draw upon a strong team spirit.

Weaknesses:

Their world ranking of 55 provides a reliable indicator of their qualities, and had they not been hosting next year's tournament, it is doubtful they would have qualified.

A lack of goals is a major problem, and it is hardly a good sign that 35-year-old Andriy Shevchenko is still a key member of the Ukrainian squad.

There is a general lack of creativity in midfield, with little in the way of natural width or vision.

Previous meetings:

England have only played four matches against Ukraine, with three of the meetings resulting in a victory.

However, the most recent game was England's only defeat, a 1-0 reverse in what was effectively a dead rubber at the end of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup finals.

Manager:

Ukraine are led by former striker Oleg Blokhin, who was a key figure for Dynamo Kiev and the Soviet Union in the 1970s.

He was named European Footballer of the Year in 1975 and is currently in his second spell as Ukraine boss, having led his homeland to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup.

Star man:

He might be 32, but Anatoliy Tymoshchuk remains a key figure at the heart of the Ukrainian midfield.

A tough-tackling midfielder who currently plays with Bayern Munich, the veteran will be charged with ensuring Ukraine are difficult to break down next summer.

If they were an England player they would be:

John Terry. They're not as good as they used to be, and it could be argued that they're only really going to be involved next summer by default.

But they're guaranteed to give 100 per cent and remain convinced of their own ability.