Euro 2020 news LIVE: Jack Grealish gives England press conference ahead of opener with Croatia
Follow all the build-up to the Euros ahead of the opening game between Italy and Turkey this Friday
The big kick-off for Euro 2020 is now just two days away with England and Gareth Southgate finalising their preparation for their first group stage game.
While Scotland and Wales, too, look to thrive on the big stage following the tournament’s opener between Italy and Turkey at the Stadio Olimpico.
It has been a week of disruption for the Three Lions with Ben White stepping in late for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold with the Brighton defender providing cover for Harry Maguire, who is contending with an injury just days out from the start of the tournament.
Croatia are up first, but Group D opponents Scotland will face Czech Republic off in the other first round of games on Monday.
Wales will be the first of the home nations to play in Euro 2020 when they kick off against Switzerland on Saturday.
There are now a series of late injuries for a number of contenders to cope with, including the Netherlands, who have lost Donny van de Beek.
Karim Benzema suffered a scare for the favourites and world champions France, limping off against Bulgaria. While there are Covid-19 cases, including Spain’s Sergio Busquets.
Wales on track before Euro 2020
Wales’ Adam Davies has revealed playing F1 on the Playstation is keeping the squad entertained in the build-up.
“About eight or nine of us have got wheels for it and set up our own little Grand Prix,” Stoke goalkeeper Davies said. “We’re all in different rooms and can connect to one lobby. We’ve been playing the Baku course as well and it’s been fun, really good.
“David Brooks is really fast, and it’s a little bit annoying as I’m probably the second best out of everyone. When Brooksy’s behind me I know he’s going to overtake me. Big Kieffer Moore is the worse player I’ve ever seen on it - he’s too big for the car!”
Davies is also in charge of the squad’s disc jockey duties before games as mixing tunes is a personal hobby.
“I’ve had the last job for the last couple of years,” Davies said. “I put a couple of mixes and some good tunes on to get the lads up for the game. It’s quite Housey, very upbeat. I’ve got some decks at home as a friend of mine got me into it.
“It took me a couple of years to get used to it. But it’s something I do in my spare time, I love it.”
This is a very interesting piece by chief football writer Miguel Delaney this morning, on the new generation of multinational footballers. Fluid regulations allow players to switch allegiances, reflecting a necessary understanding of their ancestry which challenges nationalist themes associated with the international game, and it is a point raised by the recent switch of Aymeric Laporte from France to Spain.
Here’s the full piece:
Euro 2020 the stage for a new generation of multinational footballers
Fluid regulations allow players to switch allegiances, reflecting a necessary understanding of their ancestry which challenges nationalist themes associated with the international game, writes Miguel Delaney
Group B guide
Everything you need to know about Group B, where world No1-ranked Belgium are the favourites but Denmark are expected to produce something too, leaving old rivals Finland and Russia with it all to do.
Everything you need to know about Euro 2020 Group B
Denmark, Finland, Belgium and Russia make up Group B
Ones to watch
International competitions have so often proved the launchpad for individual careers and Euro 2020 is set to be no different, with plenty of starlets aiming to bolster their reputations this summer.
The 2018 World Cup saw many breakout talents cement their status as rising stars, with Hirving Lozano (Mexico), Aleksandr Golovin (Russia), Ante Rebic (Croatia), Juan Quintero (Colombia), Rodrigo Bentancur (Uruguay) and Benjamin Pavard (France) all playing influential roles for their countries and, in many instances, being rewarded with major transfers at club level.
The pool of players may be slightly smaller at this summer’s European Championships, but there is still set to be a wealth of young prospects on show. Here we take a look at the breakout stars to watch out for:
Potential breakout stars of Euro 2021
We take a look at the potential standout prospect selected by each team
Group A guide
Euro 2020 kicks off with Group A, sensibly enough, on Friday evening as Italy take on Turkey, before Wales face Switzerland the following day. Here is everything you need to know:
Everything you need to know about Euro 2020 Group A
Turkey, Italy, Wales and Switzerland make up Group A
Gascoigne’s advice for Foden
Phil Foden got his hair cut a bit like Paul Gascoigne in Euro 96 this week, and he has received some advice from the England’s star of the tournament 25 years ago. Gazza says Foden needs to be more selfish if he is to be England’s star man:
Paul Gascoigne urges Phil Foden to be ‘greedier’ to inspire England at Euro 2020
The Manchester City star has been likened to the legendary former England midfielder
Spain camp latest
Spain defender Diego Llorente has tested positive for COVID-19, the national team said early on Wednesday, five days before their Euro 2020 opener.
Spain captain Sergio Busquets had tested positive on Sunday and Spanish FA (RFEF) President Luis Rubiales warned more cases were likely.
Both players had left the team’s camp, while the rest of the squad continue to prepare for the tournament, the federation said.
The squad and coaching staff immediately went into isolation following Busquets’ positive test on Sunday, meaning their under-21 team and coach stepped in to face Lithuania on Tuesday, claiming a 4-0 victory in a friendly.
Spain face Sweden in their Euro 2020 Group E opener on Monday.
After Busquets’ positive test, Spain called up six senior players -- Kepa Arrizabalaga, Raul Albiol, Carlos Soler, Brais Mendez, Pablo Fornals and Rodrigo Moreno -- to form a parallel training bubble so they could be called upon if needed.
Sports Minister Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes said on Tuesday all the players would be vaccinated on Wednesday.
Unlike other European countries which opened vaccination to all adults, Spain has kept a rigorous age-based calendar. Currently people in the 50-59 and 40-49 age brackets are getting vaccines in different regions.
Benzema update
Here is Didier Deschamps on Karim Benzema, who picked up an injury in France’s final warm-up game against Bulgaria. It doesn’t sound tournament-threatening:
“He took a good hit on the muscle above the knee. He stopped playing because he felt it hardening. We have a high level medical staff. It will get better day by day. I have no particular concern, there is nothing dramatic.”
Euro 2020 kits ranked and rated
We took some time to rank every single shirt at the tournament. Enjoy:
The good, the bad and the ugly: Every Euro 2020 kit ranked and rated
The football shirts of Euro 2020 ranked from best to worst
Euro 2020 kits ranked and rated
We took some time to rank every single shirt at the tournament. Enjoy:
The good, the bad and the ugly: Every Euro 2020 kit ranked and rated
The football shirts of Euro 2020 ranked from best to worst
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