Germany’s national soccer team coach Joachim Loew poses with Northern Ireland’s coach Michael O’Neill Poland’s coach Adam Nawalka and Ukraine’s assistant coach Volodymyr Onyshchenko during the UEFA EURO 2016 final draw ceremony at the Palais des Congrčs in Paris, France, 12 December 2015.
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For France, the tournament, which will be watched by millions of fans from all over the world, will be one of the biggest challenges.
Add in the team spirit which is so evidently strong among the players, Ireland can go to the finals with genuine hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
On the same day England meet Wales, Germany and Poland will meet in Group C at the Stade de France as they renew hostilities after encountering one another during qualifying.
But the England manager said his opposite number will have contingency plans in mind if something happens to the Real Madrid star. “It is important to set an example and carry on with normal life”, said Loew.
“Wales will feel pressures of their own at their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup in Sweden“.
Previous appearances at the Euros: Finished second in 1980 and third in 1972 when they hosted the tournament.
Hodgson’s England flopped at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, exiting the tournament after losing their first two games.
Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff was happy to avoid bogey side Italy in the draw.
The top two teams in each group and the four best runners-up advance to the last 16.
Football Association chairman Greg Dyke insists no decision will be made on a new contract for England boss Roy Hodgson until after next summer’s European Championship.
The Republic of Ireland face one of the toughest groups but former defender Mark Lawrenson believes that could suit them. Besides the group first and the runner-up the best four group thirds make it to the next round. Portugal in group F against Iceland, Hungary and Austria complete the tournament.
The draw also pitted England and Wales in Group B. The British nations, who never met on worldwide stage, will clash each other at Lens on June 16 in the group that also features Russian Federation and Slovakia.
In a relatively weak-looking group, the biggest match is the final game between Switzerland and France in Lille on June 19.
England and Wales were drawn together in Group B, where the United Kingdom neighbors will be joined by Russian Federation and Slovakia. Robert Lewandowski has been in excellent form and scored 13 goals in qualifying for Poland.
Key player: What’s being touted as the golden generation of Belgian footballers, their current squad boasts a litany of talent plying their trades in the Premier League.
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The Euro 2016 finals in Paris will provide a “powerful response” to the Paris terrorist attacks carried out, a senior French minister says.
