7. Belgium
They were deservedly beaten 2-0 in their opening encounter, which means the old familiar doubts are beginning to re-emerge about Belgium, despite being ranked as the world’s second best team by Fifa. There was a lack of cohesion in their display against the Italians which suggests they don’t have the capability to win the competition outright. Nevertheless, they have at least got their most difficult group game out of the way, and if the Red Devils’ coterie of stars belatedly manage to click, they will remain a formidable prospect to face for any other side in the competition.
6. Croatia
There are better teams collectively in the tournament, but in Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic, Croatia have two of the best midfielders in the world, with the former delivering a spectacular goal in their 1-0 win opening win over Turkey. They have other highly talented players too in Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic, though you suspect better sides than the Turks may be able to cause problems for a defence that is far from the strongest in the competition. That said, they are a decent dark horse bet in what is one of the most open European Championships in recent memory.
5. England
Should have beaten a poor Russia side but despite a last-minute defensive lapse, England looked very good for long periods and will surely progress from a group that also includes Wales and Slovakia. Roy Hodgson’s team have the youngest squad in the competition, and they certainly played Russia with a youthful exuberance and energy that was at times reminiscent of Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs at their best — no surprise really given that they had five Tottenham players in their starting XI. Nonetheless, they still need to do more to convince as legitimate contenders — the team’s inexperience showed, as they failed to manage the game in the dying moments and conceded a sloppy equaliser.
4. Italy
Possessing a solidity that all the best tournament teams tend to demonstrate (as Martin O’Neill has pointed out), the Italians surprised many with their opening 2-0 win against a fancied Belgian outfit. Their lack of high-profile stars was highlight by the fact that their attack included Emanuele Giaccherini, who has struggled to make an impact since joining Sunderland in 2013 and was loaned out to Bologna last season, as well as Graziano Pelle, who also didn’t have the best of campaigns for Southampton, with Shane Long out-shining him for the second half of the season.
Yet both players looked impressive and got on the scoresheet in the Azzurri’s opening game, dispelling previous suggestions by some critics that they were an ordinary side who pale in comparison to past Italian teams. What’s most impressive about Antonio Conte’s men, however, is their defence. While they were helped by more than one cynical foul, Italy boast arguably the best backline in the competition. Juventus trio Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci gave a masterclass in the art of defending, and in what has been a very tight tournament so far with games routinely decided by the odd goal, their nous and experience in closely fought contests could help the Italians go very far.
3. France
Their 2-1 opening win against a workmanlike but limited Romania side was not totally convincing. Their defence looked vulnerable on occasion, with an ageing Patrice Evra completely out of sorts. However, they have several individuals capable of moments of brilliance, as Dimitri Payet demonstrated on Friday with his sensational last-minute strike, while in N’Golo Kante, they have arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world on current form.
2. Germany
The world champions got their Euros campaign off to a positive start with a 2-0 win over Ukraine. The victory was far from convincing, however, with Manuel Neuer having to make a number of good saves during the game, while Jerome Boateng also cleared off the line at one point. Their leadership has been questioned following the post-World Cup retirement of a number of big names, though with Northern Ireland and Poland to play, they should comfortably advance to the knockout stages. In Toni Kroos, they have a player who can dictate games like few others in the competition, while in general, Germany have one of the strongest sides in the tournament on paper.
1. Spain
It may have taken them until the 87th minute to break the deadlock against Czech Republic, but they more than deserved the win, with 18 shots (and five on target) as well as 72% possession. They may not have the paciest and most dynamic of midfields, but in Andres Iniesta, who created the winning goal in their opener, they possess a player of exceptional footballing intelligence. Moreover, in terms of squad depth few can compete with Spain — even their second XI is stronger than most teams in the competition.
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