The Croats qualified for Euro 2012 the hard way after finishing behind Greece in their group and having to go through the play offs. There they drew a potentially tricky tie with Turkey, but made light work of an away day that has got the better of some of the very best sides out there. A convincing 3-0 win in Istanbul was enough to see Slaven Bilic's side though, with the second leg finishing a 0-0 draw.
Not the force they once were, Croatia still occupy one of the top 10 places in the Fifa rankings and have done since 2006. The experienced players in the squad will carry a lot of the burden, but there is every chance they could make the Quarter Final. Spain will top the group, but any of the other three could occupy second spot.
Key Man
People may disagree with this choice, but Sports Portal are going to plump for Darijo Srna as the key man for Croatia. A one time right back Srna has always been widely renowned for his attacking intentions, something which has recently prompted Bilic to switch him further up the field.
The captain will have to be at his creative best to ensure his side have a chance of progression, his frequent goals could also come in handy.
One To Watch
A key, if not the key, man in the Croatia line up is Luka Modric. He shot to prominence during the last European Championships, but luckily for them Tottenham Hotspur clinched his signature before the tournament even began. After working so hard to keep him last summer, chairman Daniel Levy could face a similar battle this summer. Especially if he tries to use the tournament to showcase his talent to potential suitors.
ItalyA nation once again plunged into chaos after a near perfect qualifying campaign. Eight wins and two draws doesn't exactly tell the whole story though, the old football once associated with the nation is being shed. Cesare Prandelli tries to have his players impose themselves on the opposition through an intricate passing style, although their defence was the best across the whole of qualifying. Something that runs back to the Italy sides of old with only two goals conceded.
However, all their good work could now count for nothing. Another match fixing scandal has reared it's ugly head with players dropping out to clear their names, and a dawn raid on their training camp all hampering Italian build up. The thoughts they could be kicked out seem to have passed, but the 3-0 friendly defeat to Russia show how much this has affected them
Key Man
The Italian squad is littered with star names, but one man who continues to keep his side ticking over is Andrea Pirlo. The enigmatic middle man left AC Milan last summer, but he has highlighted what the San Siro has been missing by leading Juventus to the Seria A title.
His calming presence in the middle of the park could be just what Italy need to get over their recent bad results that have come as a result of the above mentioned circumstances.
One To Watch
The world just cannot stop talking about Mario Balotelli. His antics this have lit up the Premier League, entertaining and dividing opinion in the same breathe. He is, however, a terrific footballer who is capable of turning a game on it's head in an instant. What he needs to do though is just get his head down and focus on the football if that happens we could see miracles. What we don't need is ridiculous provocation following he statement that he would kill anyone who is racist towards him.
Republic of IrelandFollowing the infamous Thierry Henry handball incident that denied the nation a place at the 2010 World Cup, it is only right that the Republic of Ireland have followed it up by qualifying for Poland/Ukraine. It would be a big ask for them to qualify beyond the group stage in only their second appearance, but if they can instill some of the belief of the previous two years leading to this then they have every chance of doing so.
Built on a solid foundation with creativity further up the field Ireland finished second to Russia in the qualification phase and entered the play offs. Here they faced Estonia, and became another side to progress courtesy of a tremendous performance away from home. The 4-0 away victory was followed up with a 1-1 home draw; can Giovanni Trapattoni work yet more miracles.
Key Man
There is only one man in the Irish side that is worthy of this title, Robbie Keane. Despite a yard of pace having been lost Keane remains the chief goal threat, and highlighted his credentials during a brief loan spell at Aston Villa earlier this year. He followed that up by setting up the only goal in the MLS Cup final, with LA Galaxy duly triumphing.
Keane was the main man at the World Cup in 2002, the last tournament that they qualified for, and he will need to find similar form this summer.
One To Watch
It is rare that a British or Irish footballer leaves these shores to ply their trade abroad, so when Spartak Moscow maid Celtic nearly £10m for Aiden McGeady it was something of a surprise. Together with Damien Duff on the other wing he will be responsible for being the creative hub of the side, providing the ammunition for those further up the pitch.
McGeady could also use this summer's spectacle to engineer a move back closer to home, something that is being mentioned with increasing regularity.
SpainWhat more can be said about Spain that hasn't been already. The current World Cup and European Championship holders will no doubt have a target on their back, but who would back against them triumphing again this time round.
The one big question is will they be able to cope without Carlos Puyol and David Villa who are to miss out through injury? Sports Portal's guess is no chance, the strength contained within this squad is what has led to this success. Vicente Del Bosque will no doubt have had contingency plans should any of his key players get sidelined.
Key Man
In a side full of superstars there is one man who keeps them ticking over, Xavi. He is the lynch pin of both his national and club side, slotting passed through seemingly non-existent gaps at times. His outstanding pass completion of nearly 90% at Euro 2008 is exceeded by the one that says he completed a pass every 57 seconds in the World Cup.
One To Watch
In a team full of superstars, there are also those players who are set to future stars of this national set up. Fernando Llorente could well be trusted with a starting spot while Jesus Navas could be relied upon to provide spark from the wings, if things aren't going their way for a change. Sports Portal though are going to go for Llorente's Athletic Bilbao team mate Javi Martinez.
His phenomenal displays have certainly caught the eye this season, with English fans taking note during the games against Manchester United. This has led to many gossip column inches being filled with rumours of a move to the Premier League, a strong showing this summer would do little to quash those.
