Greg Lea breaks down the four teams in Group F of Euro 2016.
More Euro 2016 Group previews:
Top seeds Portugal will have been pleased with the group stage draw having been handed very difficult initial opponents at both Euro 2012 and the World Cup two years ago.
Austria have been widely backed to join the 2004 runners-up in the two automatic qualification spots, but the outcome of Group F is far from a foregone conclusion.
Iceland’s rise in recent years is one of the best football stories around, while Hungary will not want to merely make up the numbers in their first tournament appearance since 1986.
The winners of Group F will be handed a potentially tricky tie against the side who takes top spot in Group E – one of Belgium, Italy, Sweden or the Republic of Ireland.
Curiously, the runners-up may receive a theoretically easier last-16 fixture against the runners-up of Group B, which features England, Wales, Slovakia and Russia.
It will be interesting to see how the group pans out on the final day if second place is seen as more desirable than first.
Group B fixtures: (all kick-off times UAE)
*Correction: Times earlier were incorrectly shown as an hour later.
• June 14: Austria v Hungary, 8pm
• June 14: Portugal v Iceland, 11pm
• June 18: Iceland v Hungary, 8pm
• June 18: Portugal v Austria, 11pm
• June 22: Iceland v Austria, 8pm
• June 22: Hungary v Portugal, 8pm
• Predicted finish: Portugal, Austria, Iceland, Hungary
PORTUGAL
With a healthy blend of youth and experience and the continent’s best player to call upon, Portugal look to be in reasonably good shape ahead of the Euros.
Fernando Santos’s outfit are harder to break down than Portuguese teams of the recent past, although there are concerns over who will get the goals if Cristiano Ronaldo is unable to produce the goods.
Moreover, while Santos has an abundance of midfield options to choose from, the defence is ageing and could struggle when up against speedy strikers.
• Manager: Fernando Santos
The Lisbon-born Santos, who led Greece to the knockout stages of the Euros in 2012 and the World Cup in 2014, has masses of experience having managed Porto, Benfica and Sporting of Lisbon – Portugal’s biggest three clubs – in a coaching career spanning almost three decades.
• Star player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Who else? Ronaldo will be 33 by the time the next World Cup rolls around, so this could be his last chance to drag Portugal to international glory. Despite being written off as past his best during a difficult first half of the domestic season in Spain, Ronaldo still hit over 50 goals for Real Madrid in 2015/16.
• Wild card: Bernardo Silva
The Monaco schemer won plenty of admirers at the European Under 21 Championship last summer and has the talent to make a seamless step-up to senior level.
• Potential problem: Ronaldo’s best position
Portugal still lack a top-class centre-forward and could use their captain as a No 9, but the Real Madrid star is likely to prefer a role on the left.
AUSTRIA
The Austrians were one of the best teams in the world back in the 1950s but have found themselves in the doldrums in recent years.
Euro 2016 will mark their first participation in an international tournament outside of their own country since 1998, with supporters quietly confident that their side can make an impression. Austria are a technical and energetic side who like to press high and quickly exploit gaps in the opposition’s defensive unit.
• Manager: Marcel Koller
Koller has restored confidence and given Austria an identity, sparking hopes that they could reach the knockout stage of a major competition for the first time in 34 years.
Star player: David Alaba
Bayern Munich’s left-back is more of a playmaker for Austria. Deployed in the centre of midfield, Alaba is the man who makes his team tick.
• Wild card: Valentino Lazaro
Lazaro made his debut for Red Bull Salzburg at the tender age of 16 and now, four years on, is out to make an impact at his first finals for Austria. The No 10 is behind Zlatko Junuzovic in the pecking order but could catch the eye with some cameo appearances.
• Potential problem: Reliance on Marc Janko
Austria are likely to struggle massively if anything happens to the Basel centre-forward, who scored seven goals in qualifying.
ICELAND
Home to fewer than 332,000 people, Iceland were one of Europe’s minnows as recently as 2011, when they were placed in the bottom pot for 2014 World Cup qualification.
Their resurgence since then has been incredible, famous home and away wins over the Netherlands in qualifying for this summer’s competition widely considered the nation’s greatest ever footballing achievements.
Iceland overturned the odds to reach Euro 2016 and, with their togetherness and strong collective mentality, could cause an upset during it too.
• Managers: Lars Lagerback and Heimir Hallgrimsson
In an unfamiliar arrangement, Lagerback and Hallgrimsson share managerial duties after the latter was promoted from the role of assistant in 2013.
• Star player: Gylfi Sigurdsson
The Swansea City midfielder, who scored six times in qualifying, provides a dash of star quality in this Iceland team. Disciplined with his positioning and hard-working without the ball, Sigurdsson plays a deeper role for his country alongside Aron Gunnarsson in a 4-4-2 formation.
• Wild card: Jon Dadi Bodvarsson
The Kaiserslautern front man should start up top with Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, although he is also capable of operating on the right flank. The 23-year-old forward netted in the 3-0 win over Turkey in qualifying that set Iceland on the path towards their first international tournament.
• Potential problem: Lack of strength in depth
Iceland will be up against it if they pick up a few injuries or suspensions, with most of the backup options substantially weaker than the first-choice players.
HUNGARY
The fall from the days of Puskas, Hidegkuti, Kocsis and Hungary’s 1950s heyday was sharp and protracted, with only three tournament appearances between 1972 and 2016.
In fact, Hungary’s qualification for this summer’s European Championship was their first since the 1986 World Cup, making them one of the chief beneficiaries of the competition’s expansion to 24 teams.
Although they will have been buoyed by the draw, Hungary are still rated as rank outsiders in France.
• Manager: Bernd Storck
Previously coach of Kazakhstan, Storck led Hungary to the Euros after being handed the reins in July of last year.
• Star player: Balazs Dzsudzsak
Captain Dzsudzsak is a pacey winger who helps Hungary transition from defence to attack at speed. Storck’s side will be relying upon him to create chances, while he also possesses a powerful shot from distance.
• Wild card: Adam Nagy
Nagy, 20, who has six caps to his name at the time of writing, is a two-footed midfielder who plays his club football for Ferencvaros.
• Potential problem: Chance creation
Hungary only scored 11 goals in 10 qualifying games, with doubts over whether they have enough invention to unlock opponents’ backlines yet to be assuaged.
