In 79 days, Italy will receive Turkey at the Olympic Stadium in Rome on June 11, to kick off a Euro 2020 delayed by one year.
For once, France has inherited the "group of death" with Portugal, reigning European champion, Germany, 2014 world champion and semi-finalist of Euro 2016, and the (slightly) more modest Hungary.
Three opponents with uneven dynamics and who, like the Blues, will sharpen their knives during the qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup for the Euro next summer.
Portugal, a well-renewed champion
France obtained its small revenge in Lisbon on November 14 (0-1), four years after Portugal's victory on French soil in the final of Euro 2016 (0-1).
However, the Seleção campaign during the League of Nations 2020 is not to be thrown away.
If they also stumbled over France in October (0-0), Cristiano Ronaldo's teammates dominated Croatia (4-1, 2-3) and corrected Sweden (0-2, 3-0).
The nugget João Félix (Atlético de Madrid) and Liverpool winger Diojo Jota take their marks in attack.
Center-back Ruben Dias has established himself as one of the best in Europe in his post thanks to his excellent season at Manchester City.
His club and national teammates, attacking midfielder Bernardo Silva and left side João Cancelo, shine just as much, not to mention maestro Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United.
None of these six players were there at Euro 2016, proof of the rich reservoir Portugal has in almost every position.
Ronaldo's 100th (and magnificent) goal with Portugal against Sweden in September 2020 (0-2)
If the selection of Fernando Santos was limited to ambitious young people, it would not be as much to be feared.
Goalkeeper Rui Patricio (33) and defender Pepe (38), intractable in early March with Porto against Juventus de ... Cristiano Ronaldo (36) in the Champions League, are injured for this rally.
But should not miss the Euro.
“CR7” is aiming for the record for goals for the national team.
He lacks 7 goals to equal Iranian Ali Daei (109 goals).
The trip to Serbia this Saturday should help take the temperature with Portugal.
"Germany and France are favorites", evacuated Fernando Santos in the wake of the draw in November 2019. The Seleção wants to dribble the pressure, but its workforce and its results speak for it.
Germany, small crisis and last dance for Löw
A "disaster", headlined the German daily
Bild
the day after Spain's thunderous victory against the Mannschaft on November 17 (6-0).
Germany hadn't seen such a large defeat in 89 years.
A very bad end to a League of Nations campaign marked by two disappointing results against Switzerland (1-1, 3-3).
Since its exit through the back door at the 2018 World Cup, from the group stage, Germany has sought to reinvent itself.
Joachim Löw has banned convicts deemed outdated such as Jérôme Boateng, Mats Hummels and Thomas Müller.
“We decided to take a new turn with other players, explained Löw in August 2020. We want them to have time to develop.”
Of the 26 players called up this month, only three (Neuer, Ginter, Kroos) have been world champions.
Spain's victory against Germany last November from the sidelines (6-0)
Germany is renewing itself, and it is paying a heavy price for it.
Proof of its impermeability, it has not kept its clean sheet during its last 7 matches in official competition.
Unheard of for the Mannschaft since ... 1986. The three-way defense, used regularly for two and a half years, has not borne fruit.
That four sank against Spain.
Joachim Löw no longer has many arrows to his bow and has announced that he will end a 15-year term at the end of the Euro.
"I take the step in conscience, with a lot of pride and with immense gratitude while keeping a great motivation for the next European Championship", announced the 61-year-old coach.
One last dance next summer at the head of a team that smells of powder in attack, thanks to Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sané (Bayern Munich), or Kai Havertz and Timo Werner (Chelsea), but whose guarantees are limited.
Hungary and the Szoboszlai concern
2016 was Hungary's return to the Euro for the first time since 1972. So when the Magyars snatched their ticket in the play-offs against Iceland last November (2-1), there was enough to cut the champagne.
Especially since in this European Championship erupted across the continent, she will receive Portugal and then France at home, in Budapest, during the first two days.
Hungary can count on its goalkeeper Peter Gulasci, holder in Leipzig since 2016, and his club teammate and defender Willi Orban.
Not transcendent but well oiled, she has all the spoilsports in the middle of the big ones.
At Euro 2016, Ronaldo had to register a hat-trick to save Portugal in the group stage, already (3-3).
The Hungarian selection finished at the top of its group, before being crushed by Belgium in the round of 16 (0-4).
When France learned the identity of their opponent, Hungary was associated with their budding star: Dominik Szoboszlai.
The barely 20-year-old left winger was soaring with RB Salzburg in the Champions League.
This winter, he crossed the German-Austrian border to the other big club made in Red Bull, RB Leipzig.
And he played ... zero matches.
“I had adductor problems in Salzburg, I played with painkillers,” he said at the beginning of January.
The Hungarian star was aiming for a return in February.
In mid-March, his trainer Julian Nagelsmann admitted resignation: “With Dominik, it's very difficult.
I can't really tell you when will he be back. ”
Szoboszlai therefore risks sorely lacking rhythm before the Euro.
A blow for a Hungary which, if it, will play at home, still does not know if it will evolve / move in front of the public.
"Each host must be able to guarantee the presence of the fans at the matches", warned Aleksander Ceferin, president of UEFA in an interview with Sky Sports.
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