The Guardian has joined up with some of the best media publications around Europe to provide the most insightful coverage of all 24 teams competing in France, from tactical analysis to player profiles and the secrets behind the squad members.
We have joined forces with journalists from France Football, La Gazzetta dello Sport, 11Freunde, Blick, Panenka and Der Standard to name a few in order to bring the most insightful and in-depth coverage of the tournament.
Starting on Thursday 2 June, we will publish three teams a day, kicking off with the pieces on the hosts France, with a profile of André-Pierre Gignac who last summer turned down several European clubs, including Inter and Lyon, to join Mexican side Tigres UANL. The 30-year-old was told at the time that it would be the end of his international career but after a stunning season in Mexico, featuring 28 goals in 38 league games, he is in Didier Deschamps’ 23-man squad as one of only two strikers.
Together with every player profile there will be a section called “the secrets behind the other squad members” where the correspondents take us through the weird and wonderful world of some of the team’s most interesting characters.
For every country there is also tactical analysis, highlighting the strength and weaknesses of the 24 teams. We kick off with France Football’s Philippe Auclair writing about the impact the decision to leave out Karim Benzema has had for Deschamps, while bemoaning the lack of options across the back four.
For every team there is a pitch graphic with the probable starting XI as well as the key questions answered (which player could surprise everyone, which player may be a disappointment and how far the team can go in the tournament).
After France, we move on to their group opponents, Romania, Albania and Switzerland, and then on to Group B, C, D, E and, finally, Group F, on Thursday 9 June, a day before the tournament starts. By then, hopefully, you will know more about every country taking part in France, whether it is whatever happened to Vlad Chiriches after he moved from Spurs (he is now Romania captain) or how many of the eight forwards Marc Wilmots has called up will be in his Belgium starting XI (while he seemingly refuses to play Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen in central defence).
Enjoy.
The full list of the participants of the Guardian’s Experts’ Network
Group A: France (France Football), Romania (sport.ro), Switzerland (Blick) and Albania (Panorama Sport)
Group B: England and Wales (The Guardian), Russia (Sport-Express) and Slovakia (Dennik N)
Group C: Northern Ireland (The Guardian), Germany (11Freunde), Poland (Przeglad Sportowy) and Ukraine (Football magazine)
Group D: Croatia (Telegram), Czech Republic (iSport.cz), Spain (Panenka) and Turkey (Turkish-football.com).
Group E: Republic of Ireland (The Guardian), Italy (La Gazzetta dello Sport/Gazzetta World), Belgium (Het Laatste Nieuws) and Sweden (fotbollskanalen.se)
Group F: Portugal (Maisfutebol), Iceland (Morgunbladid), Austria (Der Standard) and Hungary (Nemzeti Sport)
