Euro 2012 Predictions: Balanced German Squad Will Outlast Competitors

From a field of 16 in the Euro 2012, only one winner will emerge, and despite what recent history (read: the last week) might suggest, Germany has what it takes to win it all.

Granted, the Germans didn't look too good on Saturday when they dropped a stunning 5-3 contest to Switzerland, but in their own defense, they were missing some of their most critical players. Captain Philipp Lahm, perhaps the team's most significant defensive asset, sat out the match following the conclusion of his season with Bayern Munich, as did Manuel Neuer, who established himself as one of the most consistently reliable goalkeepers the Premier League had to offer this year.

Though two players won't win Euro 2012, Germany is fortunate that it won't have to rely on two. This is a team that managed to finish third in the 2010 World Cup and has found a way to get even better since.

The World Cup, in fact, is what sparked the need for the two-year boot camp this German team has put itself through in preparation for the opportunity to win on a big stage. Even now, when Germany is highly regarded as one of the top teams in contention this summer, coach Joachim Low isn't buying into any of the hype and is instead spending his time thinking about how his team can beat each of its potential top-tier opponents. You can never be too prepared, after all. 

Low told Goal.com's Stefan Coerts: 

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I am not even thinking about the possibility of failure. The team has made a lot of progress. That does not guarantee that we will win the title, though. Details will be decisive this summer. We don't underestimate anyone. The other teams have a lot of quality, too. ... It would be silly to think they have less quality than Germany. 

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Low mentioned the Netherlands' Robin Van Persie, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben, as well as Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, as opponents that cannot be underestimated. Spain, with Xavi and Andres Iniesta, is also a team Low expects to present a very tough challenge. 

Concern over last week's international friendly loss to Switzerland aside, there's no need to worry about Germany's chances. It's more likely that loss was a fluke and that now, with its roster rested and intact, Germany will take care of Israel on Thursday in its final tune-up before the main event begins on June 9. One last confidence-booster should be able to get this talented team's competitive juices flowing again.

Plus, it doesn't hurt that a video game simulation conducted by EA Sports has already declared Germany the winner. Those things are never wrong.