Euro 2012 Bracket: Dream Runs That Will Continue to Captivate Fans

With the group stage complete, Euro 2012 marches on to the knockout round. Eight teams remain, and with the way that the bracket is set up,  we are sure to see a continuation of the magical play (60 goals scored so far) that has brought us to where we stand now.

Let's take a look at three possible bracket runs that could continue to bring excitement for the rest of Euro 2012.

Spain Continues its World Dominance

A Spain run to a 2012 Euro Championship would be an unprecedented accomplishment. No team has ever won two consecutive European Championships, much less a Euro, World Cup and Euro in consecutive fashion. This is the stuff of legends.

However, no great team is without its critics, and after a mere 1-0 victory over Croatia, the Spanish critics have surfaced yet again.

Some suggest that the team's defense is not airtight and that a new defensive strategy is able to slow the possessive attack of the Spaniards.

Not. So. Fast.

First of all, just because the "banks of four" strategy might be working for now, the more that Xavi and Iniesta see it, the more they will begin to find successful strategies against it.

And as for the defense? The Spaniards have only given up one goal the entire tournament, which leaves them tops in the tournament in that category.

But it's fine. Keep doubting. But make sure you keep watching as well, as a championship run by Spain would cement them as the best we've ever seen.

Germany Stays Perfect

The only team that can beat the aforementioned Spaniards are the Germans themselves. And while the very probable Germany vs. Spain final would be a magical matchup itself, the German run at perfection would give Germany the most European Championships in the history of the sport and mark the first time they have won a European Championship without a loss.

Germany has escaped its group unblemished in a group that included Portugal, the Netherlands and Denmark—also known as death.

Any team that can win three consecutive games against those foes is certainly worth its mettle as the odds-on tournament favorite.

Can the Germans complete their perfection quest and earn their spot in history? It sure will be captivating to watch.

GREECE!

While its quarterfinal opponent is the mighty German side, the Greece squad has been the talk of the tournament so far. A run through the Euro 2012 bracket, though improbable, would be one for the ages.

And it's not like the Greeks haven't done it before (see: 2004).

After shocking Russia to advance to the quarterfinals, Greece is an easy team to root for, especially with its economic struggles back home. It loves to play in win-or-go-home matches and it has a defense that is good enough to stay in any game.

Plus, coach Fernando Santos gave my favorite quote of the tournament when evaluating his own team: "We know that we're not the best team in the world. But every opponent we have will have to sweat blood to get past us."

I love it. Isn't that what everyone wants to hear from an underdog team? Sure, the odds are stacked against the Greeks, but...what if they pull it off?