England vs. Spain: Players to Watch for in Women's Euro 2013 Showdown

The 2013 Women's European Championship is officially underway in Sweden. Friday, Group C action will get underway, highlighted by a colossal showdown between heavyweights England and Spain. 

Neither side has ever won the women's Euro title, but the English have come awfully close, finishing as runners-up in 2009. Meanwhile, Spain's best finish at this tournament came in 1997, when it reached the semifinals in Norway.

With France and Russia also looking to advance from Group C this July, both England and Spain will be gunning for three points in Linkoping.

Here we'll take a closer look at a trio of players to watch for in Friday's pivotal group clash.

Karen Carney, England

English winger Karen Carney is returning from an injury but should be ready to go full speed Friday. The 25-year-old is extremely talented when it comes to making runs into the box and probing the opposing defense.

Carney has 14 goals for the English national team since 2005 and scored twice for the Three Lionesses in 2012.

More than just a deadly goalscorer, Carney is an excellent creator. She picked up three assists in England's 6-0 thrashing of Croatia during qualification and finished with six total through eight matches.

The Birmingham City star, who has made more than 80 appearances for her country, has scored twice against Spain since 2007. If Carney can get into a groove early against the Spanish, she'll be a serious threat to score.

Veronica Boquete, Spain

If Spain scores Friday, there's a very good chance that 26-year-old forward Veronica Boquete will be involved.

The attacking star has scored 14 goals in just 14 appearances for the Spanish national team, leading the squad with 11 goals in 10 qualification match appearances.

Boquete scored a hat trick in Spain's 10-1 win over Turkey during qualification and scored two or more goals on three separate occasions during qualification in 2011-12. She also chipped in four assists over that time.

Given her unrivaled nose for goal, fans will want to lock in on No. 9 from the start Friday.

Casey Stoney, England

England's captain, Casey Stoney, will be another player worth watching in Friday's Group C opener. The 31-year-old veteran has made well over 100 appearances for the national team dating back to 2000, anchoring the Three Lionesses defense and scoring five goals over that time.

Stoney is a versatile defender and as captain, the team's designated leader. 

Although she won't have a huge impact for England in the final third, her presence will surely be felt at the back, where she can win the ball cleanly and jump start the English attack.

Fans will want to keep an eye out for the 5'8" Stoney Friday, as she'll be a key for England as it looks to slow down Spain's multitude of attacking weapons.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.