52 Players To Watch in the Euro 2012 Tournament

With the playoffs behind us, the Euro 2012 team selection is complete, and already, the discussion is buzzing about who will shine in Poland and Ukraine.

There are obviously the regulars who will no doubt be in the spotlight and have some great moments throughout, but there are a host of others worth keeping an eye on, from the veterans looking for glory at the end of their careers to the up-and-comers getting their first shot at representing their country. 

Here are 52 players to keep an eye on leading up to and throughout the Euro 2012 tournament, sorted by country (and mostly even in terms of country distribution, in the interest of fairness). As always, if you have additions or want to discuss any of these promising personalities of the pitch, have at it in the comments. 

Honorable Mentions: Who We Would Have Liked to See in the Tournament

Montenegro: Stevan Jovetic and Mirko Vucinic

Euro is like a sporting version of the Eurovision Song Contest in the sense that it's usually overanalyzed with a political angle and calls for viewing parties with excessive drinking, England never wins and it's always the countries you wouldn't normally expect to be contenders who end up being the most exciting to watch.  

If there was one team that defied everyone's expectations in the qualifiers, it was Montenegro. The national team of that wee nation on the Adriatic Sea had a tremendous run in the group stage, holding England to a draw and performing well enough to make the playoffs. Particularly key to their successes were the visionary, quick-footed Stevan Jovetic and Mirko Vucinic, who both make their regular-season trade offering on-pitch wizardry in the Serie A. 

Turkey: Hamit Altintop

Hamit Altintop would seem like a strange inclusion on paper—in terms of his day job, he spends most of his time on the bench for Real Madrid. But the veteran scored probably the most spectacular golazo of the qualifiers—just an absolutely gorgeous goal. Had Turkey made the tournament stages, it would have hopefully meant more entertainment and spectacle from Hamit and his fancy feet.

Estonia: Sander Puri

Estonia was perhaps the biggest long-shot of the playoff teams, but they put in an incredible effort in the qualifiers, spurred by longtime captain Raio Piiroja.

But the team's breakout star as of late has been Sander Puri, a promising midfielder whose style and skill have drawn comparisons to Arjen Robben. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Miralem Pjanic

The gifted attacker has been playing at the professional level since his teens, making his way up the ranks at Metz and Lyon before AS Roma brought him in earlier this year. He scored twice in the qualifiers for Bosnia and Herzegovina, both times against Luxembourg, the country for which he played on the youth squads. He's got technical skills and boatloads of potential, and he would have certainly been an impressive presence in the tournament. 

Switzerland: Xherdan Shaqiri

Suisse didn't make the playoffs, but one of the host nations of the last Euro tournament still gave a pretty solid showing in the qualifiers. They get a mention because the national team has one of the most exciting young players in Europe in their tricky, dynamic playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri, who has already become a fixture and could have done some seriously great things in the tournament stages. 

The Mainstays

Before we get into the ones to watch, let's talk about the veterans, All-Stars and national team mainstays who you'll be watching anyway. 

Here's a player from each team who will undoubtedly play an important role in the tournament and has been a key force for their national team before—so their relevance to the team, ability to create an impact and potential to deliver in the tournament are pretty much implied. 

Germany: Manuel Neuer: The impenetrable Bayern Munich keeper played the entirety of every match for Die Mannschaft so far in this competition and has been a key factor in Germany's perfect record so far. 

Ukraine: Andriy Shevchenko: Sheva is the Ukraine's leader and a national icon and has been nominated for FIFA World Player of the Year seven times. His best years may be behind him, but he'll still be a force for his country, especially with home-field advantage. 

England: Frank Lampard: Lamps has proved his importance to the England team a number of times in the qualifiers and subsequent friendlies, even after being left on the bench against Bulgaria. He's a leader, a consistent performer and a well-timed header proved that England could topple world-champion Spain.

Spain: Xavi/Andrés Iniesta: Watch in awe as opponents bend to the awesome force of the Barcelona midfield duo and the almighty power of the tiki-taka. 

Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo is one of the game's biggest headliners, Portugal's captain and most important player, and recently scored a pair of key goals against Bosnia and Herzegovina to get his side past the playoff round and into the tournament. 

Poland: Jakub Blaszczykowski: The midfielder known in the Bundesliga as "Kuba" has had successful runs in the Ekstraklasa with Wisla Krakow and in Germany with Borussia Dortmund, and as Poland's captain, he'll be expected to represent the home country well.

Denmark: Daniel Agger: The former Danish Footballer of the Year and his many tattoos have seen a lot of time on the bench as of late due to injury, but this tournament could be a great international comeback for the captain. 

Greece: Giorgos Karagounis: The Panathinaikos midfielder was the hero of Greece's run and eventual victory in the 2004 Euro tournament, and near the end of a career with more than 100 international caps to his name, now's as good of a time as any for an encore. 

France: Patrice Evra: There are plenty of established French internationals who could fit in this spot: Karim Benzema, Franck Ribéry, even Samir Nasri. But Patrice Evra gets the mention here because not only is he one of the best defenders in Europe, but following the breakdown of France during the 2010 World Cup, this could be a great opportunity for redemption. 

Russia: Andrei Arshavin: He's an institution for the Russian national team, and now's as good of a time as any to deliver and expand upon Russia's epic run in the 2008 Euro tournament under Guus Hiddink.

Croatia: Luka Modric: One of the driving forces of Tottenham Hotspur's midfield, Modric plays a similarly pivotal role in Croatia's—the last time Croatia went to Euro, Modric was named to the Team of the Tournament. 

Sweden: Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Zlatan is the Swedish national team's most recognizable figure and still a cracking striker. Fans might want to read his recently-published memoir, I Am Zlatan Ibrahimovic, to brush up on his appearances past before the tournament.

Italy: Antonio Cassano: Gigi Buffon was most certainly a close second and is undoubtedly a world-class goalkeeper, but "the Jewel of Bari" has been in his best international scoring form since the 2004 Euro competition after being excluded from two consecutive World Cup squads. Tony's back, and opposing goalkeepers best beware. 

The Netherlands: Wesley Sneijder: Creative, quick with his feet and a brainy playmaker, Wesley Sneijder was one of the key architects of the Oranje's success in the 2010 World Cup and is expected to do the same in the Euro tournament. 

Republic of Ireland: Robbie Keane: The ROI's fearless leader has scored seven goals for his side in the qualifiers and was a major factor in bringing the Boys in Green to the tournament stage. 

Czech Republic: Petr Cech: The Czech Republic keeper has been a saving grace given Chelsea's recent back four struggles, and his performances in the net for his national team have kept them in the competition through some tough playoffs. 

Germany

Mesut Özil

One of the breakout stars of the 2010 World Cup, Mesut Özil is poised to have an even more impressive run in the 2012 Euro tournament. The tricky midfielder has an incredibly gifted passing game and leads the competition in assists with seven to his name so far.

He's got a great mind for the game, and luckily, his feet are quick enough to keep up. 

Miroslav Klose

Die Mannschaft went undefeated in the Euro qualifying rounds, and a number of attacking players were key to their success in Euro. There's the promising Mario Götze and the resurgent Mario Gómez, but beyond those two Marios, there's a Miroslav. 

The Lazio striker has been the tournament's most prolific goal scorer after Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (we're getting to him), and he's scored at least once on every one of Germany's opponents so far. Gifted with headers and known for his quirky goal celebrations, Klose will likely be one of the tournament's most entertaining figures. 

 

Mats Hummels

Hummels hasn't spent a whole lot of time on the pitch so far this tournament, so he may seem like a bit of a bizarre inclusion, especially alongside the likes of Philipp Lahm and Per Mertesacker. And yet, for some reason, I'm compelled to include Hummels—he's been fantastic at Borussia Dortmund, demonstrating a composure and maturity on the pitch beyond his years. 

Also he made the German cover of FIFA 12. As if you need any more convincing than that. 

 

The Marios

Die Mannschaft has two keys to their attacking power, both which happened to be named Mario and play like they've just taken a whole lot of those power-up mushrooms.

Nineteen-year-old lightning-in-a-bottle playmaker Mario Götze is one of Europe's biggest rising stars, and chances are, everything I could possibly say about him, you've heard before. He's explosive, creative and has the potential to become a major star.

The other Mario, Mario Gómez, has been outscored so far by his teammate, Miroslav Klose, but he's also been one of the tournament's most consistent performers, having scored at least once against all of Germany's opponents so far.

Spain

David Villa:

In 2010, South Africa echoed with the chant of thousands of enthusiastic Furia Roja supporters: "illa, illa, illa / Villa maravilla!"

Although he's had issues at the Camp Nou this season, leading to speculation about a possible transfer, for his national team, Villa has continued to perform. He's scored seven goals in the qualifiers, passing the milestones of his 50th international goal and passing Raúl as Spain's all-time top goal-scorer.

He even donned the captain's armband for a qualifying match against Scotland, a big vote of confidence from Vicente del Bosque, especially considering all the established juggernauts on Spain's roster. 

If Villa can repeat his World Cup successes, Spain supporters will be quite happy with how this tournament pans out. 

Fernando Llorente:

It took a while for Fernando Llorente to break into the senior squad of the Spanish national team. The Athletic Bilbao striker went for nearly a season without a single cap, often losing out to Álvaro Negredo in Vicente del Bosque's lineup and sitting on the bench in all but one match of the 2010 World Cup.

Now, Euro 2012 looks like it will be the chance for Llorente to shine for the Spanish national team. He's scored three goals so far in the competition, including a brace against Lithuania and the match-winner against Scotland.

He's also been impressing in La Liga, helping Athletic reach the Europa League last season and scoring six goals in 11 appearances so far, including a headline-making double against Atlético Madrid, which could help his odds in getting playing time in Vicente del Bosque's squad.

 

David Silva:

David Silva has come into his own at Manchester City, a crafty, quick-footed attacker who has helped the Noisy Neighbours reach the top of the Premiership table. With the national team, Silva has seen three tournament titles, but he sometimes gets overshadowed with the well-established juggernauts in front and midfield for La Furia Roja. 

His excellent form with City could very well contribute to him playing a more significant playmaking or attacking role within the national team come tournament time. 

 

Iker Casillas: 

San Iker is Spain's captain and the team's backbone—a fantastic leader who was essential to Spain's 2010 World Cup title. Luis Aragonés, who managed Spain when Casillas led them to the last Euro tournament title, has called him "the perfect captain," and he's made an impressive six clean sheets so far this season in La Liga. 

The Netherlands

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar:

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has been absolutely on fire in the qualifiers, racking up a dozen goals for the Oranje and helping them reach the top of their group with nine wins. The Schalke 04 striker has been praised for his lethal finish and uncanny ability to find the net, drawing comparisons to the likes of Dutch great Marco van Basten. 

And he'll certainly be goal-hungry come tournament time—with 10 more goals, Huntelaar will tie Patrick Kluivert's all-time record for the Dutch national team. 

Robin van Persie:

You didn't think we'd forget Captain Vantastic, did you? The Arsenal skipper has been in great form for his regular side and the Oranje as of late, most notably scoring more than a third of the goals in the Netherlands' holy-crap-this-isn't-even-fair 11-0 victory over San Marino back in September.

Statistically, he's been upstaged by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in the qualifiers, but in terms of importance to the Oranje attack, he's the ignition of their attacking engine—a cracking dribbler with one of the best shots in the tournament. 

Kevin Strootman:

The 21-year-old PSV Eindhoven midfielder is one of the Oranje's youngest players, but he's also a favorite of head coach Bert van Marwijk, who has said of Strootman, "I think the boy can go a long way."

He's quickly made his way up the ranks and become a fixture in central midfield, scoring his first international goal back in September against Finland and serving as a confident, creative presence on the pitch, be it a more central role or as a deep-lying playmaker, covering for teammate Rafael van der Vaart. 

Russia

Alan Dzagoev:

A strong young striker with a fantastic work ethic, CSKA Moscow's 21-year-old goal scorer Alan Dzagoev has made his way up the ranks of the Russian national team, first impressing then-manager Guus Hiddink during Russia's impressive run in the 2008 Euro competition.

Hiddink said he admired Dzagoev's ability to read the game and adapt to the senior squad quickly, and now that he's more experienced, he's become an important part of the squad. He scored four goals during the qualifiers, including a brace against Andorra, and there will be plenty more where that came from when the tournament starts.

Aleksandr Anyukov:

Overall, Zenit St. Petersburg is a club that's impressed a lot as of late, winning the 2010 Russian Premier League and having a good run in the UEFA Champions League.

Key to Zenit's success has been its tireless veteran captain, Aleksandr Anyukov, and if he can bring to the table for a resurgent Russia what he brought for Zenit, both he and his national team will have a fantastic tournament. 

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov:

The Everton winger is a regular for the national team, with more than 40 caps to his name, and his devotion to his national team is well documented. In fact, he's so gung-ho about being a key part of the Russia Euro 2012 side that he says he's "working on" a transfer move to somewhere he can get more playing time in an effort to impress Dick Advocaat and break the first team for the tournament. We'll see if his plan worked this summer. 

Poland

Wojciech Szczęsny

As one of the host nations, Szczesny's Poland didn't have to worry about performing in the qualifiers to secure a berth in the competition. But the Arsenal keeper, who has impressed in the English Premier League all season, has proven his mettle on the international circuit and will be ready to face some of Europe's most formidable attacks. 

In his last international performance back in September, Szczesny conceded two goals in a 2-2 draw against Germany but made eight spectacular saves and prevented Die Mannschaft from getting the win, most notably with this spectacular diving block. 

Robert Lewandowski

This tournament will be full of young stars out of Borussia Dortmund: Mats Hummels, Mario Götze, Robert Lewandowski. The 23-year-old striker is a figure of increasing importance at Dortmund and for the national team, already this year matching his Bundesliga scoring record for the entire previous season, and we're not even to the halfway point. 

Even though his national team didn't have the qualifiers to warm up, Lewandowski has been performing well in Poland's recent friendlies, scoring against Germany, South Korea and Belarus this fall. 

 

Dariusz Dudka

The centre-back is one of the most-capped players in the current Polish national squad. He can play deep in the back four or as a holding midfielder and played for Poland in the 2008 Euro competition. His regular cappings are a clear vote of confidence from head coach Franciszek Smuda, and he brings consistency and experience to the co-hosting side.

England

Phil Jones

A number of young players have been impressing for the Three Lions, and any number of them would be welcome on this list (some already are): Chris Smalling, Daniel Sturridge, Jack Rodwell, Jack Wilshere, Kyle Walker.

But few of the heirs to Wembley have impressed coach Fabio Capello quite like 19-year-old Manchester United defender Phil Jones. He's proved his ability at getting forward in cracking performances with United, and Capello has tried him out in various roles with England, including a Scott Parker-style midfield role in the friendly victory over Sweden, in which Jones excelled.

As Capello put it following Jones' strong performance in the 2-2 draw against Montenegro:

"

"Phil Jones is born to this. I think this absolutely. He is like Jack Wilshere Talent is talent. You can’t create talent, you are born with it. You can improve on what you have been given, but for me the No.2, Phil Jones, is a very good player now.

Jones played well against Montenegro. He played without fear, with a big ­personality, going forward and defending well. The next game will be interesting. We will see some players and maybe whether Phil Jones can play in central defence."

"

Jack Wilshere

By the time Euro 2012 rolls around, Arsenal and England's touted teenage wonder will be 20 and should be recovered from an ankle injury that's kept him out all season. And once he's back, he's expected to be the Three Lions' new star in central midfield.

Wilshere's last international start came back in February, in a 2-1 victory over Denmark. Despite being placed in a holding midfield role, in which he was relatively untested, Wilshere still demonstrated confidence and skill and impressed Fabio Capello. If he can look that sure-footed in a role to which he's less suited, imagine what he could do if started in his comfort zone. 

Kyle Walker

Yet another of "the kids" (even though he's 21) in whom Fabio Capello has put great confidence, Walker may still be on the verge of exploding into the England first team and may not get the first-team nod in favor of the more experienced Glen Johnson and higher-caliber Micah Richards, but he's been fantastic at Tottenham all season and impressed in his debut start on the international circuit with a Man of the Match-caliber performance against Sweden. 

Variable - Wayne Rooney

Wazza will be worth watching primarily because of how much he has at stake (assuming he can play); he came under scrutiny in the qualifiers, earning a three-match ban after getting sent off in the match against Montenegro. There's still an appeal process in the works, but he'll be hungry to make up for a lackluster showing at the 2010 World Cup, and he's expressed interest in becoming England captain. Not sure how likely of a scenario that is or many fans will go for that, but if it goes well, he could make a compelling case. 

Denmark

Christian Eriksen

England, Spain or staying at Ajax? There's a reason the Danish winger is the subject of mass amounts of transfer buzz: he's won an Eredivisie title, a KNVB Cup and seen his national team qualify for Euro 2012 all before his 20th birthday.

A nimble, creative winger, he's been compared to Brian and Michael Laudrup and praised by Ajax legend Johan Cruyff, and in this tournament, he's poised to do great things. The 2011 Danish Footballer of the Year winner scored in the qualifier against Iceland, and it's looking as though he'll make an even bigger impact on the pitch come tournament time.

Simon Kjaer

Two years ago, Kjaer was where Eriksen is now, the recipient of the Danish Football Talent of the Year Award and painted as the next big thing to come out of Denmark. The itinerant centre-back, who recently joined AS Roma on loan, is a hardy defender who has occasionally gotten into trouble on the pitch, but his strength and aerial ability are impressive.

He's also got quite the distance passing game, wowing against Cameroon when a long scorcher of his found Nicklas Bendtner, who in turn found the net. 

William Kvist

The man in the middle, who joined VfB Stuttgart at the beginning of the season from Copenhagen, is a great reliable midfielder: he's consistent, composed and great with positioning, and he's effective at maintaining possession. He usually plays at right-back, but he could be effective come the tournament in his preferred central midfield role, delivering carefully-timed passes to the explosive Christian Eriksen.

Italy

Mario Balotelli:

There's a reason it's always him. Balotelli often makes headlines for his delightful shenanigans off the pitch—setting off fireworks in his home, throwing darts at youth team players—but his recent return to form for Manchester City was an important reminder that the Italian dynamo can actually play football really well too. 

With the Azzurri in general poised to make a great comeback in this tournament after a disappointing showing at the 2010 World Cup, if Balotelli continues to perform for City, he could very well be tapped to lead the charge with his killer shot. He scored his first international goal last week in a friendly against Poland, and hopefully he'll add more come tournament time. 

Giorgio Chiellini:

Juventus' big centre-back has been a fortress in Serie A for a fantastic Bianconeri side, and as Italy too returns to form under (relatively) new head coach Cesare Prandelli, Chiellini has become a cornerstone of their defense.

Following the disappointing 2010 World Cup, the Azzurri conceded one goal in 605 minutes of play and just two goals in the qualifiers, and Chiellini has more than a little to do with those fantastic results. 

Christian Maggio:

The defensive cornerstone of a Napoli side that has been absolutely explosive in Serie A and the Champions League this season; the veteran right-back didn't receive his first cap for the Azzurri until 2008, but under Cesare Prandelli, he's become a regular.

Maggio's versatility is also of note—at Napoli, he's been used as a right-sided midfielder and winger in addition to as a full-back and is quite adept at getting forward. 

Republic of Ireland

Shay Given

There's a surprising amount of keepers on this list—which is fair, when you've got a tournament showcasing Europe's best. And Shay Given, along with Cap'n Keane, has served as the backbone of the Republic of Ireland national team for nearly a decade, having just reached his 120th cap, giving him more than any other player in the national team's history.

After a rather controversial string of events kept Ireland out of contention for the 2010 World Cup, Given and his teammates will be hungry for tournament glory, and he and his catlike reflexes will be a huge factor in their achieving it.

Séamus Coleman

The 2011 PFA Young Player of the Year nominee hasn't had much of a showing in the tournament so far, but the right-sided wide man's stock has risen after an impressive start to his career at Everton. He's only had a handful of caps, but he continues to improve and assert himself on the pitch.

He made his international debut earlier this year during the ROI's 3-0 victory over Wales in the Nations Cup, and could very well be a high-caliber impact sub for the Boys in Green later in the tournament. 

 

Aiden McGeady

25-year-old winger Aiden McGeady was highly rated as a winger in the Russian Premier League—considered the second-best right winger in the league by Russian football's governing body after just half a season with Spartak Moscow. 

He's had his ups and downs over the years for the national team, being a regular under Giovanni Trapattoni until the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, and now, it looks as though he's seeing better days again, having scored his first two international goals in this round of qualifiers after a long hiatus.

Ukraine

Anatoliy Tymoshchuk

The second Ukrainian international to reach the 100 Caps Club after captain Andriy Shevchenko, Sheva's right-hand man may not have as recognizable of a name as the skipper, but he's had an illustrious career all his own.

An experienced holding midfielder, Tymoshchuk has taken home quite a bit of silverware in his time, including at least one domestic league title at his last three clubs (three at Shakhtar Donetsk). Injuries have hurt his prospects at Bayern Munich, but he's still a national team icon.

Maksym Koval

Koval isn't a member of the current Ukraine squad, but this seems like it could be an arrangement that will change soon. The 18-year-old Dynamo Kyiv keeper was named in Spanish sporting magazine Don Balón's list of the next big things alongside rising Manchester United keeper David de Gea.

He was called up over the summer but has yet to see much time on the pitch in favor of older, more experienced fellows in the net. If conditions are right and he gets an opportunity to play for Dynamo over the course of the season, he could get that cap and that playing time he deserves. 

Yaroslav Rakitskiy

In his last international UEFA competition, the 2011 U21 Euro championships, the Shakhtar Donetsk centre-back was named to the Team of the Tournament alongside established but still-rising stars like Juan Mata and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Yaroslav Rakitskiy has broken out in a major way within the Ukrainian league and on the international circuit, most notably last year giving Champions League quarterfinal opponents Barcelona some serious competition and helping defend his side against the Catalans' attack. 

Sweden

Sebastian Larsson

Larsson, who is known for being particularly lethal with set pieces and free kicks, has been a fixture in the Premiership for Birmingham City and now Sunderland, playing an instrumental role in bringing Birmingham City the League Cup title earlier this year.

He first made his way into the national team during the 2008 Euro competition and now, almost four years later, is a regular in the first team. His first international goal, scored back in March in a qualifier victory over Moldova, was a crucial one for the Swedes, as the win helped them move up the ranks in league with Hungary and into contention for the tournament. 

Ölof Mellberg

The passionate Olympiacos defender is one of the oldest members of the team and remains one of the key members of the back four. He got sent off against San Marino, but hopefully, he can shake off that setback and do right by Sweden in the tournament. 

Kim Källström

A solid midfielder now at Olympique Lyonnais, Källström has been consistent in the tournament so far for Sweden, working well alongside the likes of Mellberg and Larsson and racking up seven assists over the course of the qualifiers, in which he appeared in nearly all matches. 

France

Yann M'Vila

A strong holding midfielder, M'Vila has impressed for Stade Rennes, attracting tons of interest from clubs all over Europe. Even after his team lost in his first international start, M'Vila still was the darling of the French sporting press, who called him a "revelation."

Since then, M'Vila has become a regular for Les Bleus and has delivered on the promise of all the media hype surrounding him. Most notably, in a qualifying match back in March against Luxembourg, he completed 92.5 percent of his passes—a team record. And with Les Bleus looking for glory following the crash and burn in the 2010 World Cup, promising youngsters like M'Vila will be tested, and all of the footballing world will be watching. 

Marvin Martin

Another promising Ligue 1 midfielder lighting it up at Sochaux, Marvin Martin has been called "little Xavi" for his visionary passing game. The explosive midfielder raised eyebrows when he scored twice on his debut—a friendly back in June against Euro hosts Ukraine. 

Since his debut, Martin has earned the vote of confidence and appeared six more times for France, and there's sure to be more where that came from in the tournament should he maintain his good form. 

Loïc Remy

The Marseille goal-scorer has emerged as a dynamic rising talent in Ligue 1 and has recently begun playing a more regular and important role within the national team. He's served primarily as an impact sub in previous appearances for the likes of Thierry Henry and Samir Nasri but started in his last two Euro qualifier appearances, one in which he scored a goal. 

Portugal

Nani

Manchester United's thriller on the wing was one of the heroes in sealing Portugal's place in the tournament, scoring in the playoff against Bosnia and Herzegovina alongside Mr. Cristiano Ronaldo.

Nani brings a lot to the table: he's great with assists, skillful and cunning on the ball and good with pace, making him the perfect complement to Ronaldo's powerful strike.

Fabio Coentrão

Much like his Real Madrid teammate Mesut Özil, Coentrão had his breakout performance during the 2010 World Cup, impressing Los Merengues, who would sign him the following year. The left-sided chameleon can be used out wide or centrally, in attack or defense, and has drawn comparisons to the likes of Arjen Robben and his Portugal teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo.

João Moutinho

He's been a regular on the Portuguese national team since he was in his teens, although he missed the call-up for the 2010 World Cup. He's played nearly every match for Portugal so far in this tournament for a total of more than 700 minutes on the pitch and impressed last season on his debut year with Porto, helping lead the team to a Portuguese Liga title and the UEFA Europa League.

A confident box-to-box midfielder, Moutinho has endeared fans on the club and national levels with his work ethic and determined attitude.

Czech Republic

Tomas Pekhart

There are lots of relatively new faces on the Czech Republic squad, and one of them (who only has a couple of caps, but there will be more where that came from) is Tomas Pekhart, the new FC Nuremberg striker, where he looks to be gelling quite well after a brief but productive loan spell to AC Sparta Prague.

Pekhart has the makings of a potential national team regular, as the striker has played for his national team at every age level through the youth ranks and looks ready to take on senior play. 

Michal Kadlec

Another exciting Czech player currently making his trade in the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen left-back Michal Kadlec may not break the curse of the "Neverkusen" this year, but he could help his once-struggling national team on a successful campaign in the tournament. He's also clearly good at getting on the attack as well, having scored four goals in the tournament qualifiers, as well as a brace in a friendly against hosts Ukraine. 

Tomas Rosicky

The Czech national team is looking for a return to form in this tournament, and the conductor behind their return will be Arsenal's "Little Mozart." After missing Euro 2008 (in which the Czech side underwhelmed) due to injury and the national team failing to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, Rosicky should take to tournament play with great enthusiasm.

Although fitness has been a problem for him, Rosicky has been in better form for Arsenal as of late, with the likes of Robin van Persie feeding off his creativity and turning it into goals. His creativity and leadership will help bring the Czech team back to their old selves. 

Croatia

Vedran Corluka

The veteran defender his Tottenham Hotspur teammates call "Charlie," Vedran Corluka was a key impact player in Croatia's last tournament run, which included a group stage upset over favorites England. After Croatia lost to eventual semifinalists Turkey, Turkish phenom Arda Turan called Corluka the most difficult defender he's ever come up against. 

And it looks like Turan was right, especially with Croatia getting a clean sheet and Corluka a goal as they shut out Turkey in the playoffs with a score of 3-0.

Niko Kranjcar

The Tottenham Hotspur teammate of Vedran Corluka and aforementioned Croatia star Luka Modric, attacker Niko Kranjcar is perhaps best known for his performance in the previous round of qualifiers, in which he scored a cracking goal which contributed to Croatia's advancement and England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008.

A pacy, clever playmaker, Kranjcar has been compared to Croatian legend Robert Prosinecki and will likely serve as his national team's X-factor in the Euro 2012 competition. 

Ivan Perisic

The Borussia Dortmund attacker is one of many promising BVB players who will likely feature in this tournament: Mario Götze, Mats Hummels, and so on. Borussia Dortmund isn't quite in the same form overall as it was last season for the Bundesliga title, but Perisic looks like he could be a really explosive player in this tournament and beyond. 

He has yet to score for the national team, but given his bags of potential and demonstrated capability for golazos (most notably this one, a Champions League equalizer against Arsenal), it's really only a matter of time before he sinks some seriously great shots past some of Europe's best goalies. 

Greece

Georgios Samaras

An experienced offensive player, it took a while for Samaras to find his footing in regular-season football following a failed experiment at Manchester City and a recovery at Celtic, but he's been a particularly clutch performer for the national team.

Most notably, Samaras scored a massive go-ahead goal against Croatia in an October qualifying match, helping secure a win that would ultimately qualify Greece for the Euro 2012 tournament. 

Stefan Kapino

Along with Olympiacos veteran José Holebas, 17-year-old Stefanos Kapino became Greece's latest call-up and its youngest debutant earlier this week in a friendly against Romania. The striker has mostly served as a substitute for Panathinaikos so far, but Greece head coach Fernando Santos seems to see a whole lot of potential in the starlet. 

As Santos put it:

"

 "I have seen him play two or three times and I liked what I saw. I want to get to know him and it will be good for him to get a chance to mix with the senior team and gain experience."

 

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Vasilis Torosidis

The mighty Olympiacos right-back Vasilis Torosidis, has seen a whole lot of silverware in his time in Piraeus, including four Greek League titles and the 2010 title of Greek Footballer of the Year. 

He was a regular in the 2008 Euro and 2010 World Cup tournaments for Greece, particularly the latter, where he scored the goal which gave Greece its first World Cup match win ever. More recently, the strong, tireless defender has continued to impress with his ability as a defender who can score, netting a pretty sweet goal in stoppage time in a qualifier against Malta.