Group D Preview

The final group is a guarantee of quality, talent and controversy. The quality is spread evenly throughout the four sides, while the controversy seems to follow the English and French national teams anywhere they go. Home nation Ukraine could provide a fitting fairytale to the Euro's, while Sweden are a genuine chance to mount a challenge to the favourite's. Meanwhile who knows where the unpredictable talents of England and France can take them in 2012. Group D could well and truly go either way.

Ukraine

The joint home nation at this year's European Championship's, Ukraine will need to surpass a miracle to qualify from Group D. Looking through their squad, they'll be forced to rely heavily on their captain Andriy Shevchenko. The 35-year-old has 46 goals from 107 games at national level, and will need to lead by example for Ukraine to scrape points at this tournament. Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoliy Tymoschuk is another they can rely on, however at 33, could find it hard to keep up with the quality of this group.

Key Player - Artem Milevskiy

Milevskiy's talents are raved about at his club Dynamo Kiev, however at international level he has just 8 goals from 45 games, hardly anything to brag about for a striker. He must support his aging skipper at this tournament with more goals if Ukraine are to do anything in Group D.

Prediction - 4th

Unfortunately, I just don't think the home nation has enough quality in their squad to make a dent in this group. There's no doubt their fans will get behind them, but sometimes it's just not enough, and I can't see them taking points away from England and France at this tournament.

Sweden

Sweden are so often a side who qualifies for these major international tournaments, yet fails to impact on them. I can see a similar pattern reoccurring in 2012. Sebastian Larsson and Kim Kallstrom provide creativity in midfield, and hopefully Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Johan Elmander and Markus Rosenberg can feast on that up front, however I'm not sure they'll pose a realistic threat to either England or France, if they bring their A-game.

Key Player - Zlatan Ibrahimovic

The lively striker is deadly when he's in-form. He scored 28 goals in 32 games for AC Milan this season, and if he can bring that record to this tournament, the Swede's could finally make a statement at a major tournament.

Prediction - 3rd

England and France are so inconsistent that this Swedish side could perhaps ghost into the next stage, however they'll need to be very good to do that. If Ibrahimovic can bag multiple goals, anything can happen. I have them finishing just outside the top two, but don't rule them out entirely.

France

The French are known to be flamboyant and unpredictable at major tournaments, however those traits mostly occur off-field. This resulted in their very public meltdown at the World Cup in 2010, however hopefully that won't disrupt them this time around. If they can remain consistent, their depth in midfield with the likes of Franck Ribery, Samir Nasri, Yohan Cabaye, Yann M'Vila and Hatem Ben Arfa could perhaps see them go quite far in this competition.

Key Player - Franck Ribery

Ribery is a man who gives everything to the cause, and is crucial for France's hopes at Euro 2012. If he can help rally the French side, their quality will be enough to see them go far in this competition. He's a key figure down either wing, and his creativity could cause opposition defences a lot of trouble at this competition.

Prediction - 1st

If France can rectify the problems they had at the World Cup in 2010, where off-field troubles overshadowed their performances and they failed to qualify from a rather simple group, they could go far in this competition. They've got a solid defence, a creative midfield and a strike force led by Karim Benzema and the up-and-coming prospect Olivier Giroud. Of course, the key word in all of this is 'if'.

England

England's build-up to Euro 2012 has been exactly what you'd expect, mobbed and perhaps hindered by the weight of media expectation. Injuries to a number of key players hasn't helped either, with fresh and untested players coming into the squad. Their new manager, Roy Hodgson, only took over a couple of months ago, and will no doubt be testing new methods coming into this tournament, however will his England side be a little underdone going into the Euro's?

Key Player - John Terry

John Terry's lead-up to the Euro's hasn't been great. He's been stripped of the captaincy, has an impending criminal trial regarding racial vilification hanging over his head, and has been at the centre of the controversy involving Rio Ferdinand's absence in the squad. However the defender must put this behind him and focus on his performances at this tournament. England's defence hinges on Terry, and if he's not concentrating on whatever is coming his way, it could lead to his country's demise.

Prediction - 2nd

I still think England will have enough to qualify from Group D, however I don't think they'll go far in this tournament. With a new manager coming in just months before the competition, crucial injuries to key players, untested faces in the side and the suspension of Wayne Rooney for the first two matches, I think you'll see England finish 2nd in their group.