EUROPEAN FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: The teams and how they rate: Group D

Greece
Greece stunned the continent when it won the trophy in 2004 in its second appearance in the finals. Sporting a steel defence and nicking the odd goal, Greece triumphed in one of the biggest upsets ever. Half of that team is still around to defend their title, although this time around the will not have the surprise factor on their side. Their task is made harder by the fact that no team has ever successfully defended their trophy, but, just in case, bookmakers odds are not that long.
Best result: winners (2004)
Odds: 16/1 (Coral), 20/1 (Ladbrokes), 22/1 (William Hill)

Sweden
Coach Lars Lagerback has successfully persuaded Henrik Larssen, aged 36, to come out of retirement for the tournament, adding one more to the group of experienced players that have played together for a long time, but it will be Zlatan Ibrahimovic who will be asked to provide the brunt of Sweden’s attack. Experience comes at a cost, however, and it remains to be seen how Sweden will fare against quicker and more physical opponents, given the team’s high average age.
Best result: semi-final (1992)
Odds: 28/1 (Coral), 33/1 (Ladbrokes), 28/1 (William Hill)

Spain
Perennial favourites and perennial underachievers, Spain had a slow start to qualifying and only a sequence of eight wins in the last nine games spared them their blushes. The host of big-name stars has led once again to high expectations, but after so many false dawns, one can be excused for predicting another self-implosion. Spain undoubtedly has the talent to take the trophy home, as the short odds offered by bookmakers show, so maybe it is their year finally after all.
Best result: winners (1964)
Odds: 6/1 (Coral), 5/1 (Ladbrokes), 11/2 (William Hill)

Russia
The successor team to USSR, Russia finally looks like re-emerging from the turmoil of the 1990s and re-establishing itself as a top football team under the guidance of Dutch coach Guus Hiddink. After an up-and-down qualifying campaign, it has managed to secure a spot in the finals at England’s expense. Expect forwards Pavel Pogrebnyak and Andrei Arshavin, who led Zenit St Petersburg to the UEFA Cup triumph in May, to feature heavily.
Best result: winners (1960, as USSR), group stage (1996 and 2004, as Russia)
Odds: 33/1 (Coral), 28/1 (Ladbrokes), 33/1 (William Hill)