The month of June is going to be a wild one. That’s because sports fans are all readying themselves for the 2016 UEFA European Championships, which is set to commence this coming Friday (June 10).
Many are expecting strong campaigns from the favorites like the reigning world champions Germany, two-time defending champions Spain and of course the host team—France. But aside from these powerhouses, there’s bound to be a handful of underdogs that can make some serious noise as well.
Read on below for a look at some of the best long shots in the tournament. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to check out our complete preview or our sleeper picks piece for Euro 2016.
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Switzerland is aiming for some global recognition. The team hasn’t really made a solid impression in the European Championships, as it has yet to even advance beyond the group stages. But this year, the Swiss seem to be capable enough to put an end to that drought thanks to a pretty loaded and experienced lineup.
The Swiss have a lot of talent and power of in almost every position. They have a number of reliable goalkeepers (Yann Sommer, Roman Burki and Marwin Hitz) that can surely hold their ground. The same can also be said for the full-back position especially with new team captain Stephan Lichtsteiner, who has won the Scudetto five-straight times, manning the right side and former Under-17 World Cup champion Ricardo Rodriguez of Wolfsburg on the left.
Over in midfield, the Swiss will expect a lot from Stoke City star Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka of Arsenal. While those two are bound to garner most of the opposition’s attention, 19-year-old sensation Breel Embol, who’s played an integral role in helping FC Basel defend their league title, could be on track for a breakthrough campaign in France. That’s definitely going to strengthen Switzerland’s chances even more.
Slovakia is another team who can leave us stunned in France. They finished second in the qualifiers behind Spain (but managed to beat the two-time defending European champs), and have more than enough talent on both sides of the field. In short, this team’s well-balanced.
Liverpool defender and team captain Martin Skrtel is undoubtedly their most influential presence. He’s going to be the center of the defense. And then there’s Marek Hamsik, who is their best playmaker. The 28-year-old midfielder is coming off a fine season with Napoli and also led the team with five goals during the qualifying round.
History seems to be on Slovakia’s side as well. The Slovaks shocked the world before in the 2010 World Cup, where they defeated Italy in the final match of the group stage. Don’t be surprised to witness a repeat of this, if things go really well for Jan Kozak’s boys.
The odds aren’t looking good for the Turks, but they can still leave many surprised. This team is young, hungry and is oozing in talent especially in the midfield position. And speaking of which, they will surely look to star midfielder Arda Turan, Hakan Calhanoglu of Bayer Leverkusen and former Arsenal standout Oguzhan Ozyakup to lead them to success.
Turan, in particular, is Turkey’s go-to-guy. He has the international experience, the skillset and the mindset to carry the country to at least a respectable finish. The former Galatasaray legend has put in a total of 17 goals in 90 appearances for the Crescent-Stars.
Also, the Turks surely know that they’re capable of making it deep in the tournament. Serving as proof is their inspiring performance back in Euro 2008, where they reached the semifinals before eventually losing a gut-wrenching 3-2 loss to Germany.
Overall, Faith Terim’s boys are ready to rock, and they’ll be bring a lot of tenacity and a nothing-to-lose attitude that should instill some level of intimidation to all of their opponents.
Looking to make a few bucks on Euro 2016? Create a betting account now, and place some money on these three intriguing long shots!
