Euro 2020 Group C: Netherlands no longer look like potential winners

Austria have a great chance of reaching the knock out stages for the first time

Matthijs de Ligt will have to shoulder much of the defensive burden in the absence of Virgil Van Dijk. File photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Netherlands

Odds: 12-1
Previous best: Winners 1988
Prospects: The stars of the 2019 Ajax side have struggled since leaving Amsterdam and Virgil van Dijk will be a huge miss. No longer look like potential winners.
Manager: The Dutch have failed to kick on under Frank de Boer after he replaced Ronald Koeman following his departure to Barcelona last summer.
Key player: With no Van Dijk, Matthijs de Ligt will have to shoulder much of the defensive burden.

Austria

Odds: 80-1
Previous best: Group stage 2008
Prospects: Austria haven't reached the knockout stages of a major international tournament since the 1954 World Cup – they've got a good chance of doing so here.
Manager: Franco Foda took over in 2018 and emulated his predecessor Marcell Koller by securing qualification for the Euros behind Poland.
Key player: David Alaba is still only 28 and his impending switch to Real Madrid is a testament to his standing in Europe.

Ukraine

Odds: 80-1
Previous best: Group stage 2012 and 2016
Prospects: Ukraine were a surprise package in qualification, finishing ahead of Portugal, but recent results suggest that momentum has stalled.
Manager: His country's top scorer, Andriy Shevchenko can only add to his legend by navigating a route into the knockout stages.
Key player: Andriy Yarmolenko has struggled at West Ham this season but remains a talisman at international level.

North Macedonia

Odds: 500-1
Previous best: First appearance.
Prospects: North Macedonia made the world stop and take notice recently, as they stunned Germany in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers with a 2-1 win in Duisburg.
Manager: Igor Angelovski has the proud tag of being the first manager to steer North Macedonia to a major tournament – they beat Belarus and Georgia in the playoffs.
Key player: A veteran of Jose Mourinho's Internazionale, Gordan Pandev is still his nation's heartbeat a decade later and aged 37.

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Fixtures

Sunday June 13th - Austria vs North Macedonia (5pm Irish time, Bucharest); Netherlands vs Ukraine (8pm, Amsterdam)

Thursday June 17th - Ukraine vs North Macedonia (2pm, Bucharest); Netherlands vs Austria (8pm, Amsterdam)

Monday June 21st - North Macedonia vs Netherlands (5pm, Amsterdam); Ukraine vs Austria (5pm, Bucharest)

Patrick Madden

Patrick Madden

Patrick Madden is a former sports journalist with The Irish Times