Euro 2020: 5 dark horses who can stage upset in Euro 2020 – The 16th UEFA European Championship is knocking on the door. Experts have already started talking about who will lift the Euro 2020. But what about the dark horses? In 2004, Greece came out of nowhere to win the tournament, shocking the world in the process. In 2016, Portugal went on to win after drawing all three games during the Group Stage.
This year as well, all eyes are still on the usual suspects ahead of Euro 2020, but the most recent rounds of qualification have shown that there could be some new dark horses next year, including some nations returning to major competitions and even a new one altogether.
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Of the 24 teams that qualified for the tournament, 19 are returning from the 2016 edition. Among them are Belgium and Italy, who both recorded flawless qualifying campaigns, defending European champions Portugal and world champions France, with Germany also qualifying for a record 13th straight European Championship.
In this article, we at Insidesport will take you through the list of 5 dark horses who can stage upset in Euro 2020
Poland – Euro 2020: 5 dark horses who can stage upset
Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski will be leading the line for Jerzy Brzeczek’s Poland side in Euro 2020. Poland’s best ever goalscorer will be going into the competition with a point to prove.
Another major factor that can change fortune on Poland’s side is AC Milan’s emerging Krzysztof Piatek. There is a blend of experience and youth on this Poland side. 11 players have been handed international debuts since the start of last year to help freshen up the squad, including former Arsenal star Krystian Bielik and versatile forward Dawid Kownacki.
Republic of Ireland – Euro 2020: 5 dark horses who can stage upset
The Republic of Ireland, which are ranked 32nd in the world FIFA rankings, will aim to cause some upsets in the Euro 2020 and maintain their form from qualifying. Out of 55 sides that took part in Euro 2020 qualification, Ireland is among 10 teams who are still unbeaten. They are drawn against Group D favourites Denmark and Switzerland.
Three years back they defeated Sweden and Italy and gave a tough fight to hosts France. But with an average age of just over 27, Mick McCarthy’s side is crying out for an injection of young players to give them a much-needed facelift.
Sweden – Euro 2020: 5 dark horses who can stage upset
Obviously, Sweden is a long shot, but they proved that they could play with the big boys after reaching the quarterfinals at the World Cup last summer. They are by no means the most talented team in the world, but they do have Emil Forsberg, who’s a world-class playmaker in the midfield.
The Swedes also know who they are and how they can win. They embrace the fact that they often defend in blocks and play on the counter. That style of play isn’t pretty, but it can be effective for a team like Sweden, which makes them a dark horse to watch at the 2020 Euros.
Russia – Euro 2020: 5 dark horses who can stage upset
Football experts were impressed with Russia’s exciting show at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. This time they will want to prove that their performance in 2018 was not just a fluke. They have the quality to go deep into the tournament. Their two biggest stars are AS Monaco’s Aleksandr Golovin and Valencia’s Denis Cheryshev.
Russia are drawn with Belgium, Denmark and Finland in Group B. Belgium are likely to top the group but Russia will fancy their chances of beating Denmark and Finland.
Italy – Euro 2020: 5 dark horses who can stage upset
Italy will be coming into the competition with a serious point to prove after their rebuilding process in recent years, having failed to get past the quarter-final stage of a competition in seven years, where even then they were thumped 4-0 by Spain at the European championships.
Manager Roberto Mancini has made a number of changes since he was appointed last year, handing almost 20 new players their international debuts for the Azzurri, including Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma), Nicolo Barella (Inter) and Brazil-born full-back Emerson Palmieri (Chelsea). Mancini has lost just twice since taking over Italy and is currently on a seven-match winning run, with his side scoring 19 goals and conceding just three.
