• Euro 2012

England drawn with France at Euro 2012

ESPN staff
December 2, 2011
England manager Fabio Capello has suggested Euro 2012 represents a tougher test than the 2010 World Cup © PA Photos
Enlarge

England will meet 1998 World Cup winners France, Sweden and co-hosts Ukraine in Group D at Euro 2012, while Republic of Ireland have been drawn alongside World and European champions Spain in Group C.

England, the last team out of the hat, will get their campaign up and running against France, whom they have not beaten in five meetings, in Donetsk on June 11. Sweden will await Fabio Capello's men in Kiev on June 15, with Ukraine their final group encounter in Donetsk on June 19. England have chosen to base their training camp in the Polish city of Krakow but all their group games will now be played in Ukraine.

The Euro 2012 draw handed Ireland a tough draw against the defending champions Spain, 2006 World Cup winners Italy and Croatia. Appearing in the championships for the first time since 1988, they will open against Croatia in Poznan on June 10. Yet it is the games against Spain, winners in 2008 and World Cup victors in South Africa last year, and 1968 champions Italy which will most excite their fans. Giovanni Trapattoni's men will travel to Gdansk to face Spain on June 14 and return to Poznan to play Italy four days later.

Group A will be viewed as the easiest of the tournament as co-hosts Poland find themselves up against Russia, the Czech Republic and Euro 2004 champions Greece.

Surely the toughest group will be B, which sees old rivals Germany and World Cup finalists Netherlands meet, while Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and Denmark make up the other teams.

Euro 2012 draw
Group A Group B Group C Group D
Poland Netherlands Spain Ukraine
Greece Denmark Italy Sweden
Russia Germany Republic of Ireland France
Czech Republic Portugal Croatia England
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close