Euro 2016, Qualified Teams, Playoff Teams And Star Players

The Euro 2016 qualifiers ended as some big teams failed to qualify and some smaller countries qualified.

The tournament which begins in the summer of next year June 10 – July 10, 2016, witnessed a  total of 53 teams compete for the 23 available slot in the final tournament and join France the host nation who qualified automatically. Today on Absolute Hearts we bring you the teams that have qualified, the star players to watch out for and of course how they qualified.

France

Qualified as: Hosts.

History in European Championships: Winners – 1984 and 2000.

Coach: Didier Deschamps

Star Players: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham) Benzema (Real Madrid),Varane (Real Madrid),Giroud (Arsenal), Pogba (Juventus).

Top Scorer in the Qualifiers: none, they didn't play any qualifier.

Current FIFA ranking: 8th position.

Czech Republic

Qualified as: Group A winners.

History in European Championships: Semi-finals - 2004.

Coach: Pavel Vrba

Star Players: Peter Cech (Arsenal), Jaroslav Plašil( Bordeaux), Tomáš Rosický (Arsenal), David Lafata (Sparta Prague).

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: Bořek Dočkal (Sparta Prague) 4goals.

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Iceland, Turkey, Netherlands, Latvia, Kazakhstan.

Current FIFA ranking: 24th position.

Iceland

Qualified as: Group A runners-up.

History in European Championships: Debutants.

Coach: Lars Lagerbäck

Star Players: Aron Gunnarsson(Cardiff City), Eiður Guðjohnsen (Shijiazhuang Ever Bright), Gylfi Þór Sigurðsson (Swansea City), Kolbeinn Sigþórsson (Fc Nantes), Gunnleifur Gunnleifsson (Breiðablik)

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: Gylfi Sigurðsson 6goals

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Czech Republic, Turkey, Netherlands, Latvia, Kazakhstan.

Current FIFA ranking: 23rd position

Turkey

Qualified as: Best third-placed team (Group A).

History in European Championships: Semi-finals - 2008.

Coach: Fatih Terim

Star Players: Arda Turan (Barcelona), Umut Bulut (Galatasaray), Hamit Altıntop (Galatasaray), Emre Belözoğlu (Istanbul Basaksehir F.K), Burak Yılmaz (Galatasaray).

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: Burak Yılmaz 4goals

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Iceland, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Latvia, Kazakhstan.

Current FIFA ranking: 37th position.

Belgium

Qualified as: Group B winners.

History in European Championships: Final - 1980.

Coach: Marc Wilmots

Star Players: Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Vincent Kompany (Man City), Kevin De Bruyne (Man City), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Romelu Lukaku (Everton).

Top Scorers in the qualifiers: Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard 5goals each.

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Wales, Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Andorra.

Current FIFA rankings: 3rd positions. 

Wales

Qualified as: Group B runners-up.

History in European Championships: Debutants.

Coach: Chris Coleman

Star players: Ashley Williams (Swansea City) , Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal) , Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Joe Allen (Liverpool), Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace).

Top Scorers in the qualifiers: Gareth Bale 7goals

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Belgium, Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Andorra.

Current FIFA rankings: 8th position.                  

Spain

Qualified as:  Group C winners.

History in European Championships: Winners - 1964, 2008, 2012.

Coach: Vicente del Bosque

Star players: Iker Casillas (Porto), Gerard Piqué (Barcelona), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Cesc Fàbregas (Chelsea) , David Silva (Man City).

Top Scorers in the qualifiers: Paco Alcácer (Valencia) 4goals.

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Luxembourg, FYR Macedonia

Current FIFA rankings: 6th position.

Slovakia

Qualified as: Group C runners-up.

History in European Championships: Debutants.

Coach: Ján Kozák

Star players: Martin Škrtel (Liverpool), Miroslav Stoch (Bursaspor), Marek Hamšík (Napoli), Martin Jakubko (Ruzomberok) , Stanislav Šesták (Ferencvarosi TC)

Top Scorers in the qualifiers: Marek Hamšík 5goals.

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Spain, Ukraine, Belarus, Luxembourg, FYR Macedonia

Current FIFA rankings: 18th position.

Germany

Qualified as: Group D winners.

History in European Championships: Winners - 1972, 1980, 1996.

Coach: Joachim Löw

Star players: Bastian Schweinsteiger (Man Utd), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Mesut Özil (Arsenal), Mario Götze (Bayern Munich), Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich)

Top Scorers in the qualifiers: Thomas Müller 9goals.

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Poland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Georgia, Gibraltar.

Current FIFA ranking: 2nd postion.

Poland

Qualified as: Group D runners-up.

History in European Championships: Group stages -2008, 2012.

Coach: Adam Nawałka

Star Players: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Artur Boruc (Bournenmouth), Jakub Błaszczykowski (Fiorentina), Arkadiusz Milik (Ajax), Jakub Wawrzyniak (Lechia Gdansk).

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: Robert Lewandowski 13goals

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Germany, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Georgia, Gibraltar.

Current FIFA ranking:  43rd position.

England

Qualified as: Group E winners.

History in European Championships: Third place - 1968.

Coach: Roy Hodgson

Star Players: Wayne Rooney (Man Utd), Leighton Baines (Everton), Raheem Sterling(Man City), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: Wayne Rooney 7goals.

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Switzerland, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, San Marino. Current FIFA ranking: 10th position.

Switzerland

Qualified as: Group E runners-up.

History in European Championships: Group stages - 1996, 2004, 2008.

Coach: Vladimir Petković

Star Players: Gökhan Inler (Leicester City), Johan Djourou (Hamburger SV), Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City), Pajtim Kasami (Olympiacos) Eren Derdiyok (Kasimpasa).

Top Scorers in the qualifiers: Xherdan Shaqiri, Josip Drmić, Haris Seferović 3goals each

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: England, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, San Marino.

Current FIFA ranking: 12th position.

Northern Ireland

Qualified as: Group F winners.

History in European Championships: Debutants.

Coach: Michael O'Neill

Star Players: Steven Davis (Southampton), Aaron Hughes (Melborune City), Gareth McAuley (Albion F.C), Jamie Ward (Nottingham Forest), Jonny Evans (West Brom).

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: Kyle Lafferty (Norwich City) 7goals

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Romania, Hungary, Finland, Faroe Islands, Greece

Current FIFA ranking:  position.

Romania

Qualified as: Group F runners-up.

History in European Championships: Quarter-finals - 2000.

Coach: Anghel Iordănescu

Star Players: Răzvan Rat (Rayo Vallecano), Costel Pantilimon (Sunderland), Florin Andone (Cordoba CF) ,Alexandru Maxim (VfB Stuttgart), Alexandru Chipciu (FC Steaua Bucuresti).  

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: Constantin Budescu (FC Astra Giurgiu) and Paul Papp (FC Steaua Bucuresti) 2goals each.

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Northern Ireland, Hungary, Finland, Faroe Islands, Greece.

Current FIFA ranking: 13th position.

Austria

Qualified as: Group G winners.

History in European Championships: Group stages - 2008.

Coach: Marcel Koller

Star Players: Christian Fuchs ((Leicester City), Marko Arnautović (Stoke City), David Alaba( Bayern Munich), Rubin Okotie (TSV 1860 Munchen), Martin Harnik (VfB Stuttgart)

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: Marc Janko (FC Basel) 7goals

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Russia, Sweden, Montenegro, Liechtenstein, Moldova

Current FIFA ranking: 11th position.

Russia

Qualified as: Group G runners-up.

History in European Championships: Semi-finals - 2008.

Coach: Leonid Slutsky

Star Players: Roman Shirokov (Spartak Moscow), Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow), Artyom Dzyuba (FC Zenit), Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Vasili Berezutski (CSKA Moscow),.

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: Artyom Dzyuba 9goals.

Group Opponents in Qualifiers:  Austria, Sweden, Montenegro, Liechtenstein, Moldova

Current FIFA ranking: 26th position.

Italy

Qualified as: Group H winners.

History in European Championships: Winners - 1968.

Coach: Antonio Conte

Star Players: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Andrea Pirlo ( New York City FC) , Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Graziano Pellè (Southampton).

Top Scorer in the qualifiers:  Graziano Pellè 3goals.

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Norway, Croatia, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Malta.

Current FIFA ranking: 17th position.

Croatia

Qualified as: Group H runners-up.

History in European Championships: Quarter-finals - 1996, 2008.

Coach: Ante Čačić

Star Players: Darijo Srna(Shakhtar Donetsk), Mario Mandžukić (Juventus) , Ivan Rakitić (Barcelona), Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Ivica Olić (Hamburger SV)

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: Ivan Perišić (Inter Milan) 6goals

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Norway, Italy, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Malta.

Current FIFA ranking: 16th position.

Portugal

Qualified as: Group I winners.

History in European Championships: Final - 2004.

Coach: Fernando Santos

Star Players: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Bruno Alves (Fenerbahce), João Moutinho (Monaco), Nani (Fenerbahce), Pepe (Real Madrid).

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: Cristiano Ronaldo 5goals.

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Denmark, Albania, Armenia, Serbia.

Current FIFA ranking: 4th position.

Albania

Qualified as: Group I runners-up.

History in European Championships: Debutants.

Coach: Gianni De Biasi.

Star Players: Lorik Cana (Nantes)

Top Scorer in the qualifiers: None ( 1 goal each from six different players)

Group Opponents in Qualifiers: Denmark, Portugal, Armenia, Serbia.

Current FIFA ranking: 32nd position.

Teams in the play-offs:

The eight teams who finished third in their respective groups will fight it out for the four remaining spots in two-legged play-off clashes.

Seeded: Bosnia, Ukraine, Sweden, Hungary

Unseeded: Denmark, Republic of Ireland, Norway, Slovenia.

Play-off draw: Sunday 18 October in Nyon, Switzerland

Written By

Adekunle Adewale

Twitter: @hrhmayowa