<b>Manager:</b> Vincenzo Montella <b>Captain:</b> Hakan Calhanoglu<i><b> </b></i>(Inter Milan) <b>One to watch: Arda Guler </b>(Real Madrid) <b>Provisional squad: Goalkeepers: </b>ltay Bayindir (Manchester United), Doğan Alemdar (Troyes), Mert Günok (Besiktas), Uğurcan Cakır (Trabzonspor) <b>Defenders: </b>Mert Müldür (Fenerbahce), Cağlar Soyuncu (Fenerbahce), Ferdi Kadioğlu (Fenerbahce), Zeki çelik (Roma), Abdülkerim Bardakci (Galatasaray), Ahmetcan Kaplan (Ajax), Merih Demiral (Al-Ahli), Ozan Kabak (Hoffenheim), Samet Akaydın (Panathinaikos), Cenk Özkacar (Valencia) <b>Midfielders: </b>Berat Ozdemir (Trabzonspor), Can Uzun (Nürnberg), Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter), İsmail Yuksek (Fenerbahce), Kaan Ayhan (Galatasaray), Okay Yokuslu (West Bromwich), Orkun Kokcu (Benfica), Salih Ozcan (Borussia Dortmund) <b>Forwards: </b>Abdulkadir Omur(Hull City), İrfan Can Kahveci (Fenerbahce), Yunus Akgün (Leicester City), Kenan Yildiz (Juventus), Kerem Akturkoglu (Galatasaray), Barıs Alper Yilmaz (Galatasaray), Oguz Aydin (Corendon Alanyaspor), Arda Guler (Real Madrid), Bertug Yildirim (Rennais), Cenk Tosun (Besiktas), Semih Kılıcsoy (Besiktas), Enes Unal (Bournemouth), Yusuf Yazici (Lille) <b>Highest euro finish: </b>Semi-finals 2008 <b>Fifa ranking: </b>40 <b>Group F fixtures: June 18 </b>Turkey vs Georgia (Dortmund, 8pm)<b> June 22 </b>Turkey vs Portugal (Dortmund, 8pm)<b> June 26 </b>Czech Republic vs Turkey (Hamburg, 11pm) As Turkey gear up for <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/euros/" target="_blank">Euro 2024</a>, much of their ambition rests on the shoulders of captain and playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu, who won his first Serie A title with Inter Milan this year. Calhanoglu has been instrumental in Turkey's resurgence in the qualifying campaign – finishing top of Group D – with his transformation to a deep-lying playmaker adding a new dimension to his game. Born in Mannheim, Calhanoglu is one of a handful of German-born footballers with Turkish ancestry to represent the Crescent Stars. But while he has earned rave reviews for his performances in Italy, Calhanoglu has been on the receiving end of harsh criticism at home. “Our people still think of the old Hakan as a number 10. I'm not in that position any more,” he said in an interview with state broadcaster TRT. “Actually, what saddens me is this: I play abroad, everyone supports me there, they see me as one of their own. But when I come to my own country, I feel excluded. Sometimes when I read comments it hurts me. When negative criticism comes from my own people, from my own blood, one can't help but feel sad.” Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella, who previously coached Calhanoglu during his tenure at AC Milan, said the player is among the best in the world. “He is a great talent with excellent technique,” Montella said. “In recent years, he's become the best midfielder in the world – or at least one of the very best.” <b>Manager:</b> Ivan Hasek <b>Captain:</b> Tomas Soucek (West Ham United) <b>One to watch: </b>Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen) <b>Squad: Goalkeepers:</b> Vitezslav Jaros (Sturm Graz), Matej Kovar (Bayer Leverkusen), Jindrich Stanek (Slavia Prague). <b>Defenders: </b>Vladimir Coufal (West Ham), David Doudera (Slavia Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (Viktoria Plzen), David Jurasek (TSG Hoffenheim), Ladislav Krejci (Sparta Prague), Martin Vitik (Sparta Prague), Tomas Vlcek (Slavia Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague). <b>Midfielders: </b>Antonin Barak (Fiorentina), Vaclav Cerny (Wolfsburg), Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Matej Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ondrej Lingr (Feyenoord), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadilek (FC Twente), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Viktoria Plzen). <b>Forwards:</b> Adam Hlozek (Sparta Prague), Tomas Chory (Viktoria Plzen), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen). <b>Highest euro finish: </b>Runners-up 1996. <b>Fifa ranking: </b>36 <b>Group F fixtures: June 18 </b>Portugal vs Czech Republic (Leipzig, 11pm)<b> June 22 </b>Georgia vs Czech Republic (Hamburg, 5pm)<b> June 26 </b>Czech Republic vs Turkey (Hamburg, 11pm) After an uninspired qualifying campaign that ended with a series of laboured performances, the Czech Republic have bet on the return of no-nonsense coach Ivan Hasek to recharge the squad aiming for a second-straight quarter-final appearance. Hasek, who captained Czechoslovakia during the 1990 World Cup and led the national team briefly in 2009, took over a squad in January that seemed stuck in the mud without much hope of repeating their surprise run at the last European Championship. The Czechs will need to rediscover the bite they lost towards the conclusion of their qualifying campaign when they lost to group winners Albania 3-0 and scraped by the Faroe Islands 1-0 at home. One player Hasek will lean on is West Ham midfielder and team captain Tomas Soucek, while he will be weighing up calls to hand a greater role to attacking midfielder Antonin Barak, who plies his trade for Fiorentina in Serie A. Attack has been an area of concern, with the absence of Bayer Leverkusen forward Patrik Schick from the final rounds of the qualifying campaign due to injury contributing to the Czech goalscoring drought. But fresh from winning a Bundesliga title, Schick seems to have shaken off the injury woes that hampered him over the past year and has bagged a number of critical goals for the Europa League finalists since his return. <b>Manager:</b> Willy Sagnol <b>Captain:</b> Guram Kashia (Slovan Bratislava) <b>One to watch: </b>Khvicha Kvaratskhelia<b> </b>(Napoli) <b>Squad: Goalkeepers: </b>Giorgi Loria (Dinamo Tbilisi), Giorgi Mamardashvili (Valencia), Luka Gugeshashvili (Qarabag). <b>Defenders: </b>Guram Kashia (Slovan Bratislava), Otar Kakabadze (Cracovia), Solomon Kvirkvelia (Al Okhdood), Lasha Dvali (APOEL), Jemal Tabidze (Panetolikos), Luka Lochoshvili (Cremonese), Giorgi Gocholeishvili (Shakhtar Donetsk), Giorgi Gvelesiani (Persepolis). <b>Midfielders: </b>Gabriel Sigua (Basel), Nika Kvekverskiri (Lech Poznan), Otar Kiteishvili (Sturm Graz), Saba Lobzhanidze (Atlanta United), Zuriko Davitashvili (Bordeaux), Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford), Levan Shengelia (Panetlikos), Giorgi Tsitaishvili (Dinamo Batumi), Anzor Mekvabishvili (Universitatea Craiova), Giorgi Kochorashvili (Levante), Sandro Altunashvili (Wolfsberger AC) <b>Forwards: </b>Giorgi Kvilitaia (APOEL), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli), Budu Zivzivadze (Karlsruher), Georges Mikautadze (Metz). <b>Highest euro finish: </b>First appearance. <b>Fifa ranking: </b>75 <b>Group F fixtures: June 18 </b>Turkey vs Georgia (Dortmund, 8pm)<b> June 22 </b>Georgia vs Czech Republic (Hamburg, 5pm)<b> June 26 </b>Georgia vs Portugal (Gelsenkirchen, 11pm) Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made a name for himself last season helping <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2023/05/05/napoli-emulate-diego-maradona-after-ending-long-serie-a-title-wait/" target="_blank">Napoli to win Serie A</a> and now he is ready to shine on the international stage to help Georgia make the most of their first major tournament appearance at Euro 2024. Napoli were well off the pace this season but Kvaratskhelia still scored 11 league goals compared to 12 last season, and was top scorer for Georgia in their qualifying group with four. Of course, Kvaratskhelia's game is not only about goals, it is his technical ability combined with his unpredictability that make him a danger for any defence. The 23-year-old can cut in from the left wing and curl a shot into the top corner but is just as likely to take on three or four defenders and snake his way into the area. Georgia had to come through the play-offs to reach the Euros, and Kvaratskhelia went off injured in extra time of their final game against Greece, but not before drawing three yellow cards from the Greek defenders in the first half alone. Despite finishing fourth in qualifying, Sagnol’s side went into the play-offs on the back of their Nations League campaign. and then defied the odds to reach a first international competition as an independent nation by beating Luxembourg and then Greece on penalties. “I think this qualification, people in Georgia waited for it since decades and it was such a nice moment to celebrate all together,” Georgia’s French coach Sagnol said in April. “It wasn’t only the Georgian football world, it was really the whole country. Young, older people, they were all celebrating together, and it was really a moment that I will never forget.” <b>Manager:</b> Roberto Martinez <b>Captain:</b> Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) <b>One to watch: </b>Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) <b>Squad: Goalkeepers:</b> Diogo Costa (Porto), Jose Sa (Wolves), Rui Patricio (Roma). <b>Defenders: </b>Antonio Silva (Benfica), Danilo Pereira (Paris Saint-Germain), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting), Joao Cancelo (Barcelona), Nelson Semedo (Wolves), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Pepe (Porto), Ruben Dias (Manchester City). <b>Midfielders:</b> Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Joao Neves (Benfica), Joao Palhinha (Fulham), Otavio Monteiro (Al Nassr), Ruben Neves (Al Hilal), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain). <b>Forwards:</b> Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Diogo Jota (Liverpool), Francisco Conceicao (Porto), Goncalo Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain), Joao Felix (Barcelona), Pedro Neto (Wolves), Rafael Leao (AC Milan). <b>Highest euro finish: </b>Winners 2016 <b>Fifa ranking: </b>Sixth <b>Group F fixtures: June 18 </b>Portugal vs Czech Republic (Leipzig, 11pm)<b> June 22 </b>Turkey vs Portugal (Dortmund, 8pm)<b> June 26 </b>Georgia vs Portugal (Gelsenkirchen, 11pm) He might now by 39 years of age but <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/cristiano-ronaldo/" target="_blank">Cristiano Ronaldo</a> is showing no signs of his relentless thirst for goals diminishing <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2024/06/04/cristiano-ronaldo-hails-one-of-the-best-seasons-of-career-after-setting-saudi-record/" target="_blank">after enjoying what he described as “one of the best seasons” of his storied career</a>. The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward notched 35 goals in 31 games for Al Nassr, setting a new Saudi Pro League record in the process, as well as registering 11 assists. “We don’t make choices based on where the players play,” said Portugal manager Roberto Martinez. “He has become a central figure of a new project and the important thing for us, as a national team coach, is that he has been able to carry on scoring goals. “His stats are better than anything, subjectively, that you can say. He’s been the top goalscorer in 2023 in world football and he makes a total new beginning in a league that in the next few years is going to be talked about a lot.” Ronaldo committed himself to Portugal even though it looked like his time with the national team was up after being benched for their knockout-stage games at the Qatar World Cup. In a qualifying group for the Euros, Ronaldo started nine of the 10 games and scored 10 goals – only behind Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku (14). He was captain whenever he started. In short, Martinez fully believes in Ronaldo, a player he describes as “an iconic figure of the game,” heading into what will be the striker's record-extending sixth European Championship and 11th major tournament. “He keeps making the difference,” the Spanish coach said, “and I think that, for us, this is a wonderful example for young players.”
