Defending European champions Spain are seeking to make history by winning this tournament three times in a row.

The Spanish triumphed at Austria and Switzerland in 2008 and continued their domination of European football with a clinical display throughout the 2012 installation in Poland and Ukraine.

They are up against Czech Republic, Turkey and Croatia in Group D, with the latter three almost certainly set to battle it out for second spot behind Vicente del Bosque’s side.

So, let’s take a look at who should qualify out of Group D, and who should have stayed at home…

Spain: Can they go all the way and win Euro Football 2016?

History:

Spain finally ended a 44-year wait to win a second European Championship crown when they beat Germany 1-0 in the 2008 final in Vienna. Fernando Torres’ winning goal released a lot of tension among Spain fans who were desperate for success on the international stage after years of club dominance with Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Four years later, during which they won the 2010 World Cup, Spain successfully defended their European crown with a 4-0 final demolition of Italy. They are expected to at least make the semi-finals this year — although a group-stage exit at the 2014 World Cup exposed some fragilities in this side.

Star Man:

The real stars of the Spanish squad continue to be defenders. Barcelona’s Gerard Pique has taken over from Carles Puyol as the vocal leader at the back, while David De Gea is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Spain conceded three goals in Euro Football 2016 qualifying and will likely have a watertight defence in France.

Route to Euro Football 2016:

Spain lost just one game in Euros qualifying as they topped Group C with 27 points from 10 outings. Their 2-1 defeat in Slovakia was definitely a wake-up call for a team who have grown used to winning.

They didn’t make that mistake again. Eight successive wins — including a 2-0 triumph over Slovakia — ensured the top seeds safe progression to France.

Odds:

Spain are third favourites to win Euro Football 2016, behind world champions Germany and hosts France. Head coach Del Bosque has a point to prove after their disappointing World Cup display in Brazil. They have great odds to finish the group with nine points from nine.

Czech Republic: 8.00 to go out with two points

History:

The Czech’s have a strong record in the European Championships, having played as an independent nation since 1996. That first tournament in England saw them reach the final, where they lost to Germany. A semi-final place at Euro 2004 in Portugal was another huge boost for a flourishing footballing nation. And last time out they made the quarter-finals before falling 1-0 to the Portuguese.

Star Man:

Petr Cech has proved this season that he remains one of the best goalkeepers on the planet. The 33-year-old spent a year on the bench at Chelsea last term and got a move to Arsenal in the summer. His performances have helped the Gunners compete for the Premier League title this season and since his major tournament debut at Euro 2004 he has been the first name on the Czech team sheet.

Route to Euro Football 2016:

Czech Republic topped Group A in Euro qualifying, helped in part by the Netherlands’ collapse after their successful World Cup 2014 campaign. They beat close rivals Turkey and Iceland in the early stages of qualifying, meaning they had a cushion when losing in Reykjavik and then to the Turks later in the campaign.

Odds:

Czech Republic are a great outside shout to reach the final. They have prowess in this tournament and should finish second in the group behind Spain. That would mean facing the winner of Group E in the last-16, which could be Belgium or Italy. Both sides are beatable and after that, who knows how far they’ll go.

Turkey: 2.00 to fall at the group stage

History:

Turkey made their presence known on the European football scene when they reached the semi-finals at Euro 2008. They beat Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals and were within seconds of forcing extra time with Germany in the last-four before Philipp Lahm popped up with a winning goal at the death.

Turkey also reached the quarter-finals in 2000 and Unibet punters will expect them to make the last-16 here in France.

Star Man:

Burak Yimlaz may be plying his trade in China but the former Galatasaray striker could certainly still do a job in one of the big European leagues. At 30, this could be Yimlaz’s last major championship and his four goals in qualifying were crucial for Turkey’s progression to the Euros. He has incredible odds to finish top scorer in the competition and is likely to at least bag couple in the group stage.

Route to Euro Football 2016:

Turkey gained automatic progression to Euro Football 2016 despite finishing third in Group A. They were the best third-placed team after finishing on 18 points. Five wins, two draws and three defeats would have been enough to finish second in other groups. A 3-0 victory over the Netherlands late in qualifying ended any Dutch hope of making the tournament and Turkey backed that up with wins over Iceland and Czech Republic to deservedly make the finals.

Odds:

Spain’s presence means Turkey are unlikely to top Group D and it’s a real conundrum to predict who will come out on top among them, the Czechs and Croatia this summer. Turkey could just as easily finish second as last. They lost both legs to Spain when the two sides clashed in World Cup 2010 qualifying and are the favourites to go down to the Spanish again in Nice.

Croatia: A potential draw against Turkey

History:

Croatia made the quarter-finals at Euro 1996 and 2008 and many soccer betting fans will expect them to at least secure a last-16 spot this time around. But over the past eight years they have largely disappointed at major championships. They failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup and crashed out at the group stage at Euro 2012 and World Cup 2014. An uninspiring qualifying campaign suggests the Croats won’t do much this summer and should be avoided.

Star Man:

Croatia finished second in qualifying Group H and that is largely thanks to star attacker Ivan Perisic. The Inter winger scored six goals in qualifying, including the decisive strike away at Malta in the last round that denied Norway second place.

Route to Euro Football 2016:

That 1-0 victory at Malta saved a lot of embarrassment for Croatia, who struggled for consistency during their qualifying fixtures. They were unbeaten after seven games but a 2-0 loss in Norway, off the back of a 0-0 draw in Azerbaijan, sent alarm bells ringing. Luckily, Perisic inspired a 3-0 triumph over Bulgaria before a nervy win in Malta ensured automatic progression.

Odds:

Croatia and Turkey have drawn four of their six previous meetings and a draw, when they meet in their opening game at the Parc des Princes, is a smart bet. A point isn’t much good for either side but avoiding defeat in that first clash is crucial to keeping their last-16 hopes alive.

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