THIS summer, nations across Europe will battle to be crowned the continent’s football champions.

In the run up to the tournament, which begins on Friday, June 10, the Standard wants to know who you think will go on to lift the trophy.

We are delighted to offer the fantastic prize of a Euro 2016 t-shirt and football, courtesy of Bateman’s Sports Ltd, Stroud, to one lucky winner who correctly chooses the successful team and has their name drawn from the hat.

The tournament will see the top 24 teams from across Europe compete as Spain try to defend the title they won in 2012. Who will emerge victorious this year? To help you decide, we will be profiling each team.

Up next is Group B, featuring England, Russia, Slovakia and Wales. Read on to discover each team’s star player, chances of winning and details of how to enter our competition.

ENGLAND

The Three Lions will be going into Euro 2016 will the same amount of hype and expectation that surrounds every tournament, only this time they might actually do quite well. But that has been said before.

A fantastic season for many of the team’s brightest young stars, a perfect qualifying campaign and a recent, dramatic friendly win over the world champions, arch rivals Germany, has swept the nation into a frenzy of belief that England can finally triumph again, exactly 50 years since their last major tournament victory, the world cup in 1966.

The debate surrounding the future of captain Wayne Rooney, (should he be dropped or should he go to France?), is at risk of overshadowing the brilliance of England’s other players. Harry Kane, Deli Alli, Eric Dier (all Tottenham) and Jamie Vardy (Leicester) have all had outstanding seasons and England fans will know the attacking options at manager Roy Hodgson’s disposal are capable of taking the team far.

Going into a tournament there is usually a question mark around England’s attacking talent but this year it is different, this year the worry will be defence. With no obvious, strong centre-back partnership and concern over John Stones’ disappointing season with Everton there is a definite weakness to the side which could leak important goals.

If England actually perform to the full capability of their squad they will go far this summer and fans have a right to be hopeful. But they will remain cautious, as Baddiel and Skinner sang, “We’ve seen it all before.”

RUSSIA

Russia will be looking to impress on the international stage as they prepare to host the next World Cup.

They qualified as runners up, behind Austria, in a group they got off to a very mixed start in. Following a string of disappointing results, two wins, two draws and two losses, Fabio Capello was sacked and replaced with Leonid Slutsky, the head coach of CSKA Moscow who had just won back to back Russian Premier League titles.

He turned their campaign, which had included struggling to draw with Moldova, who finished bottom of the group, and two 1-0 losses to surprise group winners Austria, around and won the final four qualifying games to finish second.

Despite finishing so strongly, Russia haven’t fared so well in their recent friendly fixtures. An expected 3-0 win over Lithuania in March followed a disappointing 3-1 defeat at home to Croatia in November. But their poor form resurfaced in a 4-2 defeat to the upcoming tournament hosts France.

Their current squad features just one player who plays his club football outside Russia, veteran striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov (FC Zurich) and their defence, with an average age of 31, is filled with experience. Sergei Ignashevich is their most capped player and a stalwart of their rear guard, with 115 caps he must prove his leadership skills at the back to stop his defence leaking as many goals as they have recently.

SLOVAKIA

Slovakia face a tough task to get through their group and reach the knockout phase of Euro 2016.

They reached the tournament by the skin of their teeth after finishing second in their qualifying group but did put in an impressive performance to beat current European champions Spain 2-1 in the group’s second round of fixtures.

That was nearly two years ago and their early form has since faded. A subsequent loss to Spain, a draw against Ukraine and an embarrassing loss to Belarus meant Slovakia needed to win against Luxembourg and hope Spain beat Ukraine to have a hope of automatic qualification. They did it with plenty of luck on their side and they’ll need more of the same to stand a chance of reaching the knockout stages of Euro 2016.

Napoli’s attacking midfielder with outrageous hair, Marek Hamsik, is Slovakia’s star player. Manager Jan Kosak and captain Martin Skrtel (Liverpool) will put a lot of faith in Hamsik to perform on the big stage but it is likely Wales, England and Russia will prove too strong.

WALES

It’s been an excruciatingly long wait for Wales since they last appeared in a major tournament. It has been so long in fact that Yuri Gagarin first took man in to space, their rugby compatriots have won 17 international titles and England have even managed to win both a football and rugby world cup.

Wales now have a number of bright prospects in their team and have long since shed the one man team tag that many have labelled them with.

Whilst Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) remains the stand out star man he is supported by a strong spine that includes goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace), defender and captain Ashley Williams (Swansea) and midfielders Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal) and Andy King (Leicester).

  • To enter our competition, pick up a copy of the Wilts and Glos Standard, fill out the coupon and drop it into our reception or post it to Euro 2016 competition, Wilts and Glos Standard, 74 Dyer Street, Cirencester, GL7 2PW