Euro 2008 prepares for kick-off

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Who will you support in Euro 2008?

Football's European Championship will kick off in Switzerland on Saturday.

For the 13th time Europe's finest will battle it out for the right to lift the competition's Henri Delaunay trophy.

But it was unlucky for some, with no representatives from Britain qualifying for the tournament, which is being co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria.

The Swiss will get the competition off and running when they meet Czech Republic in the opening game in Basel at 1700 BST on Saturday.

Over the next 23 days the tournament will cram in 31 games at eight different stadiums across the two countries.

Until 1980 only four teams competed in the European Championship finals, but since then it has grown into the third largest sporting event in the world after the World Cup and Olympic Games.

EURO 2008 BLOG Follow the latest from our BBC bloggers in Switzerland and Austria

The build-up to the tournament has been relatively low key but Michel Platini, president of European football's governing body Uefa, said: "The party is about to start.

"What is really important is the feeling and emotion of the supporters."

BBC Sport's Paul Fletcher said that the atmosphere is building ahead of the big kick-off, despite the recent poor weather.

"Basel is very overcast and Euro 2008 organising chief Martin Kallen has expressed his hope that the sun will come out on Saturday," he said.

"The Basel media has gone Euro mad, with plenty of articles focusing on how the tournament has really caught the imagination of the people; lots of photographs of front rooms decked out in Swiss colours and young ladies sporting temporary tattoos of their team's colours.

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Archive: Top 10 Euro goals

"The final touches have been made to the Fan Zones which, with tickets like gold dust, are sure to be rammed come kick-off on Saturday.

"At the stadium, advertising banners and boards with directions on them are being positioned here, there and everywhere."

The organisers are hoping the footballing extravaganza will bring in global TV audience figures totalling eight billion viewers over 200 countries, while millions of fans are expected to travel from around Europe to watch the games.

Euro 2008 has cost nearly £500m to stage but is expected to generate revenues of over £1bn - 50% more than the previous tournament, according to Uefa.

The sale of corporate hospitality packages has soared from £23m in 2004 to over £100m, partly reflecting the relative wealth of Austria and Switzerland in comparison to Portugal.

Official mascots Trix (left) and Flix

The 16 teams involved have been drawn into four groups, with the top two countries from each progressing to the knockout rounds.

The final will take place at the Ernst Happel stadium in the Austrian capital of Vienna on 29 June.

Greece are the reigning champions after producing one of the biggest shocks in international football history by winning Euro 2004 in Portugal.

But the Greeks will be outsiders once again in 2008, despite having the best qualifying record and retaining a number of key players from four years ago, as well as their inspirational coach Otto Rehhagel.

World champions Italy are in the so-called 'group of death' - along with France, champions in 2000, the 1988 winners Holland and unfancied Romania.

Spain, who were winners in 1964, have been heavily tipped to end their 44-year wait for another major tournament victory.

Three-times winners Germany are expected to be one of the teams battling out for the crown once again.

Who will win Euro 2008?

They have not won a game in the tournament since their victory in the 1996 final, but they have been handed a relatively easy draw by being grouped with Poland, Croatia and Austria.

Croatia are one of the tournament's dark horses along with Czech Republic and Russia.

While the cream of Europe is fighting it out in Switzerland and Austria, Britain's footballers will be looking on enviously from at home or on holiday.

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But for fans of the Premier League there there will be plenty of familiar faces on show.

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo will be looking to cap an outstanding season by leading Portugal to victory, having been beaten by Greece in the 2004 final.

He is one of 43 players who earn their living in English football - with four further from the Scottish Premier League. Britain's contribution is only bettered by Germany's total of 56.

Chelsea and Arsenal will both have seven representatives at Euro 2008.

Football on the BBC

Whoever the winners and losers are, the BBC will be on hand to bring you full coverage of the tournament.

Every game will be covered live on the BBC Sport website and Radio 5 Live, while Match of the Day will be showing 16 live games.

Highlights of every game will be on BBC ONE, the BBC Sport website, BBC iPlayer and the red button.