Czech Republic

Every tournament produces its 'Group of Death' and the battle between the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic and Latvia is without doubt Euro 2004's toughest group.

But the Czechs have revenge on their mind -- it was the Germans who beat them in the final of Euro '96 and a defeat to the Dutch played a major part in stopping the central Europeans from qualifying for the 2002 World Cup finals.

That was partly avenged in qualifying for Portugal. A 1-1 draw in Rotterdam and the Czechs' 3-1 win on home soil ensured Karel Brueckner's side qualified automatically for the finals and forced the Netherlands into a playoff against Scotland.

If there is a slight favourite to top the group it is probably, on form, the Czechs.

Since the 64-year-old Brueckner took over at the end of 2001, they have lost only twice in 22 matches and, inspired by European Footballer of the Year Pavel Nedved, they cruised through the qualifying stage with seven wins and one draw.

Former Manchester United winger Karel Poborsky, towering Dortmund striker Jan Koller and his club team mate and playmaker Tomas Rosicky, also help to make up an impressive Czech side.

Reuters

Best performance: Winners (as Czechoslovakia) in 1976

Recent performances:
1980 Round three
1984-1992 Did not qualify
1996 Runners-up
2000 Round one

SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: 16-Jaromir Blazek (Sparta Prague), 1-Petr Cech (Stade Rennes), 23-Antonin Kinsky (Saturn Ramenskoye)

Defenders: 5-Rene Bolf (Banik Ostrava), 2-Zdenek Grygera (Ajax Amsterdam), 17-Tomas Huebschman (Sparta Prague), 6-Marek Jankulovski (Udinese), 13-Martin Jiranek (Reggina), 3-Pavel Mares (Zenit St Petersburg), 22-David Rozehnal (Club Bruges), 21-Tomas Ujfalusi (Hamburg SV)

Midfielders: 4-Tomas Galasek (Ajax Amsterdam),11-Pavel Nedved (Juventus), 20-Jaroslav Plasil (Monaco), 8-Karel Poborsky (Sparta Prague), 10-Tomas Rosicky (Borussia Dortmund), 7-Vladimir Smicer (Liverpool), 19-Roman Tyce (TSV 1860 Munich), 14-Stepan Vachousek (Olympique Marseille)