Group F is easily the toughest of the six first-round groups at Euro 2020. It features France (the reigning World Cup champions), Germany (four-time World Cup winners), Portugal (the defending European champions) and Hungary (a nation that is enjoying a bit of a renaissance).

With all of the Group F games taking place in Munich and Budapest, Germany and Hungary will have a distinct advantage.

It might not be enough of an edge to push them past a strong France side that has welcomed Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema back into the fold following a five-year exile.

Also remember that a Portugal team that has Cristiano Ronaldo, who despite his age (he turned 36 this year) continues to shine on big occasions.

France

France have reached the final in each of the last two major international tournaments involving European nations.

They will see being in the July 11 showpiece at Wembley as the minimum requirement once again given their embarrassment of riches. Not many opponents have the same quality and depth in each position.

Coach Didier Deschamps is at home and is happy with his squad, so much so that he did not stand in the way of Aymeric Laporte as he declared his new allegiance to Spain.

France’s Euro 2020 Squad

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Mike Maignan (Lille)

Defenders: Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich), Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid), Clement Lenglet (Barcelona), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea), Lucas Digne (Everton), Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich), Leo Dubois (Lyon), Jules Kounde (Sevilla)

Midfielders: Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Thomas Lemar (Atletico Madrid), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich), N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), Adrien Rabiot (Juventus), Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham Hotspur), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Ousmane Dembele (11), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Wissam Ben Yedder (Monaco), Marcus Thuram (Borussia Monchengladbach)

Germany

Joachim Low has named an experienced squad, handing international recalls to Thomas Muller and Mats Hummels.

They will need to hit the ground running in the opener with France having failed so spectacularly in the 2018 World Cup and suffered a dismal first Nations League campaign later that year.

Toni Kroos, Ilkay Gundogan and Manuel Neuer are still around, but a younger generation has emerged, spearheaded by Serge Gnabry, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz.

Germany’s Euro 2020 Squad

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Bernd Leno (Arsenal), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Defenders: Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea), Marcel Halstenberg (RB Leipzig), Matthias Ginter (Borussia Monchengladbach), Robin Gosens (Atalanta), Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich), Lukas Klostermann (RB Leipzig),Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund), Robin Koch (Leeds United), Christian Gunter (Freiburg)

Midfielders: Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich),Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Florian Neuhaus (Borussia Monchengladbach), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Monchengladbach), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich),

Forwards: Kai Havertz (Chelsea), Timo Werner (Chelsea), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Kevin Volland (Monaco)

Portugal

Portugal are seeking to win back-to-back European Championships in the same way Spain did in 2008 and 2012.

Curiously, they drew all three of their group stages matches five years ago, and it was not until the semi-final stage that his side won a game in normal time – extra time was needed to defeat Croatia and penalties to sneak past Poland. A surprise winner back then, a difficult group this time around will not prevent them from dreaming big again.

With 103 goals for Portugal to his name, Ronaldo is bidding to become the all-time leading scorer with a national team and has Ali Daei’s record of 109 goals for Iran in his sights. The Juventus forward said back in 2019: “All records must be broken and I will beat that record.”

Ronaldo has been Portugal’s talisman for many years, but he now has a talent pool around him to help phase in the next generation of stars.

Joao Felix, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Dias and Diogo Jota will all want to help ensure Ronaldo’s is part of a winning Portuguese team at the championships after he memorably was forced off in the final against France through injury in 2016.

Portugal’s Euro 2020 Squad

Goalkeepers: Rui Patricio (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Anthony Lopes (Lyon), Rui Silva (Granada)

Defenders: Nelson Semedo (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Pepe (Porto), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund), Jose Fonte (Lille), Joao Cancelo (Manchester City), Nuno Mendes (Sporting CP)

Midfielders: Joao Moutinho (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Danilo Pereira (PSG), William Carvalho (Real Betis), Renato Sanches (Lille), Goncalo Guedes (Valencia), Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Pedro Goncalves (Sporting CP), Sergio Oliveira (Porto), Joao Palhinha (Sporting CP)

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Diogo Jota (Liverpool), Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid), Andre Silva (Eintracht Frankfurt), Rafa Silva (Benfica)

Hungary

Despite a fiendish group, and the absence of star player Dominik Szoboszlai through injury, Hungary will be quietly confident of pulling an upset against at least one of their more fancied group opponents.

Coach Marco Rossi has overseen an encouraging run of form prior to the warm-up games, with Hungary losing just one of 11 games ahead of those friendlies.

Onlookers may have written off Hungary’s chances, and their presence at the tournament was only guaranteed after they came through the play-offs via the Nations League.

What could weigh in their favour, however, is that they play two of their group-stage matches at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.

Hungary’s Euro 2020 Squad

Goalkeepers: Peter Gulacsi (RB Leipzig), Denes Bidusz (Ferencvaros), Adam Bogdan (Ferencvaros)

Defenders: Adam Lang (Omonia), Akos Kecskes (Lugano), Attila Szalai (Fenerbahce), Attila Fiola (Fehervar), Wlli Orba (RB Leipzig), Loic Nego (Fehervar), Gergo Lovrencsics (Ferencvaros), Endre Botka (Ferencvaros), Bendeguz Bolla (Fehervar)

Midfielders: Adam Nagy (Bristol City), Tamasz Cseri (Mezokovesd), Andras Schafer (Dunajska Streda), Laszlo Kleinheisler (Osijek), Daniel Gazdag (Philadelphia Union), Roland Varga (MTK Budapest), David Siger (Ferencvaros), Kevn Varga (Kasimpasa)

Forwards: Adam Szalai (Mainz), Filip Holender (Partizan), Roland Sallai (Freiburg), Nemanja Nikolic (Fehervar), Szabolcs Schon (FC Dallas), Janos Hahn (Paks)