For all the football (soccer) fans here, who is your tip to win the UAEFA Euro 2012?

I am tipping the Germans, they have a young, strong team, and the Germans always do well in major football tournaments.

Germany, Spain and Holland are the 3 best teams. But you never know, another might surprise.

I pick Russians, though we will yet to see them in tonight's game against Czech Republic. For greece-Poland game match refree had some troubling decisions but overall it was an exciting game.

it seems like czech team is too inexperienced for the tournament. They gave too easy opportunities to Russians. If Kerzhakov were in his best it would have been a disaster. I guess it was like a second Prague spring.

The Germans as expected got off to a good start, and the Dutch wasted too many good chances against Denmark, but well done to the Danes.

I just watched Italy v Spain, and what a quality game of football that was.

Spain is the strongest team in the tournament by some margin. They were hampered today by some bizarre coaching decisions, such as fielding six midfielders and no flesh and blood forwards. Also, Fernando Torres was subbed in as the striker even though he has spent the past two seasons searching in vain for any sign of good form at Chelsea. He promptly wasted at least two goal scoring opportunities that a more in-tune striker, such as Llorente or Negredo would have put away with ease. Italians can only kick themselves that the goal machine, Di Natale, was kept on the bench in favor of Cassano who has scored maybe 5 goals in the past two league seasons whereas Di Natale has scored about 50.

I also watched Italy v The Republic of Ireland, and whilst I wanted the Irish to win, to be fair they were outclassed by a very slick Italian team.

I'm not convinced by Spain, they are to weak up front, but their midfield is the best in the world, iniesta was supreme in the first match.

Good win by Ukraine, even at age 35 Shevchenko has still got it, but the Swedes missed some good chances.

Even though I don't have much of an interest in soccer usually I was actually going to at least passively watch it myself, but then I saw Italy were 1-0 up after 3 minutes, and that finished that!

And as for who'll win, it certainly won't be us with Spain and Italy left to play in the group.

here in the Americas last week Univision showed Mexico / Gales (Wales) match and the Latins won. Sad (not about Wales losing the match) in the USA we hear over and over and over, and over, and over:

"soccer is getting bigger in America every year......it's a VERY, very popular and important sport." Most high schools in the USA don't even offer it as a varsity sport

yet no sport channels on basic cable EVER show matches. You have to flick to Univision, which is fine for me because I know how to play the game, but the commentary is in Spanish of course....

All the MLS teams in the USA cannot even fill the cheapest seats, even when the LA Galaxy was giving tickets away for free. Even when Beckham was playing.

The San Jose Quakes have played on a local high school soccer field because the ten to twenty people at a match in "Spartan Stadium" looks pathetic

I won't even quote on the Euro Cup because I have no idea. I used to watch on ESPN on Sunday nights when they would have a show focusing on soccer in the UK, but they put it on at 11pm. They had a cute Brit girl in glasses (sigh, she was soooo cute)....and, we wouldn't want to take away time "again" for the latest gossip in football, or basketball.

the Irish team is so weak that I culd hardly find any words to describe their lack of creativity and stamina. They could not even finish 3-4 mid field passes. They can even concede more than 6-7 goals against Spain. Also their team defense system is out of touch with present day football. Come on man, Torres' first goal was like he is playing against kids from an Irish school. we will see how unbearable English will be tomorrow night.

It's sad football (soccer in the USA), has never become a big sport, because if Americans really want bragging rights about being the best in the world, then being the world champions of soccer would give you those bragging rights. Some Americans claim that soccer is boring and too low scoring, which is kind of ridiculous given the fact that American football and baseball often have sustained periods where nothing happens, and especially American football with its start,stop nature.

Here in Australia soccer is very popular amongst men,boys and increasingly women. Here in the state of New South Wales (where I am from), soccer is by far the most popular sport at the amateur participant level. If you drive through Sydney (the city I live in), you will see soccer fields everywhere, and I play in an over 35's soccer competition with 8 divisions!, and there is also a over 45's mens soccer competition. I have been playing soccer for 35 years (I am 43), and love playing and watching the sport.

With regards to soccer coverage, we get everything here, and Euro 2012 is shown on a cable network called setanta, I watch on my PC, but it's also shown in most pubs and clubs.

The Irish tried, but they were totally outclassed by Spain, and yes the Irish could barely string 3 to 4 passes together without losing the ball, and when you play football against teams who know how to hang on the ball eg. Spain, Italy, France, it's suicide. The short passing game will always beat the hopelessly outdated and ineffectual route one, or long ball style of football.

you aussies have one disadvantage time difference it is so fucking distant from europe. I believe 20.00 cet paris time roughly equals to 04.00 or 05.00 in eastern australia. Who watches a game at 04.00?