Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Euro 2012 Qualifying Update

Today concluded Group Play for the 2012 European Football Championship Qualifying Round meaning 12 of the tournament's final 16 teams have been decided. Each of the nine Group winners automatically qualified along with the best of the nine second place teams. These ten squads join co-hosts Poland and Ukraine while the remaining eight second place teams will play two-legged playoffs to decide the final four spots. Those matchups will be determined on Thursday and played in mid-November. Here's a quick look at the 12 sides who have clinched spots in next summer's tournament:

POLAND

Qualified as: Co-host
FIFA Ranking: 65
Last World Cup: 2006 - Eliminated in Group Stage
2011 Leading Scorers: Jakub "Kuba" Błaszczykowski (4), Robert Lewandowski (4)
Photo Credit: oleole.com

UKRAINE

Qualified as: Co-host
FIFA Ranking: 60
Last World Cup: 2006 - Eliminated in Quarterfinals by Italy
2011 Leading Scorers: Andriy Yarmolenko (2), Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (2)
Photo Credit: dreamstime.com

GERMANY

Qualified as: Winner, Group A
FIFA Ranking: 3
Last World Cup: 2010 - 3rd Place
Euro Qualifying Leading Scorer: Miroslav Klose (9)
Photo Credit: germany.footballfantalk.com

RUSSIA

Qualified as: Winner, Group B
FIFA Ranking: 13
Last World Cup: 2002 - Eliminated in Group Stage
Euro Qualifying Leading Scorer: Roman Pavlyuchenko (3)
Photo Credit: theoffside.com
ITALY

Qualified as: Winner, Group C
FIFA Ranking: 6
Last World Cup: 2010 - Eliminated in Group Stage
Euro Qualifying Leading Scorer: Antonio Cassano (4)
Photo Credit: zimbio.com

FRANCE

Qualified as: Winner, Group D
FIFA Ranking: 12
Last World Cup: 2010 - Eliminated in Group Stage
Euro Qualifying Leading Scorers: Karim Benzema (3), Yoann Gourcuff (3), Florent Malouda (3)
Photo Credit: zimbio.com

NETHERLANDS

Qualified as: Winner, Group E
FIFA Ranking: 2
Last World Cup: 2010 - 2nd Place
Euro Qualifying Leading Scorer: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (12)
Photo Credit: telegraph.co.uk

GREECE

Qualified as: Winner, Group F
FIFA Ranking: 11
Last World Cup: 2010 - Eliminated in Group Stage
Euro Qualifying Leading Scorers: Ioannis Fetfatzidis (2), Kyriakos Papadopoulos (2), Vasilis Torosidis (2)
Photo Credit: bleacherreport.com

ENGLAND

Qualified as: Winner, Group G
FIFA Ranking: 8
Last World Cup: 2010 - Eliminated in Round of 16 by Germany
Euro Qualifying Leading Scorers: Darren Bent (3), Jermain Defoe (3), Wayne Rooney (3), Ashley Young (3)
Photo Credit: dailymail.co.uk

DENMARK

Qualified as: Winner, Group H
FIFA Ranking: 17
Last World Cup: 2010 - Eliminated in Group Stage
Euro Qualifying Leading Scorer: Nicklas Bendtner (3), Dennis Rommedahl (3)
Photo Credit: zimbio.com

SPAIN

Qualified as: Winner, Group I
FIFA Ranking: 1
Last World Cup: 2010 - Champion
Euro Qualifying Leading Scorer: David Villa (5)
Photo Credit: justsoccerjerseys.com

SWEDEN

Qualified as: Top Runner Up, Group Stage
FIFA Ranking: 25
Last World Cup: 2006 - Eliminated in Round of 16 by Germany
Euro Qualifying Leading Scorer: Zlatan Ibrahimović (5)
Photo Credit: totalposter.com


PLAYOFF TEAMS (FIFA Ranking in parentheses)

Croatia (9)
Republic of Ireland (29)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (22)
Turkey (27)
Portugal (5)
Estonia (58)
Czech Republic (40)
Montenegro (26)

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