The Euro

  Where they'll crown the 14th champion, Kiev's Olympic Stadium The championship begins June 8 and will end July 1. In a total of 31 matches, 16 countries will compete for the biannual throne awarded Europe's soccer kings. This year's hosts are Poland and Ukraine. The German national team, led by captain Philipp Lahm, has their navigation systems set on Kiev, site of the final.

Beginning in Warsaw, matches will be played in eight stadiums and broadcast live to more than 200 countries around the world. UEFA is expecting more than 1.4 million spectators.

“Our aim has to be to win the European Cup. We know what we are capable of,” said Germany's star forward Mesut Özil after his side qualified for the European Championship in September. Unfortunately for Germany and Mesut, however, they landed in the afore-mentioned “Group of Death,” with the teams ranked number 4 (the Dutch), 9 (the Danish) and 10 (Portugal).

So Germany has quite the task ahead of them to merely survive the gauntlet of their opening group, much less reach the final, at which they may very well, once again, stare down reigning world and European champions Spain. In the last major tournaments in 2008 and 2010, Germany failed to get past the veritable all-star Iberian squad. The Spanish are right at form this year as well. Ranked tops in the world, Vicente del Bosque’s team is the odds-on favorite to win the title.

(© picture alliance / dpa) But don't count out Germany. The third-ranked national squad qualified with ease, and is led by an experienced core from Bayern, including captain Philipp Lahm, midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. The Bayern core is complemented by Sami Khedira and Özil from Real Madrid and young members like Mario Götze and André Schürrle.

In the end though, the niftiest skills of the body succumb to the intangible gridlock that can sometimes sully the mind. Could a team with so much talent stumble over their afore-mentioned, twisted-up emotions? In the practices and run-up to the event they've not exhibited anything but confidence and, following their coach, optimism. But what about motivation? All are coming off long seasons, some with lengthy title runs on international teams, and the eight guys from Bavaria have to get themselves back up after three big games in a row – all of which they lost.

One of them, though, sees no reason to lack spirit: “When you cannot get motivated anymore,” Schweinsteiger, who missed the penalty kick in the Champions League final, said, “then you shouldn't do it anymore.” Guess athletes need short memories, too.

 source : germany.info