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Michel Platini tips Germany or Spain for Euro 2012 win
Posted Monday, June 04, 2012 by YAHOO Sport

UEFA president Michel Platini has tipped either Spain or Germany to emerge as victors during the upcoming European Championship.

Speaking at a gathering in Nyon, the 56-year-old set both of the finalists from the last edition of the competition apart from the rest of the crop, and said that both sides would be the teams to beat in Ukraine and Poland.

"As far as the favourites go, I always differentiate between those who can win and those who will be hard to beat," Platini said. "Germany and Spain belong to the first category, pretty much all the others belong to the second."

The France legend added that Germany's relative inexperience going into the tournament, with the youngest squad on average among all 16 competitors, may make them more eager to win the trophy.

"Germany are slightly younger, but the Germans are hungry. Spain, on the other hand, will try to defend their title with the same generation of players."

 

Standings
    Rank Team W/D/L Pts

    Cities & Stadiums

    The Top 3 Teams of Previous Tournaments

    Year Winners Runner-up Third place
    2008SpainGermanyRussia / Turkey
    2004GreecePortugalNetherlands / Czech Republic
    2000FranceItalyNetherlands / Portugal
    1996GermanyCzech RepublicFrance / England
    1992DenmarkGermanyNetherlands / Sweden
    1988NetherlandsSoviet UnionItaly / West Germany
    1984FranceSpainDenmark / Portugal
    1980West GermanyBelgiumCzechoslovakia
    1976CzechoslovakiaWest GermanyNetherlands
    1972West GermanySoviet UnionBelgium
    1968ItalyYugoslaviaEngland
    1964SpainSoviet UnionHungary
    1960Soviet UnionYugoslaviaCzechoslovakia