Defoe returns to England duty in boost for Hodgson ahead of opening clash with France
Posted Sunday, June 10, 2012 by Dailymail
Ready: Ashley Cole is key to England's defensive line against France
When he took the striker off after less than an hour it was to protect the ankle injury he collected in the Manchester derby close to the end of the season.
England’s medical staff are happy that the youngster will be capable of 90 minutes of competitive action now, though, and his running off the ball and pace on it has won him the vote.
Related:
- Arbeloa: Spain must never change their style
- Wedding bells turn Iniesta's legs to jelly
- Pele: Brazil's 1970 World Cup winners better than Spain
- Pirlo: Only Spain are superior to Italy
- Spain disproved boring tag with empathic final win, insists Alonso
- Fernando Torres revels in Euro 2012 crown
- Italy can reach the final at World Cup 2014
- Johan Cruyff: I enjoyed Italy and I'm a big fan of Del Bosque's Spain
- De Gea & Mata named in Olympics squad
- Shevchenko: Euro 2012 was a success for Ukraine
Hot News
- Funny Balotelli!
- Spanish fans celebrate Euro Cup win
- That's German WAGS!
- The sexy female fans in Euro 2012
- Euro 2012: Spain fans celebrate victory
- Spain vs Italy in clash of the Euro WAGs
- Euro 2012 Final - Spain 4 : 0 Italy, Part 2
- Germany knocked out by Italy
- Natalia Siwiec blasts Sol and the BBC
- Coleen Rooney reveals her bikini body secrets
- Italy's fans celebrated wildly
- Euro 2012 Final - Spain 4 : 0 Italy, Part 1
Hot Video
| Rank | Team | W/D/L | Pts |
|---|
Cities & Stadiums
The Top 3 Teams of Previous Tournaments
| Year | Winners | Runner-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Spain | Germany | Russia / Turkey |
| 2004 | Greece | Portugal | Netherlands / Czech Republic |
| 2000 | France | Italy | Netherlands / Portugal |
| 1996 | Germany | Czech Republic | France / England |
| 1992 | Denmark | Germany | Netherlands / Sweden |
| 1988 | Netherlands | Soviet Union | Italy / West Germany |
| 1984 | France | Spain | Denmark / Portugal |
| 1980 | West Germany | Belgium | Czechoslovakia |
| 1976 | Czechoslovakia | West Germany | Netherlands |
| 1972 | West Germany | Soviet Union | Belgium |
| 1968 | Italy | Yugoslavia | England |
| 1964 | Spain | Soviet Union | Hungary |
| 1960 | Soviet Union | Yugoslavia | Czechoslovakia |