Poland face a test of patience and their nerves when they open their Euro 2016 campaign against a Northern Ireland side who want to make themselves "horrible" to play against.

Eden Hazard has suffered a knock and is expected to return to training for Belgium after limping out of their behind-closed-doors session on Friday.

Missing inspirational World Cup-winning captain Philipp Lahm, Germany begin Euro 2016 against Ukraine on Sunday with major doubts over whether they can reach the heights of Brazil two years ago.

Dimitri Payet leaves the field in tears of joy after scoring the sensational last-gasp goal in France's 2-1 win over Romania to launch their European Championship campaign in style on Friday.

Eden Hazard has suffered a knock and is expected to return to training for Belgium after limping out of their behind-closed-doors session on Friday, coach Marc Wilmots said.

France will not crumble under the weight of expectations as the host nation of the Euro 2016 tournament and will instead take advantage of the atmosphere generated by the home support.

Germany are hoping centre-back Mats Hummels could be fit to face Ukraine when the world champions open their Euro 2016 campaign on Sunday.

Anything less than a win over Russia on Saturday could scupper England's Euro 2016 hopes, goalkeeper Joe Hart has warned as Roy Hodgson's new-look Three Lions bid to end 50 years of heartache.

Slovakia coach Jan Kozak and star player Marek Hamsik lauded Gareth Bale as "one of the best players in the world" on Friday, but warned against focusing only on him.

Manchester United and Spain goalkeeper David De Gea on Friday dismisses as "a lie" claims that he organised a party at which women were forced to have sex with footballers.

Two England football fans have been arrested after police used tear gas during a clash with locals in Marseille ahead of the first Euro 2016 games.

Germany call up defender Jonathan Tah to replace the injured Antonio Ruediger in their Euro 2016 squad, coach Joachim Loew confirmed on Wednesday.

French coach Didier Deschamps imposes a lights out at midnight regime in the team base as he prepares his players to launch the European Championship finals on Friday.

Rather like 1998 World Cup-winning coach Aime Jacquet, Didier Deschamps is using a pragmatic, all-about-the-team approach to Euro 2016 as hosts France look to capture their first major title since Euro 2000.

Italy, runners up at the 2012 European championships, tune up for Euro 2016 with a 2-0 friendly win over Finland in Verona on Monday.

The shirt worn by Geoff Hurst in the 1966 World Cup final could sell for £500,000 ($720,000, 635,000 euros) at an auction, 50 years on from English football's greatest triumph.

Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic suggests there could be some bombshell news on his future club on Thursday, the same day he launches his sportswear line.

The German side setting their sights on Euro 2016, 20 years after their last continental trophy, may be completely different from the one that won the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Brimming with talent and buoyed up by a quarter-final place at the 2014 World Cup, Belgium will be a popular choice as an outside bet at the European Championship.

There have nine different champions in the 14 iterations of the UEFA European Championships. Spain and Germany have each won thrice, France have two titles, while Italy, Greece, Netherlands, Denmark, Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia have one each.