Looking for a Hero

Fernando Torres. In his debut season with Liverpool this year, the Spanish striker scored the most goals of any rookie player in the club's history. Lightning-fast and predatory, El Niño has established himself as one of the sport's greatest strikers and is a big reason that Spain is the tournament's No. 2 favorite.

But there are certain to be some surprises, too. "The great thing about this series is that there are no weak teams," says Rainer Holzschuh, the editor of Kicker. "From the first second, anyone can win." Besides the obvious big football powers Germany, Italy, France and Spain, Holzschuh says to watch out for the Dutch team and even the feisty Romanians this year.

To be sure, there is a history of success by unheralded teams whose lesser-known players aren't worn out from a long season competing in too many games in league and championship competitions. The last Euro title, after all, went to the previously unnoticed Greeks. And in 1992, little Denmark hadn't even qualified but was called in at the last minute—its players actually dragged off their vacation beaches—to replace Yugoslavia, which had been kicked out following U.N. sanctions. Well-rested, the Danes went straight to the finals, where they beat defending World Cup champion Germany, 2-0. It was one of the most remarkable moments in football history. And it wasn't even due to anyone's blunders.

© 2008