Euro 2016 draw, Group E: Belgium, Italy headline tough draw

The luck of the Irish wasn't in Saturday as Martin O'Neill saw his squad pitted against European heavyweights Belgium and Italy, as well as Sweden, which has great pedigree as it readies to feature in its sixth Euro campaign since 1992.

Favourite

Belgium has soared up the FIFA world rankings over the past few years, and rightly so. The pressure will be on the Red Devils to perform in neighbouring France in 2016, with Marc Wilmots' side boasting a wealth of top-tier talent throughout the lineup.

A quarterfinal exit to Argentina at the 2014 World Cup was a disappointment - and that shows how far Belgium has come.

There is a worry regarding how the teams have drawn in other groups, however. Barring any shocks en route to the quarterfinal stage, Belgium will be handed the heady task of taking on world champion Germany in the last eight.

Fighting for second place

Ireland is likely to prop up the bottom of Group E, leaving Sweden to try and nick an unlikely second place from Italy. The Azzurri and the Blagult have contrasting issues: Italy is not particularly blessed in attack but is adept in other areas of the pitch, while Sweden has Zlatan Ibrahimovic and little else. Expect Antonio Conte's side to advance for the third consecutive Euro championships.

June 17 should decide the group's runner-up, when Toulouse hosts the pair.

Best player

Given Eden Hazard's struggles for both Chelsea and his country this season, Belgium will depend on Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne to provide inspiration. The versatile midfielder has slotted back into the Premier League seamlessly this term, tallying six assists and four goals in 10 starts.

His summer transfer from Wolfsburg exceeded £50 million, making him the third-most expensive player on show at Euro 2016 after Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Honourable mentions: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Marco Verratti (Italy), Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)

Must-see match

Group E's marquee match undoubtedly falls on the group's opening day: young pretender Belgium versus seasoned giant Italy in the brand-new 59,500-seat Stade de Lyon. Italy's traditionally stout defence will try to repel the attacks of Lukaku, De Bruyne, Hazard, Christian Benteke, and the lanky Marouane Fellaini. Belgium, meanwhile, will look to gain an early foothold in midfield in an attempt to repel Paris Saint-Germain's mercurial Marco Verratti.

The two countries met as recently as November, with Jan Vertonghen, De Bruyne, and Michy Batshuayi cancelling out an early Antonio Candreva effort to hand a 3-1 win to Belgium in Brussels.

It will be a titanic clash on June 13 - one of the biggest across all six groups.

Complete group schedule