Group C of UEFA Euro 2016 contains Germany, Ukraine, Poland and Northern Ireland. Germany is the only former European champion in this group, having won the championship three times (in 1972 and 1980 as West Germany and in 1996 as unified Germany). Matches will be played from 12 to 21 June 2016.
Germany
Best result: winners 1972, 1980 (as West Germany), 1996
Coach: Joachim Löw
Leading scorers: all-time – Miroslav Klose (71); current – Lukas Podolski (48)
Most appearances: all-time – Lothar Matthäus (150); current – Lukas Podolski (126)
Association formed: 1900
Nickname: DFB-Elf (DFB eleven)
Where they play: Various, including Olympiastadion, Berlin; Fußball Arena München, Munich
A powerhouse of European football, Germany (West Germany from 1945 to 1990) have only once (1968) failed to qualify for the finals of either the UEFA European Championship or a FIFA World Cup that they have entered. They have won the World Cup four times, claiming the global prize in 1954, 1974 and 1990 and 2014, and became champions of Europe in 1972, 1980 and 1996. They have also been runners-up in three European Championships and four World Cups. Although it is almost two decades since their last EURO triumph, they have reached at least the semi-finals of the last two tournaments.
Three-time winners and runners-up in 1976, 1992 and 2008, Germany have won 23 of their 43 finals matches – all are records, though Spain also have three European titles to their name. UEFA EURO 2012 was Germany's 11th successive final tournament – also a UEFA European Championship record. Though in ominously good form in Poland and Ukraine – having won all ten of their qualifiers, scoring an average of 3.4 goals per game – they lost 2-1 to Italy in the semi-finals.
Germany have advanced to the knockout stages in every one of their World Cup appearances but in the UEFA European Championship they have suffered group stage exits three times, finishing third in their section in 1984 and 2004, and bottom in 2000.
Memorable EURO matches
26/06/1996: England 1-1 Germany (5-6 pens), EURO '96 semi-finals
Andreas Möller converted the decisive spot kick as Berti Vogts' team eliminated the hosts.
22/06/1980: West Germany 2-1 Belgium, 1980 UEFA European Championship final
Horst Hrubesch's second goal, two minutes from time, earned West Germany a second title.
29/04/1972: England 1-3 West Germany, 1972 UEFA European Championship quarter-finals
This first leg is considered the birth of Germany's strongest side, the so called Wembley XI.
Did you know?
Despite their excellent UEFA European Championship record, Germany failed to win a finals match between the Wembley triumph in 1996 and their victory over Poland in Klagenfurt in 2008. Between those years, they recorded three draws and three defeats, scoring three goals and conceding eight.
Ukraine
Best result: group stage 2012
Coach: Mykhailo Fomenko
Leading scorers: all-time – Andriy Shevchenko (48); current – Andriy Yarmolenko (22)
Most appearances: all-time – Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (141); current – Anatoliy Tymoshchuk (141)
Association formed: 1992
Nickname: Synyo-Zhovti (Blue and yellows)
Where they play: NSK Olimpiyskyi, Kyiv
Ukraine was a prolific resource for the Soviet Union team that won the inaugural UEFA European Championship in 1960 and finished runners-up three times: losing to Spain (1964), West Germany (1972) and the Netherlands (1988). Ukraine had never qualified as an independent nation until now, but came within 12 minutes of reaching UEFA EURO 2000. Denied an automatic spot after a last-day draw in Russia, they were heading through on away goals in the play-offs before Miran Pavlin gave Slovenia a 3-2 aggregate win.
They had to wait until 2012 for their first appearance, participating as co-hosts with Poland. Blokhin's side enjoyed a dream finals debut, Shevchenko rolling back the years and raising the roof of Kyiv's NSK Olimpiyskyi with two predatory headers as Ukraine came from behind to beat Sweden 2-1. It was as good as it got as they went down 2-0 against France and 1-0 to England to bow out.
Memorable EURO matches
14/11/2015: Ukraine 2-0 Slovenia, UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying
A solid first-leg win in Lviv laid the foundation for Ukraine's first ever play-off success.
11/06/2012: Ukraine 2-1 Sweden, UEFA EURO 2012 group stage
The last two goals of Shevchenko's career provided an electric start for the finals co-hosts.
09/10/1999: Russia 1-1 Ukraine, UEFA EURO 2000 qualifying
Shevchenko's clever free-kick earned a point away to their fierce rivals.
Did you know?
Ukrainian players made up 12 of Valeriy Lobanovskiy's 20-strong Soviet Union party, built upon the coach's own FC Dynamo Kyiv selection, that lost the 1988 final to the Netherlands.
Poland
Best result: group stage 2008, 2012
Coach: Adam Nawałka
Leading scorers: all-time – Włodzimierz Lubański (48); current – Robert Lewandowski (34)
Most appearances: all-time – Michał Żewłakow (102); current – Jakub Błaszczykowski (75)
Association formed: 1919
Nickname: Biało-czerwoni (White and reds)
Where they play: National Stadium, Warsaw
There had been a Polish presence at seven FIFA World Cups before the country finally qualified for a first UEFA European Championship final tournament, in 2008. As co-hosts for the 2012 event a second appearance quickly followed but, as on their debut in Austria, they failed to win a game and did not progress beyond the group stage. It was a different story in the 1970s and 1980s when, with world-class forwards Grzegorz Lato and Zbigniew Boniek to the fore, Poland reached four successive World Cups, collecting the bronze medals in West Germany in 1974 and again in Spain eight years later. Now the team possess another top-grade striker in Robert Lewandowski, who powered Poland to UEFA EURO 2016 with a record-equalling qualifying competition tally of 13 goals.
Poland qualified for a UEFA European Championship at the 13th time of asking after topping their 2008 qualifying group featuring Portugal, Serbia and Belgium. Leo Beenhakker's side made a limited impression in Austria and Switzerland, managing a goal – from Roger Guerreiro – and a point as they finished bottom of their section.
Poland doubled both tallies as co-hosts at UEFA EURO 2012 but, once again, ended propping up the group, and having claimed second place in their UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying section behind Germany, they will hope for better in France. Before 2008 the closest the Biało-czerwoni had come to qualifying was in 1976 and 1980. In 1976 they missed out on goal difference to a Netherlands side that barred their path again four years later when they recovered from 2-0 down to beat East Germany and pip Poland by a point.
Memorable EURO matches
11/10/2014: Poland 2-0 Germany
Second-half goals from Arkadiusz Milik and Sebastian Mila gave Poland a first win against their neighbours in 19 matches.
08/06/2012: Poland 1-1 Greece, UEFA EURO 2012, group stage
Robert Lewandowski gave the co-hosts a dream start in Warsaw – it was as good as it got.
12/06/2008: Austria 1-1 Poland, UEFA EURO 2008 group stage
Brazilian-born Roger Guerreiro scored Poland's first EURO finals goal to earn their first point.
Did you know?
Poland have drawn England in seven of their last 14 qualifying groups and have failed to win any of those 14 fixtures, losing all the away trips.
Northern Ireland
Best result: never previously qualified
Coach: Michael O'Neill
Leading scorers: all-time – David Healy (36); current – Kyle Lafferty (16)
Most appearances: all-time – Pat Jennings (119); current – Aaron Hughes (96)
Association formed: 1880
Nickname: Norn Iron
Where they play: Windsor Park, Belfast
Despite some memorable wins, Northern Ireland had never sent a team to the finals of the UEFA European Championship until now, previously coming closest in the 1984 qualifying series when they beat holders West Germany home and away. In contrast there have been three appearances at the FIFA World Cup, the first in 1958 resulting in a quarter-final appearance and the second, in 1982, featuring a famous 1-0 win over hosts Spain. Like all-time top marksman David Healy, the great George Best sadly never graced a major tournament. The current crop, under manager Michael O'Neill, will get that opportunity to shine on the big stage in France.
Northern Ireland first entered the UEFA European Championship ahead of the 1964 finals, beating Poland 4-0 on aggregate before losing out to eventual winners Spain. Billy Bingham's side overcame West Germany 1-0 in Belfast and Hamburg during qualifying for the 1984 edition – only to be pipped to qualification by the Germans on goal difference.
Fans also got a run for their money during the UEFA EURO 2008 campaign when Healy's prolific strike rate helped them to memorable home wins against eventual champions Spain (3-2), Sweden (2-1) and Denmark (2-1), but Northern Ireland could only finish third in their pool. Under Nigel Worthington they started UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying brightly, a 1-0 win in Slovenia and a 0-0 draw with eventual group winners Italy raising hopes, but the campaign ended in disappointment. A frustrating 1-1 draw in the Faroe Islands and a 4-1 defeat by Estonia in Tallinn did much of the damage.
Memorable EURO matches
08/10/15: Northern Ireland 3-1 Greece, UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying
The country's first EURO qualification was confirmed with a Steven Davis-inspired victory over the 2004 champions.
06/09/2006: Northern Ireland 3-2 Spain, UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying
Healy scored a hat-trick to seal a memorable victory over Luis Aragonés' side.
16/11/1983: West Germany 0-1 Northern Ireland, 1984 UEFA European Championship qualifying
Norman Whiteside's goal in Hamburg completed a remarkable double against West Germany.
Did you know?
Healy's tally of 13 goals in 2008 qualifying was a UEFA European Championship record, matched by Poland's Robert Lewandowski in the 2016 preliminaries.
GROUP C
Sunday, June 12: Poland v Northern Ireland (17:00, Stade de Nice)
Sunday, June 12: Germany v Ukraine (20:00, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille)
Thursday, June 16: Ukraine v Northern Ireland (17:00, Stade de Lyon)
Thursday, June 16: Germany v Poland (20:00, Stade de France, Paris)
Tuesday, June 21: Ukraine v Poland (17:00, Stade Velodrome, Marseille)
Tuesday, June 21: Northern Ireland v Germany (17:00, Parc des Princes, Paris)
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