As Euro 2016 moves into the knockout stages, here's the News & Star's guide to the 16 teams remaining.


France's Dimitri Payet France (hosts)

Coach: Didier Deschamps

Star player: Dimitri Payet

Tournament best: Winners, 1984 and 2000

Chances: With home advantage, players such as Payet and Kante in form and Paul Pogba and Hugo Lloris also in their ranks, remain among the favourites but their prospective path to the final is tough.


Belgium's Eden Hazard Belgium

Coach: Marc Wilmots

Star player: Eden Hazard

Tournament best: Finalists, 1980

Chances: With a star-studded squad, Belgium should be regarded among the favourites but doubts remain over their coherence as a team.

If things come together the semi-finals or even the final are within reach.



Croatia's Ivan Perisic Croatia

Coach: Ante Cacic

Star player: Ivan Perisic

Tournament best: Quarter-finalists, 1996 and 2008

Chances: The free-flowing Croatians look a formidable all-round side and, having toppled two-time defending champions Spain to top their group, could have a relatively trouble-free run to the latter stages.


England's Wayne Rooney England

Coach: Roy Hodgson

Star player: Wayne Rooney

Tournament best: Semi-finalists, 1968 (3rd place play-off winners) and 1996

Chances: The ability is not in question but some bright play is not translating into goals and failure to win Group B has left them on the harder side of the draw. The minimum target of quarter-finals is attainable but going beyond that looks tough.


Germany's Thomas Muller Germany

Coach: Joachim Low

Star player: Thomas Muller

Tournament best: Winners, 1972, 1980 and 1996

Chances: The world champions are yet to hit their stride but they have not been overly troubled either and with their attacking formula starting to look better, they seem to be heading to a crunch quarter-final date with holders Spain or Italy.


Hungary's Balazs Dzsudzsak Hungary

Coach: Bernd Storck

Star player: Balazs Dzsudzsak

Tournament best: Semi-finalists, 1964 and 1972.

Chances: Despite being fairly solid in qualifying, Hungary's well-organised and neatly incisive side has taken opponents by surprise and their chemistry could be a strong asset against a disjointed Belgium.


Iceland's Gylfi Sigurdsson Iceland

Coach: Lars Lagerback/Heimir Hallgrimsson

Star player: Gylfi Sigurdsson

Tournament best: Last 16, 2016

Chances: Minnows Iceland proved dangerous in qualifying but have still been under-estimated in France. They may be limited but are solid and capable of springing a surprise. That said, anything beyond the last 16 would surely exceed even the most optimistic fan's expectations.



Italy manager Antonio Conte Italy

Coach: Antonio Conte

Star player: Giorgio Chiellini

Tournament best: Winners, 1968

Chances: The Italians appeared to lack star quality at the start of the tournament but they have proved a highly efficient and organised unit. However, coming up against Spain in the last 16 means they still only have an outside chance of glory.


Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill Northern Ireland

Coach: Michael O'Neill

Star player: Michael McGovern

Tournament best: Last 16, 2016

Chances: The Northern Irish are a well-coached and strong unit greater than the sum of their parts and they will relish a crack at the Welsh. The last 16 would seem to be their limit but the quarter-finals cannot be discounted.




Poland's Robert Lewandowski Poland

Coach: Adam Nawalka

Star player: Robert Lewandowski

Tournament best: Last 16, 2016

Chances: Lewandowski remains the star of the team, and one the best strikers in Europe, despite a quiet group stage. If he fires anything could be possible, but the quarter-finals are certainly a realistic aim.


Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal

Coach: Fernando Santos

Star player: Cristiano Ronaldo

Tournament best: Finalists, 2004

Chances: Everything revolves around Ronaldo. If he finds his inspirational best, Portugal can go the distance but he and the side have so far proved fallible. Form would favour Croatia in their last-16 tie.


ROI's Martin O'Neill Republic of Ireland

Coach: Martin O'Neill

Star player: Jeff Hendrick

Tournament best: Last 16, 2016.

Chances: The Irish may be inconsistent but team spirit is strong and their win over Italy is a warning that France should not underestimate them in the next round. Beating the hosts, however, would still be a remarkable achievement.


Slovakia's Marek Hamsik Slovakia

Coach: Jan Kozak

Star player: Marek Hamsik

Tournament best: Last 16, 2016

Chances: By frustrating England to progress from the group stage, Slovakia have shown some durability but it is hard to see them going much further.





Spain's Andres Iniesta Spain

Coach: Vicente del Bosque

Star player: Andres Iniesta

Tournament best: Winners, 1964, 2008 and 2012

Chances: The champions of the past two Euros looked to have hit top gear as they thrashed Turkey in their second game but Tuesday's loss to Croatia has tempered optimism. Not quite as strong as in the past but still well capable of taking a third successive crown.


Switzerland's Granit Xhaka Switzerland

Coach: Vladimir Petkovic

Star player: Granit Xhaka

Tournament best: Last 16, 2016

Chances: The Swiss have come through without looking particularly threatening. They do have some dangerous players but they could soon run out of steam.




Wales' Gareth Bale Wales

Coach: Chris Coleman

Star player: Gareth Bale

Tournament best: Last 16, 2016

Chances: Bale has come to the party in sensational style and with him in this mood, Wales may not be done yet. Winning Group B was a fine achievement but reaching the quarter-finals now seems well within their capabilities, and it could get even better.

Last-16 draw:

Switzerland v Poland

Croatia v Portugal

Wales v Northern Ireland

Hungary v Belgium

Germany v Slovakia

Italy v Spain

France v Republic of Ireland

England v Iceland

Quarter-final draw:

Switzerland/Poland v Croatia/Portugal

Wales/Northern Ireland v Hungary/Belgium

Germany/Slovakia v Italy/Spain

France/Republic of Ireland v England/Iceland