Love a good pun? Fantasy football is a very popular part of every major international football tournament, and some of you spend more time on your team name than you do picking the players.
With help from Paddy Power we have come up with a team name for each of the 24 nations participating in France this summer to help you decide what to call yours.
Whether you’re supporting England, Wales, Ireland or whoever this summer, here’s an idea for your Euro 2016 fantasy football team name:
Albania: Dude, Where’s My Cana?
The former Sunderland midfielder now plays for Nantes in Ligue 1 and captained his nation to qualifying for their first-ever major international tournament. Albania’s previous best qualifying was fifth in a group of seven in a failed effort to make Euro 2008.
Austria: For Fuchs Sake
Many may have thought Christian Fuchs was taking a step down when he left Schalke 04 to join Leicester City last summer. However, the Austrian left-back is now a Premier League winner, whilst his former club have still never won the German Bundesliga.
Belgium: Benteke Fried Chicken
Christian Benteke faces stiff competition from the likes of Divock Origi and Romelu Lukaku to start for Belgium this summer. His £32.5 million move to Liverpool this summer backfired after being ditched by Jürgen Klopp for the majority of the 2015-16 season.
Croatia: Fun Lovren Criminals
The Liverpool centre-back has found his form this season playing alongside Mamadou Sakho and under Jürgen Klopp. Croatia are in a group with Spain, Czech Republic and Turkey so the former-Southampton man can expect a busy tournament.
Czech Republic: Martin Frýdek and Rice
The Czech Republic defender is no certainty to be selected by Pavel Vrba for the tournament but with a name like this he had to make our list. His father, also named Martin Frýdek, was part of the squad that finished runners-up at Euro 96.
England: Rooney Tunes
The England captain is heading into Euro 2016 off the back of a poor end to the season following a lengthy injury. Wayne Rooney faces stiff competition from both Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy to start up front, and then from Dele Alli in the number 10 role. No doubt Roy Hodgson will start him though.
France: Kingsley Coman the Barbarian
19 years old and he has already won the French Ligue 1, Italian Serie A and now the German Bundesliga. Want to test your ability in the English Premier League, Kingsley Coman?
Germany: Thomas Müller Corner
A key part of Germany’s success two years ago, Thomas Müller will be hoping to add to his large trophy collection this summer as one of the favourites to win the Golden Boot and playing for one of the favourites to win the tournament.
Hungary: The Király Kid
Former-Crystal Palace goalkeeper GáborKirály is still going strong in his homeland at 40. He has over 100 caps for the Hungarian national team and is expected to be their number 1 in France.
Iceland: Gylfi Pleasures
The Swansea City playmaker heads into Euro 2016 in good club form and will be hoping to make an impression in what will be Iceland’s first-ever major international tournament. Iceland’s qualification to this tournament included finishing above the Netherlands.
Italy: Balotelli-Tubbies
Whether or not the controversial striker makes the finals or not, we couldn’t ignore a fantasy football team name like this. Mario Balotelli has really struggled for both game time and goals with AC Milan this season.
Northern Ireland: Grin and Baird It
Derby County backup and Fulham loaneeChris Baird will do well to get in the Northern Ireland squad this summer having not been a big part of Darren Wassall’s plans before getting a couple of games back at Craven Cottage. But would you have preferred us to suggest The Green Kyleor Debbie Does Stuart Dallas??
Poland: The Big Lewandowski
The Bayern Munich striker is set to face several of his teammates in Saint-Denis in game two when Germany meet Poland. Much will be expected of Robert Lewandowski after a fantastic qualifying campaign that saw him tie David Healy’s all-time European Championship qualifying record of 13 goals. He will come up against Northern Ireland and Ukraine in his group too.
Portugal: Million Dollar Bebé
This Manchester United flop has proven to be one of Rayo Vallecano’s top stars in what has been a disappointing campaign for the Madrid side in La Liga. The 25-year-old has never been capped by the Portuguese national team unfortunately so perhaps you may want to reconsider naming your team after Bebé this summer.
Republic of Ireland: 50 Shades of O’Shea
Republic of Ireland took four points off World Champions Germany to reach Euro 2016 – only their third-ever appearance in this tournament. Sunderland defender John O’Shea faces a tough task if they’re to progress from the group – facing Sweden, Belgium and Italy.
Romania: Bogdan & Clyde
Qualifying from arguably the weakest group, Romania will be appearing in their fifth European Championship finals this summer. Like the Republic of Ireland, they have only ever won one match, and like Ireland, that was versus England (Euro 2000). Gençlerbirliği striker Bogdan Stancu should be leading the line for the Romanians in France who are involved in the tournament’s opening game versus the hosts.
Russia: The Akinfeev Diet
The CSKA Moscow goalkeeper remains Russia’s number one despite a howler in Brazil two years ago. Igor Akinfeev is closing in on the century mark of caps for his country and will be expecting to make it out of a group that contains England, Wales and Slovakia, despite the country’s poor showing in all but one of the previous seven major tournaments they have qualified for.
Slovakia: Teenage Mutant Ninja Škrtels
Liverpool centre-back Martin Škrtel was part of the Slovakia national team that qualified for their first-ever European Championship finals. They had previously had moderate records in qualifying, neither here nor there before JánKozák gave them something to cheer about last year, finishing second in a group where they took three points off the current holders, Spain.
Spain: Absolutely Fàbregas
After a dreadful World Cup, Spain are among the favourites once again as they bid to win a record third consecutive European Championships. Chelsea midfielder CescFàbregas is coming off a very disappointing Premier League campaign but will be hoping to find his form again in France among a very strong squad.
Sweden: How About Zlat?
Zlatan Ibrahimović is set to star in his fourth European Championships having previously played in 2004, 2008 and 2012. Sweden beat fellow Scandinavians Denmark 4-3 in the playoffs to set them up to face Ireland, Italy and Belgium in the group stage this summer.
Switzerland: Enter Shaqiri
Xherdan Shaqiri’s career hasn’t blossomed since his move to Bayern Munich back in 2009. A brief stint at Internazionale before joining Stoke City this season where he has delighted fans at the Britannia Stadium. Switzerland face Albania in the second match at Euro 2016.
Turkey: Turannosaurus Rex
His move to Barcelona hasn’t worked out great in his first season but ArdaTuran has still collected a La Liga winners’ medal. Unavailable until January and then a bit-part player in Luis Enrique’s side, the Turkish playmaker certainly can’t complain of fatigue during the summer!
Ukraine: Rotan Tomatoes
The experienced Ukrainian midfielder Ruslan Rotan will be hoping to make MykhayloFomenko’s squad this summer having previously participated in both Euro 2012 and the 2006 World Cup – the only previous tournaments Ukraine have qualified for since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Wales: Out on Bale
Gareth Bale was one of the stars as Wales took six points off Belgium in qualifying for their first-ever European Championships finals. They will be looking to take three points off rivals England in a group they shouldn’t have too much fear in.
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