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Which semifinalist will win Euro 2012?

Germany (Getty Images)

Euro 2012 is down to its final four, with Spain and Portugal kicking off the semifinals in an all-Iberian Peninsula affair at Donbass Arena in Ukraine later today (2:45 p.m., ESPN/ESPN3.com). 

All four remaining world powers have a reasonable claim to lift the cup in Kiev on Sunday. Germany has arguably been the most impressive team during the tournament, rolling through the Group of Death and collecting wins over Portugal, Netherlands and Denmark before dispatching Greece in the quarterfinals. 

Defending World Cup and European champion Spain might not be winning with the flair and style that most were expecting to see, but that doesn't make La Furia Roja any less effective. They won their group that contained Italy and Croatia and handled France with relative ease in the quarterfinals.

Portugal has gotten hot behind Cristiano Ronaldo, whose performances on the big stage in the last few matches have answered his critics. Italy, meanwhile, has mixed tight defending with Andrea Pirlo's class to make a deep run, getting by England in penalties to set up a date with the Germans.

Which of the four do you see winning Euro 2012? Cast your vote after the jump:

 

 

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How did you vote? Which team will win Euro 2012? Which two do you see getting to the final?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. According to other threads that Felix dude wishes he were Spanish. He is all Mexican American if I can remember. He might have a pinch of Spanish due to the rapes and pillaging the Spanish did to his great grandparents.

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  2. well, i love to watch Messi also, and until a few months ago i tilted toward him. But seeing what Ronaldo did with Madrid this season, despite the defeat to Bayern, plus what he has done the last two games, I am converted. let’s see how you (and I) feel after today’s game.

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  3. germany has been playing too good, same with every major tournament i have seen in the last 10 years, they will not be able to keep it up.

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  4. Heading to Fat Buddha today and tomorrow to watch the games, if anyone’s looking for a spot in NYC. 212 Avenue A @ 13th street.

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  5. Defense wins championships. The tightest backline of the tournament has been Italy. If anyone can beat Germany, Portugal or Spain, it’s Italy.

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  6. From a contrarian perspective, great to see that Germany is the overwhelming favorite of voters, just like FC Bayern was highly favored against Chelsea…

    Italy, Spain and Portugal are all strong and playing well, but I give Portugal and Ronaldo a slight edge. Portugal played Germany very strong in their first game of the tournament and has been getting stronger with each succeeding game. They can effectively counter and are playing with heart and soul and with strong defenders and they have the greatest player in the world and he wants it bad and it appears that, maybe, he won’t choke this time.

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  7. Spain has only conceded 1 goal this tournament, and 0 goals over their past 7 knockout matches in a major tournament (World Cup and Euro Cup).

    You need a delicate balance when playing against Spain. If you push too far forward, they will bury you. If you bunker down too far, they will never let you touch the ball and most certainly score.

    You need a combination of breakneck speed, counter-attacking cohesion and enough fortitude to toe the line moving forward while not ever pulling yourself out of position.

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  8. Germany all the way. The Euros are the one chance I have to support Germany fully and without a conflict of interest. Deutschland vor!

    I’d love to see Mario Gomez score to knock Spain out of the tournament. I would find some satisfaction and irony in watching a) one of the best strikers in the world score against a team he was eligible for but whose squad he wouldn’t likely have even made, and b) an archetypical target man score against a team that is loathe to field a single striker in their starting eleven.

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  9. I wasn’t on the Germany bandwagon, post World Cup or pre-Euros but Germany look like the class of Europe right now.

    However, I love Spain’s style of play, so I’m pulling for them.

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  10. Being of part Spanish descent, I am rooting for a Spain victory. But I don’t think they’ll be able to beat Germany in three major tournaments in a row to be the first team to accomplish this feat.

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