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On Friday, the long-awaited 2012 UEFA European Football Championship begins, where every fan of Žalgiris has their own favorites.
The best European football players will defend their country's honor and aim to win gold medals at the stadiums in Poland and Ukraine. Thousands of fans at the stadiums will support their favorite national teams, while even more will cheer for their beloved teams in front of their television screens.
Before the start of the championship, members of the Vilnius City Football Club "Žalgiris" named their favorite national teams, players, and tournament favorites.
The Croatians representing Žalgiris - head coach Damir Petravičius, defenders Tomislav Pekas and Luka Peričius - will support their native Croatian national team. Although "Žalgiris" legionnaires will only support their native country's team, they do not expect to see them in the final. Damir Petravičius and Tomislav Pekas believe that the favorites to compete for the trophy in the final should be the national teams of Germany and Spain, while Luka Peričius is convinced that the cup will be lifted by the Spaniards. Jaunius Juozaitis also believes in the success of these teams.
Calum Elliot, Povilas Krasnovskis, and Karolis Urbaitis agree with the opinion of their Croatian teammates that the Germans and Spaniards will play in the final, but Calum and Karolis will support the French national team.
Armantas Vitkauskas will support the mentioned favorites - Spain and Germany. Žalgiris goalkeeper, along with Karolis Urbaitis, believes that the Dutch will pose the biggest competition for these national teams.
Andrius Skerla also thought that Germany and Spain would meet in the final, but as the championship approaches, the experienced defender took the favorite label from the Spaniards and transferred it to the Dutch. Andrius Skerla remains loyal to the Lithuanian national team and says that in the European Championship, he will not support any other national teams.
Žalgiris players Donatas Kazlauskas and Deivydas Matulevičius, and defender Edgaras Žarskis will support the English footballers, but Donatas will also support the Spaniards, and Deivydas the Dutch. Spain is also greatly admired by defender Mantas Kuklys. Young Edgaras Žarskis agrees with the majority of his team's opinion that Germans or Spaniards should be the winners of the championship, but he notes that the national teams of Denmark, Poland, Greece, or Ukraine could provide surprises. Povilas Kransovskis identifies not only the hosts of the tournament - Ukraine and Poland, but also France, as the "dark horses."
Žalgiris players also discussed which players participating in the European Championship leave the biggest impression on them.
Damir Petravičius and Luka Peričius are most impressed by their compatriot - Luka Modrić, but the coach acknowledges that undoubtedly the best player of the tournament is Cristiano Ronaldo.
Tomislav Pekas also admires the star of the Portuguese national team and highlights Wayne Rooney, who is also Edgaras Žarskis' favorite player.
For Mantas Kuklys, Povilas Krasnovskis, and Jaunius Juozaitis, the Spanish national team's midfielder Andrés Iniesta leaves the biggest impression. Mantas and Jaunius also admire Xavi Hernandez.
Karolis Urbaitis says it's hard to pick a favorite player participating in the European Championship, but if he had to, he would give his sympathies to Germany's defender Philipp Lahm.
Calum Elliot, who scored the most goals in the "General Financing A League," particularly likes Fernando Torres' game, but in his opinion, the most productive player of the tournament should be the Dutch national team's forward, Robin van Persie. Andrius Skerla agrees with this prediction.
The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship starting on June 8th (Friday) in the stadiums of Ukraine and Poland will capture the attention of Žalgiris fans and all football enthusiasts until July 1st.
