England to clash with Wales at Euro 2016

Group E looks toughest with Republic of Ireland Belgium, Sweden and Italy eyeing top two slots

The Euro 2016 draw yesterday pitted England against Wales and Germany against Poland in two spotlight groups at the championships.

The British nations who have never met at an international tournament will clash in Group B — playing each other at Lens on June 16. The group also features Russia and Slovakia.

World Cup winners Germany head Group C and will have to take on Poland, Northern Ireland and Ukraine. Defending champions Spain will have to take on Czech Republic, Turkey and Croatia in Group D.

Group E could be the most difficult to get one of the top two places however with Belgium and Italy taking on Republic of Ireland and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will take on Iceland, Austria and Hungary in Group F.

Curtain raiser

Hosts France play the tournament’s curtain raiser on June 10 against Group A opponents Romania.

They will also have to face Albania and Switzerland.

The final is on July 10 at the Stade de France in Paris.

Prior to the draw, Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino paid tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks in a short introductory speech, expressing the European governing body’s solidarity “with all those affected by the attacks of November 13” and what he called the “deeply tragic” events.

The elephant not in the room was Michel Platini. The Uefa president is fighting a ban from football that kept him out of the draw ceremony.

But the crowd applauded when footage was shown of Platini scoring in the 1984 tournament that France won on home soil.

The draw ceremony kicked off in Paris with a musical journey through the culture of the host nation France.

Cancan dancers got the show rolling. They made way for other dancers wearing the flags of the 24 teams.