Euro 2020 preview, Group A – Turkey: Emre Sarigul picks out Turkey as dark horses

And any weaknesses?

Despite defence being the strength of this side, the left-back position is a potential weakness. Umut Meras is not on the same level as the centre-backs and right-backs. Nineteen-year-old Besiktas rising star Ridvan Yilmaz has however, broken into the side and despite his lack of experience he could shine if given a chance.

Another weakness is that Turkey has lost some flair and creativity in midfield amid their pursuit of defensive stability.

Give us the lowdown on your team’s star player?

Caglar Soyuncu is undoubtedly the key cog in the team. The Leicester City star is a natural leader and installs confidence in the back line with his presence and defensive ability.

In addition to his defensive abilities, he is also adept on the ball. Probably a bi-product of spending his youth playing as a striker; a period in his life where Wayne Rooney was his footballing idol, Soyuncu is capable of spraying intricate passes and kicking off counter-attacking moves from deep.

And tell us about a player from your team who could be a breakthrough star at this tournament?

Most of the team is comprised of players that followers of top five leagues will probably be familiar with so I would go with Ozan Tufan. The box-to-box midfielder plays an important role in the side bridging defence with attack. He is a hard-working, dynamic player who is also capable of magic in the final third on his day.

Additionally, this could be a big tournament for the goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir who has been targeted by several European clubs. And Yilmaz at left-back has had an impressive season for double winners Besiktas. He is aged just 19 and has a very bright future ahead of him.

How far do you think your team can go in this tournament?

Turkey have a side well-constructed for knock-out tournaments. The team will be difficult to break down. They may not have the same panache in midfield but this side is well organised and still have enough quality to play a possession game when necessary.

Burak Yilmaz has enjoyed a renaissance at Lille this season and enters the tournament with a great goal scoring record for club and country. The lack of depth upfront is a concern but the team is quite versatile in terms of finding goals from other avenues such as set-pieces and counter attacking moves. This is a well-balanced side with a watertight defence. I really think Turkey could go as far as the semi-finals; perhaps even further.

Easy one to finish with, who wins the tournament, and who do you think will be top scorer?

France will be the team to beat this summer but my top scorer is Burak Yilmaz.