Euro 2024 is almost here and the excitement is already building.
Europe's elite sides will be gunning for glory in Germany this summer, with, England in particular looking to bounce back from their Euro 2020 heartbreak when they were defeated on penalties by Italy.
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Gareth Southgate's side face stiff competition though as World Cup finalists France remain one of the favourites to win, with Portugal, Spain and Germany also boasting immense talent.
Fans are preparing for a spectacular month of action but who are the best players in the world set star at Euro 2024, talkSPORT.com has taken a look.
Harry Kane - England
Three Lions captain Kane is one of the most prolific strikers in Europe and will certainly be in the running for the Golden Boot this summer.
He scored goals for England at Euro 2020 and struck on eight occasions across the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
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Kane has caused nightmares for countless defences throughout his career and his eye for goal significantly boosts England's chances of winning.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal
Ronaldo continues to hold legendary status and, having won the European Championship in 2016, he will have the taste for success yet again.
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The 39-year-old has netted 14 goals in 25 matches over four different Euros tournaments, with five of those coming at Euro 2020.
Roberto Martinez's side will be aware they have one of the greatest ever footballers in their ranks but, given his age, it could be his final international tournament.
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Kylian Mbappe - France
Having made his senior debut for his country at the age of 18, there was no doubt that Mbappe would go on to become a world great.
Now 25 years old, he was key in France's World Cup win in 2018 and even scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final, but is yet to win the European Championship having missed a penalty in Les Bleus' shock exit to Switzerland three years ago.
He also failed to score in the previous tournament but the summer presents the opportunity for him to cement his status as the heir to Lionel Messi and Ronaldo on the world stage.
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Kevin De Bruyne - Belgium
De Bruyne is widely considered to be the greatest midfielder in world football and looks set to be a standout performer in Germany.
Set to become an international centurion, he will undoubtedly continue to be the engine and creative outlet in Belgium's team.
Eventual winners Italy beat them in the quarter-finals in the previous tournament but De Bruyne's quality could guide his country to their first major honour since the 1920 Olympics.
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Rodri - Spain
Rodri cuts an imperious figure in the Manchester City midfield and is one of the most consistent players in Europe - and one of the most clutch.
The 27-year-old featured for La Roja at youth levels before making his senior debut in 2018, and has since featured a further 47 times.
He played every minute of Spain's World Cup campaign and has missed just one of their ten matches since then, so Rodri will surely be one of the first names on their team sheet.
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Jude Bellingham - England
Bellingham became the third youngest player to ever feature for England in 2017, doing so aged 17 years, four months and 14 days.
Fast-forward from then and the midfielder continues to play way above his age grade, with his first goal being scored in their World Cup opener against Iran.
He has already made 27 appearances for England at the age of 20 and will undoubtedly be one of the first names on the plane for Southgate having increased his standing at Real Madrid.
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Jamal Musiala - Germany
Bayern Munich youngster Musiala made 13 appearances with Bellingham for the England youth sides but switched allegiances to Germany in 2021.
He has featured 25 times for his nation, with appearances in the starting XI coming in 13 of those matches.
Also aged 20, Musiala's performances are those you would expect to see from a seasoned player, and his quality and versatility could be key for the host nation.
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Virgil van Dijk - Netherlands
Van Dijk continues to respond to doubts over his potentially declining quality with immense performances.
His depth of experience in the game means he holds the captain's armband for both Liverpool and Netherlands, who will hope to benefit from his defensive prowess this summer.
Van Dijk started in all eight of their qualifying matches and will hold down a spot in the starting XI in Germany barring any shock decision or injury.
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Antoine Griezmann - France
Griezmann sits fourth in the the highest appearance rankings for France with 127, a true testament to his overall quality and longevity.
The forward has scored seven goals at European Championships for Les Bleus and a further four at World Cups, proving he can perform on the big stage.
France already have incredible firepower in their ranks with Mbappe and Griezmann only adds to that with his quality and experience.
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Bernardo Silva - Portugal
Silva is just shy of hitting 100 appearances for Portugal and his all-round game could see him make a huge impact for the side.
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He expresses elegance on the ball and versatility in the midfield, with his technical ability some of the best in the modern game.
The 29-year-old started in all of Portugal's Euro 2020 matches and even though he is yet to score in the competition, he will surely play a key role in their attacking plays.
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