EURO stats give fresh insight

Kuhn credentials
With the 16 squad lists now in, it is possible to compare and contrast the information relating to all 368 players, and Roberto Donadoni's men will vie for glory in Austria and Switzerland with an average age of 29.57. Sweden are not far behind them at 29.35, but both are more than three years older on average than Guus Hiddink's Russia, who boast a comparatively sprightly figure of 26.26. Meanwhile, Jakob Kuhn's credentials as a firm believer in fielding young talent are proved by his Switzerland squad's average age of 26.39, more than a year below the competition mean of 27.60.

Young and old
Kuhn is also the only coach to have selected a teenager, with Eren Derdiyok the youngest protagonist at 19. The FC Basel 1893 striker will turn 20 on 12 June – the day after his side take on Turkey – bringing him in line with promising Croatian duo Ivan Rakitić and Nikola Kalinić, and Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patrício. At the opposite end of the scale, the title of oldest player belongs to Austrian veteran Ivica Vastic, recently recalled for the first time in three years. Aged 38, he is 42 days older than Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.

Birthday boys
Derdiyok is not the only player looking forward to a birthday during the tournament as a further 25 will be blowing out candles between 7 and 29 June. Croatia's 30-year-old defender Hrvoje Vejić will be the first and his big day coincides with his team's Group B opener with Austria in Vienna on 8 June. No one has a birthday on the day of the final itself, however Austrian goalkeeper Ramazan Özcan must hope he will be preparing for the showpiece when he turns 24 the day before.

Bundesliga bounty
The Premier League may have produced both of this year's UEFA Champions League finalists, but German clubs top the table in terms of sending players to Austria and Switzerland. No fewer than 56 of the men involved ply their trade in the Bundesliga, while England will provide 44 – a figure undoubtedly restricted by England's absence from this summer's festivities. Further down the list, Spain will boast 40 of the players on view, Italy 35 and Russia 29.

Club totals
The clubs sending the most players compete in different championships altogether, however. Olympique Lyonnais and Panathinaikos FC employ ten of the protagonists apiece, with seven of Lyon's share bolstering Raymond Domenech's France squad and six of Panathinaikos's tally due to turn out for European champions Greece. Galatasaray AS and FC Bayern München also figure highly with nine players each, ahead of Werder Bremen, Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona on eight.

Statistics section
These statistics and many more like them are currently being compiled and will be shortly available to dissect in greater detail on euro2008.com.