Germany's path to adding a European crown to go alongside their World Cup starts here.

After glory in Rio, Joachim Low's side start their European Championship bid in a group that has a little of everything. Poland are looking to live up to a billing as tournament dark horse, Ukraine are set up as possible spoilers and Northern Ireland are riding a wave of confidence and optimism.

Thursday, June 16 - Germany v Poland

A match that could decide who tops the section, this is one of the most exciting fixtures of the group stage.

The sides know each other well after a qualifying campaign where each defeated the other at home, setting up a decider of sorts at the highest level.

Both teams are stronger going forward than sitting back and there's the intriguing prospect of Robert Lewandowski up against his Bayern Munich team-mates. Not to be missed.

Looking through the kits for all the Euro 2016 nations, Germany's latest shirt wouldn't normally jump out as one of the most interesting. The simple white top with black trim doesn't initially catch the eye.

What it does have, though, is a badge front and centre that marks them out as current world champions. It's both a symbol of their strength for every opponent and a target.

Joachim Low's team finished top of their qualifying group (as every Scotland fan knows) but their path to the finals wasn't without a few bumps along the way.

Regardless, Germany's reputation as 'a tournament team' is well earned and Low will be confident he can continue his run of reaching at least the semi-final of the last four major tournaments.

To do that, he'll rely on some of Europe's best living up to their billing and if Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller, in particular, are in top gear then Germany will be in good shape. That said, the full-back positions aren't as strong as previous Germany sides and there are questions over who should play as a (true or false) centre forward.

Ilkay Gundogan and Marco Reus are of the calibre of player that would be missed by any squad in the competition but anyone fretting about their absence might be consoled by a reminder that both missed Brazil 2014 and that turned out just fine.

Germany's most likely rivals to top Group C are familiar opponents. In qualifying, Poland recorded their first-ever victory against Germany and that result is one of the reasons why some are tipping Adam Nawalka's team as dark horses to reach the latter stages in France.

Poland were top scorers in their group and that's no real surprise when looking at an attack with Robert Lewandowski at the apex. The Bayern Munich striker notched up 13 goals in qualifying (though six were against Gibraltar) and he is ably supported by Ajax forward Arkadiusz Milik. Supply from the flanks is provided by Jakub Blaszcykowski and Kamil Grosicki, completing a unit that can trouble any side.

The defence is also built from players who compete at a high level, and though only Germany defeated the Poles in qualifying, every side bar Georgia scored against them.

Expectation is high for the best Polish side in a generation and while the knock-out stages could test that back line, failure to qualify from the group would be a disaster.

Victory in a pan-European competition, working to a new format, where Ukraine are considered outsiders? It might have happened in Eurovision but Mykhaylo Fomenko's team will really need to be on song to make an impact in France.

Qualifying as winners of a play-off against Slovenia, having finished behind Spain and Slovakia in their group, Ukraine's story over the last two years has been of beating the teams they should beat and struggling a little when faced with a real test.

Their strength is in being difficult to beat and that can be put down to not only a safety-first approach but also vast experience in the squad. Eight of the likely starting XI for the Germany match have over 40 caps and that know-how could stand them in good stead.

Progress depends on scoring goals as well as keeping them out though, and Ukraine simply don't have a striker that others will fear. The attacking threat will come from the wings, where Yehven Konopylanka and Andriy Yarmolenko work their magic. The duo provided eight of the 15 goals the side scored en route to France.

The new format means third place could provide a path to the knock-out stages and with Poland and Germany clear favourites to finish above Fomenko's side, it's clear what game will be most important to them.

Topping their qualification group to reach their first-ever European finals means that Euro 2016 has already delivered for Michael O'Neill and his remarkable side of over-achievers.

The next challenge is to build on the feel-good factor and show that a surprise package from the preliminary stage can raise some eyebrows on the big stage.

On paper, the team look unequipped to tackle the world champions and the big names of the tournament but Northern Ireland have already proven to be a classic example of a side that is more than the sum of its parts.

Much like Ukraine, success is built from the back and a defence that has deserved its reputation for being mean will be seriously tested by the likes of Muller and Lewandowski.

In midfield, Steven Davis is the stand-out name but the unit is more important with Jamie Ward and Stuart Dallas asked to defend as much as attack on the flanks. That could leave Kyle Lafferty having to survive on scraps up front but O'Neill is nothing if not adaptable and won't be afraid to switch formation depending on opposition if he senses that a brave approach can bring returns.

One key point in the hopes of upsetting the odds are the way the fixtures fall. Ukraine in the second match looks key to hopes of springing a surprise but if points are needed the final match against Germany could see the world champions rest some stars if they have won their first two.