MY hearts says it could be their year but my head says this will be another summer of glorious failure for England at the Euros.

The hurt-o-meter outside Wembley Stadium ticks over to 55 years next month and had there been a more settled look about Gareth Southgate’s side as they go into this weekend’s opener against Croatia, I would gladly succumb to the dream that the Three Lions will win a major tournament in my lifetime.

But injury concerns over Harry Maguire leave me in a cold sweat about what might happen in the centre of defence during the group stages. And a nagging feeling that Southgate – a fine statesman for English football, but not a manager who could possibly be described as adventurous – may not be able to juggle the huge attacking talents at his disposal.

This is a tournament England are capable of winning, by virtue of the fact only Belgium could possibly be described as being totally in their prime.

Elsewhere, there are dark horses like Italy and Denmark, unpredictable forces of nature like France or the German side which really has not impressed me one jot in the last few months but who invariably find their range when the pressure is on.

For the record, I think the French will do it. Hardly a controversial take on it all but despite lacking a bit of width, their attacking trident of Mbappe, Benzema and Griezmann could see off anyone on the planet.

Here are my predictions for the groups.

GROUP A: Italy are a much more adventurous team than their national stereotype suggests and if Ciro Immobile can supply goals, they will go far.

Turkey will get second. They do have a solid defence and a few very handy players like Lille veteran Burak Yilmaz and Fenerbahce’s Irfan Can Kahveci.

Switzerland don’t grab be as a team to be wary of, so there might be something for Wales if they can chalk up a win and seize third spot.

GROUP B: Belgium won’t have many better chances to win a major tournament and I expect them to reach at least the semi-finals. A slight issue for pace at the back with Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Thomas Vermaelen all in the autumnal years of their career but they have more than enough to win the group.

Denmark are tipped by many as a potential surprise package and though the squad lacks depth, there is a central core of real quality, particularly if Christian Eriksson is in the mood.

I fancy Finland to nudge ahead of Russia into third. I know practically nothing about their squad – Teemu Pukki aside – but it would be fun to see them do well.

GROUP C: The Netherlands should have enough about them to win the group but their squad lacks a bit of punch, and Frank de Boer does not strike you as the man to revive Total Football.

Austria are capable of roughing them up, especially with massive striker Sasa Kalajdzic in tow.

Ukraine and North Macedonia won’t make much of an impact on what is the weakest group of the bunch.

GROUP D: Ironically, if England don’t start well against Croatia it might offer them a better route to the latter stages. I do fear if Maguire is not fit and Southgate reverts back to Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford either side of Harry Kane, we could be turning up the pressure on next Friday’s meeting with Scotland.

I say a second-placed finish behind Croatia for England, with the Czechs narrowly pipping Scotland for third.

GROUP E: This one is wide open, really, as Spain have nay number of issues going into the tournament, from a Covid crisis to a squad which looks like a tribute act to its former successful incarnations.

I’m picking a surprise, of sorts, with a solid Swedish side finishing top, Poland to scrape second and Spain potentially grabbing a lucky third spot to progress.

GROUP F: France have more than enough to win all three games. In fact, I do not expect them to lose a game at Euro 2020 (which really does give them the kiss of death).

I think Germany will beat Portugal and Hungary – potentially lining up a meeting with England if they get off to a winning start. Deep joy.

Portugal would ordinarily be a quarter final pick at least but I think the draw might just have stymied them here.