4. Philly’s other home team

Lots of bars around town will have games on, with some hosting major viewing parties. Brauhaus Schmitz at 718 South St., for example, is a can’t-miss spot when Germany is playing.

But there’s something special around here when Italy takes the field. It will be especially true this summer, because the Azzurri are the reigning men’s European champions — even though they’ve failed to qualify for the last two World Cups.

The place to watch Italy games is Gran Caffè L’Aquila at 1716 Chestnut St. It gets packed for soccer at any time of year, and especially when Italy is playing.

I’ll confess it’s a personal favorite of mine, but it’s definitely not just mine. There’s a long history of Union players and visiting players hanging out there for pasta, gelato, afternoon coffee and more.

3. Spain’s young phenoms

Twelve years ago, Spain capped one of the all-time runs in international soccer history, winning the 2008 Euros, 2010 World Cup and 2012 Euros. Then La Roja fell back a bit, but now a new crop of dynamic talents is making its mark.

This Euros squad has three 21-year-olds: midfielders Fermin López and Pedri and forward Nico Williams. Forward Lamine Yamal, just 16, is wildly talented. Rodri, 27, is perhaps the world’s best central midfielder, week in and week out with Manchester City.

And there’s one player left from those past titles, 38-year-old right back Jesús Navas, who was also on the Spain squad that won last year’s UEFA Nations League.

Was that the start of a new era of glory? We’ll start to find out when Spain opens against Croatia on Saturday (noon, Fox, ViX), then plays Italy on June 20 (3 p.m., Fox, ViX).

2. England’s men might actually win something

A lot of people around here will root for England because of its Premier League stars. And a lot of people will root against them, because Philadelphia has a bit of a history there. (246 years of it, to be exact.)

But even haters must admit this Three Lions team is remarkably talented, and remarkably young. Twelve of the 26 players are age 25 or younger, including midfielders Declan Rice, Cole Palmer and 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo, and marquee wingers Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka.

Above all, there’s midfielder Jude Bellingham. The 20-year-old just finished his first season with Real Madrid, and was utterly dominant: 23 goals, 13 assists, Champions League and La Liga titles, and La Liga’s player of the year award.

It sticks in England fans’ craws that their men haven’t won a major trophy since 1966, especially after a surprising run to the last Euros final in 2021. A year later, England’s women showed how it’s done by winning their Euros on home soil.

Will 58 years of hurt end this summer? This team might have the best chance yet.

1. France is the favorite

There are a lot of good squads in these Euros, but only one is unquestionably great.

Les Bleus have experience in midfielder N’Golo Kanté and forwards Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud, who will join Los Angeles FC after the tournament. They have electrifying youngsters in 21-year-old winger Bradley Barcola and 18-year-old midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery. They have depth at every position on the field. They have gorgeous jerseys.

And they have the sport’s new biggest superstar, with all due respect to Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Kylian Mbappé is the guy, and he knows it. So does his team, his country, and I can keep going but this piece is already long enough.

After the tournament Mbappé will join Real Madrid, the club he’s dreamed of playing for since his childhood in the Paris suburbs. First, he has some business to take care of. Though France won the 2018 World Cup and finished runner-up in 2022, it crashed out of the last Euros early and didn’t make the final four of last year’s Nations League.

This year’s final happens to fall on July 14, France’s biggest holiday. They’ll be ready on the Champs-Elysées in Paris like they always are — not just for Bastille Day, but for the party that always breaks out there when France wins a title.

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