London: Euro 2016 is finally here - and to mark the start, Google has dedicated its Doodle to UEFA's showpiece international football tournament .
The competition kicks off at the Stade de France today, when the home nation will be hoping for victory over Romania.
England get into action on Saturday with their opener against Russia in Marseille.
Today's Doodle shows a cockerel, in the red, white and blue of the French flag, heralding the start of the tournament with a cockadoodledoo.
So as the sun rises on Euro 2016, here’s our quick guide to everything you need to know about France’s festival of football.
The tournament's expansion from 16 to 24 teams means that the likes of Northern Ireland, Albania and Iceland have been able to qualify for their maiden international tournament, while Wales and Hungary fans have something to do with their summer for the first time in decades.
Fantasy favourites Gareth Bale, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Kyle Lafferty will all be keen to make their mark on the tournament, and emulate the likes of Czech Republic, who were runners-up in their initial appearance after independence at Euro 96.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is bound to be included in many a Mirror Fantasy iTeam this summer, with the 38 year-old revitalised after another Scudetto win with Juventus.
Crystal Palace’s tracksuit bottom-sporting ex-goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, playing for Hungary at the age of 40, may be a less popular choice, but you’re sure to spot some other grizzled old veterans out on the pitch this summer.
The group stages of the Euros are usually a cut-throat business, with the Netherlands and hosts Poland and Ukraine falling at the first hurdle last time out.
The tournament’s expansion, however, means that four of the six third-placed teams will advance to the second round.
If England beat Russia in their first game in Marseille on 11th June, it could be time to celebrate.
No team, not even Franz Beckenbauer’s Germany, or the formidable France side of the late ‘90s, has ever won the same international tournament three times in a row, but that’s what Vicente Del Bosque and his squad, led by Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta and Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos, are looking to do this summer.
They lack a formidable striker in the David Villa mould, but with a midfield consisting of Iniesta, David Silva, Koke, Thiago and Sergio Busquets, who would bet against La Roja making more history?
