Euro 2004: France v England

Maybe it's jingoistic to say it, but forget about Saturday's clash between Portugal and Greece - for most of us, Euro 2004 starts here. And, let's face it, we're in for a bitter struggle between two sporting superpowers.

Apart from the clash between ITV and the Beeb over who has the best coverage of the tournament, there's also France v England to look forward to.

Des Lynam and the boys have a few points to prove. It's been a tough season for ITV's telly pundits. First, they lost the rights to next season's Premiership highlights (so no more cosy, ad-break-filled Saturday nights). Then, of course, they had to ride out the ripples of Big Ron-gate.

This tournament is their last chance to bag some glory, so the station is pulling out all the stops for Beckham (above) and co's opening appearance in Portugal.

Commentating is Clive Tyldesley, with help from Sir Bobby Robson, while back in the studio with Des are Andy Townsend, Terry Venables and Gareth Southgate (the last two were manager and player together at Euro 96 - remember El Tel putting his arm around Southgate after he missed that penalty?).

Expect tension, drama and some fine moustache-twirling moments of campy over-intense presenting from Des. It's France v England, for heaven's sake! It would be a disappointment if he didn't at the very least stick in a few references to the Battle of Agincourt, and no one would be that surprised if he wheeled out the entire St Crispin's Day speech from Henry V.

The Euro 2004 lottery sees the BBC stuck with Switzerland v Croatia (4.45pm, BBC1), so that's where Gary Lineker, Alan Hansen and the rest of the Match of the Day glamour boys will be focusing their attention, leaving reliable utility man Ray Stubbs to fill in at the back with a France v England late-night highlights package (10.55pm, BBC1).

It's a slight disappointment. Even if we have all watched the game earlier, most of us would normally watch it again just to get Lineker's they'renotas-good-as-I-was assessment of England's performance coupled with Hansen's predictable slagging off of the defence. Still, it's not as if we won't be sick of their opinions by the end of the tournament.