The upcoming Women's Euro 2022 is likely to be the most competitive in the tournament's history, according to coach, analyst and former player Lisa Fallon.
Next Wednesday, the competition gets underway with hosts England taking on the 2017 surprise package Austria in the opening fixture at Old Trafford.
England will be among the favourites, but the likes of defending champions Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Sweden, Spain and France are likely to have a say with most experts suggesting that at least half a dozen teams will have realistic aims of going all the way.
"This is going to be potentially one of the most competitive European championships that we've seen," said Fallon, speaking at the launch of RTÉ's comprehensive coverage which will run from 6-31 July.
"I think there's quite a number of teams who go into this tournament with a genuine confidence and belief that they can be there at the end of it and have the credentials to lift the trophy.
"So I think it's going to be a very competitive competition. I think we're going to see a lot of really, really good footballing sides and it's going to be a joy to watch it, analyse it and embrace it."
Fallon cited Norway's superstar Ada Hegerberg and Spain's Ballon d'Or winner Alexis Putellas among the talents who will light up the tournament for their teams and it is the former's side who she feels can put their head above the parapet.
"For me Norway are a team I'm just so interested to see how they do," she said.
"The Ada Hegerberg factor is going to be a whole new dimension. She was stunning - the impact she made on the Lyon team in the Women's Champions League final both on the ball and off the ball - the leadership, the way she influences the players and what happens on the pitch, she is a really interesting dynamic.
"And obviously she wasn't in the Norway team in 2019 so the fact that they have her now (is significant) and she scored a hat-trick in her first game back for them against Kosovo in April.
"So she is going to add a whole new dimension to this Norway team which has so much quality. Guro Reiten comes in, I coached her at Chelsea, and she has come into unbelievable form in the latter part of the Chelsea season.
"You have the likes of Caroline Graham Hansen as well in that team. I just have a little inkling for Norway just based on the quality and the Ada Hegerberg factor."
Fallon suggested that Spain will be intriguing given the successful Barcelona contingent at the heart of the squad, while Sweden and Germany cannot be ruled out even if the former is a team just past their peak when it comes to their age profile.
France, meanwhile, will miss the Lyon defensive midfielder Amandine Henry, who has been left out of their squad, according to Fallon.
As for hosts England who have progressed well under former Dutch Euro 2017-winning manager Sarina Wiegman, Fallon regards them as "genuine contenders" but the main sticking point will be how they deal with the expectation levels and media spotlight.
"The further they progress in the tournament, (with) the media, they will have an awful lot of pressure to deal with that they've probably never experienced as a team before," she said.
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