The Covid-19 pandemic has seen the European Championships delayed by a year, after a number of top players had been set to miss out

The coronavirus outbreak has thrown the world of sport into disarray, and football has been no different.

In March, it was decided that Euro 2020 would be postponed by a full year, until the summer of 2021.

While it may be far down the list of players' priorities as the virus spreads, the delay will nevertheless have a big impact on players and teams alike – particularly those coming toward the end of their careers, who may now miss the tournament.

However, plenty of others may have been given a second chance by the delay, after suffering from injuries, bad form, or competition for places.

Getty ImagesEden Hazard

Hazard is one of the undisputed stars of Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’, but looked like missing out on the tournament after suffering a fractured ankle in February.

Now, he has the chance to regain his fitness and discover some consistent form at Real Madrid.

With him, Belgium will be looking to make amends for their semi-final exit at the 2018 World Cup.

Hazard will be 30 by the time the tournament is scheduled to begin. He already has more than 100 senior international caps to his name, as well as 32 goals for his country.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRobert Skov

Hoffenheim’s 23-year-old winger Skov is one of the leading talents in Danish football right now, but he is still short of international experience.

In his final season at Copenhagen, he broke the Danish Superliga’s goalscoring record with 30 goals.

Since moving to the Bundesliga, the flow has been slowed. He has three goals to his name in 18 league games for Hoffenheim.

Another year of development could see Skov hit his peak by the time the Euros start, and add to his three goals from four appearances for Denmark so far.

GettyMarcus Rashford

Rashford was in the form of his life for Manchester United, and looked set to lead the line for England when Harry Kane was injured.

Then, Rashford was ruled out too. And, while he was adamant that he was aiming to make the Three Lions’ squad, Gareth Southgate would have had a difficult decision to make.

With time to recover his fitness, Rashford will be a near certainty to start, and he will be hoping to have another few months of deadly form for United under his belt.

Getty ImagesMarco Asensio

The 24-year-old Asensio would likely have been looking at the 2019-20 season as an opportunity to kick his game onto the next level, developing into a regular match-winner for Real Madrid.

Instead, his season ended before it began. He scored in a pre-season game against Arsenal but went off with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

With Euro 2020 looming, it was a huge ask for Asensio to recover fitness and show enough form to make Spain’s squad, but the postponement has given him every chance of staking a claim.