GARY Neville has insisted that England should fear no other team at the Euro 2004 finals as they have five top-class players who are the envy of the rest of Europe.

Neville accepts that England's opening group game against favourites and defending champions France, could set the tone for the rest of the tournament.

However, he believes that now is the moment for England to win their first major trophy since 1966 - as long as they are convinced of their own potential.

"I don't think England has to fear any country because we have great players ourselves," he declared.

"I don't think you should throw the term `world-class' around lightly but we have players who would grace any other team and who other teams would love to have. There are four or five who would get into any other team, and I include France in that.

"Sol Campbell, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, David Beckham and Michael Owen are genuine European class.

"Even Wayne Rooney at a young age could be included. He's an unknown quantity at these finals."

Unavailable

While Rio Ferdinand is unavailable due to suspension, Sven-Goran Eriksson at least has a fully-fit squad at his disposal, with Darius Vassell expected to resume full training with the rest of the England players today.

Vassell has been undergoing light sessions this week with physio Gary Lewin as he recovers from a hamstring problem.

He was joined in a series of physical tests yesterday by the six players - Beckham, Scholes, Gary and Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and Owen Hargreaves - who had previously been allowed to rest after a week's extra training with their clubs.

The rest of the squad were given the day off, but all 24 players, including Vassell and Ian Walker, who was back in the gym yesterday after a stomach upset, were expected to take part in a full training session today.

The squad, whose warm weather training camp has been affected by poor weather conditions, are then due to fly back to England tomorrow.

Warm-up

They will be given 36 hours to return home with their families before joining up again in Manchester on Monday lunch-time ahead of their two warm-up games against Japan and Iceland.

Those matches should at least help Eriksson to finalise his options for the key opening group game against France in Lisbon on June 13.

Neville added: "The France game, with it being the opening match, is probably the game of the tournament because it's two great footballing countries going against each other.

"But it gives us a great chance to measure ourselves early on in the tournament as we're playing the favourites. If we were to win that match, the confidence we would take out of it would be incredible.

"Whatever happens though, we'll know where we are in terms of our performance levels and where we have to get to if we want to win the championship.

"It's not the be-all and end-all, the first game, but it would be great to get points on the board."

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