European Championship qualifiers: Which stars could still miss out on France 2016?

As we enter the final two matchdays of qualification for next summer's European Championships, there is still plenty to play for.

Five teams (including hosts France) have already booked their place at next summer's tournament, which means a remarkable 32 nations are still looking to nab one of the 19 spots that remain unassigned.

Some of those sides are inches away from an automatic spot, while many others need things to go their way simply to get into the last-chance saloon of the three play-off ties. Big stakes usually call for big players - so which stars are fighting for their involvement next summer?

Click here for all the groups as they currently stand.

No luck for Mkhitaryan, the one star in a sea of Armenians whose football abilities have not enabled them to earn moves to one of Europe's established Western leagues. Armenia have managed just two draws in Group I and can now only play the role of spoiler as Albania look to secure an unlikely qualifying spot. For the Borussia Dortmund star, this might be an experience he will repeat often over his career.

One win in six games is an awful record for Serbia, who now face two games against opponents (Albania and Portugal) who still have everything to play for. Ivanovic and co. may say an unmanned drone destroyed their hopes – but he can now book his summer holidays without fear. For everyone else, the remaining hope is that the return fixture with Albania does not end in disgrace.

At 31, has Robben’s last Euros appearance already been and gone? An automatic qualification spot from Group A has already disappeared but the Dutch probably need wins against Kazakhstan and Czech Republic just to get a play-off berth – and perhaps a last shot at tournament glory for the likes of Robben, Robin van Persie and Wesley Sneijder. And what’s worse, Robben is injured at the moment – so will have to learn his fate from the sidelines...

No hope of an automatic spot, but Scotland can sneak a play-off berth if results elsewhere go their way. A first tournament appearance since 1998 would be some achievement, especially as it would allow man of the moment Naismith to grace a wider stage.

The coming man of European football can yet propel Turkey to next summer’s tournament, although a play-off spot in Group A is the only remaining route. Four points from matches against Czech Republic and Iceland – both of whom have already qualified – will fend off the Dutch and allow Calhanoglu another opportunity to take his set-piece mastery to an international tournament.

Slightly better placed than Scotland, Martin O’Neill’s side essentially need to match Scotland’s result against Poland when they play them a few days later to clinch a play-off spot. An automatic berth remains a possibility, but would probably entail beating both Poland and Germany in quick succession.

Another qualification process, another potential disappointment for Ibrahimovic? Denied by Ronaldo and Portugal for the World Cup, Sweden could clinch automatic qualification or be dumped out entirely by the end of this international break. At 34, surely this is his last shot at Euros glory – having failed to get out of the groups on his two prior appearances, he will surely be eager to have one last crack at things.

Deducted a point at the start of qualification, Croatia nevertheless enter the final round of games with a good chance of either overhauling Norway for second or finishing the best of the third-placed teams and qualifying automatically anyway. That would be great news for Modric – although the pressure will be on him and the team to match the feats of the national side last time they played in France, when Davor Suker, Robert Jarni and the rest came third at the 1998 World Cup.

Norway start the week in an automatic spot, but Croatia look poised to overhaul them unless they can deliver a memorable result against Italy. For Odegaard the potential rewards are high – if he plays in France he will become the youngest ever Euros player (beating Netherland’s Jetro Willems) and, should he score at some point, will nab that crown too.

Denmark probably need to beat Portugal (in Lisbon) if the greatest striker that has ever lived is to grace the Euros. The tournament would be all the poorer without him (and Christian Eriksen, of course).

Having entered the conversation over the best striker in the world due to his form in recent weeks, Lewandowski will not want to miss a major tournament. Beat Scotland and/or Ireland and he should get his wish, giving Poland the chance to improve upon 2012 - when they want out in the group stage as co-hosts.

England have nabbed top spot and there’s nothing Switzerland can do about that, although they know that four points from their final games will guarantee Stoke’s finest is also in attendance next summer.

The third-best placed of the Home Nations heading into the final two games, Lafferty’s goals have put Michael O’Neill’s side two points away from a first tournament appearance in 1986. Greece (h) and Finland (a) await.

As we all know by now, the world’s most expensive player will reach his first major international tournament as long as Wales get a point against either Bosnia or Andorra.

Behind Wales at the start of the week, they nevertheless need just two points (and one of their matches is with Andorra) to also be sure of reaching the finals.

The holders have Slovakia (!) snapping at their heels, but only need a point from games against Luxembourg and Ukraine to book their place. It may be a final swansong for the likes of Iniesta and Iker Casillas as they look to bury the ghost of 2014 – and a chance for the new guard (David de Gea, Juan Bernat, Paco Alcacer) to pick up the torch.

After a shaky start to qualifying, only an unlikely confluence of results will prevent the World Cup hosts from missing out on the Euros. Having missed Brazil through injury, Marco Reus will be more motivated than most to secure his spot in France next summer. Neutral fans would love to see him strut his stuff on such a stage.

Top of the group but not there yet, Italy should book their progress this week. The tournament will surely be a key focus for Chiellini, who has endured a few near misses after forcing his way into the Azzurri's senior squad soon after their last major success, at the 2006 World Cup.

A draw against Denmark will ensure Portugal qualify from Group I, avoiding the play-off drama that had to cope with for the World Cup. Ronaldo would appreciate that - he reached the Euros final as a 19-year-old but, 31 next summer, he will feel his international chances are slowing running out. Clearly not fit for the World Cup, he will want a better preparation this time around.

Roy Hodgson’s men have already picked out their tournament base for next summer – the benefits of qualifying with time to spare. Now if only they could learn to be so efficient at the tournaments themselves...

Some pundits reckon Alaba might just be the most complete all-round player in the world. He will now get to show that next summer, where Austria – propelled by the Bayern Munich man to the top of Group G without losing a game – could be ones to watch.

Saved the torture of qualification in their role as hosts, Pogba et al have been able to relax and focus on building something in friendlies. Barring injuries all their young stars will be there and favourites to go a long way in the competition – just as their predecessors of 1998 did.