The countdown towards the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship is on and the continent’s heaviest hitters are making their final preparations ahead of their assault for honours in Germany this summer.
24 teams will descend on Germany to compete for glory in the month-long tournament between June and July in what promises to be a mouthwatering festival of football in Europe.
The last edition of the Euros in 2020 was won in dramatic fashion by Italy when the Azzurri edged out England on their own patch via penalty kicks at Wembley Stadium.
Both the Italians and the Three Lions will expect to be in the reckoning in the latter stages again four years on, though competition on German soil promises to be stiff and at least half a dozen teams will have designs on lifting the famous Henri Delaunay trophy.
This summer’s tournament is also expected to be a hugely popular event in betting communities with bookmakers and UEFA Euro betting sites offering extensive markets and odds for the 2024 iteration of the Euros.
Below, we’ve taken a closer look at the teams that have been priced as favourites to enjoy continental glory in Germany this summer.
Euro 2024 favourites: Can England break trophy hoodoo?
Beaten in the final of Euro 2020 in their homeland and in the quarter-finals of World Cup 2022 in Qatar, England have been on the cusp of getting their hands on silverware for nearly half a decade.
Their eight-year-long project under Gareth Southgate finally looks like it’s ready to bear fruit and equipped with one of the most talented squads at the tournament, the 10/3 favourites will be expected to produce.
The Three Lions’ ranks can boast superstars like Man City trio Kyle Walker, John Stones and Phil Foden alongside prolific Bayern Munich frontman Harry Kane and starlets Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) and Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), however, England have a habit of coming up short when it comes to the crunch.
A dearth of ball-playing midfielders has often been their undoing against more technically assured opponents, however, the emergence of silky Manchester United youngster Kobbie Mainoo could add a fresh dimension to England’s central play.
Could a first tournament win since their solitary 1966 World Cup success finally be in the works?
Can Mbappe fire France to glory?
Ousted by Argentina and Lionel Messi in the final of the last World Cup, France will be itching to go one better at Euro 2024 and there is enough star quality in Les Bleus’ squad to collect a first European Championship trophy since their triumph with Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry in 2000.
In Kylian Mbappe, who became only the second-ever player to score a hattrick in a World Cup Final in December, France will have arguably the best individual on their side in Germany and the 25-year-old could be the trump card.
Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Theo Hernandez, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni have the physical and tactical traits to provide a rock-solid base for France to build on, while the mercurial Antoine Griezmann, who has been flirting with the idea of retiring from international football after the Euros, is still a potential match-winner at the age of 33.
France have been priced as second favourites at 7/2 to claim the spoils in Germany.
Germany to harness home advantage?
The host nation hasn’t managed to win the European Championship since France achieved the feat all the way back in 1984, however, Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany will be pushing to buck that trend 40 years later.
Appointed in September 2023, Nagelsmann will have presided over just eight games as Germany managed by the time the Euros roll around, though the razor-sharp tactician has already made a positive impact with Die Mannschaft.
Indeed, Germany looked expertly drilled and supremely confident when they beat France 2-0 in a recent international friendly test in Lyon, with youngsters Jamal Musiala (21), Florian Wirtz (20) and Kai Havertz (24) all catching the eye.
Alleviated from the pressure of being pre-tournament favourites, Germany might be a dark horse worth watching this summer and their 13/2 price to win is an attractive mark.
Portugal’s path to the knockouts looks clear
Roberto Martínez ‘s Portugal are priced down the reckoning at a meaty 8/1 to win Euro 2024, though a winnable-looking group and a roster densely packed with top-level performers could propel them deep into the tournament.
Martinez managed to mastermind wins in each of his first 11 games at the helm for Portugal and with momentum to burn, the Seleção should have little trouble in Group F where they will expect to dominate ahead of Turkey, Czech Republic and one of Georgia or Greece.
With Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva the standout names, there are no discernible weaknesses in the Portuguese team, so expect the 2016 winners to be in the mix again.
The published material expresses the position of the author, which may not coincide with the opinion of the editor.