The UEFA European Championship sees some of the best international football sides face off against each other in an intense month of exhilarating sporting events. The goal is a coveted trophy that only becomes available again after another four years. Of course, that means there is a lot at stake.
Bragging rights are on the line again. National teams and players' reputations are also at stake for another 4+ years. For legendary talents like Toni Kroos or Cristiano Ronaldo, it's their last chance to etch their names in the history of the quadrennial continental showpiece. Of course, both players already made their marks for their country.
But this could just be a fairy tale exit should host Germany or 2016 champions Portugal clinch gold at EURO 2024. While Germany and Portugal are favorites to emerge champions in this year's competition, there are also other top contenders for the highest honor in European international football.
This article by Aladár Kollár, an expert guest author on sporting events round the world and top tipster at MightyTips, presents an expert analysis of which teams are favorites to win the European Championship, plus their winning odds. You'll also find a look-in at the groups to see whether there are any groups of death alongside the entire tournament's schedule.
Group Analysis of the UEFA Euro 2024. Is There a Group of Death?
Without considering the group standings, most European football fans and pundits won't expect Italy to repeat their EURO 2020 feat by clinching two consecutive gold medals this summer. However, Gli Azzurri is in a significantly strong group in this year's EUROS, being pitted alongside Spain, Croatia, and Albania in Group B, unanimously called the "Group of Death" by pundits worldwide.
Now, here's how deadly this group is. Spain, former world champions and joint-highest holders of the continental title (three, alongside Germany) are still a formidable side with Nacho, Carvajal, Joselu, Alvaro Morata, and Rodri strongly beefing up their lineups.
Croatia are 2018 World Cup runners-up and 10th best team globally based on FIFA rankings, with midfield maestro Luka Modric leading the line for the national team in his 5th EURO appearance. Meanwhile, Albania has proven to be a durable side already in the tournament, scoring the fastest goal in the tournament's history - although less favorite to go further than many teams in the competition.
UEFA Euro 2024 Winner Odds: The Favorites Analyzed
Next, we'll talk about a detailed analysis of the teams that are considered favorites to win the trophy based on bookmakers' odds, past performances, strength of squad and other factors. And MightyTips experts will give you tips on the upcoming Euro 2024 games.
Besides being the joint most successful side in the international tournament's history, Germany are the host and therefore have some home advantage. Spain is already showing top class by thrashing Croatia 3-0 in their first match at the competition while England has all to play for with Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and other teammates dubbed "tactically more educated” than England's Golden Generation of about two decades ago.
Speaking to TNT Sports about the English side led by Gareth Southgate into the Euros, former Three Lions midfielder, Joe Cole reportedly said, “I think what sets these boys out is that tactically they’re better than we were because they’ve been educated in a better system, in a better way of playing. I think that’s going to be the difference.”
No doubt, Frenchman Kylian Mbappe has the Ballon d'Or within reach after winning Globe Soccer's Best Player of the Year Award (Europe edition) recently if he clinches gold with Les Bleus in this year's tournament. Lastly, EURO 2016 champions, Portugal, are similarly favorites to win the trophy with Ronaldo leading the line in what appears to be the last EURO appearance for the 39-year-old.
Here's a rundown of the best winning odds of participating countries to lift the trophy at the European championship.
England +275
The EURO 2020 finalists will no doubt still be haunted by their side's unfortunate loss to Italy in a dramatic penalty shootout on home soil the last time out. Although the senior English soccer team has had poor form in international tournaments over the years, there is hope that things could work in their favor this year.
Jude Bellingham has quickly risen to become a top Ballon d'Or contender, while Harry Kane has never stopped pouring in tons of goals for country and club. Phil Foden boasts a tactical strength that is on the rise with Man City while Bukayo Saka has unarguably been at the forefront of Arsenal's recent improvements.
According to our experts at MightyTips, the Three Lions have the best odds (+275) of winning the competition, thanks to a qualitative lineup that has recorded significant successes at the 2018 Mundial and the 2021 Euros.
France +350
While the 2018 World Cup winners and 2022 World Cup finalists managed to edge England in the last FIFA World Cup held in Qatar, they looked less dangerous on the night. That possibly informed our experts to place France behind England as the second-best favorite to win the competition at +350. That said, Didier Deschamps and his star-studded side would not surprise too many if they go on to win the tournament.
Portugal +750
Few teams have as much squad depth as Portugal's slew of talented players. The Seleção das Quinas have a world-class squad that includes pros like Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Diogo Jota, Joao Felix, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Cancelo, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Meanwhile, they also have much-touted young talents like Goncalo Ramos and Rafael Leao - all under the managerial purview of Roberto Martinez, a maestro at what he does. Little wonder Portugal has earned winning odds of +750, the third best in this review from our experts at MightyTips.
Germany
Germany already has some home advantage that sees them enter the tournament as a favorite. However, that doesn't shade the fact that the Die Mannschaft has been in poor form leading up to this year's tournament. Hopefully, the German DFB possibly made an excellent choice by putting manager Julian Nagelsmann at the helm of the team's affair last year, with the EURO 2024 only months away.
Thankfully, Nagelsmann's side have big names like Kai Havertz, Florian Wirtz, Ilkay Gundogan, Jamal Musiala, and Joshua Kimmich already showing their worth after an impressive 5-1 thrashing over Scotland in the tournament's opener.
It'll be illogical to disregard five-time World Cup winners and three-time European gold medalists in his year's showdown. Our experts at MightyTips rank Germany slightly below Portugal but put them as the fourth-most favorite side to go all the way at EURO 2024.
Spain +800
2010 World Cup winners and the joint-most successful side in the Euros, Spain, are no doubt favorites to thump other competitors this summer. Coach Luis de la Fuente and his host of top talents, including young talents like Lamine Yamal, have all to play for in 2024 and are undoubtedly one of the favourites in the Euro 2024 tournament.
The Rest
Italy, led by former Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti, will be hoping to reproduce their 2020 feat by winning this coveted tournament again. However, their recent dip in form, best described in their failure to qualify for the FIFA Mundial at Qatar, would see them as surprising consecutive winners if they go all the way in Germany this summer.
Other teams with notable chances of winning include Croatia, Netherlands and Belgium. Iceland, Albania, and North Macedonia come into the tournament as underdogs and could pull surprising upsets somewhere along the competition. It'll be exciting to see what they could spring up this summer.
Euro 2024 Schedule
Euro 2024 kicked off on Friday, 14th June, with Germany and Scotland facing off in what turned out to be a mouthwatering clash and befitting opener for the hosts. Here's what the rest of the tournament's schedule looks like, from the group stage through the knockout phases to the final berth.
|
Stage |
Date |
|
Group Stages |
14th to 26th of June |
|
Round of 16 |
29th of June to 2nd of July |
|
Quarter Finals |
5th to 6th of July |
|
Semi-Finals |
9th to 10th of July |
|
Final |
July 14 |
Conclusion
“In my opinion, it’s a more difficult tournament than the World Cup,” says Kylian Mbappe when talking about the Euros. Of course, Messi (and many other pundits, players, and fans) disagrees with him.
But whether or not Mbappe’s claims are anything to come by, all roads lead to the final berth in Berlin, holding exactly one month after the opening ceremony. According to our experts' UEFA Euro 2024 odds, England and France have the best chances of emerging tournament winners in the 2024 European Championship.
Whatever the final results turn out to be, with respect to the latest odds, what's clear is that the performances at this year's tournament has a big chance of influencing who comes closest to the top prizes at the 2024 Ballon D’or awards ceremony.
