With Euro 2020 approaching ever closer, talk has naturally turned to who the favourites are to win the competition.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on June 11 and finish exactly a month later on July 11.
Turkey and Italy will kick off the group stage at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
There’s a host of usual names currently at the front of the tournament winner market, including France, Spain and Germany.
It’s England, however, who are favourites to win Euro 2020 with most bookmakers. Gareth Southgate’s men are in a group with Croatia, Scotland and Czech Republic.
The full list of odds, via Oddschecker, and can be found here.
Let’s look in greater detail at who the main favourites are:
England
Lowest odds: 49/10 (Vbet)
The bookies clearly believe that Gareth Southgate’s men can finally deliver a trophy to the country for the first time in 55 years.
England will go into Euro 2020 with perhaps their strongest squad, certainly in terms of overall depth, for several tournaments.
Their route to the latter stages, however, isn’t exactly straightforward. Should Southgate’s side progress from Group F as either winners or runners-up, they could face one of Spain, Portugal, France or Germany in the round of 16.
But how apt would it be if England were to win the trophy at Wembley, the same ground that hosted that historic 1966 World Cup triumph? We can all hope.
France
Lowest odds: 5/1 (Various)
The 2018 World Cup winners come into Euro 2020 with an excellent chance of winning their second trophy in three years.
Kylian Mbappe‘s game has gone to another level since his defining displays in Russia. The likes of Antoine Griezmann, N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba will all play vital roles, whilst Raphael Varane marshals the defence.
It would be a surprise were France not to be fighting it out in the latter stages of Euro 2020.
Belgium
Lowest odds: 5/1 (Various)
Roberto Martinez’s side currently top the FIFA world rankings at the time of writing and will surely provide a strong threat at Euro 2020.
In what is a golden era for football in Belgium, this current team will be desperate to cap off their legacy with an international trophy.
They will however be concerned about the ongoing fitness issues that captain Eden Hazard has endured this season.
Any team that features the Real Madrid star, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne and Dries Mertens in attacking areas is likely to be some force.
Spain
Lowest odds: 6/1 (Various)
Spain may not quite be able to produce the domineering displays of the previous World Cup-winning generation on as consistent a basis, but they are still one of the most threatening teams in Europe.
Luis Enrique’s side has experience in abundance. Captain Sergio Ramos was part of the squad that won three consecutive international trophies between 2008 and 2012. Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and David de Gea have all appeared at several major tournaments.
Their group consists of Poland, Sweden and Slovakia. With the group winners taking on one of the third-placed finishers in the round of 16, Spain will fancy their changes of going far in the tournament.
Germany
Lowest odds: 7/1 (Various)
Could Joachim Low’s crowning glory as Germany manager be the delivery of yet another major tournament trophy?
Their recent results suggest that could be a tough task.
After a shock exit in the group stages of the 2018 World Cup, Germany have spent much of the last three years trying to rebuild.
Low’s men failed to win a game during the inaugural Nations League, and lost 6-0 to Spain last November during its second staging.
But there is no doubting that there are still plenty of players with immense talent. In Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane, they possess two of the most influential wide attackers in European football. Toni Kroos still helps to dictate play from midfield.
The ‘group of death’ involving themselves, France and Portugal will be a challenging one, but progression would give them a boost in confidence for the latter stages.
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