Euro 2024 favourites: Best odds on nation to win European Championships in Germany
The Euro 2024 favourites are becoming clearer with each passing international break, with the tournament in Germany quickly approaching.
Of course, there's inevitably talk of football potentially come home (again), but a whole host of nations other than England will fancy their chances on the European stage in June and July.
Italy are the current holders after defeating England on penalties at Wembley in Euro 2020, but after missing out on World Cup 2022, their stock has dramatically fallen. Plenty of big hitters are still fancied to do in the business at the European Championships, however, with FourFourTwo running down the favourites to win Euro 2024.
Euro 2024 favourites to win odds (Betfair)
1. France - 9/2
Very nearly World Cup winners for the second successive time in 2022, France are hurting and looking for revenge. With quality all over the pitch, Kylian Mbappe is the icing on top of the cake when it comes to an exceptional side.
A feared entity, France are just as capable of smashing seven past an ailing side as they are shutting up shop during a ground-out 1-0 win. They don't care - as long as they get the job done.
Les Bleus have been one of the dominant forces in world football for the best part of a decade, too, and will be confident of heading deep into the tournament once more. A penalty shootout exit to Switzerland at Euro 2020 proves they're fallible, however, while a serious case of infighting hasn't affected the squad for a number of tournaments now...
Watch out Europe - anything can happen.
2. England - 4/1
An England side containing Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, arguably three of the best players in the world right now, should certainly be competing for glory in Germany. They're also looking to avenge Euro 2020 defeat and falling short in Qatar and Russia, too. England, undoubtedly, are a powerful force nearly ready to sweep through Europe.
But worries still persist. Is Gareth Southgate good enough to win an international tournament? Can Harry Maguire partner John Stones at centre-back? Is the team strong enough mentally to deal with the pressure? All will be answered in due course, we're sure, though they might not calm any nerves heading into the tournament.
3. Germany - 6/1
The quality of the Germany squad is an intriguing one: on the face of it, they're a team interspersed with talent from across Europe, but in the moments that have really mattered in recent years, they've struggled to match the occasion.
Failing to escape the group stages at World Cup 2022 was certainly a low moment, but with Julian Nagelsmann now in charge, Germany could prove a nation transformed ahead of their home tournament. With the fans backing them as well, Die Mannschaft could get propelled to the trophy through sheer momentum and spirit alone.
Plus, Ilkay Gundogan, Leroy Sane and Joshua Kimmich are all some of the best players in their position on a given day, and have the ability to hurt opposition sides at any given moment.
4. Spain - 7/1
Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Spain are tipped to challenge for glory at Euro 2024. While the squad contains some exciting talent, such as Gavi, Pedri and Lamine Yamal, there's a dearth of true quality among the ranks. Aside from Rodri, it's difficult to pick out a player who would compete for a spot in the three aforementioned sides.
Indeed, Alvaro Morata is the most experienced player in the Spain squad with 68 caps, while there are certainly concerns over the ability of Luis de la Fuente and his managerial acumen. This inexperience is highlighted through the reliance of Ferran Torres, the most important player in Spain's attack despite struggling to start for Barcelona.
Recent performances in qualifying truly indicate where Spain are in terms of their international standing, and yet the bookmakers still back them to achieve plenty in Germany.
5. Portugal - 10/1
When you've got the top goalscorer in men's international football in history among your ranks, there's always a chance of going all the way. Sure, Cristiano Ronaldo might be getting on a bit, but at 38 he still seems as raring as ever to fight for every single accolade possible.
The Euro 2016 winners are certainly a strong side, too, with the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Joao Felix all featuring in a very strong squad. Whether they're coherent enough as a team is another question, though, while the jury's still out on whether Roberto Martinez is good enough to lead Portugal to only their second international trophy in history.
Netherlands: 12/1
Italy: 12/1
Belgium: 12/1
Denmark: 25/1
Croatia: 25/1
As England took on Australia last week, FFT looked at the XI that the Three Lions put out in 2003 against the Socceroos and where they are 20 years later. One fan attended the friendly on Friday after falling "neck-deep" into a canal.
