Having waited a year longer than expected for the European Championships to take place, football fans across the continent are hardly able to contain themselves. Any summer tournament always grabs the attention of supporters, but after a longer wait than usual, this will be a poignant and indeed much needed competition for supporters everywhere to savour, particularly with it being the first ever Euros to take place across the entire continent.
However, winning is ultimately what every fan and player alike is really in it for, so which country will lift the trophy?
With Europe representing a hotbed of footballing nations, there are always plenty of challengers to the throne. The likes of Italy, France, Germany and Spain have enjoyed phenomenal success in both the Euros and the World Cup over the years, but there is always scope for a shock, too. After all, not too many expected Portugal to lift the trophy last time around, and even fewer foresaw Greece being crowned champions back in 2004. Could there be another dark horse winner this time around?
Here at BettingPro we are incredibly excited for one of the most entertaining tournaments in the football calendar, and you can rest assured that we are keeping fully up to date with all of the betting odds and offers as well as news relating to the competition, which you can find on our main Euro 2020 page. In the meantime, however, let us guide you through an in-depth look at the odds for each of the main contenders to be crowned Euro 2020 champions.
France @ 5/1
The reigning World Cup champions will not only be hoping to add to their trophy cabinet here; they’ll be expecting to. Having lost in the final of Euro 2016 to Portugal on home turf, Les Bleus will no doubt feel they have unfinished business in this competition after bouncing back to win the World Cup in 2018. The year’s delay may actually have proven to be helpful for manager Didier Deschamps, too, as key players such as Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele have remained healthier and displayed better form for their clubs this season compared to last.
Moreover, Deschamps’ relationship with Karim Benzema appears to be on the mend after the Real Madrid striker was announced in his 26-man squad. Olivier Giroud does a good job for the team, but he infamously failed to even register a shot on target in the entirety of France’s triumphant World Cup 2018 campaign. The Chelsea had previously been Deschamps’ best option as a target man, so the only real weakness in his squad may have evaporated via the inclusion of Benzema.
Les Blues’ strength in depth in every position is unquestionable, particularly in defence, where they are generally resolute. What’s more, they arguably possess the most talented player in the tournament in Kylian Mbappe; three years after he lit up the World Cup as a teenager in Russia, he’ll surely be even more deadly this time around. As such, it’s no surprise to see them ranked as short as 5/1, and they’d be a worthy bet for anyone willing back the favourites.
England @ 11/2
Like France, England may prove to benefit from Euro 2020 moving back a year, with Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford heading into this summer fit and firing rather than potentially injured as was the case in 2020. Prodigious young talents such as Phil Foden and Mason Mount have also since established themselves as top-class European footballers, having both been key cogs in terms of helping Manchester City and Chelsea respectively reach this season’s Champions League final. Gareth Southgate has also proven during his spell as manager that he can harness a harmonious atmosphere within the dressing room.
However, England don’t have a stand-out goalkeeper, lack quality depth in the centre of their defence and midfield, and they also carry the added burden of a 55-year wait to lift a major international trophy. This is an undoubtedly strong Three Lions side, though, with Kane as good as any number nine in world football and the likes of Foden, Mount, Rashford, Raheem Sterling and Jack Grealish all capable of creatively supporting him in front of a decent defensive unit.
Moreover, with the semi-finals and the final set to be played at Wembley Stadium, England would have home advantage should they make the latter stages, which they have only had on their side once since winning the World Cup in 1966. Will football finally come home at Wembley this summer? At odds of 11/2, the bookmakers appear to think that it just might.
Belgium @ 6/1
Belgium have never won the World Cup or the European Championships, but they have rarely had a team this good. Indeed, this is their so-called ‘Golden Generation,’ some of whom may never have another chance to end their careers as part of the first Belgian side to win a major trophy. They have come so close yet so far in recent major tournaments, surprisingly losing to Wales in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 before narrowly being pipped by France in the semi-finals of World Cup 2018.
Eden Hazard has failed to rediscover the form and fitness from his glorious years at Chelsea since moving to Real Madrid in 2019, but he isn’t the only star in Roberto Martinez’s squad. In Kevin De Bruyne they have arguably the best attacking central midfielder in the world right now, while Romelu Lukaku can be relied upon to hit the back of the net as the country’s leading all-time goalscorer. Both players have recently played leading roles in reclaiming domestic titles at Manchester City and Inter Milan respectively, so they are sure to be full of confidence, too.
Having not dropped a point in qualifying and remained top of FIFA’s world rankings, Belgium will go into the tournament on the crest of a wave, but can they finally make their promise count on the big stage? At 6/1, they represent a more than worthy alternative to favourites France.
Spain @ 8/1
Another team with a proud recent history in major competitions is Spain, but they were embarrassed during their performance at the World Cup in Russia in 2018. Having jmarginally scraped through a group which included Portugal, Iran and Morocco, La Furia Roja were knocked out by hosts Russia on penalties in the second round. They had certainly not been helped by their managerial situation, with Julen Lopetegui leaving for a doomed spell at Real Madrid on the eve of the tournament, plunging former Spain captain Fernando Hierro in at the deep end at the last moment.
Now, however, the side are more settled under former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique. Under Enrique’s tutelage, Spain have enjoyed some very good moments so far, most notably comfortable wins over the likes of Croatia, Ukraine and Germany. However, there have been slip-ups, too, including a defeat to England and disappointing draws with Greece, Sweden and Norway.
This squad may not have the same gravitas as the one which remarkably won Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012, but there’s still serious quality there and no side would relish being a goal down against their traditionally strong possession style, which could prove crucial after a congested season. 8/1 does seem a little short, though, for a nation potentially between cycles of success.
Germany @ 9/1
As World Cup winners in 2014, Germany will have been devastated to have crashed out of the resulting tournament in the group stages after defeats to Mexico and South Korea. Joachim Low may have kept his job, albeit this will be his final tournament in charge, but there have been several changes to the way Die Mannschaft operate in the meantime. Overall, there’s a feeling that the team aren’t quite back to their best just yet, with a poor display in the Nations League indicating that German football is still in transition at the moment.
Joshua Kimmich, Kai Havertz and Timo Werner represent a new generation of stars, but Low will have to strike a balance and ensure that the likes of Manuel Neuer, Toni Kroos and Ilkay Gundogan provide some much needed experience. Thomas Muller has finally been recalled to the squad after a fine season with Bayern Munich to do exactly that, which should provide a major boost to their chances.
There’s no doubting that German teams of the past have had the perfect mentality going into major tournaments, but they definitely appeared to lack that in Russia. It seems likely that they will have to wait to add to their enviable trophy cabinet, but it’s always hard to discount the Germans, especially at odds of 9/1.
Portugal @ 9/1
Despite only winning one match in normal time at Euro 2016, Portugal are the holders of this competition. Jose Fonte, Pepe, Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Moutinho were all key players back then and are still a big part of this squad, but their squad has seen plenty of transition following that success in France, with the likes of Manchester City’s Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva, Liverpool’s Diogo Jota and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Andre Silva all now integrated and expected to help their nation achieve further success.
In Dias and Andre Silva, Fernando Santos arguably has two players who can go some way to fixing Portugal’s major issues of recent years in terms of possessing quality central defenders and central strikers. Ronaldo is now 36-year-old and while he continues to score goals for fun both for club and country, he can no longer be expected to carry that burden alone, with Silva and Jota representing worthy foils to the legendary forward.
Portugal’s squad is packed with a tremendous blend of experience and youth, but more importantly they possess genuine quality all over the pitch, making them very interesting dark horses – if they can indeed still be considered that – at odds of 9/1.
Italy @ 12/1
Italy were embarrassed by failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in a very long time three years ago, with former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini drafted in to repair his country’s reputation. The experience of players like Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci gives this Azzurri side a rather traditional defensive look, but Mancini has sought to bring more flair and entertainment to the attacking ranks, with the likes of Federico Chiesa, Marco Verratti and Nicolo Barella capable of providing that alongside the archetypal Italian dark arts.
Although Mancini has overseen something of an improvement in results and performances, it’s fair to say that this is still a rather disjointed Italian outfit. As such, Euro 2020 is likely to provide a much-needed platform for future success rather than a realistic opportunity of lifting the trophy. Given the country’s history of success in major competitions, though, it’s tough to rule them out completely, especially with the likes of Ciro Immobile and Andrea Belotti more than capable of grabbing a goal to settle a tight game. However, they’re probably right to be considered relative outsiders at 12/1.
Netherlands @ 14/1
Much like the Italians, Dutch football appeared to be suffering from a serious crisis in confidence having failed to qualify for the last World Cup. However, after appointing Ronald Koeman as manager, De Oranje progressed from a tough group in the UEFA Nations League to eventually finish as runners-up, while they also progressed through a potentially tricky European Championships qualifying group with relative ease. Moreover, since failing to qualify for the last two tournaments, some real starlets have emerged from the famous Dutch production line, most notably Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt.
Koeman has since departed for Barcelona, though, with Frank de Boer replacing him in the dugout, while Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk will not take part in the Euros due to the season-ending ACL injury he sustained against Everton last year, further compounding the weak spots and a lack of strength in depth which exists in de Boer’s squad. Memphis Depay has progressed into a much more rounded attacking player than he was during his time at Manchester United, with the likes of Daley Blind and Georginio Wijnaldum providing invaluable experience, but it’d be a surprise to see them or the Italians progress to the semi-finals, with odds of 14/1 for the Netherlands reflecting that.
The Dark Horses
Although odds of 28/1 may suggest that Croatia have little chance of success in this tournament, it would be churlish to rule them out given their performance when finishing as runners-up at the World Cup two years ago. However, star man Luka Modric is unlikely to have the same influence as he did when winning the Golden Ball award for best player of that tournament, with the Real Madrid midfielder reaching the closing stages of his career.
Denmark‘s odds have significantly shortened to 33/1 in recent times, perhaps because they are one of the few nations set to benefit from playing all three group games on home turf. The Danes are extremely solid in defence, too, while possessing genuine quality in midfield in the shape of Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Thomas Delaney.
Turkey (66/1) have been on the rise again in recent years and have a strong record at major tournaments having reached the semi-finals of the World Cup and Euros in 2002 and 2008 respectively, while Poland (80/1) will receive plenty of attention given that they have one of the world’s finest strikers in Robert Lewandowski leading the line for them.
Could Wales upset the odds once again? Ryan Giggs will certainly need Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey firing on all cylinders to stand a chance of following in his predecessor Chris Coleman’s footsteps, with odds of 200/1 reflecting their status as rank outsiders. Scotland, meanwhile, are competing in their first major tournament since 1998, and they are unsurprisingly as big as 300/1.
Selections
Overall, it seems hard to envisage another Greece occurring this year, with some of the aforementioned top nations surely possessing too much quality for one of them not to be crowned champions at Wembley on the 11th of July.
It is worth remembering that all nations can be backed each-way, with the vast majority of bookmakers paying out at half of the advertised odds should your selection lose in the final.
Last time around that would have meant winners in the shape of finalists Portugal and France, who lead the way again. Les Blues look more than worthy favourites, particularly if Benzema does reclaim his place in Deschamps’ starting XI, while A Selecao could be an excellent selection indeed at 9/1 as they look to retain their trophy.