With Germany serving as the lone host nation for this edition of Euro 2024, the event is drawing near. It also promises to be one of the largest of its type.
The forthcoming tournament will be the 17th European Championship. The two most successful teams in its history, Spain and Germany, have won the title three times each.
Italy won the previous tournament in 2021 after a thrilling penalty shootout victory over England. It was the Italians’ second European Championship. Yet, it was the first to feature in an odd-numbered year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, the European Championship returns to its regular schedule.
With so many European powerhouses vying for glory at this year’s event, it is sure to be epic. With the group stage draw out of the way, certain heavyweights’ paths to the final and the rest of the schedule may be better predicted.
We knew the group stage setups following the December draw, and we knew which three countries needed to qualify once the playoffs ended in March. June is quickly approaching, and fans are looking to the odds to see which country will take home the trophy.
When asked who they think would win Euro 2024, certain nations stand out. One of those is England, which has never won the European Championship. With a solid roster with star players like Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Phil Foden, the Three Lions are ready to challenge for the title.
English fans have every cause to be optimistic about this year’s team. Everyone can see why the Three Lions are heavy favorites to win the trophy in the final on July 14; this is perhaps one of the best teams the country has ever fielded. But history is rarely on their side, and the only time they have come near the gold was at Euro 2020 when it lost to Italy in the Final.
Who are the favorites to win Euro 2024
But other heavyweights pose a serious threat. Germany and France are in close pursuit. With their storied histories and excellent lineups, these teams are sure bets to win the European championship.
First and foremost, there is plenty of incredible talent on France’s roster. Kylian Mbappe leads a France team bursting at the seams with quality from every position. He will have offensive support from Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud.
In the middle of the field, Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni provide stability and imagination. The names Jules Kounde, Theo Hernandez, William Saliba and Mike Maignan in goal are players whom everyone would be familiar with.
Up next, those who wager still have Germany pegged as another favorite despite fielding one of the most unimpressive teams in recent memory. However, it is mostly attributable to the fact that Euro 2024 will be hosted in Germany.
Unfortunately, Die Mannschaft’s recent tournament results have not helped their reputation: they were eliminated in the group stage of the last two World Cups and lost to England at Euro 2020.
While playing in front of home fans might make all the difference, it’s not like they’re short on skill either; they have some of the world’s top players in Ilkay Gundogan, Leroy Sane, Joshua Kimmich, and Jamal Musiala. Manager Julian Nagelsmann is a top-notch coach, despite his youth.
Could darkhorses surprise everyone?
The presence of Cristiano Ronaldo increases the level of competition since his Portugal side has the talent and experience to contend for the crown. Truthfully, they didn’t get the toughest group. However, their captain hasn’t featured in a high-level competitive match since the most recent World Cup. Thus, this year, many could have their reservations about the 39-year-old’s abilities.
Meanwhile, Spain has been unaffected in qualification by the absence of a true striker since the days of Fernando Torres and David Villa. However, this can end up hurting a La Roja team that is going through a transition. Because of his lack of senior-level expertise, the new boss Luis de la Fuente may struggle in games that call for more brutal weaponry.
Not only do Italy return after their successful Euro 2020 campaign, but so do Belgium and the Netherlands. All of them pose serious threats because of their energetic play. There are several underdogs who, beyond the favorites, are waiting in the wings to shock the field and prove everyone wrong.
When competing on a global scale, both Croatia and Denmark have shown that they can hold their own. Among the teams that deserve attention are Turkey, Serbia, and Switzerland. Other teams like Austria, Hungary, and Poland also want to go far in the event. Those curious as to who will win Euro 2024 can watch the total coverage of the competition’s TV schedule on Fubo this summer.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
