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With Euro 2024 kicking off this week, we’re sizing up the field. Here’s how we think all 24 teams stack up heading into the competition.
1. France ??
Odds to win tournament: +400
Each of the proverbial Euro 2024 contenders is flawed in some way. That’s one of the many reasons this competition should be so thrilling. It also makes it difficult to predict. When in doubt, a sensible approach, based on recent tournaments, is to trust France. Les Bleus, who’ve appeared in the last two World Cup finals, boast the best player, winning pedigree, and a bevy of rising stars. It’s an ideal blend. France, almost inconceivably, hasn’t won the Euros in 24 years. This is a prime opportunity to end that drought. – Gianluca Nesci
2. England ?gbeng
Odds to win tournament: +350
England boasts La Liga’s Most Valuable Player (Jude Bellingham), the Premier League Player of the Season (Phil Foden), and the runaway winner of the Bundesliga’s top scorer prize (Harry Kane). Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are other supremely talented starters in the attack and midfield. One concern is the defense, half of which is battling fitness issues while the other half lacks big-game experience on the international stage. And then there’s Gareth Southgate, whose tactics and substitutions seem to always raise questions. – Daniel Rouse
3. Portugal ??
Odds to win tournament: +650
Portugal will like its chances of progressing out of the group stage and will have its sights set on a deep run in Germany. The 2016 champion breezed through qualifying – finishing with a perfect record in 10 games, scoring 36 goals and conceding only two. It benefitted from a favorable group draw and has an enticing route to the semifinals if it tops Group F. Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, and Bruno Fernandes could help Cristiano Ronaldo end what will likely be his last Euros on a high note. – Gordon Brunt
4. Germany ??
Odds to win tournament: +500
Germany was everyone’s favorite banter team in 2023. After a shock group stage exit at the 2022 World Cup, misery continued the following year with consecutive losses to Poland, Colombia, and Japan. However, after creeping into laughingstock territory, Germany has rebounded to a point where few would dare write off Julian Nagelsmann’s attack-minded outfit on home soil. Germany is still loaded with the type of talent capable of winning the country’s first major trophy in a decade. – Brunt
5. Spain ??
Odds to win tournament: +700
Spain has the pure talent to finish first in Group B. Despite the tough quartet, on paper, Spain is better than Italy, Croatia, and – obviously – Albania. But, if the country’s poor 2022 World Cup campaign and struggles at the start of 2023 are anything to go by, a straightforward path out of the group is anything but a guarantee. It was only after a shocking loss to Scotland that something appeared to click for Luis de la Fuente’s squad, as it went on to win the Nations League and now enters the tournament in fine form. – Brunt
6. Belgium ??
Odds to win tournament: +1500
The big names who remain in the squad – Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Jan Vertonghen, and Yannick Carrasco – are past their peak. The absence of Thibaut Courtois despite his triumphant return from injury with Real Madrid is a huge miss and fuels talk of continued difficulties in the relationship between the goalkeeper and Belgium boss Domenico Tedesco. But the fact that there’s less expectation than in recent tournaments might actually work in Belgium’s favor. – Rouse
7. Netherlands ??
Odds to win tournament: +1500
Had this conversation happened 72 hours ago, the Netherlands likely would’ve been sitting a couple places prettier. But, since Monday, Ronald Koeman has seen star midfielder Frenkie de Jong lose his race against time to be fit for the tournament, while Teun Koopmeiners was also ruled out through injury. There’s still plenty of skill at Koeman’s disposal, and a pair of 4-0 wins in the team’s tuneup matches has generated positivity, but the ever-growing absentee list does put a damper on things. – Nesci
8. Croatia ??
Odds to win tournament: +3000
No one can argue against Croatia’s recent pedigree as a World Cup threat. The country historically overachieves on the biggest stage, but when it comes to the Euros, Luka Modric and Co. have routinely struggled to replicate the same levels of success. Just qualifying for Euro 2024 was a challenge. But, despite getting a difficult group draw, Zlatko Dalic’s steely veteran squad remains a significant obstacle for any team. – Brunt
9. Italy ??
Odds to win tournament: +1200
The reigning champion finds itself in a weird place. Italy is in transition, trying to carve out a new identity with a different coach and leadership core than the ones who lifted the trophy three years ago. Luciano Spalletti, coaxed out of his sabbatical, has rebuilt the backline, retooled the midfield, and changed the attacking shape. One thing remains the same, though: Italy has question marks over the No. 9 position. The volatile Azzurri are equally capable of getting bounced in the group stage or making a deep run. – Nesci
10. Austria ??
Odds to win tournament: +6600
Despite being one of the most intriguing teams not considered a tournament favorite – dare we call them dark horses – the Austrians will need some luck to finish ahead of France or the Netherlands. Of course, advancing as a third-place finisher is certainly in play. While there may not be many household names on the roster – especially with David Alaba missing through injury – Austria enters the tournament on an eight-game unbeaten run under Ralf Rangnick, whose high-pressing system suits this squad. – Brunt
11. Denmark ??
Odds to win tournament: +4000
Denmark will rely on nearly all the familiar faces that got the team within inches of the Euro 2020 final under extraordinary circumstances. That’s a blessing and a curse; cohesion is key to success, but some of the stalwarts like Christian Eriksen and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg arrive after subpar club seasons. Manager Kasper Hjulmand has been tinkering with his formations and lineups for the better part of the last year, but he does have the luxury of an emerging young striker to lean on in the form of Rasmus Hojlund. – Nesci
12. Hungary ??
Odds to win tournament: +9000
Anyone sleeping on Hungary does so at the risk of looking foolish. While short on star names, Marco Rossi’s side managed to top its qualifying group with a team headlined by Liverpool playmaker Dominik Szoboszlai, who scored four goals to help punch the country’s ticket to Germany. Additionally, Barnabas Varga will be a threat in front of goal, while the speedy Roland Sallai offers Hungary another solid option in attack. – Brunt
13. Switzerland ??
Odds to win tournament: +6000
Switzerland arrives in Germany trending in the wrong direction. The Swiss have just two wins in their last 11 matches, and those came against Estonia and Andorra. Yann Sommer, Manuel Akanji, and Granit Xhaka – the spine of the side – are all coming off outstanding seasons at club level, but the lack of a legitimate scoring threat up front blunts the team’s chances of doing any real damage. Xherdan Shaqiri’s powers are fading and there isn’t a clear successor. – Nesci
14. Serbia ??
Odds to win tournament: +8000
While other teams worry about where the goals will come from, attack is the least of Serbia’s concerns. With Dusan Vlahovic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Luka Jovic, the Serbians can fill the net and trouble superior teams. Following through on that promise has been a struggle, though. Can this team keep its cool and deliver when it counts? Midfielders Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, 29, and Dusan Tadic, 35, will act as the glue as Serbia aims for positive results against Denmark and Slovenia in Group C. – Brunt
15. Turkey ??
Odds to win tournament: +6000
Things can only get better for Turkey in 2024 after its miserable outing at Euro 2020. Turkey was sent packing after losing all three group games and scoring just once. In Germany, Turkey should benefit from a kind draw. Hakan Calhanoglu’s form this past season should help fuel belief over a Turkish revival, as the midfielder was immense for Serie A winners Inter Milan and will be at the heart of Turkey’s game plan. – Brunt
16. Ukraine ??
Odds to win tournament: +8000
Euro 2024 will provide an opportunity to shift the focus in Ukraine – for a brief moment, at least. The Ukrainians will feature in their first major tournament since Russia invaded in February 2022. Despite the hardships at home, Ukraine remains a strong side capable of finishing behind Belgium in its group. With positive results against Slovakia and Romania, Ukraine could qualify as one of the lucky second-place teams that face another runner-up in the round of 16. – Brunt
17. Scotland ?gbsct
Odds to win tournament: +10000
If the Euros were contested last year, Scotland would’ve liked its chances to emerge from its group. Confidence was high in the summer of 2023 after Steve Clarke’s squad opened qualifying with shock wins over Spain and Erling Haaland’s Norway. However, a sputtering end to qualifying and a pair of exhibition losses have brought Scotland and the Tartan Army back down to earth. Scotland has a history of disappearing when under the spotlight, but a berth in the knockouts isn’t totally out of the question. – Brunt
18. Poland ??
Odds to win tournament: +15000
Poland always seems to be one of the favorite dark horses whenever it’s a Euro or World Cup year. But the bets rarely pay off, and this won’t be any different. It’s difficult to envision a way out of the group stage for this aging squad, especially with Robert Lewandowski sidelined for at least the opening match. Injuries to fellow strikers Arkadiusz Milik and Karol Swiderski have left the team scrambling up front. Group games against France, the Netherlands, and Austria present a massive challenge. – Brunt
19. Czechia ??
Odds to win tournament: +20000
Despite almost two decades of trying to rebuild the program, Czechia is no closer to glory than it was after Pavel Nedved, Jan Koller, and Milan Baros retired. Patrik Schick shined at Euro 2020 as the joint-top scorer alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, but the overall shallow talent pool mainly comprises players who ply their trade at home in the Czech First League. This could be an opportunity for some unheralded players to make a name for themselves. – Brunt
20. Romania ??
Odds to win tournament: +22500
There could be a few surprises after Group D gets going. In arguably the tournament’s weakest quartet, Romania will like its chances of reaching the Euro knockout rounds for the first time since 2000. The Romanians aren’t expected to generate a ton of goals, but scoring against Edward Iordanescu’s squad won’t be easy. With Andrei Ratiu and Radu Dragusin forming a solid pairing at the back, Romania should at least be able to cause difficulties for Ukraine and Slovakia, while hoping for a miracle against Belgium. – Brunt
21. Slovenia ??
Odds to win tournament: +30000
Slovenia could turn some heads in Germany. Euro 2024 will be the nation’s first major tournament since 2010 after an impressive qualifying campaign. But, despite boasting 21-year-old sensation Benjamin Sesko, who’s poised to introduce himself to the wider football world, there’s a worrying lack of top players compared to Group C rivals England, Serbia, and Denmark. – Brunt
22. Slovakia ??
Odds to win tournament: +35000
Slovakia will compete in its first tournament since star playmaker Marek Hamsik hung up his boots for good. The spark in Slovakia’s attack may have dimmed, but the leadership remains rock solid with captain Milan Skriniar at the back. The 29-year-old PSG defender will be a focal point for a Slovakia backline that’s going to be regularly tested in Group E. Even though the group draw was somewhat favorable, Slovakia lacks the depth and quality to get out of the opening round. – Brunt
23. Albania ??
Odds to win tournament: +50000
The group stage draw perhaps denied Albania the dark horse tag – it’ll struggle to emerge from a quartet with Spain, Croatia, and Italy – but it should be a favorite among hipsters. Two cult heroes from South America take over a struggling, obscure European national team, demand passion, pick players from left field, and reverse fortunes. It’s up to head coach Sylvinho and his assistant, Pablo Zabaleta, to ensure this is more than an enticing premise. – Rouse
24. Georgia ??
Odds to win tournament: +50000
There’s plenty of talk about smaller nations potentially pulling off an upset or two at the Euros. That won’t be the case for Georgia. Sure, the nation can count on one of the world’s best wingers, but the drop-off in talent after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is so steep that Georgia won’t have much of a chance of upsetting Turkey and Czechia, let alone star-studded Portugal. If anything, Georgia should use this as a springboard for growth and savor every moment of its first major tournament. – Brunt
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