Euro 2024: Who Are the Frontrunners and Contenders?
The anticipation for Euro 2024 is growing and as the tournament edges closer, discourse is rife with speculation over which teams hold the real potential to lift the coveted trophy. While there are several dark horses and fan favourites, some nations consistently emerge as frontrunners.
The tournament gets underway on June 10th when hosts Germany face off against Scotland - a team that impressed greatly in qualifying - inside Munich's Allianz Stadium. Over the next month, 24 teams will be whittled down to just one European Champion. But who are the favourites to lift the coveted trophy on July 10th in Berlin? Let's take a look.
France
After winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, France has continued to showcase just how formidable they are on the grandest stage. Under the stewardship of Didier Deschamps, they've managed to maintain a consistency that has seen them reach back-to-back World Cup finals.
The bookies have stood up and taken notice, and as they prepare to their new customer offers for Euro 2024 with their free bets no deposit required, they have duly made the French the favourites. Paddy Power for example are providing 50 free spins without deposit for new customers, and they have priced Les Bleus at 4/1 for glory. But their performances on the continental stage have been somewhat less impressive than those on the global one, as demonstrated by their early exit at the most recent European Championships three years ago.
Following their run to the World Cup final in Qatar back in 2022 - a match-up they would ultimately lose to Lionel Messi's Argentina after two hours plus of spell-binding action - Les Bleus continued to flex their muscles. They comfortably topped their qualifying group, winning all but one game including home and away victories against the Netherlands.
Upfront, the ever-dangerous duo of Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé have consistently delivered key goals, often when it matters most, and they shine brightest when the pressure is on, as demonstrated by the latter's hat trick in that defeat to the La Albiceleste in Lusail.
England
It has been decades since the English went all the way and lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966. However, following their impressive run to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the final of the postponed Euro 2020 three years later, they have to be considered a genuine contender once again.
Under Gareth Southgate's leadership, the Three Lions have been performing at a level that they haven't seen in a long time. Even their golden generation couldn't make it past the quarter-finals, something that the current crop has done not once, but twice. Admittedly back in Qatar, that last-eight heartache reared its head once more with a shocking defeat to eventual finalists France but optimism is still high at the Home of Football.
They too topped their qualifying group, and it was a group that looked like it might have been tricky with match-ups against reigning champions Italy and Ukraine. But Southgate's men defeated the Azzurri both home and away - with their victory in Italy being their first since 1961 - to seal the top spot and their status as a frontrunner.
Harry Kane enjoys a formidable reputation as one of the best goal-scorers in the world and he has been in blistering form since his move to Bayern Munich last summer. He is flanked by the likes of Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden, who can create and finish chances with equal aplomb.
England's main strength is undoubtedly their attacking prowess. They possess a squad capable of scoring from a myriad of situations. Yet, their defence has been known to be the team's Achilles heel on occasion. Southgate will need to find a balance that allows his players to express their attacking talents while ensuring they remain solid at the back.
