Football fans amongst us are counting down the days to the curtain raiser for Euro 2024. This summer’s tournament, being hosted in Germany, is one we’re hoping to be a thriller. But who’s going to win it? Now, whoever your money is going on, you can get cracking odds on Euro 2024 winners at betpandacasiono.io UK. But before you do that, maybe you want to hear a bit more about the chances of some of the favourites.
England
As an English person, I have a love/hate relationship with the fact that England sits amongst the favourites for Euro 2024.
Because, you know, it’s the hope that kills you and I’m still traumatised by that penalty from Gareth Southgate in 1996.
So seeing us up there amongst the favourites is bittersweet.
Part of me just wants low expectations.
But Opta’s statistics rank England as the likeliest team to win it (19.9% chance of victory). A penalty shootout was the only thing that stopped England getting their hands on the trophy in 2021 in that final against Italy. But fast forward to 2024 and there’s something of a new look to the England team with familiar faces like Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford dropped for the tournament.
Many will argue that Southgate is making bold moves here – dropping players who, despite their experience have failed to impress over the season.
Do we have the players with the ability to win? I’d argue yet. But we all know it only takes one penalty shootout to dash those dreams.
Opta may fancy England to win the tournament Our Sporting Life’s writers reckon we might just fall a touch short.
Our Prediction for England: Semi finals defeat.
France
The Opta stats which name England as favourites list France as second favourites (very closely behind) with a 19.1% chance of winning it.
Opta’s super computer showed France as having a 30% chance of making the final. And with France having knocked England out of the 2022 world cup, this is a team that many will be hoping to avoid in the knockout stages.
Our Prediction for France: Unanimously, our writers are tipping France for the tournament win.
Germany
Third in the Opta supercomputer’s predictions is Germany, the host nation. There is, however, a considerable gap in Opta’s predicted likelihood of tournament victory between France and Germany.
England was given a 19.8% chance and France a 19.1% chance.
Germany lags behind with a 12.4%. But – who knows what the power of being the host nation can do?
And let’s not forget that Germany should be widely tipped to win its group comfortably (with Scotland, Switzerland and Hungary the other group contenders). A successful group stage run could see them sprint into the knockout stages full of confidence.
But make no mistake. It has been a turbulent decade for Germany. After a 2014 World Cup win, there’s been a lot of tournament disappointment. They had a poor World Cup campaign last time out in Qatar and since then have lot 6 friendlies. So they do not enter the tournament in the best of form.
Our Prediction: Not unanimous at all here, but I expect Germany to bow out at the semi final stage.
Let’s Talk About Scotland
All eyes on Scott McTominay – the Manchester United midfielder could be a key player for Scotland.
Not one of Opta’s favourites of course but we can’t close this piece without talk about the other home nation in the tournament – Scotland.
Possibly controversial, but as an English person I would absolutely love to see Scotland have a good tournament run.
Opta’s super computer rates Scotland as the likeliest in the group to finish 4th and they give the team just a 58.9% chance of making the final 16. Opta reckons there’s just a 1% chance of Scotland lifting the trophy.
So what do we think?
Well we’re optimistic that the Scots will surprise the statisticians and will make it out of the group. So we’re predicting that they’ll bow out in the final 16.
Whatever happens…
We’re hopeful for a tournament of surprises, exciting games and nail biting tension. Let’s get ready for Euro 2024.
