EURO 2024: Who will win the tournament?

• Euro 2024 is set to begin in a few weeks and Italy will head into the competition as the defending champions.
• We’ve looked at the teams with the best chances of winning as managers start to choose their final selections for the EURO 2024.

Euro 2024 is set to begin in a few weeks and Italy will head into the competition as the defending champions. But will the Azzurri be able to make history by winning the title three years in a row?

We’ve looked at the teams with the best chances of winning as managers start to choose their final selections for the EURO 2024.

Portugal

Portugal made it ten wins in ten matches in the 2024 European Championship qualifiers after a 2-0 win over Iceland at Estadio Jose Alvalade. Photo/ ESPN.

Despite having a stellar record under Roberto Martinez, Portugal is not being considered a serious contender for the championship. The former Belgium manager has won 91.67% of his games in charge while steering Portugal to 10 victories out of 10 in the qualification round, scoring 36 goals along the way.

Following his season-long run of 48 goals in 47 games for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Cristiano Ronaldo is set to lead the line once again. The 39-year-old now holds the record for scoring goals in international football. This summer, he has the opportunity to break both records after being the first player to appear and score at five European Championships in 2021.

Diogo Costa topped the statistics for assists (6), Bruno Fernandes led qualifying with eight, while Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva completed a treble with Manchester City in the previous year.

Rafael Leao adds x-factor in the wide positions, while Vitinha has made a strong case for a regular place with his stellar PSG season.

Germany

The host country is Germany, and even if the three-time champions have had difficulty lately, a German squad in a domestic competition is not to be disregarded.

The German media is starting to leak information about Julian Nagelsmann’s team, which includes both up-and-coming players and seasoned players like Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, and Thomas Muller.

The two most intriguing players of the new generation are Florian Wirtz, who has been instrumental in Bayer Leverkusen’s record season, and Jamal Musiala.

After being talked out of his international retirement, Toni Kroos has also returned and will be included in the lineup with Real Madrid colleague Antonio Rudiger.

Spain

Spain celebrate beating Scotland. Photo/Eurosport

Despite not being as good as their renowned 2008–2012 generation, when La Roja won three straight major championships, Spanish football is still very talented under Luis de la Fuente’s leadership.

Although captain Alvaro Morata of Atletico Madrid has enjoyed the joint-best season of his career with 20 goals in all competitions, Spain’s lack of a prolific forward may be a handicap to their chances of success.

The Spanish midfield remains their strongest point, even without Gavi and Pedri, since the young players from Barcelona are expected to miss the competition due to injuries. Alongside the Manchester City metronome, Rodri will serve as the engine room’s anchor. Other choices are Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, and Fabian Ruiz.

Lamine Yamal is a player to watch. He made his debut in September with a goal, making history as Spain’s youngest player and goalscorer at 16 years and 57 days.

England

England will be a favourite in the EURO 2024. Photo/Eurosport

Though the Three Lions have seldom had such strong support for victory, England has entered important tournaments from strong positions in the past.

Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, two of European football’s most important players in their rookie seasons at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, respectively, will captain Gareth Southgate’s star-studded team.

The side has a wealth of tournament football experience, with Phil Foden and Declan Rice emerging as standouts in the Premier League season. Under Southgate, the Three Lions have recently come close, finishing second in the Euro 2020 and as semi-finalists in the 2018 World Cup.

France

France will begin Euro 2024 as a top contender this summer after finishing second in the World Cup in Qatar.

Strong talent surrounds Les Bleus, who will be led by Kylian Mbappe. The club’s all-time top scorer has made his choice to leave PSG, and he plans to enjoy his triumph on the international scene prior to his impending transfer to Real Madrid.

Mbappe will go to Spain to join Ferland Mendy, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Eduardo Camavinga, all of whom have the potential to be included in the French squad. Didier Deschamps will try to become one of just two men to win the European Championship as both a player and coach, after Berti Vogts. Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud will offer seasoned backing in attack.