In around seven weeks, this amazing club season will end. Come June 1st, Wembley will be buzzing with excitement as the Champions League final unfolds, featuring either PSG or Dortmund against Bayern Munich or Real Madrid – it’s bound to be an epic showdown to cap off the season. Throughout this season, BetKing has truly lived up to its reputation as thebest betting site in Nigeria, offering the best odds on all online sports betting markets, including virtual sports.
But hey, the excitement doesn’t end there! July 1st might mark the end of the season, but things only get better from there. Just a couple of weeks later, on June 14th to be precise, EURO 2024 kicks off in Germany, with the hosts facing off against Scotland, and you can bet BetKing will once again bring you unbeatable odds for this tournament.
So, with all that in mind, let’s dive into the six teams you should definitely monitor ahead of the summer tournament.
Our Picks:
- France @4.50
- England @4.25
- Portugal @9.00
- Germany @6.75
- Spain @8.75
- Croatia @40.00
France: Can Mbappe Deliver A EURO Championship Like Zidane Did in 2000?
Over the last 6 years, France has arguably been the best football team on the planet. They clinched the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and came close to defending their title in Qatar four years later, falling just short in a penalty shootout. World Cups seem to be their thing now, however, there’s one prestigious trophy that has slipped through their grasp in recent years – the European Championship. Since Zinedine Zidane delivered what is arguably the best individual performance in that tournament’s history in 2000, they have simply failed to get their hands on it. Back in 2016, they came very close on home soil when they faced Portugal in the final. Cristiano Ronaldo was taken off early due to an injury which swung momentum France’s way. Yet, Portugal dug deep and pulled off a stunning upset, thanks to Eder’s 109th minute goal in extra-time.
If the qualifying round for this year’s tournament is any indication, France is definitely a team to watch out for. Despite the international retirement of French legends like Raphaël Varane and Hugo Lloris, and the absence of key players like Presnel Kimpembe, Paul Pogba, and N’Golo Kanté due to injuries or bans, they still boast a core of players that most nations would envy.
With talents like Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann, William Saliba, Eduardo Camavinga, and Theo Hernández, they possess some of the best players in the world, ensuring their dominance will continue for some time. In the qualifiers, they won 7 games and drew 1 out of 8, scoring 29 goals while conceding just 3. Newly appointed captain Kylian Mbappé set the tone from the start, scoring 9 goals, and providing 5 assists in those 8 games. His outstanding form has also propelled PSG to the final of the French Cup, the semi-final of the Champions League, and the top of Ligue 1. Remarkably, he leads the scoring charts in all three tournaments.
With Mbappé in top form and fully fit, France remains the heavy favourite for this tournament, and our bet of the day is for them to lift the title.
England: Will Football “Come Home”?
England manager Gareth Southgate will have a severe headache ahead of the EUROs, but it’s the good type of headache – the type any coach would want. The talent pool at his disposal is arguably the best the country has seen.
Take the right-back position, for instance. With players like Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reece James, Kieran Trippier, Ben White, and now Ezri Konsa vying for a spot, competition is fierce.
On the right side of attack, the options are just as impressive, with Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Jarod Bowen all in exceptional form.
As for the attack, skipper Harry Kane’s place in the starting lineup is undisputed, but even he must keep an eye on the red-hot Ollie Watkins, who is nipping at his heels.
In what many expect to be Gareth Southgate’s last tournament in charge of the Three Lions, the expectations are high. Under Southgate’s leadership, England has shed the mediocrity that plagued them in tournaments past. He guided them to a World Cup semi-final, their joint-furthest since their historic win in 1966.
In the last EUROs, they reached the final, but narrowly missed out on the title. Luke Shaw’s early goal gave them hope against Italy, but Leonardo Bonucci equalised for the Azzurri, who eventually clinched victory on penalties.
Many believe that this current group of players is even stronger than it was in EURO 2020. Alongside Portugal, Romania, Hungary, France, and Belgium, England is one of six teams to remain unbeaten in the qualifiers. It’ll be intriguing to see if they can surpass their last performance. Oh, and did I mention they have Ballon d’Or candidate Jude Bellingham, who could still lead Real Madrid to a LaLiga and Champions League double in his debut season?
Germany: Can The Hosts End Their 8-Years of Mediocrity?
The past eight years haven’t been the best for fans of the German national team. Despite their dominant victory in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which included a memorable 7-1 thrashing of host nation Brazil, Germany’s subsequent performances in major tournaments have been disappointing. They crashed out of the next two World Cups in the group stage, managing just two wins in six games and conceding nine goals.
Their EUROs record has been better, but by a slim margin. After reaching the semi-finals in 2012 and 2016, they were eliminated in the Round of 16 in EURO 2020, winning only one game and conceding seven goals in four matches.
When Joachim Löw stepped down in 2021 after a 15-year tenure, hopes were high with the appointment of Hansi Flick, who had previously served as an assistant during the 2014 World Cup triumph and won a treble with Bayern Munich. However, Flick couldn’t reverse their fortunes and was dismissed after their embarrassing 2022 World Cup exit.
That said, there’s a glimmer of hope with the appointment of Julian Nagelsmann. Known for his innovative approach and willingness to embrace change, Nagelsmann wasted no time in reshaping the German team, focusing on two of their most promising young attacking talents – Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz. This bold move has already shown promise, with Germany winning three out of their six games under Nagelsmann’s leadership, and drawing one. Additionally, Nagelsmann successfully persuaded veteran midfielder Toni Kroos to come out of retirement, and the Real Madrid midfielder made an instant impact with an assist on his return.
Despite not playing in competitive matches since their exit from the Qatar World Cup, Germany has had 13 friendlies to fine-tune their strategy. With Nagelsmann at the helm, there’s renewed optimism for a much-needed overhaul. Moreover, the advantage of playing on home soil could be a game-changer, as history shows that every time Germany has hosted a major men’s tournament, a semi-final appearance is a guarantee, including the 1974 World Cup which they lifted.
Portugal: Will Cristiano Ronaldo Win His Second EURO?
Portugal’s last tournament appearance wasn’t exactly a disaster, but it wasn’t pretty either. In the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, team captain Cristiano Ronaldo had done a Piers Morgan interview to – how do we put this nicely – Days later, both club and player decided to mutually part ways, effectively terminating his contract. The primary source of Ronaldo’s unhappiness was his lack of playing time and in Portugal, he felt this wouldn’t be an issue. Or so he thought. After an unimpressive few games in the group stage, Ronaldo lost his starting spot. While Portugal put up solid performances with and without Ronaldo on the pitch, they eventually bowed out in the quarter-final.to the Morocco national football team.
Since then, Portugal has parted ways with long term Head Coach, Fernando Santos who had led them to EURO glory in 2016, and replaced him with Roberto Martinez. While Martinez’s appointment raised some eyebrows initially, he has proven to be effective. Under his leadership, Portugal achieved remarkable success in the qualifiers, being the only country to maintain a perfect record, winning all 10 of their games, scoring 36 goals, and conceding just twice. Martinez also successfully reintegrated Cristiano Ronaldo into the starting lineup, and the Al-Nassr forward rewarded the trust placed in him with 10 goals during the qualifiers.
Much like England, Portugal boasts its strongest talent pool ever, with exciting players such as Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes who led the qualifiers in assists (7), Rúben Dias, João Cancelo, João Palhinha, Diogo Jota, and Rafael Leão, complemented by the veteran leadership of Ronaldo, Pepe, and João Mário. With such an exciting squad, Portugal will surely fancy their chances of lifting the title once again.
Spain: Can Spain’s Revival Under Luis de la Fuente Continue?
Ever had an extremely busy day and took a cup of coffee to get you through the day? The energy boost can get you to achieve more than you could ever imagine. But then comes the dreaded caffeine crash: irritability, extreme tiredness, and an inability to concentrate. We’ve all experienced that feeling. Perhaps it’s not a perfect analogy, but it’s a fitting way to describe the last 15 years of football for the Spanish national team. La Roja dominated football in the late 2000s and early 2010s, clinching two EUROs and a FIFA World Cup. This dominance extended to their clubs, with Barcelona winning two trebles, Real Madrid claiming four Champions League titles, and Atletico Madrid and Sevilla each winning three Europa League titles. Spanish football was at its pinnacle. Then came the crash. A group stage exit in the 2014 World Cup was followed by Round of 16 exits in 2018 and 2022. While their EURO performances weren’t as dismal, with a Round of 16 exit in 2016 and a semi-final exit in 2020, change was needed.
Spain took a more conservative approach with their managerial hire by appointing Luis de la Fuente. While he may not be a household name for casual fans, the Spanish Football Federation believed he was the right fit for the team’s next phase. From 2013 to 2021, De la Fuente had managed the Spanish U19, U21, and U23 squads, securing victories in the U19 EUROs (2015), U21 EUROs (2019), and an Olympic silver medal with the U23 squad. His transition to the senior team has already shown promise, notably with their Nations League victory in 2023. Although Spain may not boast the flashy style of play that characterised their dominance a decade ago, they are quietly rebuilding. During the qualifiers, they won seven out of eight games, netting 25 goals. With world-class players like Rodri leading the way and exciting talents such as Alex Grimaldo and Lamine Yamal in the mix, Spain will back their ability to hold their own against any opponent.
Croatia: Will Luka Modrić Finally Win An International Trophy?
Heading into the EUROs, there are several countries with better odds than Croatia. The defending champions, Italy, are sitting at 15.00, while Belgium, led by the top scorer in the qualifiers, Romelu Lukaku, also stands at 15.00. Meanwhile, The Netherlands, boasting a top defense featuring Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Aké, Denzel Dumfries, and Micky van de Ven, are priced at 16.00. However, we can’t overlook Croatia, especially considering Luka Modrić has hinted that this tournament could mark his swansong.
At FIFA tournaments, Croatia’s golden generation consistently brings their A-game and then some. They impressed as runners-up to France in 2018 and secured a third-place finish in 2022. Not bad for a country with a population of just 3.9million people. However, their success at the EUROs hasn’t matched their FIFA tournament performances.
Their best EUROs performance was a quarter-final appearance in 2008, and they exited the last two editions in the Round of 16. Despite that, there’s reason for optimism. They finished second in their qualifiers behind Türkiye by just one point, with a notable excuse being their deep run in the UEFA Nations League, where they reached the final.
This accomplishment is commendable for a team with a limited talent pool. Given Croatia’s knack for overachieving on the international stage, they’re a team that should never be underestimated. At 40.00, this is an excellent value for money for members of our online betting community.
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