The next European Football Championship, to be played between June 11th and July 11th, 2021, promises excellent football and very exciting and unpredictable games.
Perhaps for this reason, the predictions for the favorite team are being much debated among commentators, experts and football lovers themselves. Who will really be the strongest European team right now?
As this was a shorter European season, but with a very high volume of games, and some news that could make things different – like the possible creation of the Super League (read more).
The euro 2020 bookmakers themselves, with special offers, have results that can be surprising. A proof of this is that, instead of France being the favorites, it ends up being the English team that is at the forefront of this theoretical favoritism.
Just so you can get a better idea, the current European champion, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portuguese team, is only being placed in sixth place in favoritism, behind the following teams:
- England
- France
- Belgium
- Spain
- Germany.
But why is this happening? According to the reality and value of all of them, is this positioning also correct?
What is the reason why England is considered the favorites?
As a team that hasn’t won major titles for several decades, it might even sound strange that bookmakers are putting England ahead of France, the current world champions, for example.
The main reason this is happening, however, is that England will have the privilege of playing at home if they manage to reach the semi-finals and final of the 2020/2021 Euro Cup, as it is confirmed that Wembley Stadium, in London, will be the host of the last games of the championship.
In addition to this factor that could be important, England ended up being one of the best teams in the most recent men’s World Cup. And their young talents are among the most coveted across Europe.
Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho are singled out as two of the greatest talents in the world of football and could end up contributing a lot to the England team’s potential success.
Which National Teams also have good chances of winning?
First, it is important to highlight that, in addition to being European champion, Portugal won the UEFA League of Nations 2018/2019, so Cristiano Ronaldo’s team always seems to be in the running, even though it is not the favorite team to win these competitions.
In addition, teams such as Germany and Belgium have managed to prove that their renewal has paid off, and it is impossible to deny the impact that both could end up having in this edition of the Euro Cup.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the French team is the current world champion and, thus, many fans cannot understand why England are placed as the main contenders for the title.
It should be noted that the French team came close to winning the 2016 Euro Cup, having been runner-up. At the 2018 World Cup, which was held in Russia, they managed to win the title with even relative ease, proving that they are the strongest team in the world. But will that happen in this European Championship? We certainly don’t know.
Which could be the biggest surprises of this Euro 2020?
Another team that has been placed as a possible champion is Spain, and we can say that this would be a big surprise.
Despite being a world champion, the current team in Spain does not have as many strong names as in other times. But of course we can’t ignore that “La Furia” can surprise and who knows how to go further in the competition than many imagine.
In addition, we also have Netherlands, which did very well in the last Nations League, losing the final to Portugal. The great highlight of the team goes to Memphis Depay, which has been improving its game more and more.
Unfortunately we won’t see great defender Virgil Van Djik in action as he is still recovering from a serious injury. Either way, the Netherlands may surprise and, who knows, reach the final.
Which teams you should keep an eye on
In addition to the big favorites for the title, there are also those national teams that will be looking to simply do their best in the competition. But many of them are worth following.
Scotland, for example, played very well in the qualifiers for the Euro and will certainly try to do their best. One of the highlights of this team is the left-back Andy Robertson, from Liverpool, who has shown great football not only in the Reds but also for his country.
Wales could also surprise – just as they did at Euro 2016 – with their star Gareth Bale finally looking to get back to his best form since returning to Totten ham.
And then there’s Poland, with incredible striker Robert Lewandowski.
Although they don’t fight for titles, these are some countries you should keep an eye on.
Conclusion
Although it is not yet possible to define who will actually be the winner of the competition, one thing we can say: Euro 2020 will provide many amazing games.
The excitement is guaranteed, with many teams wanting to improve their performance – or maintain the good performance of recent competitions. And there are still those who want to try to surprise the greats and make history.
In a few days, all this emotion will begin and we will be able to follow who will become the new European Champion. What are your guesses?