Euro 2016 hosts France are 21/20 to win the tournament inside 90 minutes against Portugal and 9/20 to lift the trophy by any means possible – cramped odds fully justified by the fates of past hosts of major international tournaments to reach finals on home soil.
Across the history of the World Cup, European Championships, Copa America and Africa Cup of Nations, the side staging the show has gone on to reach a one-off, winner-takes-all decider as part of a knockout stage on 24 occasions.
Starting when Ethiopia beat the United Arab Republic (Egypt continued to use the name of its short-lived political union with Syria until 1971 even though it dissolved a decade earlier) in Addis Abba in 1962, just three host nations that had reached the final of one of the four competitions mentioned failed to lift the trophy.
The home country hold an unbeaten record across World Cup finals (four) and Copa America deciders (three), while just three of 13 to reach an AFCoN trophy match have disappointed their supporters.
Coincidentally, none other than Portugal, France’s adversaries in Paris, are the only side ever to lose a Euros final in their own backyard (2004).
Les Bleus have had no such problems when reaching tournament deciders on home turf, having landed the 1998 World Cup and been crowned champions of Europe in 1984 as hosts.
However, the name of the nation that puts on the competition almost always ending up on the trophy doesn’t reflect an easy passage for them in the finale.
Of 21 to manage the feat, eight required more than the standard 90 minutes to do so, with four needing penalty kicks, three winning in extra time and one, Italy at Euro 1968, resolving matters after a replay.
The Euro 2016 final is 11/5 to require an additional half an hour and 17/4 to go to a penalty shootout.
