Every major tournament, England fans seem to think that the Three Lions are going to walk away with a trophy, but it’s only happened once, in the 1966 World Cup.
However, things are different this time around, and heading into the Euro 2024 tournament, England have been priced as the favourites with the bookies, with many feeling it’s theirs to lose.
So, why are we backing England to win their first European Championship this summer? Let’s take you through it.
England are the favourites for Euro 2024
As noted, England are the favourites with the bookies to win this summer’s Euros, with odds of 7/2. They’re just ahead of France (4/1), tournament hosts Germany (11/2) and Portugal (7/1).
Harry Kane is also in the running to win the Golden Boot, as is Jude Bellingham, with the Real Madrid midfielder also one of the favourites to be crowned Euro 2024 Player of the Tournament come mid-July.
Why are England the favourites for Euro 2024?
So why are the bookies backing England so heavily this summer? Well, a lot of it has to do with the two men we just mentioned.
Kane and Bellingham are coming off the back of incredible seasons with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid respectively, and if England are to get anything out of their Euro 2024 campaign, they’ll be relying on their star men.
But the good thing about England this summer is that Gareth Southgate has a lot more talent at his disposal than just Bellingham and Kane, with Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold, all of whom are game-winners in their own right, gunning for starting spots in this summer’s tournament. He’s also got incredible defensive solidity too, with Declan Rice, Kyle Walker and John Stones all shoe-ins to start the first game against Serbia on June 16.
Foden is coming off the back of a campaign in which he was named Premier League Player of the Season, and the Man City man will be hoping to carry his incredible club form into the Euros this summer.
The one issue Southgate may have for England is finding a way to fit all of his talented players in. Some believe that Walker will be picked ahead of Alexander-Arnold, whilst the working theory is Foden will have to play out on the left rather than through the middle. The Englishman has played his best football and delivered his best returns this season centrally, but he may have to play out wide during to Bellingham’s favoured role being as a ten.
There are far worse issues for Southgate to have though than having several world class players at his disposal. England have game-winners in their starting XI and on the bench, which is why the bookies fancy them to win Euro 2024 over the likes of France, Germany and Spain.
There’s still a lot of football to be played, and anything can happen in knockout football, but fans of the Three Lions can be quite excited about England’s chances at Euro 2024.
You can check out bwin’s extensive, in-depth guide to Euro 2024, providing fans with all the vital information they need ahead of this summer’s tournament.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication.
