Euro 2020 – Previewing the Contenders
It might be kicking off 12 months later than first scheduled, but the excitement surrounding Euro 2020 has not dwindled. Unlike previous years, the tournament will be hosted across the continent rather than by a single nation, with the final to be played at Wembley, London.
England and France go into Euro 2020 as favourites, however there are some dark horses in reigning champions Portugal and a resurging Netherlands that can’t be ruled out. Throw in traditional heavyweights Germany, Spain and Italy, with a pinch of Belgian ballers, and you have all the ingredients for a cracking Euro 2020.
We drop the knowledge on the contenders and best bets below.
England ($5.50)
The 12-month delay of the tournament is probably a blessing for England. Up front, they are stacked with talent. Statistically, captain Harry Kane just had his best Premier League season ever and precocious talents Phil Foden and Jack Grealish have taken their games to another level. Kane and Foden are once-in-a-generation players that England are blessed to boast in the same team, while Mason Mount and Declan Rice are quality young talents who will likely sit in behind Kane and Foden in midfield.
Why They Can
It does feel like the stars are aligning for England. This is arguably the strongest England squad at a big tournament since the Germany World Cup in 2006. They possess an embarrassment of attacking riches, including arguably the best striker in the world in captain Harry Kane. They’ll also play a home final at Wembley, should they make it.
Why They Can’t
Question marks hover over the goalkeeper and centre-half positions. The incumbent Jordan Pickford will likely get the nod from manager Gareth Southgate due to his big tournament experience between the sticks, however, he does have a mistake in him and there are far better goalkeepers at this tournament. Harry Maguire and John Stones both had fantastic Premier League seasons, but whether they’ve got enough quality to form a tournament-winning central defence is another question. Maguire also goes into the tournament with an injury cloud hovering over him, as does the Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.
Verdict
A concern with this squad is that Southgate is a conservative man managing an England team whose attack is so obviously their greatest strength. They were punished by Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semi-final when they decided to sit on a 1-0 lead instead of going for the kill. Centre-half Harry Maguire recently reflected on that game that England were more scared of conceding a goal than they were of driving to score another. Hopefully, for the sake of England fans, they’ve learnt from their past failings.
Their attacking threat is unquestioned, and they should go close. England are often burdened in big tournaments with over-expectation compounded with modest squads. This time it is not the case – anything short of making the final should be considered a failure.
Best Bet: Harry Kane top goalscorer ($7)
Belgium ($7.00)
This feels like a watershed, ‘now or never’ moment for Belgium – the last chance for this golden generation of talent to finally get over the line and win a tournament. In years gone by, they haven’t turned up when it’s mattered, particularly under former manager Marc Wilmots. But they were admirable in their semi-final defeat to France at Russia 2018, where they were arguably the better side under Wilmot’s successor, Roberto Martinez.
They go into this tournament with some players in the twilight of their careers, particularly in defence, with Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Thomas Vermaelen all in their 30s. They’re still stacked though, especially in attack and midfield.
Why They Can
Belgium possess one of the most lethal front threes at the tournament in Romelu Lukaku, Dries Mertens and Eden Hazard. Hazard hasn’t played for Belgium since November 2019, but Roberto Martinez is confident Hazard can recapture the form that saw him get a move to Real Madrid.
Undoubtedly Belgium’s big dog these days is Kevin De Bruyne, who is on a different planet to most other midfielders. He will play in behind the front three alongside the likes of Axel Witsel, Youri Tielemans and Thorgan Hazard. Add goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into the mix, and Belgium are a formidable team.
Why They Can’t
There are some injury concerns surrounding their two biggest stars in De Bruyne and Hazard. De Bruyne is recovering from facial surgery after he suffered a nose and left orbital fracture in the Champions League final. Hazard has just endured a season from hell, where he was unavailable for 31 games due to various injuries.
Unlike other tournament heavyweights, Belgium won’t host any games and they will have to play away at Russia and Denmark in the group stage.
Verdict
Belgium looks to have the strongest squad at the tournament, excluding France. They have a tough group to contend with, however their road to the final is relatively easy. Belgium will face a third-placed qualifier if they win their group and a runner-up if they finish second. Should they go deeper into the tournament, they will face the Netherlands or Italy in the quarter-finals, but on paper at least, that shouldn’t be a problem. Making the final is the minimum expectation.
Best Bet: Reach the final ($3.75)
France ($6.00)
France goes into Euro 2020 as the team to beat, with electrifying attackers and arguably the most complete squad at the tournament. Le Bleus are also looking to become World and European champions simultaneously for the second time in their history.
The main talking point has been manager Didier Deschamps’s decision to recall striker Karim Benzema after more than five years in the international wilderness. The Real Madrid forward is in career-best form and an attacking triumvirate of Benzema, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe is truly world class.
Why They Can
The World champions not only boast a ridiculous amount of attacking depth, but they are also blessed with the most in-form central midfielder on the planet in N’Golo Kante. The diminutive Chelsea man was enormous in his club side’s recent Champions League final victory over Manchester City and will likely be partnered by Paul Pogba, who grows two foot taller when he is wearing the shirt of France. Compound that with a solid backline and their ever-reliable captain and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, they are a formidable force.
Why They Can’t
Remarkably, one of France’s biggest hurdles will be getting out of the group stage. Group F also features Germany and reigning champions Portugal, truly making this the ‘Group of Death’.
If you get out a fine-toothed comb to find a weakness, you might find it in the centre-half area. Raphael Varane is a world-class defender but his likely partner in Presnel Kimpembe, although undeniably talented, can be erratic at times, something the legendary Arsene Wenger has criticised him for in the past.
Verdict
To be terse, this is France’s tournament to lose. Despite drawing the short straw in the group stage, their squad depth will be strong enough to account for it. They have the most balanced team in the tournament and a front three capable of scoring goals for fun. Mbappe is already one of the best strikers in the world and Antoine Griezmann flies into Euro 2020 under the radar. They're dripping in game. Winners.
Best Bet: Winner ($6)
