Euro 2024: Top 6 Countries Who Are Favourites for European Football Championship

Euro 2024, beginning in Germany on June 14, is a mouth-watering prospect, as France and England lead the heavyweight contenders for a tournament which will be played out in some of the continent's finest stadiums across a football-mad nation.

The setting for the month-long competition is important, given the underwhelming nature of the last Euros three years ago, held all over the continent rather than in one country, and played before limited crowds during the Covid pandemic.

This time all fans will descend on 10 stadiums in Germany, many with memories of the unforgettable summer of 2006 when the country last staged a major tournament.

The hope is this competition will be just as memorable, and for the right reasons, despite security concerns in a tense global climate and complaints about Germany's creaking rail network.

That 2006 World Cup was won by Italy, who come into this European Championship as title holders, but it also saw Germany emerge again as a force to be reckoned with after years in the doldrums.

Ahead of the Euros, Sports Brief looks at the top five contenders for the title .

Germany

The host nation will enjoy playing in their own backyard and after flopping in consecutive World Cups, they finally look stable. Julian Nagelsmann did struggle initially but now he has been able to establish his style of play.

With Toni Kroos playing his last major competition before he hangs up his boots, there is an emotional factor to their campaign.

France

France are Europe's top-ranked nation and have been in the last two World Cup finals.

Their team has evolved since Qatar in 2022 but the quality at their disposal, beyond Kylian Mbappe, is fearsome and they are eager to win a first European Championship since 2000.

It is not always the case that everything goes to form. But if it does, and France and England top their groups, they will be on a collision course to meet in the semi-finals at Borussia Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park.

England

England carry the burden of never having won the Euros. Beaten on penalties by Italy in the 2021 final, Gareth Southgate's team lost a nail-biting quarter-final to France at the last World Cup.

Kane will be at home in his surroundings having just scored 44 goals in his first season for Bayern Munich.

Declan Rice and Kobbie Mainoo have all had brilliant season at club level, and it is time they replicate that for England.

Portugal

There may be as many as eight realistic potential champions, including 2016 winners Portugal, still led by Cristiano Ronaldo, even though he is now 39.

Real Madrid aim to add to Champions League legend before Mbappe arrival

Football

The 2016 winners registered victories in all their qualifying games under new boss Roberto Martinez.

Their brand of fast attacking football is paying rich dividends with the team scoring goals for fun.

Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo are playing their last European championships and this makes it extra special.

Italy

Absent from the last two World Cups, Italy will be in Germany to defend their European crown, despite losing twice to England in qualifying.

The Azzurri are in a group with Spain, semi-finalists at the last Euros but who have not won a major tournament knockout game in 90 minutes since Euro 2012.

Luciano Spalletti is a no-nonsense manager and he will be focused on getting the best out of the Italian squad to defend the title.

The former Napoli boss has already taken some hard decisions by dropping Ciro Immobile and Manuel Locatelli from the provisional squad while the likes of Moise Kean and Gianluca Scamacca now enter the spotlight.

Spain

Spain dominated world football during their golden generation that featured players of the capability of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, and Sergio Busquets.

While they have seen an extended period of under achieving since then, the recent win in the Nations League does make them one of the genuine favourites under the management of Luis de la Fuente