Euros betting guide

Favourites rarely win international competitions and England never do,  so I eliminate the 5-1 joint favourites.

The other favourites – France – can field Mbappe and Benzema up front and must be seriously considered but I’m looking for more value with Portugal at 9-1 and Italy at 11-1.

The threat comes from Belgium and possibly Spain.

I like the composition of the Portuguese team the current champions.

They have a match winner in Ronaldo, the experience of Pepe allied to the youth of Felix and a host of players with immense Premier reputation like Dias, Fernandes Jota and Cancelo.

The choice of Italy might surprise some but they won all their qualifying games and are not in a difficult group where they play two of the games in the Olimpico in Rome.

Germany is, well, Germany – hugely competitive and Hummels and Thomas  Muller have been recalled.

My concern here is that the underachieving manager of the Mannschaft Jogi Low has already resigned and, with coaching jobs suddenly available and Thomas Tuchel doing so well, he will be more worried about his own prospects.

Belgium, with the likes of Cortois, Lukaku, Vertonghen and Martens, are impressive but will de Bruyne have recovered?

I am concerned by the outbreak of Covid in the Spanish squad and I think that country’s best days are behind them.

Often a rank outsider like Denmark or Greece win.

With no host nation and home advantage reduced by more limited crowds another might well do so.

Here I fancy Poland with the best striker in the tourney in Robert Lewandowski.

Only a few like North Macedonia and Scotland appear to have little chance.