Eder’s epic effort in the 109th minute of the Euro 2016 final at a sweltering Stade de France brought Portugal their first major title against host nation France. It was a final full of drama — Cristiano Ronaldo stretchered off in the first half, ten cards issued and the woodwork rattled on multiple occasions before Portugal’s redemption arrived.
It was 12 years since they themselves were on the end of one of international football’s greatest shocks when they lost at the hands of Greece on home soil by the same scoreline. These remain the only two occasions that a host nation has lost the final of the European Championships.
That’s not all that the finals had in common. Both victories meant that Portugal and Greece won their first European Championships. In the 15 editions of the Euros to date there have been 10 winners, half of whom don’t have a World Cup win to match.
Each European Championship therefore provides an opportunity for a new name on the trophy. With the usual candidates of Germany, Italy and Spain far from their best at the moment, Euro 2020 provides a perfect chance for a new nation to swoop in and add to the list of winners, but who could be lifting the trophy for the first time come July 11?
England
Despite a dismal Euro 2016 and that exit to Iceland, Gareth Southgate’s men are the favourite of the nations without a European Championship to their name in the Euro 2021 odds. Sitting second-favourite overall behind World Cup holders France.
The postponed tournament may have been a blessing in disguise for the Three Lions, allowing Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice to mature for a year and break through as leading candidates to make Southgate’s starting XI.
England’s squad, arguably the best in a generation and the third youngest in the tournament, is littered with both talent and pedigree. 11 of the squad took part in either the Champions League or Europa League final just a matter of weeks ago, whilst Kieran Tripper has a La Liga winners medal under one of the best defensive coaches in the game to boot.
Unlike Russia 2018, England’s path to the latter stages is not a favourable one. Despite all of England’s matches — apart the quarter-final — potentially being at Wembley, England could be left to face one of Poland, Spain, France, Germany or Portugal in the last sixteen.
However, with this young, fearless squad and an abundance of talent, maybe, this time, it might be coming home.
Belgium
From one end of the scale to the other. Belgium’s squad, the oldest in the tournament at an average age of 28.7 years and boasting a combined 1,300 international caps, sit slightly behind England in the odds table at 13/2.
England’s nemesis, beating Southgate’s men twice at Russia 2018 as well as in the Nations League back in November, are due a run to the latter stages of a tournament after some disappointing defeats in recent tournaments.
The Red Devils were narrowly beaten by eventual winners France in St. Petersburg during the 2018 World Cup, but crashed out at the hands of Wales at Euro 2016 in the quarter-finals and lost at the same stage to Argentina at the 2014 World Cup.
Belgium’s golden generation, littered with World Class players from Thibaut Courtois between the sticks to Romelu Lukaku up front, had not qualified for a European Championships for 16 years prior to Euro 2016. Their rise through the world rankings is unparalleled, sitting as low as 66th in the FIFA World Rankings in 2009, but currently sit at the top of the pile as we go into this summer’s major European finals.
Belgium come into the tournament on the back of just one defeat since their loss to France in July 2018, a 2-1 defeat to England at Wembley in October.
Their group of Denmark, Finland and Russia should not pose too much of a threat either and should provide an easy path to the knockout stages with plenty of reserves in the tank.
For some of Roberto Martínez’s squad, Euro 2020 could provide their penultimate or even final chance to deliver an international trophy. It’s now or never.
Croatia
England’s group rivals, heartbreakers and World Cup finalists Croatia are a mammoth 35/1 to prevail at Wembley on 11 July.
Despite coming up short in an enthralling six-goal final in Moscow in 2018, Croatia have retained 13 members of their Russia World Cup squad for Euro 2020 and once again have a formidable midfield spearheaded by captain and record cap-holder Luka Modric.
Coming through a tricky qualifying group that pitted them against three fellow successful qualifiers in Wales, Slovakia and Hungary, Croatia have already had a testing Euro 2020 campaign and come into the tournament off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Belgium and uncharacteristic 1-1 draw with Armenia.
A well-oiled machine and never a group of players to be taken lightly, Croatia may throw up a surprise or two along the way on a tough route through the knockout stages.
It may fall on just the third day of the tournament, but their match-up with England will be crucial to how the tournament pans out for each side.
Poland
Poland sit in Group E alongside Spain, Slovakia and Sweden. Unpredictable but dangerous, Poland had a disastrous World Cup in Russia and an underwhelming Nations League campaign losing to Italy and twice to the Netherlands, but topped their Euro 2020 qualifying group ahead of Austria.
A well-drilled group and hard to beat, the Eagles lost just one game in Euro 2020 qualifying and conceded only five times in their ten qualifying matches.
Manager Paulo Sousa has only had five matches in charge of his Poland side prior to Euro 2020 and has called on Premier League stars Lukasz Fabianksi, Jan Bednarek and Mateusz Klich.
Of course, all eyes, and hopes, will rest on their star man Robert Lewandowski. The Bayern Munich striker broke the record for goals in a Bundesliga season in 2020/21 and if he can continue that sort of form, will cause problems throughout the tournament.
Former QPR, Swansea and Leicester manager Sousa told UEFA:
“The first step is to get through the group stage. It is difficult, because it is difficult to win every match against each opponent. But we can win against each opponent, we have the tools to do it. For that, we need to believe it’s possible to win this tournament.”
They may be 66/1 to win the tournament, but Greece were 80/1 in 2004 and the rest is history…
