Euro 2024 outright and top scorer predictions, betting odds and tips

Best bets

Netherlands to win the trophy
1.5pts each-way 12-1 bet365, Betfair, Paddy Power

Memphis Depay top tournament goalscorer
1pt each-way 40-1 Hills

Euro 2024 outright and top scorer predictions

Good fortune can play a major role in tournament football and Lady Luck has smiled on Ronald Koeman's Netherlands side, who can recover from mixed start to Euro 2024 by going all the way and getting their hands on the famous Henri Delaunay Trophy.

The Dutch have long been considered among the heavyweights of the global game but their only major tournament success came at Euro 1988 when Rinus Michels steered them to glory.

That side were worthy winners with legends such as Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten helping to make them a class apart from their rivals.

The modern link to that legendary Dutch side is their Euro 2024 head coach, Koeman, who is bidding to become the first person since Berti Vogts to win the European Championship as a player and a manager.

Nobody is speaking about Koeman's squad in the same breath as the Dutch class of 88 but that doesn't mean that they cannot succeed.

Victory for the Netherlands this summer would be a surprise to some but it would be not compare with the upsets seen at Euro 1992 and 2004 when Denmark and Greece conquered the continent.

For a surprise winner to succeed it is dependent on the main contenders falling short of expectations.

There is obvious scope for some imminent heavyweight casualties at Euro 2024 after Germany, Spain, Portugal, France and Belgium ended up in the same side of the draw.

France and Belgium – positioned second and third on the Fifa rankings – go head-to-head in Dusseldorf on Monday with the winners highly likely to run into Euro 2016 champions Portugal.

Whoever comes through those battles would expect to face a semi-final clash against either Germany or Spain, who are the likeliest participants in next's Friday's scheduled quarter-final in Stuttgart.

Whoever comes through that brutal top half will have thoroughly earned their place in the final but they might not have much left in the tank and that could present an opportunity for their opponents.

Tournament favourites England are by far the shortest odds among the teams in the bottom half of the draw and they have a wonderful opportunity if they can get the most from their talented squad.

However, the Three Lions performed poorly in the group stage and, barring a sudden change of philosophy from their cautious head coach Gareth Southgate, it is hard to see them finding the necessary improvement.

England's total expected goals for their three group stage games was 3.42, which ranks 13th among the teams who remain in the tournament.

They are simply not performing anywhere near their potential and, unless the goals start to flow, there is every chance of them stumbling against a perceived weaker opponent.

If England continue to play with a lack of tempo and fail to find a better offensive approach, even their round-of-16 clash with Slovakia could trip them up.

Further down the line there will be trickier tests and there has been nothing to suggest that Southgate's side are worthy of support at such skinny odds.

Of the teams who have played with greater intensity and risk, Austria have been among the most impressive.

They were worthy winners of Group D, ahead of France and the Netherlands, and could be capable of springing further surprises.

However, Austria's high-energy approach asks a lot of their players and there may come a time that fatigue affects their performance.

The Netherlands were beaten 3-2 by Austria in one of the most enjoyable group-stage matches and they might get an opportunity for revenge because the nations are potential quarter-final opponents.

Koeman's side must initially focus on Tuesday's round-of-16 clash against Romania, who were surprise winners of Group E.

Romania opened with a 3-0 win against Ukraine but they were less impressive against Belgium (losing 2-0) and Slovakia (drawing 1-1) and might already have played their best football.

Teams who win tournaments have a habit of saving their best until last and the Dutch fit the bill as a unit with potential for growth.

They have been inconsistent defensively but managed a clean sheet against France and are not short of quality centre-backs with Virgil van Dijk, Stefan de Vrij, Nathan Ake and Micky van de Ven jostling for inclusion.

Offensively they have looked lively and they have a player in Memphis Depay whose tournament may be about to take off.

Depay has been the Oranje's most reliable goalscorer in recent years with 46 goals in 95 internationals.

Like any striker he thrives on confidence and he is likely to be feeling good after scoring a superb goal in the loss to Austria.

The 30-year-old is only two goals behind Georgia's three-goal forward Georges Mikautadze, who is the tournament's top marksman going into the knockout rounds.

It looks like a wide-open race to see who finishes top of the goal charts but 40-1 shot Depay should get more chances to add to his tally and may play a crucial role in firing his nation to glory.

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