Who will be crowned Europe’s best?

In a little over six month’s time, teams from across Europe will be battling it out for the chance to become the continents best. Four gruelling weeks of encounters that will showcase once for all who the strongest nation in out of the 16 finalists. Spain won the competition in 2008, following it up with a World Cup win in 2010, and it is hardly surprising that Paddy Power have instilled the World champions as Euro 2012 odds on favourites to defend their crown. You won’t get better odds anywhere else for the prestigious competition and at 5/2, Vicente Del Bosque’s side are certainly the ones to back.

Looking at the current crop of players available to the Spain boss, you would be hard pressed to find any team that are stronger throughout the core of the side. Just looking at the top two sides in La Liga, the abundance of home-grown talent at both Real Madrid and defending league champions Barcelona is simply phenomenal. It is hardly a shock to the system that has seen Paddy Power place them at the summit of their betting league for the tournament.

The recent form of the World champions may not be up to scratch, only picking up one win in their last three encounters but, when it comes to the major competitions, form goes out the window. However, Spain managed to qualify for the illustrious tournament with minimal ease and maximum points. Del Bosque’s side were one of only two teams to finish the qualification stage without dropping any points throughout the group round, the other being the third placed side in the World Cup; Germany.

Maintaining a 100% record was pivotal to the reason they remain second favourites with Paddy Power with odds of 7/2. Having an excellent youth coming through the international ranks and with the likes of Mario Gotze, Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil firing on all cylinders, you would be hard pressed to find a team better than Joachim Low’s exciting side. Holland enter the fray as third favourites and it is hardly surprising after ending the World Cup as runner’s up and at 15/2, they have very similar odds to the Germans in the hunt for European Championship glory.

However, Spain remain out and out favourites to re-lift the trophy in Kiev on the 1^st of July. The odds with Paddy Power are the best around and any fan would find it difficult to match the bookmaker’s excellent numbers that have been provided. No matter which bookies you go to, the reigning World Champions are sure to be favourites, unless a dramatic rise of injuries or a dramatic slump in form prior to the competition changes that.

Fans are unlikely to find a website which will offer better Euro 2012 odds available where the punter has an excellent chance of winning money on top of their original bet. Even if Spain aren’t the pick of the choice, the odds are heavily in favour of both Paddy Power and the supporters for a number of the favourites including the aforementioned duo of Germany and Holland and of course, England as well, who will enter the quart-yearly tournament as fourth-choice favourites.

Ben McAleer