Scott Thornton has picked out his best bet for every group at Euro 2024.
Group A
Germany are the hosts and clear favourites to top Group A but our focus is on Scotland. We can back Scott McTominay to be the team’s top goalscorer at 5/1 with bet365. He was prolific during qualifying. Scott didn’t play in either of the warmup games but is in line to start the opener against Germany.
McTominay was a bit part player under Erik ten Hag at Manchester United last season but he still came up with some big goals. He netted seven times in the Premier League last season. His non-penalty xG of 0.32 per 90 minutes played at club level meant he ranked in the top 1% of midfielders in that regard from Europe's top five leagues but it was in a Scotland shirt where he really shone.
The midfielder scored seven goals in qualifying, a tally only bettered by Lukaku, Ronaldo, Mbappe and Kane. McTominay will want to strut his best stuff this summer and this price looks chunky given how well he has played under Steve Clarke.
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Tip: Scotland Top Scorer – Scott McTominay @ 11/2 Spreadex (0.5 points)
Group B
Spain face stiff competition to win Group B from Croatia and Italy but we are backing them to get the job done. The opening game of the group between Luis De La Fuente’s men and Croatia could be pivotal but Spain are in good form coming into it.
The Spaniards have suffered just one defeat in their last 12 matches. They have scored a glut of goals over that period with the team averaging over two per game. The manager also chose to rest a number of key players in that sole defeat that came against Colombia so they should fare well in the group stages.
Tip: Spain To Win Group B @ Evens Sky Bet (1 point)
Group C
England are the pick of the bunch in Group C, and if the bookmakers’ odds are to be believed, the best side in the whole tournament. Harry Kane will spearhead a formidable England forward line and our bet for this group is for the striker to score at least four goals. This bet landed in Euro 2021.
There is not a lot we can say that hasn’t already been said about Harry Kane. He is arguably the most lethal striker on the planet but he hasn’t been rewarded with silverware. Kane scored 36 goals in 32 Bundesliga matches last season and should get plenty of service in an England shirt this summer.
Tip: Over 3.5 Goals For Harry Kane @ 10/11 bet365 (1 point)
Group D
Group D is arguably the toughest one to call. France top the billing and the Netherlands have a rich footballing history but we are backing Austria to qualify.
Ralf Rangnick struggled to implement his style at Manchester United but he has no such issues as Austria boss. The team have lost just one of their last 16 matches. They have beaten Italy and Germany during that period. Austria have proven themselves capable of slugging it with the big boys and that’s exactly what they will do here.
Tip: Austria To Qualify For The Knockout Stages @ 4/5 BoyleSports (1 point)
Group E
Romelu Lukaku was the top scorer in qualifying with 14 goals. He now has 85 goals for Belgium and should enjoy a stellar tournament with the team looking dangerous under Domenico Tedesco.
Kevin De Bruyne is the perfect man to have feeding Lukaku the ball in and around the penalty area.
Romelu, who remains a Chelsea player as of now, scored twice in the Red Devils’ friendly with Luxembourg and should hit the ground running against Slovakia. Lukaku managed to score 13 goals in Serie A this season but like Scott McTominay, he tends to play his best football when playing for his country.
Tip: Belgium Top Scorer – Romelu Lukaku @ 10/11 Spreadex (2 points)
Group F
Portugal are the fourth favourites to win the tournament and are expected to coast their way through the group stages. They have improved under Roberto Martinez. There is a willingness to attack and play on the front foot, a far cry from the approach adopted by Fernando Santos.
The Portuguese won all 10 of their qualifying matches and scored an average of 3.6 goals per game. They bounced back from their friendly defeat against Croatia by thumping Republic of Ireland 3-0 so they will be in good spirits ahead of their opening game.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been the shining light for Portugal in the past but he is surrounded by quality this time around. The legendary attacker may not be a the peak of his powers but he could be the difference maker in Germany. As a result of Portugal’s wide talent pool, we are backing them to win the tournament.
