Who will win Euro 2024? There is an overwhelming favourite on i’s sports desk, and that makes for an obvious pick when it comes to player of the tournament.
From there, opinion is divided on which player will collect the Golden Boot, with Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku and Cristiano Ronaldo all backed to beat France captain Kylian Mbappe in that regard.
Meanwhile, three nations are backed to be this tournament’s dark horses (ranked outside the top eight of the betting), and there are four picks for the young player of the tournament.
Here, i’s team make their predictions for Euro 2024, and no one is going for England…
Kevin Garside
Winners: France
The core of the team edged by Argentina at the Qatar World Cup remains. Solid at the back, balance and depth in midfield and fabulous in attack, led by Kylian Mbappe, still the most potent weapon in the world.
Dark horses: Hungary
The nation of Puskas, Kocsis and Hidegkuti are showing signs of renewal. After 30 years in the wilderness, Hungary have qualified for their third Euros in a row, and boast a genuine match-winner in Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai.
Golden Boot: Harry Kane
This might yet convert into Euro success should England resolve their defensive frailties. Kane has the goals to take England all the way. However, he might have to settle for the individual award.
Player of the tournament: Bruno Fernandes
Freed from the constraints of propping up Manchester United, Fernandes has the creativity and goals to stand out in a team fancied to reach the semis. Once there the stage is his to command, much like Wembley.
Young player of the tournament: Benjamin Sesko
The 6ft 5ins hammer is developing into the Slovenian Haaland, scoring five times in qualifying. Signed off at RB Leipzig with seven goals in his last seven games. He was expected to line up in the Premier League next term, but has recently committed his future to Leipzig.
Mark Douglas
Winners: Germany
Hosts Germany have endured a sobering run-up to their home Euros but Julian Nagelsmann’s appointment came at just the right time to get them in decent nick for the tournament.
They certainly have creativity with Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz coming off the back of stellar club seasons and while their defence is a concern, Nagelsmann has taken the shackles off and the nation will be behind them.
Dark horses: Croatia
Signed off for the tournament by beating Portugal and have both quality and serious major tournament pedigree that boasts successive World Cup semi-final appearances. They’re in a tough group with Spain and Italy but they can emerge from it.
Golden Boot: Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal have a squad stacked with serious talent and also – conveniently – the easiest group to navigate. Enter Ronaldo, a man who single-handedly carried his nation to Euro 2016 glory.
While the Saudi Pro League is strictly second-tier he did score 44 goals in 45 games last season and Roberto Martinez will rely on him to repeat that famous 2016 success.
Player of the tournament: Jamal Musiala
If I’m going to go for Germany to win it, then it has to be Musiala. He carries enough threat to worry any defence in Europe and his style and swagger make him a joy to watch.
Young player of the tournament: Jude Bellingham
If an undercooked England are going to do anything in Germany, it will surely be because Bellingham is the catalyst. His emergence as a major player for the European champions is the biggest difference from two years ago when England couldn’t make the ability in their squad count in the biggest games.
Gareth Southgate will make him the fulcrum of everything England do. This feels like his time.
Katherine Lucas
Winners: France
They fell agonisingly short in Qatar, but where they have weakened since then Didier Deschamps has found solutions – Dayot Upamecano leads the defence in place of Raphael Varane and Mike Maignan has replaced Hugo Lloris. Kylian Mbappe’s move is out of the way in good time – the only fear is that Lucas Hernandez’s injury and doubts over Aurelien Tchouameni’s fitness will undermine their chances.
Dark horses: Croatia
The last hurrah for a golden generation but we were saying that at the last World Cup. Luka Modric has been used a little more sparingly by Real Madrid this season which can only be a good thing for Croatia, and Josko Gvardiol is the face of the new age – and will probably chip in with a few goals too.
Golden Boot: Harry Kane
If you ignore the noise about him not winning anything in his first season at Bayern Munich, he broke the Bundesliga record for goals in a debut season (36).
Player of the tournament: Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe endured a horrorshow at the last Euros – he did not score a single goal – but he was in startingly form in Qatar with eight and came close to matching his best-ever season for Paris Saint-Germain. And he’ll be eyeing Oliver Giroud’s all-time record for France.
Young player of the tournament: Lamine Yamal
Set to become the youngest player in Euros history (he does not turn 17 until the day before the final), Yamal might not even have broken through in the Barcelona team had they not been strapped for cash. Instead he has lit up La Liga and made his international breakthrough too, the most promising – and potentially the most potent – of an ageing Spanish attack.
Oliver Young-Myles
Winners: France
The boring answer but with a squad packed full of talent and a manager who knows how to win tournaments they’ll be hard to stop. Mike Maignan’s fitness and Didier Deschamps’ baffling William Saliba blind spot are their only potential weaknesses.
Dark horses: Hungary
Teams that defend well and are a threat at set-pieces tend to do well at tournaments and Hungary tick both boxes having conceded seven goals and scored six from free-kicks or corners in qualifying.
Golden Boot: Romelu Lukaku
I’m expecting redemption for Romelu Lukaku at this tournament after his World Cup woes. He’s had a strange couple of years at club level but his goalscoring credentials on the international stage cannot be questioned. Four goals in Germany would move him into the top five men’s scorers of all-time.
Player of the tournament: Kylian Mbappe
If France win it their talisman is a shoo-in for the best player award. Mbappe will be desperate to lead France to glory after being trumped by Lionel Messi in Qatar and begin his Real Madrid career as a European champion.
Young player of the tournament: Florian Wirtz
In Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, hosts Germany boast two of the most exciting young talents in Europe. Wirtz will be full of confidence after playing a key role in Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten Bundesliga campaign with 11 goals and assists apiece.
George Simms
Winners: France
In a tournament where no side is perfect, or even particularly close to it, France have the experience and the top-level talent needed to win. The front six should be the same as in Qatar and their young defence contains bona-fide stars.
Dark horses: Austria
There’s every chance they become Euro 2024’s Turkey given a tough group with France and the Netherlands, but Austria’s recent record is excellent and their midfield unit is formidable. A shout here too for Ukraine.
Golden Boot: Romelu Lukaku
Golden Boots tend to be won in the group stage, and Belgium have a very kind group. Lukaku was top scorer in qualifying, takes penalties and has an exceptional international record (85 goals in 115 games).
Player of the tournament: Kylian Mbappe
If France are my favourites, then this award seems fairly obvious. The best player in the world saves his best for major tournaments and a tough yet open group will likely favour him.
Young player of the tournament: Jude Bellingham
As with Mbappe, this something of a gimme, but England’s No 10 is still only 20 and will decide games on his own. He may just carry this fractured side to the latter stages with his knack for a last-minute winner.
Michael Hincks
Winners: France
France drawing a recent friendly with Canada and England losing to Iceland has cast a little doubt on the two frontrunners. Nevertheless, France have the tournament edge over England and I’d back the French to win this potential semi-final meeting before winning the final too.
Dark horses: Croatia
With Italy and Spain for company in Group B, Croatia may find themselves sneaking into the knockouts as one of the four third-placed teams. Nevertheless, in that scenario they will be the nation to avoid, and could easily trouble either Belgium or Portugal in the last 16.
Golden Boot: Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku has been Belgium’s go-to guy for almost a decade, and having top-scored in qualifying with 14 goals, coupled with their group featuring Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine, the striker has every chance of taking an unassailable lead going into the knockouts.
Player of the tournament: Kylian Mbappe
A boring pick, but by proxy of thinking France will win, Kylian Mbappe is the obvious choice here. He didn’t score a single goal at Euro 2020, and will be looking to put that right in Germany.
Young player of the tournament: Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal remarkably already has seven Spain caps to his name at the age of just 16. Burnout issues aside, with four assists in his last two appearances, the teenager is set to play a starring role for Spain, who may have to overcome hosts Germany in the quarter-finals to have any chance of a deep run.
i’s most picked for Euro 2024
Winners: France (5/6)
Dark horses: Croatia (3/6)
Golden Boot: Romelu Lukaku (3/6)
Player of the tournament: Kylian Mbappe (5/6)
Young player of the tournament: Jude Bellingham & Lamine Yamal (Both 2/6)