There are two common characteristics going into to a major soccer tournament. One is that England's supporters and the English media rank their country certain to win and, two, England go home without the trophy!
It was last in 1966 that England lifted their only major trophy, the World Cup on home soil, although to be fair they should have won the last European Championship but were denied on post-match penalties by Italy.
This time, more than ever, England are being punted to win the continental tournament, which kicks off in Germany on Friday.
According to Opta, the English team has a 20% chance of winning the title, followed by France (19%). Hosts Germany complete the top three with a 13% chance, then come Spain, Portugal and Italy, followed by Belgium, Croatia and Denmark to round out the top 10.
Opta arrived at the percentages by simulating the European Championship 10,000 times in a tournament simulator, making its predictions based on historical results and current market information.
This story is from the June 12, 2024 edition of The Citizen SA.
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This story is from the June 12, 2024 edition of The Citizen SA.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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