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09.06.2021 » Can Portugal beat the odds and win the EURO 2020?
The European Championship make its return 5 years after its last edition, after being delayed for roughly 12 months due the COVID-19 crisis we're all aware of. This time and unlike in previous years, the competition will be hosted in 11 different countries, in a total of 11 football stadiums. The Wembley Stadium in London will be the stage hosting the most games in a total of 8 matches, which includes the two semi-finals and the final itself. Nevertheless, that doesn't seem to be enough to put England as the main favorite to win the trophy next July, as every bookie still places France on the top. Portugal, on the other hand, comes up in 6th place in the favorites table, tied with Italy.
Portugal - EURO 2020 song:
The importance of Starting with the right foot
Portugal won't have an easy route to the knockout stages, as they were drawn in a very difficult group, containing two of the favorites to win the competition, France and Germany, as well as a clear outsider, Hungary. Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates will make their first appearances in the tournament precisely against Hungary, and anything other than a win could dictate a not so positive future for the reigning European champions.
Portugal faces Hungary on June 15 and then Germany four days later on June 19, just before closing the group stage fixtures against France, on June 23. Therefore, beating the Hungarian team will be crucial in order to progress into the competition's next stage.
What if Portugal wins their group?
If, by any chance, Portugal manages to finish their group on the top spot, ahead of France, Germany and of course Hungary, we will surely notice the impact that will have on the odds for winning the EURO 2020. With France holding the favorite stamp and Germany sitting close on the 4th place of the table, beating these two teams in the race to the first spot of the group would be huge to boost Portugal's motivation and confidence levels, and bookmakers will be quick to adjust the odds for the remaining of the competition.
The only team who may still threaten Portugal's favoritism at that point would be England, as they should benefit from the home factor in the decisive stages of the competition. And if you happen to be making plans for a trip to England to watch the final games of the EURO 2020, you can also look for a London escort and have some fun in the city while you wait for the football action.
The captain leads the way!
We all know the importance Cristiano Ronaldo has in every team he plays, and even more if we're talking about the Portuguese National Team. The Juventus superstar will not only be one of the most experienced footballers in the EURO 2020, but he will also bring his unparalleled motivation, skills and talent to every pitch he steps out on... If Ronaldo manages to deliver his best football in the upcoming weeks, Portugal will surely advance in their group and have great chances of making it all the way to the final, just like it happened in the EURO 2016, hosted in France.
What are the odds for winning Back to back EUROs?
The only team to have won back-to-back European Championships was Spain, who have done that back in 2008 and 2012. No one else has ever accomplished such feat since 1960, which by itself shows us how difficult it is for any team to defend their crown in Europe's top competition. Portugal were far from being the favorites in 2016 and they still managed to pull it off, against all odds.
This time and judging by the names we see on the paper, the Seleção looks stronger and more prepared to face the challenges ahead, but in a competition like this, it's all about the details. Winning the European Championship for a second time in a row would be they cherry on top of the cake for this Portuguese generation and Cristiano Ronaldo in particular...
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Portugal is on June 15, against Hungary. You can watch Portugal vs Hungary, Denmark vs Finland, Turkey vs Italy, Wales vs Switzerland, USA vs Costa Rica, and Belgium vs Russia, all matches provided from our soccer live game pages.
Portugal next game:
Portugal vs Hungary kick-off time (15-06-2021):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 00:00
Jakarta (Indonesia) | UTC/GMT+7: 23:00
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 21:30
Italy (Turin) | UTC/GMT+2: 18:00
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+2: 18:00
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+1: 17:00
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 13:00
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 12:00
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 09:00
Sources: ronaldo7.net / thesun.co.uk / bbc.com
