Euro 2021: The Sixteenth Edition of Europe's Most Important Tournament

The sixteenth edition of the most important tournament in Europe at the national team level will be the first in history to have cities from 12 different associations across the continent as hosts. It will take place in 2021 if there are no setbacks. One of those twelve host cities will be Bilbao, although there has been some reluctance due to the conditions in which the tournament could be held.

With this new format that includes more travel and more fatigue, and with players coming after a demanding and different season, it is difficult to predict a favorite to win the tournament. However, there are clearly several teams that will be favorites due to their history, reputation, and players. The tournament will put all of them to the test and it remains to be seen which one will arrive in the best condition.

Starting with the current champion, Portugal. The team led by Cristiano Ronaldo will try to defend the title they won in France in 2016, when they defeated the hosts at the Stade de France with a goal from Éder in extra time. The Portuguese team qualified as the best third-placed team, finishing the group stage behind Hungary and Iceland. Despite not being the favorites, they managed to conquer the trophy.

Another top contender will be France. The French overcame the blow they suffered in their own Euro by brilliantly winning the World Cup in Russia two years later, solidifying a winning project and becoming serious candidates. With the sublime Griezmann, who has scored ten goals in the last two tournaments, always supported by the eternal Olivier Giroud, the French will undoubtedly be one of the teams to watch closely.

In PL Brasil you will find all the data and statistics of the participating teams to make the best predictions.

Spain, after their great successes from 2008 to 2012, has been forced to reinvent themselves as their performances in the following tournaments did not meet the expectations of a team that once dominated the world of football. Luis Enrique has been experimenting with many young players in an attempt to find the winning formula and regain their former glory. They will always be candidates to win, and initially, they should battle with Sweden to finish first in their group. In the qualifying phase, they beat the Swedes to finish in first place without suffering any defeats, with only two draws.

Germany is another team that is always in the mix and has also managed to recover brilliantly from setbacks, such as the one they suffered in Austria and Switzerland when they lost the final to Spain but went on to win the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. However, we should not forget that the German team is in the so-called "group of death" along with France, Portugal, and Hungary. Their matches will be among the most exciting of the tournament, and Germany may have a slight advantage as one of the hosts of the group.

Other classics like Italy and the Netherlands can also be found. Italy's tradition and defensive strength always command respect and make matches difficult for their opponents. On the other hand, the Netherlands has grown a lot as a team since the World Cup in South Africa and also has a good group of young players who may be in better condition than other more veteran players after this season, which has been filled with matches. It will be a beautiful battle without a clear favorite, and the demands of this atypical season will be one of the keys to determining the new European champion. Wales, with Bale, and always present England, could surprise and cause some upsets.