The Netherlands, Germany and England are also in the running to capture the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship.
Tuesday 13th July 2010
After defeating the Netherlands to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup over the weekend, Spain has been installed as the favourite to triumph at the UEFA European Football Championship in two years’ time.
Spain captured the European title two years ago in Vienna after defeating Germany courtesy of a goal scored by Fernando Torres and is listed at odds of 7/2 to retain the championship by BoyleSports.com, ToteSport.com and SkyBet.com.
Slightly longer, punters can get odds of 19/5 from Betfair.com on Spain triumphing at the tournament being held in Poland and the Ukraine over June and July of 2012 while PaddyPower.com, 888Sport.com, BlueSq.com, Bwin.com, WilliamHill.com, Ladbrokes.com and Bet365.com at 4/1.
Spain also won the European title in 1964 after overcoming defending champion Russia in a tough match from Madrid and Coral.co.uk, BetFred.com and StanJames.com are going with odds of 9/2 that 2010 will see the side record a hat-trick of championships.
After finishing in third spot at the recent 2010 FIFA World Cup with a very young team, Germany is being offered at odds of 4/1 by Bet365.com to win the European title in 2012 followed by Bwin.com and BoyleSports.com with 9/2.
Germany has won this tournament on three occasions, the last of which was in 1996, while finishing as runner-up an identical number of times. SkyBet.com, 888Sport.com, BlueSq.com, ToteSport.com, WilliamHill.com and BetFred.com are going with odds of 5/1 that ‘Die Mannschaft’ can capture a fourth UEFA European Football Championship in 2012 while StanJames.com, Coral.co.uk and PaddyPower.com show 11/2. At the far end of the spectrum is Betfair.com with 59/10 while Ladbrokes.com currently shows 6/1.
The Netherlands is also among the favourites with BoyleSports.com and Bwin.com offering the ‘Flying Dutchmen’ at odds of 13/2 to triumph in the final from Kiev on July 1, 2012, while Betfair.com, WilliamHill.com, Ladbrokes.com, SkyBet.com, BetFred.com and PaddyPower.com show 7/1.
The Dutch have only won this tournament on one previous occasion, in 1988 when it was held in Germany, with Bet365.com, ToteSport.com, 888Sport.com and BlueSq.com are showing odds of 15/2 that they can make it twice come 2012 followed by Coral.co.uk and StanJames.com with 8/1.
England has never won the UEFA European Football Championship and the side’s best result came in 1968 when it finished in third spot behind Yugoslavia and Italy.
Despite this, Ladbrokes.com, SkyBet.com and Bet365.com show Fabio Capello’s men at odds of 8/1 to win their first ‘Euro’ tournament in 2012 while Betfair.com is going with 42/5.
Slightly longer is BetFred.com, Coral.co.uk, ToteSport.com, WilliamHill.com, BoyleSports.com, Bwin.com, PaddyPower.com, BlueSq.com and 888Sport.com currently listing odds of 9/1 on victory for the ‘Three Lions’ in 2012 while StanJames.com is not as convinced and is showing 10/1.
