Euro 2020: Three Teams Americans Should Cheer For
The dust has settled from the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship group stage, and the knockout stage bracket is set.
Now that the games mean a little bit more, get ready to see an increase in coverage across our television sets and computer monitors. But with this being a European football championship, who are Americans supposed to cheer for and bet on?
Don’t worry, I’ve looked into it so you don’t have to. Here are the top 3 teams that Americans should root for in the knockout stage of the 2020 UEFA Euro. All odds listed at via WynnBET.
P.s. Yes, I know I’m Canadian, but my mother country of Scotland is already eliminated so I’m seeking a new team to cheer for too.
Italy +550
First of all, nobody likes cheering for or betting on the favorite, so France is out of the question. Italy is next on the odds list, so they have a good combination of chance to win and a good payout if they do.
Secondly, depending on where you’re located in the United States, you’ll probably be able to find an Italian establishment with a great atmosphere for watching the games at.
Thirdly, everyone loves a good comeback story. Italy, while usually an international soccer powerhouse, surprisingly didn’t qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Winning this year’s Euro would redeem them from their misfortune three years ago.
Finally, is there any country that has names that are more fun to pronounce than Italy? Who wouldn’t want to cheer for guys named Leonardo Bonucci, Domenico Berardi, and Gianluigi Donnarumma?
Italy is the choice for you if you want to bet on and cheer for a team that has a very good chance of winning it all. They face Austria in the Round of 16.
Portugal +1000
If you’re not familiar with soccer (football) whatsoever, you at least know who Christiano Ronaldo is. Well, if you weren't aware, he plays for Portugal.
If you’re lazy and don’t feel like looking up the rosters of the teams to learn who is who, just bet on Portugal and yell out Ronaldo’s name the entire match.
The international superstar boasts the most followers on Instagram out of every single person on the planet, not just athletes. If you’re a big LeBron James fan, or you consider yourself a Tom Brady stan, go ahead and bet on Portugal to win the Euros. I’m sure you’ll feel right at home.
They have a tough matchup with Belgium in the Round of 16 on Sunday.
Sweden +3000
If you want to bet on a longshot so you can have something to brag about the rest of your life if the unlikely outcome ends up happening, put a few dollars on Sweden to win it all at +3000.
Sweden was the biggest surprise of the Group Stage, as they went 2-0-1 including playing Spain to a 0-0 draw to win Group E. For that reason, I listed them as my favorite dark horse bet to win the tournament heading into the knockout stage.
On top of that, who doesn’t love IKEA? I bet a decent amount of people reading this article have at least one piece of furniture in their home that came from that beautiful Scandinavian furniture store. Don’t we owe them for that? Also, shoutout to the Swedish Chef, my favorite member of the Muppets.
Sweden has a favorable Round of 16 matchup against Ukraine.