Spain 2020 UEFA Euro Betting
The best team in the world in the late 2000s and early 2010s was Spain. La Roja won three straight major international tournaments, claiming the 2008 European Championships, 2010 World Cup, and 2012 Euros. Spain has had to undergo a youth movement after holding onto their corps for too long though, and they have not advanced further than the Round of 16 in any of their last three tournaments. They would be disappointed with another early exit, as the young guns now have some experience and Spain is ranked No. 6 in the world by FIFA.
Spain Squad Profile
UEFA Euro Odds: +800
Coach: Luis Enrique
FIFA Ranking: 6
Best Finish: Champions (1964, 2008, 2012)
Group: E ( Slovakia, Sweden and Poland )
How They Got Here
Qualifying for this summer’s Euros was not an issue for Spain. La Roja were flawless at home, putting together a 5-0 record while allowing just one goal. They registered eight wins and two draws in their ten games, as Sweden and Norway were both able to hold Spain to a single goal in their games in Scandinavia. Spain will see Sweden again at home this summer, as the Swedes were drawn into Group E and Spain will host all their games in Seville.
Team Preview
Spain showed what they are capable of in a 6-0 thrashing of Germany in Seville last November in Nations League play. La Roja ran riot as Ferran Torres netted a hat trick, and both Alvaro Morata and Rodri found the back of the net in the first half.
Morata is the proven commodity up front for Spain. He has 19 goals in 39 appearances for the national team, and while he has bounced around in his professional career, Morata has shined for La Roja. Ferran Torres is a very promising 21-year-old who will see a lot of action, and Dani Olmo has been very impressive in his 11 games with the national team.
The midfielders are led by Sergio Busquets. Barcelona’s defensive whiz in the midfield has been a mainstay for both La Roja and the Blaugrana, and he has over 120 caps coming into this year’s Euros. Koke, Thiago, Marco Asensio, and Rodri could all feature, but Spain does not have an attacking midfielder anywhere near the same caliber as we saw last decade.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the back line. Captain Sergio Ramos has been a permanent fixture for 16 years, but he doesn’t have the same legs he did in the past.
Ramos is the most capped player in La Roja history (180 caps), yet he is now 35 years old and a step slower than he was at his peak. Jordi Alba, Jesus Navas, and Dani Carvajal are all expected to be in the back line too.
David de Gea will be the first-choice goalkeeper again for Luis Enrique. De Gea took over whenever Iker Casillas retired, and he held off Kepa to keep his grip on the No. 1 jersey.
Spain Schedule
GROUP STAGE
Monday June 14
Spain vs. Sweden (Bilbao; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m.)
Saturday June 19
Spain vs. Poland (Bilbao; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m.)
Wednesday June 23
Slovakia vs. Spain (Bilbao; noon ET, 6 p.m.)
Spain’s History at the European Championships
Spain is tied with Germany as the country with the most Euros titles. La Roja won in their first appearance here when they hosted the European Championships in 1964. They nearly won the 1984 Euros, making it to the finals before losing to France, but they largely underachieved on this stage until their golden generation won two consecutive championships.
David Villa won the Golden Boot at the 2008 Euros with four goals as Spain had five wins and a draw in regulation on its way to the title. La Roja had little trouble in the Group Stage with wins over Russia, Sweden, and Greece, and their toughest test came in the quarterfinals when they needed to survive a penalty shootout with Italy.
In the 2012 Euros, Spain was the team to beat. They allowed a goal against Italy in their first match of the Group Stage, but they didn’t surrender another goal on their way to becoming the first team to repeat as champions here. La Roja capped off their third title in dominant fashion with a 4-0 dismantling of Italy in the final. David Silva, Jordi Alba, Fernando Torres, and Juan Mata all found the back of the net as Andres Iniesta was named the UEFA Player of the Tournament.
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