Spain will enter the European Championships this year positioned amongst the frontrunners for outright success in Germany.
In modern times it has been typical of the nation to often be fancied as one of the realistic winners of every major competition.
However, between the FIFA World Cup of 2014 and the latest global competition in 2022, the team undoubtedly underperformed, but with a new-look team in 2024, their fortunes could be different.
The national team has been in transition throughout the 2020s so far with many legendary stars retiring. This has left space for new leaders and top performers to emerge in what could be a successful summer for Spain.
Spain sits at the back end of the frontrunning teams
Spain are positioned at the base of the list of frontrunners behind the likes of England, France and Germany this year.
The EURO 2024 odds across the major bookmakers all reflect the notion that La Roja is a realistic potential champion. They are priced at 8/1 at BetVictor, who like many sites offer euros betting offers alongside their markets this year including free bet bonuses.
England and France will be expected to battle it out in the most likely final scenario. However the likes of Spain, Germany and Portugal are all teams that are seen to have the capability to go far and they would not create a massive shock in becoming European champions.
In Spain’s case, they will need key individuals to announce themselves as some of the tournament’s most outstanding players if they are to go all the way. Here we have predicted a couple of players in their primes that could do just that.
Rodri Hernandez
Spain has seen many defensive leaders retire from the national team or club football in general in recent years, including Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets.
A new defensive-minded leader will be required at EURO 2024 and Rodri Hernandez could provide just that. He has been imperious for Europe’s leading team Manchester City for several years now.
Besides constantly shutting down counterattacks he offers goals and assists from his defensive midfield position. If he can produce a similar all-round impact for his nation in the summer then he could be one of the most impressive individuals in Germany.
Alvaro Morata
Alvaro Morata is another player who could serve as a vital leader for Spain’s inexperienced players at the international level.
Aside from being a valuable veteran in the transitioning team, he has an excellent record in front of goal for his nation. In the qualifying campaign for the tournament he netted four goals in six appearances, and in the 2022 World Cup finals he scored three goals in four appearances.
Morata is very much the man for the big occasion when he turns out for Spain. In tight knockout games, he is the kind of player who could make intelligent runs to create opportunities out of nowhere.
The Atletico Madrid star will be battling for the Golden Boot award as well as Spain’s onward success at EURO 2024.
Luis Enrique has an abundance of talent to pick from for his Spain squad although he will surely build around Rodri and Morata. The pair have the quality and know-how to guide the team through difficult games in the summer, and they could be the standout stars as a result.
