Euro 2024: Top Goalscorer Preview and Odds

Euro 2024 - Top Goalscorer Preview

Predicting who will score the most goals in a tournament like the Euros is notoriously difficult, as precedents have told us. The 2022 edition of the World Cup was an outlier, with Kylian Mbappe and Leo Messi going head-to-head, but there are usually some surprises on this front. In the 2020 edition, for example, Patrik Schick was joint-first along with Cristiano Ronaldo.

In this article, we highlight three favourites to score the most goals - using the top goalscorer betting odds - as well as three wildcards. The latter are more far-fetched, in other words, and we recommend taking this article as a guidance rather than a certain outcome. Without further ado, let's dive in...

The Odds Favourites

Below, we have listed the odds favourites to be the top goalscorer at Euro 2024 and they are indeed some very familiar names...

Kylian Mbappe (France) - 9/2

After the transfer to Real Madrid, fulfilling his boyhood dream, Mbappe is the man of the moment and will be hoping to impress at the Euros. While this might sound like more pressure, the 25-year-old could paradoxically be better off after some mentally challenging years at Paris Saint-Germain, as admitted by the player himself.

France are one the favourites to take home the trophy, as you would expect, and Didier Deschamps will certainly have a very good squad at his disposal this time out too. There could also be a hunger for revenge after the World Cup defeat against Argentina on penalties, with the squad largely staying the same. Olivier Giroud, for example, will make his final ride with the team.

In any case, Mbappe showed his qualities with eight goals at the World Cup - as well as eight in the Euro Qualifiers - so there is little doubt about his importance this summer. It's not exactly surprising to see him as the odds favourite, especially since he takes the penalties, but 9/2 is still pretty good value for anyone who believes he will go all the way.

Harry Kane (England) - 11/2

While Mbappe is the odds favourite to be the top goalscorer, England are the odds favourites to win the tournament and they have a pretty good forward themselves, namely Harry Kane. He may have missed out on a trophy in his first season for Bayern Munich, despite contributing with a monstrous 44 goals, but he will be eager to experience some glory this summer.

At the World Cup, he ended up being more of an assist man (only two goals) and that could certainly be the case this time out as well, but we still can't rule him out of the race. A lot will certainly hinge on the overall form of England and if they can go all the way for once, with Gareth Southgate hoping for a memorable last adventure with the national team.

England will be up against Denmark, Serbia and Slovenia in the group stage, which probably sounds easier on paper than it actually is. Having said that, Kane taking the penalties certainly helps this bet and while it is incredibly difficult to get the top scorer right in such a big tournament, there is decent value here.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) - 12/1

At the age of 39, Ronaldo still knows where the goal is and although the level is far from high in Saudi Arabia, he has at least managed to stay in good physical shape. This was evident during the qualifiers as he found the back of the net an impressive ten times. Granted that the group was quite weak, it's a sign of what could be on the cards.

Speaking of the qualifiers, Portugal were absolutely dominant in their group and helped Roberto Martinez get off to a flying start, winning 10/10 games. The manager did the same with Belgium ahead of the 2020 Euros and will be hoping to get further than the quarter-finals this time out, relying on the talent and experience in the Portugal squad.

Ronaldo certainly belongs to the latter category, even if he still adds a lot of quality, and this experience will come in handy from the penalty spot. Indeed, he remains the penalty-taker ahead of Bruno Fernandez and those who believe that Portugal will go far should consider placing a bet on Ronaldo to be the top goalscorer.

The Wildcards

Below, we have listed a few 'wildcards' for the top goalscorer award, explaining why it could be worth giving any of these a go...

Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) - 18/1

The 31-year-old scored an impressive 14 goals during the qualifiers and most wouldn't consider him a wildcard, especially since he's fifth in the top scorer odds standings. On the other hand, you never really know with Lukaku and which form he will arrive in, which might be the reason for the slightly higher odds here.

Domenico Tedesco, the Italian in charge of the team, has a pretty good squad at his disposal and Belgium are expected to make it out of the group. However, there are no certainties for the knockout stage and when it comes to top goalscorers - as we all know - precedents tell us that the winner often plays for a team that makes it relatively far.

On penalty duties, there could be scope for some easy goals for Lukaku but everything will depend on his form went the tournament kicks off. In the past few seasons, we have seen him perform at inexplicably poor levels and Martinez will be hoping for the striker to silence the critics.

Gianluca Scamacca (Italy) - 40/1

Italy are heading into the Euros with a slightly bruised confidence, having only just qualified for the tournament and missing out on the World Cup in 2022. Luciano Spalletti took over the reins in September last year and has been important so far, leading his side to three wins, two draws and one defeat in the final games of the qualifiers.

With this 'new-look Italy', Spalletti will be hoping to end what has been a rather frustrating No.9 curse for the Azzurri in recent years. That's where Gianluca Scamacca comes in, having really performed for Atalanta this past season with 19 goals and eight assists. Physically astute and with a killer right foot, he seems destined to turn things around on the striker front for Italy.

Having said this, Italy were drawn into the 'Group of Death' alongside Spain, Croatia and Albania. This slightly complicates the matter but provided that Spalletti's men make it through to the knockout phase, Scamacca could be in a good position. The only worry is the competition with Mateo Retegui, who has scored more goals for Italy.

Niclas Füllkrug (Germany) - 40/1

Aged 31, Füllkrug is certainly considered a late bloomer after introducing himself to the entire football world with two goals at the World Cup. He only came off the bench in that tournament and he's not expected to be a starter now either. However, he has proven to be lethal when given the chance (11 goals in 15 national appearances) and is thus not a bad shout.

Julian Nagelsmann has mainly been relying on Kai Havertz in a false-nine role of sorts, but the Arsenal man is not always the most consistent of players. Therefore, should he struggle once the Euros get underway, the manager could quickly turn to Füllkrug instead. He's sure to be ready, having scored 16 goals for Borussia Dortmund this past season.

Germany also have an easier group on paper, up against the likes of Hungary, Scotland and Switzerland. This is not always a guarantee for more goals but it's certainly a possibility, so Füllkrug at 40/1 - also knowing Havertz's ups and downs - could be one to gamble on if you feel that Die Mannschaft will make it relatively far.