Less than two months after Spain defeated England in Berlin to win a record-breaking fourth Euros title, La Roja are back in action in the UEFA Nations League 2024/2025.
Luis de la Fuente’s side face a tough start to their Nations League title defence with away matches against Serbia in Belgrade and Switzerland in Geneva in Group 4 of League A.
Despite facing potential banana peels in both matches and missing the services of injured trio Alvaro Morata, Unai Simon and Mikel Merino, who all featured in the Euros final, La Roja will be expected to top their group, which also includes Denmark.
It’s a testament to the resurgence of Spanish football across all levels that their women’s team are world champions, and the U23 men’s team are Olympic champions.
With electrifying talents Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams underpinning this Spanish side, La Roja, who won all seven of their games at Euro 2024, looked primed to reenact their golden era from 2008 to 2024, where they swept everything on the international stage.
And the best sports betting sites certainly agree, with Betano listing them as top favourites at 4.25 odds to win the UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 tournament.
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Fireworks in Paris
The marquee fixture on matchday one of the Nations League 2024/2025 comes up in Paris as European heavyweights France and Italy renew their rivalry.
Both sides endured disappointing Euro 2024 campaigns and will be keen to kick-start their Nations League journey with a victory at the Parc des Princes.
Surprisingly, this Group A2 encounter is the first competitive meeting between both sides since the Azzurri dispatched Les Bleus 2-0 in the group stage of Euro 2008.
The stage is set, then, for a Les Bleus revenge act, although, Didier Deschamps’s side have triumphed in all three friendlies between the countries since that Euro 2008 defeat.
France and Italy are priced at 4.50 and 13.00 odds, respectively, on Betano to win the UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 tournament.
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Three Lions Roar into Post-Southgate Era
For the first time in eight years, England will line up for an international match without Gareth Southgate in the dugout.
Southgate’s reign was successful, although ultimately defined by a frustrating lack of silverware, with England’s Euros 2024 final loss to Spain their second consecutive loss in that tournament’s finals.
His replacement, Lee Carsley – in charge on an interim basis, will hope to do one better by helping the Three Lions land their first bit of international silverware since the 1966 World Cup.
Carsley’s immediate task will be to guide England back to the top-tier League A following their relegation last year. Interestingly, the 50-year-old will take charge of his first match as England manager at neighbours Republic of Ireland, the country he represented 40 times as a player.
Carsley has placed faith in a number of his players from the U21s, with the uncapped quartet of Noni Madueke, Morgan Gibbs-White, Tino Livramento and Angel Gomes earning call-ups for their Group B2 fixtures against Ireland and Finland. Greece completes the group.
These young talents, along with Carsley himself, will be looking to make a strong impression. The FA will undoubtedly be watching closely, as Carsley’s performance could determine whether he’s offered the England job permanently.
100% Welcome Bonus Up to €100Ronaldo Keeps Father Time at Bay
The chatter following Portugal’s disappointing showing at Euro 2024 was if Cristiano Ronaldo would finally call time on his international career.
The 39-year-old Al-Nassr striker had a tournament to forget, missing a penalty and failing to score in five matches as Portugal were ousted in the quarter-finals.
With fellow old warhorse Pepe announcing his international retirement after the Euros, many expected Ronaldo to follow suit. However, Portugal’s captain and all-time top scorer has made it clear he plans to continue representing his country for the foreseeable future, and manager Roberto Martinez has continued to keep faith with the former Real Madrid star.
An injury to Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos means Ronaldo is likely to play from the start.
“When the time comes, I’ll move on,” Ronaldo declared ahead of their Group A1 home double-header against Croatia and Scotland.
Portugal, the inaugural winners of the UEFA Nations League in 2019, will also face Poland in their group. Betano currently lists them at 9.00 odds to win the tournament.
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Germany Bid for Maiden Nations League Title
Surprisingly, Germany have yet to venture beyond the league phase of the Nations League in three attempts, and Die Mannschaft will be hoping to correct that anomaly with victory against Hungary in their Group A3 opener.
The encounter will be a rematch of their Euro 2024 group stage clash, where Julian Nagelsmann’s side secured victory thanks to goals from Jamal Musiala and İlkay Gündoğan.
Although they failed to make the most of home support at the Euros, losing to eventual champions Spain in the quarter-final, their performance in that tournament suggests they have the potential to add a maiden Nations League title to their impressive trophy cabinet, which already includes four World Cups and three European Championships.
Betano currently lists Germany at 8.00 odds to win the UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 title. Die Mannschaft also take on the Netherlands and Bosnia & Herzegovina in their group.
100% Welcome Bonus Up to €100UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 Format
UEFA has made a number of changes for the fourth edition of the Nations League.
One of the biggest new additions is the introduction of quarter-finals. The top two teams from each group in League A will now battle it out in March for a spot in the final four.
Following the quarter-finals, the tournament will culminate in a four-team finals event next June.
Teams that finish third in League A and second in League B will enter relegation and promotion play-offs. A similar play-off structure will occur between Leagues B and C.
These new changes also have implications for World Cup 2026 qualifying.
The 12 group winners from the European qualifying rounds will automatically qualify for the World Cup. Additionally, four more places will be contested in play-offs, which will feature the 12 runners-up and the four highest-ranked Nations League teams who haven’t already qualified.
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UEFA Nations League 2024/2025 Winner Odds
Odds courtesy of Betano, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change:
Spain @ 4.25 odds
France @ 4.50 odds
Germany @ 8.00 odds
Portugal @ 9.00 odds
Netherlands @ 11.00 odds
Belgium @ 13.00 odds
Italy @ 13.00 odds
Croatia @ 18.00 odds
Denmark @ 18.00 odds
Switzerland @ 35.00 odds
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