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France Heavily Favored to Win Group H in Euro 2020 Qualifying

John Dillon

by John Dillon in Soccer News

Updated Apr 22, 2020 · 9:34 AM PDT

Kilyan Mbappe
Kilyan Mbappe is expected to lead France to the top of Group H. Photo by Кирилл Венедиктов (Wikimedia Commons)
  • France is favored for Double success after winning the World Cup
  • Didier Deschamps is wary, but Les Bleus have an easy route
  • Iceland and Turkey promise to be in a tight battle for second place

France are attempting to win the international football version of the Double for the second time.

If they follow last year’s World Cup triumph by winning the European Championships, they will be repeating their achievement of 1998 and 2000.

And online sports betting sites have very little doubt they will achieve the first step towards conquering this feat: qualifying for the European Championships. France is a heavy -600 favorite to win Group H in the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

Euro 2020 Qualifying Group H Winner Odds

Team Odds
France -600
Turkey +750
Iceland +800
Albania +6600
Andorra +100000
Moldova +100000

*Odds taken on 03/20/19

Didier Deschamps Has Done it Before

The coach, Didier Deschamps, knows exactly how that is done. As a hard-working midfielder, he captained Les Blues to both those previous triumphs.

As manager, he then led the team to the 2018 victory in Russia as well as guiding them to the final of the Euros in Paris in 2016.

Now his team is favored to lift another trophy next summer at Wembley, where the final stages of the newly-reformatted Euros will take place. Little wonder that Deschamps has already stated this that he wishes to remain in charge until the next World Cup in 2022 .

Not only does he have a tremendous record of success which has become ever more glittering since his appointment in 2012 but he also has the most talented, exciting and powerful squad in the international game.

Superstar Squad Has Youth on its Side

Many of them are young with years of development yet to come, which also makes qualification for those finals little more than a formality.  Sportsbooks are quoting them at an unrewarding – 600 to win Group H, which also includes Turkey, Iceland, Albania, and the no-hopers of Moldova and Andorra.

This is a squad which brims with youthful hunger but also has the right blend of seasoning and experience for further conquest.

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Kilyan Mbappe, at only 20, has already scored in a World Cup final after becoming the world’s second  most expensive player when he joined Paris Saint-Germain from Monaco for $225 million.

Paul Pogba, the driving force in midfield alongside Chelsea’s ever-reliable N’Golo Kante, is entering his peak years at 26, and is  happy and back in form  now that his nemesis, Jose Mourinho, has departed from Manchester United.

Deschamps Warning Over Minor Opponents

Despite this, Deschamps has warned his players to be wary of complacency in what looks like being an unchallenging progress to the finals.

In the opening game of qualifying for the last World Cup, his team were held to a goalless draw by Belarus, although they went on to win the group comfortably.

Fight for Playoff Place Will Be Close

The more intriguing value can be found in the battle for second spot, with Turkey at +750 and Iceland at + 800.

Turkey were beaten 3-0 at home by Iceland. However, they lost all four fixtures in the European Nations League against Switzerland and Belgium, which suggests their unlikely ascendancy of recent times may be over.

Turkey have failed to score in their last four fixtures and will present little threat to France.

Things have gone little better for the Turks recently. They were relegated from Tier B of the Nations League after winning just one game against Sweden. They have failed to score in their last four fixtures and will present little threat to France.

No Threat from Small Nations

Albania, managed by the former Italian international defender, Cristian Panucci, reached their first finals at Euro 29016. They were bottom in their Nations League group but won their most recent fixture, a friendly at home against Wales.

Meanwhile, Moldova, ranked 170th in the world, have beaten only tiny San Marino in competitive matches since 2013. And the tiny Principality of Andorra have won only six qualifying matches in their 23-year history.

Pick: France (-600)


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