Croatia Euro 2012 betting

The Croatian side had to watch the 2010 World Cup at home after failing to qualify, but they have began this campaign in splendid form and top Group F after four games, scoring double the goals of second placed Greece, yet conceding only one. Having been placed as top seeds before the groups were drawn, Croatia must look at their opposition and know they are the best side. They are 1.48 to still be top when the qualifiers end, and they should be.

The side has quality players in every area of the pitch, and no team will want to draw them once in Poland and Ukraine. Under the guidance of Slaven Bilic they have grown as a team, and helped their manager become arguably their nation’s best ever, losing only four games in 48 and a win percentage of 70.83.

Croatia European Championship odds

Work ethic and determination is underlined by quality and skill, sublime passers like Luka Modric and Niko Krancjar provide the nimble finisher Eduardo da Silva, a man who is looking back to instinctive goal scoring best since his move the Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. Modric is becoming a more influential player at club level with Tottenham Hotspurs, who are now a danger to most teams in the Champions League.

There is also defensive quality, with Vedran Corluka and Captain Darijo Srna (who can operate in midfield and defence). The team has a spine that many in Europe would be jealous of, with good players to fit in alongside the stars. Ivica Olic of Bayern Munich, Nikica Jelavic at Rangers and young striker Nikola Kalinic of Blackburn all options up front. Schalke’s Rakitic is only 22 and learning, yet full of talent, and Pranjic of Bayern will likely be there if fit, adding more to their midfield.

Croatia Euro 2012 best bets

A team with the quality they’ve got will expect to make the knockout stages, and will most likely do so if they avoid a ‘group of death’ type situation. Do they have the quality to win? Many of the same players were in the squad when they were ripped apart by England 5-1 in September 2009, but with nearly three years more experience come Euro 2012. They have enough about them to give any team a hard match, but the likes of Spain, Holland and Germany won’t fear them. Unlike the World Cup, you play the better teams sooner in the European Championships, especially with this being the last of a 16 team format.

Achievement would be knockout stages, but if you fancy a real outsider than Croatia are the bet.