The Golden Ball has been officially awarded since 1996 to the best player of the European Championship. Up until now, it has almost always gone to someone from the country who lifts the trophy. Among the most notable winners are Zinedine Zidane and Andres Iniesta.
If you are looking to bet on this market, you have come to the right place. Here, we will examine all the latest Euro 2024 Golden Ball odds. Do we expect a favourite to win, or can an underdog cause an upset? Can you combine it with other markets? Let’s take a look.
Which Are The Best Euro Golden Ball Odds
* The odds are yet to be annouced so visit our recommended bookies for the latest updates
Unlike the Golden Boot, this award goes to the best player. What you need to keep in mind if you want to engage in Euro Golden Ball betting is that it is usually a midfielder from the champions that wins the award. So, make sure you choose a player from the team that you think is going to win the Euros.
What Are the Top Euro Golden Ball Betting Tips
Since the winner of the award is usually someone from the team that wins the trophy, this gives you some idea of which players are safer to bet on. It would take something extraordinary for a minor player to overcome the Euro MVP betting odds and emerge victorious.
However, it is still advisable to evaluate both the favourites and the dark horses. After all, you can never be sure about sports betting.
Which Are the Favourites in Euro 2024 MVP Betting
It is no surprise that online betting sites favour players from teams like England and France. After all, these two have the shortest odds to win the whole thing. However, the top Euro Golden Ball odds will always contain the top names. Let’s have a look at the most valuable favourites.
⏩ Kylian Mbappe
The French are always dangerous in international competitions. After easily eliminating all competition in the qualifiers, they are going fully-armed into Euro 2024.
They do not have any injuries at this moment, and their rivals in the first few rounds are not something they can’t handle. Since we believe that France has a great chance of winning the tournament, placing a bet on Mbappe to be the MVP is an excellent option.
⏩ Harry Kane
Is this the year that England overcomes all obstacles and finally wins an international tournament? This will depend greatly on their captain and leader, Harry Kane, who will look to atone for the missed penalty against France in the World Cup.
If the Three Lions come out on top, there is a high chance that Kane will also be the MVP of the competition. However, it is tough to trust England to deliver since they have not done it in so long. Better look at other alternatives.
⏩ Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal had a perfect record during the qualifiers, alongside the best defence among all teams. Not only that, but Ronaldo managed to score 10 goals in the process. If they continue this run of form into the finals, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
This could be the Portuguese superstar’s final international tournament, so we expect him to go all out. The Euro MVP betting odds on him pay well.
⏩ Ilkay Gundogan
Any team that hosts a tournament gets a big push from their home crowd. When that team is Germany, then you cannot overlook them, even though they haven’t looked great lately. They have a strong problem in the striker position.
Overall, we do not think they will lift the trophy. But, if you are looking for a German player to bet on, then Ilkay Gundogan is as good an option as any.
Which Underdogs Stand Out for the Award?
Truth be told, there are not a lot of dark horses that have won the MVP award. The only notable example is Zagorakis when, against all odds, Greece lifted the 2004 Euro. Nevertheless, there are some notable names if you want to exploit the top Euro 2024 Golden Ball odds.
⏩ Virgil van Dijk
Indeed, defenders don’t usually win MVP awards since they are being overlooked due to a lack of stats. If the Netherlands win the tournament, it will be because of their defensive prowess rather than the amount of goals scored.
This means that their captain and best player, Virgil Van Dijk, will have a high chance of winning the Golden Ball. However, we do not believe they have a high chance of succeeding, which is why we will look elsewhere.
⏩ Jude Bellingham
His first year with Real Madrid couldn’t have been more productive. He is firing in all cylinders and terrorises defences. The only problem here would be that Southgate will probably not offer him the same level of freedom as Ancelotti does.
Nevertheless, if the Three Lions lift the trophy, we suspect that Bellingham will be one of the cornerstones.
⏩ Rasmus Hojlund
Understandably, this is a stretch. While Hojlund had an excellent run of form during the qualifiers and helped Denmark secure first place in the group, it will be next to impossible for him to win the MVP award. Denmark would have to reach at least the semi-finals even to be considered.
However, if you are looking for very high Euro MVP odds, Hojlund is as good an option as any. Just stick to small stakes because it will be unlikely that this will happen.
⏩ Rodri
A lot of online bookmakers consider Spain to be one of the favourites to win the whole thing. If they achieve that, then Rodri will definitely be instrumental. The Spanish midfielders have a history of winning the award, with Xavi and Iniesta winning it in two consecutive years.
Also, the best Euro 2024 Golden Ball odds usually go to midfield players instead of strikers, so we believe that Rodri is a high-value bet on the market.
Previous Euro Golden Ball Winners
The MVP award has been handed out since 1996. Since then, the winner has always been part of the nation that wins the Euro Championship. If history continues this year, then you need to predict which country will come out on top. As a point of reference for previous winners, we present you with the full list.
Year | Champions | Golden Ball |
2021 | Italy | Gianluigi Donnarumma |
2016 | Portugal | Antoine Griezmann |
2012 | Spain | Andrés Iniesta |
2008 | Spain | Xavi |
2004 | Greece | Theodoros Zagorakis |
2000 | France | Zinedine Zidane |
1996 | Germany | Matthias Sammer |
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Best Euro Golden Ball betting sites
This time around, the odds on the MVP of the tournament mostly revolve around strikers. You will find that Kane, Mbappe, and Ronaldo pay the lowest prices since bookmakers give their respective nations a higher chance of winning the trophy.
The truth is that it is tough to win money from this market. Since the Golden Ball is often given to a player who also wins the Euros, you must also predict which country will come out on top. It is far easier to bet on the Golden Boot winner because you don’t need his team to win the trophy.
Usually, no. Most online bookmakers have the market closed after you place your wager. This means that you will need to wait until the tournament finishes to lose your bet or collect your profits.
The top bookmakers are those who provide the best Euro Golden Ball odds, as well as those who allow you to combine this selection with the winner of the tournament. This would offer you way higher prices.
This is pretty straightforward. The Golden Ball Award is given to the best player of the entire tournament. On the other hand, the Golden Boot is awarded to the player who achieves the most goals during the event.