Five strikers who can decide the destiny of Euro 2016

A footballing feast is almost upon us with the European Championship tournament kicking off in France in early June. The competition is extended this year to 24 nations – from 16 – as UEFA look to enhance the event. Some of the worlds’ finest players will be on view to showcase their talents in what promises to be a treat for fans and television viewers alike.

There are some excellent odds for the Euro 2016 Top Goalscorer betting, with Thomas Muller, Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane leading the way at the time of writing. In this article, we will look at those three players and two others as we focus on five of the tournaments’ best strikers. Can any of them score the vital goal that determines which team lifts the Henri Delauney Trophy on Sunday July 10^th?

Home hope

Atletico Madrid hot-shot Antoine Griezmann will help carry the hopes of the host nation in the upcoming tournament. 25 year-old Griezmann is a lightning-quick striker, with a deadly eye for goal as his La Liga performances have proven for ‘Atleti’ over the last two seasons. Griezmann is scoring at better than one goal every two games in Spain’s premier competition, and has played a pivotal role in this season’s road to the Champions League final.

His international record however, is a little less impressive with seven goals – five of those against Jamaica, Armenia and Albania – in 25 appearances for Les Blues, but you can be certain that Griezmann will be a serious threat to every team he takes the pitch against this summer.

Heavy burden

Portugal have relied heavily on one man – Cristiano Ronaldo – in recent international tournament history, and this summer promises to be no different. With 56 goals from 125 international caps, Ronaldo has a fine scoring record for his country. However, that ratio pales into insignificance if you compare his Real Madrid statistics – 364 goals in 347 appearances, but the truth is that Portugal do not possess the same talent level around Ronaldo, that his club side can offer.

Portugal are an outside punt to win the tournament, even with one of the greatest goal scorers of all time among their ranks. Anything is possible with Ronaldo though, so the Portuguese should never be written off.

German domination?

World Cup holders Germany are likely to have a strong say where the Euro 2016 trophy lands, and their tournament lynchpin, Thomas Muller is a potential major player in the goal scoring charts. Bayern Munich’s Muller has hit 31 international goals from 70 appearances, but his form at the major tournaments sets him apart. The versatile attacker has scored ten goals in the last two World Cup tournaments, and netted nine goals in Germany’s successful European Championship qualifying campaign.

The Germans have a very solid squad to choose from, but Muller is one of the leading lights who could fire his nation to European glory alongside world domination.

Feared frontman

Qualifiers alongside Germany from Group D, Poland would not be considered as strong candidates to lift aloft the Henri Delauney Trophy in early July, but Muller’s fellow Bayer Munich team-mate, Robert Lewandowski is one of the most feared strikers on the continent and with that in mind, the Poles cannot be discounted.

The 27 year-old striker has enjoyed a fine season in the Bundesliga, with 30 goals in 32 appearances that have helped fire Bayern to another league title. His international statistics are equally impressive with 16 goals from 15 caps since 2014, with 13 of those strikes in qualification.

England expects

Tottenham striker, Harry Kane has yet to taste international tournament football, but the England hitman could be the man to help bring back the glory days of 1966. Kane’s meteoric rise up the footballing pyramid has not only been to the benefit of Spurs, but also to England boss Roy Hodgson. Kane netted on his international debut less than 14 months ago against Lithuania, and hasn’t really looked back.

The 22 year-old striker played an influential part in the comeback 3-2 friendly win over Germany back in March, with an accurate finish to leave world-renowned goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer helpless. If Kane can strike up an excellent understanding with the rest of his team-mates this summer, the Hotspur hot-shot may find the necessary goals to be a national treasure.