Who will be Euro 2024 Best Player? Some of the planet's finest will be on display at Euro 2024
France's Kylian Mbappe is favourite to land the award(Image credit: Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)
The race for Euro 2024 Best Player is already on.
This summer's European Championship is set to be a fascinating tournament as some of the planet's creme de-la-creme look to make their mark – and there are some huge names in the running.
There's a little bit of everything in the collection of talent heading to Germany, whether that's young stars looking to announce their arrival, players in the peak of their careers or aging veterans on their last dance on the big stage.
When UEFA make their selection for Euro 2024's Best Player of the Tournament award next month, the voting panel are likely to be spoilt for choice.
So who are the leading contenders? FourFourTwo looks at the favourites for the award, with odds courtesy of Sky Bet that are correct at the time of publication.
Euro 2024 Best Player odds: 1. Kylian Mbappe (France)
France skipper Kylian Mbappe (Image credit: Alamy)
Club: Real Madrid Age: 25 Odds: 6/1
Real Madrid's newest toy should head to Germany with a spring in his step as he looks to improve on his disappointing showing at Euro 2020. He's considered by many to be the world's best player, playing for the one of the world's best teams, so it's not rocket science to put him at the top of this list.
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2. Jude Bellingham 10/1
England's Jude Bellingham (Image credit: Alamy)
Club: Real Madrid Age: 20 Odds: 10/1
England and France are the two clear favourites to win Euro 2024 and if the bookies get this tournament right, all the narrative signs point to a Mbappe vs Bellingham showdown in Germany.
If Bellingham can translate the form he showed during his debut La Liga season to the international stage, this award is his for the taking.
3. Harry Kane (England 11/1)
England skipper Harry Kane (Image credit: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Club: Bayern Munich Age: 30 Odds: 11/1
England skipper Kane has been Europe's best finisher this season, finding the back of the net 44 times for a misfiring Bayern Munich side. You'd imagine he will have a point to prove after missing that penalty against France in Qatar, a thought that will send shivers down the spine of defences in Germany this summer.
4. Phil Foden (England)
Phil Foden in action for Manchester City (Image credit: Getty Images)
Club: Manchester City Age: 24 Odds: 14/1
While Jude Bellingham has been - quite rightly- earning all the plaudits in Spain for his Real Madrid antics, Phil Foden will head to Euro 2024 in better form than his Three Lions teammate.
Playing the best football of a career that has seen him win six Premier League titles before he turned 24 last month, Foden has the technique and the attitude to be a world-beater on the biggest stages of all.
5. Toni Kroos (Germany)
Toni Kroos celebrates winning the Champions League with Real Madrid (Image credit: Getty Images)
Club: Real Madrid Age: 34 Odds: 14/1
One for the romantics, this. The smooth midfielder operator has already had the perfect club send-off in the Champions League final at Wembley, but even that would be topped if he was to lead his country to a tournament success on home soil.
If Germany were to go all the way with Kroos in the driving seat, he'll be a shoo-in for the award.
6. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Cristiano Ronaldo will captain Portugal at Euro 2024 (Image credit: Getty Images)
Club: Al Nassr Age: 39 Odds: 14/1
The Portugal captain should make his 50th World Cup or Euros appearance this summer and his ten goals in qualifying indicate that age and playing in Saudi are not hampering his ability to perform on the biggest stages.
The Portuguese face the Czech Republic, Turkey and Georgia in the group stage and if CR7 has his scoring boots on, goals often mean gongs when it comes to these kind of player of the tournament awards.
7. Bukayo Saka (England)
England winger Buykayo Saka (Image credit: Lindsey Parnaby)
Club: Arsenal Age: 22 Odds: 18/1
One for the poetic justice fans here. The young Arsenal winger has not let his Euro 2020 final penalty miss define his development, instead he has gone from strength to strength at club level.
Was England's joint-top scorer in Qatar and England's embarrassment of attacking riches are likely to lead to defensive mismatches that Saka can exploit to his advantage.
8. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
Kevin De Bruyne of Belgium (Image credit: KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images)
Club: Manchester City Age: 32
Odds: 20/1
Belgium are a team on the cusp of two eras as the remnants of their so-called golden generation head to Germany with a host of young talents. Teams in this kind of transitional phase rarely win major tournaments, but if Domenico Tedesco gets the mix right and his side makes a deep run, Kevin De Bruyne will likely be the focal point.
The Manchester City man turns 33 the day before the round of 16 starts and is another era-defining player who could be playing in his final tournament.
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
