Don’t know if you’ve heard or not but a little thing called Euro 2024 is just days away. Scotland are in action against Germany as the curtain raises on Friday 14th of June and, with the hours slowly ticking down, that can only mean one thing – Mark Lawrenson‘s crystal ball has been put into overdrive.

He’s crunched the numbers, shaken the 8 ball, run the flag up the pole and stuck his finger in the air to get a definitive reading on the direction of travel – and the results have given him the heebie-jeebies. That’s right, Lawro thinks it might just well finally be coming home.

There’s no two ways to put it, England are Lawro’s favourites and he’s backing Gareth Southgate’s guys to make it a clean sweep for the major awards.

So, if you dare, gather round our digital camp fire and brace yourself for the soccer soothsayer’s terrifying visions on Euro 2024. Alternatively, if you’re an England fan, get the bunting out. You’re going to want to get a load of this!

Who’s winning the whole thing?

I don’t like to say this but I think England are going to win! Now’s the time, they are just so, so, so strong and they’ve got an embarrassment of riches.

I just hope that Gareth Southgate goes for it, none of this two holding midfielders and all that. They’ve got so many outstanding players everywhere apart from, maybe, left back at the moment but you can get over that.

Realistically there’s seven teams who could win it; Germany, Spain, Portugal, England, Netherlands, Italy and France. It’s going to be one of them.

When you used to watch World Cups back in the day with teams like Germany and Italy, they just had top, top players everywhere. I feel that with England.

It upsets me but they’ve just got everything

You might have questions over them defensively perhaps but I don’t see them being put under too much pressure because they’re going to have lots and lots of the ball. Just look at the strength off the bench as well, Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze, he was great in that friendly.

This is why I’m saying, ‘Just go for it’ because Southgate can take five off and bring five on and they’re basically as good as the five who have gone off.

Who are they beating in the final?

I think it might be the French, a re-run of that World Cup match in which England obviously owe them one. If you think back to that game it was so, so close with Harry Kane missing that penalty.

The French are a very good side but I look at England and I think Southgate’s lot are actually better. I know they could meet in the semis but these tournaments never go to plan.

Who are your dark horses?

They might be more of a grey but Spain could surprise people after a few poor tournaments. They’ve struggled to score goals but they’ve got some outstanding players. I just can’t see a minnow like Georgia making a splash but Spain might put on a better showing than people are expecting.

Who’s winning the Golden Boot?

I’m going for Harry Kane. This is killing me, absolutely killing me, but it’s about time he won something. He’s got unbelievable ability, he’s gone to Germany and done fabulously well there as well.

It will have broadened his outlook as a player a little bit and if you really look at England you’ve got Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, they’ve got so much firepower and so many good players to feed the ball to him. It’s ridiculous.

Who’s going to be player of the tournament?

Jude Bellingham. He must be on an unbelievable high at the moment, he’s had a fabulous season and he’s made it look so easy. He’s still only 20 and he’s a man mountain.

He played in a slightly different role in the Champions League final and still came up with an assist for the second goal for Real Madrid. He’s the reason England don’t have to play with two holding midfield players because he can just sit in there and do his stuff.

How far will Scotland go?

They’ll be home after the third game unfortunately. They’ll be good fun and the punters will be great but I just don’t see it with Scotland. Like most teams they’re really well organised and they’ve got a good manager, but I’m not sure where their goals are going to come from. They’ve not been dealt the best group either, they’d be better off in England’s.

Are you Southgate in or Southgate out?

I think this is his last hurrah with England whether they win or lose. You have a certain amount of life as an England manger and this will be his fourth major tournament. He’s an intelligent man, very intelligent, and he’s not going to outstay his welcome. Whatever happens this will be his last one.

Who’s England’s most important player?

Bellingham for sure. It’s just everything about him. His confidence will be sky high and we saw him in the World Cup in Qatar and he was as good as anybody. He was good then but he’s even better now.

Read More on Euro 2024

• Score your latest football betting tips at Paddy Power News
• When does Euro 2024 start? Date and kick-off time for first game in Germany
• Euro 2024 fixtures, groups and schedule for this summer’s big tournament
• Euro 2024 Golden Boot odds: Who is the favourite to be the top scorer?
• Predicted England Euro 2024 squad and Paddy Power odds for 23-man group

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