Belgium vs Slovakia

Belgium kick off their Euro 2024 campaign against Slovakia in the Deutsche Bank Park stadium in Frankfurt on Monday. The Belgians have entered the last few international tournaments among the favourites, which could have weighed them down, as their ‘golden generation’ has largely failed to reach the heights expected of them. This tournament could be the last for a few Red Devils legends, and on paper, they should have more than enough to win this game and get off to the perfect start. Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku will be key to Belgium’s overall success at this tournament.

Slovakia managed to qualify automatically from Group J behind eventual winners Portugal. They deserve their place at the Euros and must feel as though they have a chance of progressing. A win here would be a huge step in that direction. There isn’t a standout name in the squad outside of Premier League stalwart Martin Dubravka in goal, but they’ll be keen to show a team is more than the sum of its parts. This will be their most challenging game in the group, so it will be a good barometer of where they’re at.

All things considered, it’s tough to see anything other than a Belgium win here. The Red Devils still have plenty of quality in their squad and that should be enough to get three points on the board here. Kevin de Bruyne will be on free-kick duties and most likely penalties, too, so backing him to score or assist in the game seems sensible. These are the kinds of games where Lukaku gets on the scoresheet, and we think he could be on to score first and open the floodgates. A small bet on a 3-0 scoreline could also prove fruitful.

Check the table with our top picks below:

Also, keep an eye on our predictions for the rest of Monday’s matches: Romania vs Ukraine and Austria vs France.