On Wednesday, the 20th edition of the European U21 Championship will get under way in the Czech Republic.

Eight teams will be competing for the top prize, with at least half of those harbouring realistic ambitions of going all the way, and online bookmakers such as 32Red will allow you to have a flutter on a wide range of markets over the course of two action-packed weeks.  

The field will be led by Germany, with their crop of exciting youngsters hoping to follow in the footsteps of the senior side from 12 months ago in securing a major international triumph.

They will face serious competition from elsewhere, not least from England, but one thing that is for certain is that recent trends will be broken, with defending champions – and winners of the last two events – Spain surprisingly missing out on qualification.

Outright winner

As mentioned previously, Germany – with a World Cup safely tucked away in their locker – will start as clear favourites, and it is easy to see why when casting an eye over their star-studded ranks.

They can even call upon one of those to have tasted global glory in Brazil last summer, with talented Borussia Dortmund defender Matthias Ginter looking to pull off a notable double.

Outside of him and his efforts to taste international success in successive seasons, Germany can also – if they so wish – select a 2015 Champions League winner between the sticks, with Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen competing for the number one jersey.

Other more familiar faces include Liverpool’s Emre Can and Arsenal’s Serge Gnabry, while Schalke’s highly-rated Max Meyer – a teenage midfielder who has been heavily linked with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in the recent past – will provide creativity from a playmaking post.

32Red and Boylesports are among those bookmakers who have Germany as 7/4 shots at the time of writing to go all the way.

England will be hoping to crash the party, though, with Gareth Southgate having pieced together a squad that, while free of many of the star names still eligible to take part in this tournament, boasts plenty of Premier League experience.

Much may depend on the influence of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, West Bromwich Albion forward Saido Berahino and Liverpool new boy Danny Ings, with the Young Lions relying on them to transfer domestic form into the colours of their country.

At the opposite end of the field, Carl Jenkinson, Calum Chambers and John Stones are all defensive stalwarts with senior caps to their name, while goalkeeping captain Jack Butland is a seasoned performer at this level and a man looking to prove a point to club employers Stoke City.

Southgate also has a heady mix of graft and guile to use in the middle of the park, with Will Hughes, Tom Carroll, James Ward-Prowse and Nathan Redmond all bringing important qualities to the fold.

England are widely priced at 9/2 to end their 31-year wait for success at U21 level, while Portugal and Italy are the other likely contenders for the crown, with their chances rated at around 6 or 7/1.

Italy have included former Fulham and Brentford forward Marcello Trotta in their squad, but all eyes will be on the prolific Domenico Berardi as he looks to spearhead a charge through the tournament.

Portugal, meanwhile, were the only side to qualify with a 100 per cent record, taking 24 points from their eight fixtures, plundering 22 goals and conceding just six.

Top goalscorer

Given the quality of those around him, it comes as no surprise to find that Germany’s Kevin Volland is much-fancied in the Golden Boot stakes.

Sitting alongside him at the top of that particular market is the aforementioned Kane, with the Spurs ace – who plundered 31 goals in all competitions last season – expected to be the man that makes England’s Young Lions roar.

Ings and Berahino are also expected to go well, but there is a serious case for arguing that Italy’s Berardi is the value bet before a ball is kicked in anger.

He has just helped unfashionable Sassuolo to a solid mid-table finish in Serie A, offering 15 goals to the cause, and his efforts over the past couple of seasons – with parent club Juventus eager for him to get competitive minutes under his belt – have included hat-tricks in successive campaigns against AC Milan.