Euro 2020 excitement is reaching fever pitch, with the first match (Turkey versus Italy) due to kick off in Rome on Friday 11 June. In total, 51 fixtures will be played across 11 host cities. Both Spain and the UK will be hosting matches (in Seville and London, respectively), as defending champions Portugal seek to retain their championship title.

But enough about football. What about the contenders’ property credentials – does it make more sense to buy property in Portugal, Spain or the UK right now?

Owning property in Portugal has plenty of appeal. The cost of living/holidaying there is a major draw. Numbeo reports that Portugal’s cost of living is lower than that of Spain, which in turn is lower than that of the UK. The Post Office Holiday Costs Barometer 2021, meanwhile, reports that Portugal’s Algarve is cheaper to visit that Spain’s Costa del Sol. And with property priced at €1,185 per square metre, Portugal’s homes are also cheaper than pretty much all of western Europe. Score one for Portugal.

Portugal also delivers an enviable lifestyle, particularly in the sun-kissed Algarve, with its stunning coastline, world-class golf and marine sporting facilities and its picturesque towns and villages packed with independent restaurants and cafés serving up the delicious local cuisine.

In terms of what you can get for your money in the Algarve, the homes at Amendoeira Golf Resort are a great example. Two-bedroom apartments cost from €285,000, while three-bedroom villas with private pools are priced from €490,000.

Owned and operated by Kronos Homes, Amendoeira Golf Resort presents buyers with a range of additional facilities, including golf, tennis, a gym, communal pools, a sports bar, a restaurant and a stunning new clubhouse. For those currently fixating on the Euros, there’s a natural grass football field built to FIFA’s standards, along with two AstroTurf five-a-side football fields.

So, what does Spain have to offer? Like the Algarve, southern Spain offers a superb outdoor lifestyle, with 300 days of sunshine per year. It also provides a wealth of golf and other sporting facilities, along with a wonderfully scenic coastline. Spain’s coast is on the Mediterranean, so it wins out over Portugal when it comes to sea temperatures (as Portugal sticks out into the Atlantic).

For those who like to treat themselves while on holiday, Spain is also the place to be. From designer clothes to yachts, the country’s southern shores are awash with high-end goods and upscale beach clubs (far more so than that Algarve, which tends to deliver luxury in a rather more laid-back fashion).