ahat-trick of goals put David Villa in pole position to be Euro 2008's top goalscorer .The Real Madrid-linked ace netted three in Spain's 4-1 drubbing of Russia , coach Luis Aragones suggests there could be more to come.A bout of food poisoning had made Villa a doubt for the match, but he looked 100 per cent fit for his country's opener in Group D.
Following his performance, the bookmakers have made him a resounding favourite to be the tournament's top scorer, with Ladbrokes offering odds of 11/8.Germany's Lucas Podolski, who scored a brace against Poland in his first match, is 5/1 with Stan James, while Holland striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is 11/1 with Boylesports.
Pre-tournament favourites Fernando Torres and Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom have yet to get a goal, are 16/1 at William Hill and Blue Square respectively.
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Ronaldo began his quest to be Euro 2008 top goal scorer last night, confidently slotting home his first of the competition against Czech Republic.
A second looked on the cards just before full-time, but the Manchester United man laid the ball across for Ricardo Quaresma to tuck away, rather than shoot himself.
Ronaldo has moved to joint-third favourite to win the golden boot at the bookmakers, with Boylesports offering 11/1 on the midfielder and Holland's Ruud van Nistelrooy,the favourite after Tuesday's hat-trick against Russia, with punters able to get odds of 11/8 at Coral.
As well as the movement in the goal scorer betting, the odds on Ronaldo picking up a Euro 2008 winner's medal have also shortened.
Portugal, who are the first team to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition, are 5/1 at Stan James to win the Championship.
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MADRID, May 17 (Reuters) - Former captain and leading all-time scorer Raul and Barcelona teenager Bojan Krkic were left out of the Spain squad for Euro 2008 on Saturday.The surprise inclusions in coach Luis Aragones' 23-man squad for the tournament in Austria and Switzerland were uncapped Villarreal midfielder Santi Cazorla and Real Zaragoza forward Sergio Garcia.
Raul has not played since the Euro 2008 qualifying defeat against Northern Ireland in September 2006, although his inclusion had been championed by the Madrid-based press.
The 30-year-old has recaptured his form at title-winning Real Madrid this season and is the club's top scorer with 18 goals, his best tally in seven years."It isn't a case of ending the debate over Raul. I focus on the players not the clubs. There are other players who have scored more goals (than Raul) per minutes played, and they aren't coming either," Aragones told a news conference.
Krkic was likely to have been included but the 17-year-old Barca striker ruled himself out in an agreement with Aragones that he needed to rest.
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