England’s route to the Euro 2024 final has been revealed as the round of 16 matchups have been confirmed. After topping Group C with one win and two draws, England will face Slovakia in the knockout stage. This favorable draw gives them an easier path to the final, avoiding strong teams like France, Germany, Spain, and Portugal.
If England can get past Slovakia, they will face either Italy or Switzerland in the quarter-finals. A potential clash against Italy would provide an opportunity for revenge for the Euro 2020 final defeat at Wembley. Should they advance past the Italians, England would then potentially face one of the Netherlands, Turkey, Romania, or Austria in the semi-finals.
On the other side of the draw, there are some highly anticipated matches. Kylian Mbappe’s France will take on Kevin de Bruyne’s Belgium, while host nation Germany will face Denmark. Spain will battle against debutants Georgia, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will play against Slovenia.
On England’s side of the draw, the Netherlands will face Romania, and Turkey will take on Austria. Both the Netherlands and Turkey have been performing well in the tournament and could be seen as dark horses.
England’s performances in the group stages have been less than convincing, despite their top spot finish. SunSport’s Tom Barclay has given player ratings for England’s latest match against Slovenia, highlighting areas where improvement is needed. The team dominated possession but lacked inspiration, raising questions for manager Gareth Southgate.
Overall, England’s route to the Euro 2024 final appears to be more favorable compared to other strong teams in the competition. However, their performances in the group stages have shown room for improvement. With key players like Harry Kane and Phil Foden yet to hit top form, England will need to step up their game if they want to progress further in the tournament and potentially lift the trophy.