England to play Slovakia next at Euro 2024 as they’re handed ideal potential run to the final with last-16 ties confirmed as group stage finishes
- Gareth Southgate’s England will play Slovakia in the eighth finals on Sunday evening
England will face Slovakia in the last 16 at Euro 2024 after the group stage of the tournament concluded on Wednesday evening.
Ahead of Wednesday’s matches it looked like England would face the Netherlands, but Georgia’s shock 2-0 win against Portugal ensured the Three Lions would instead face the third-placed team in Group E.
That will be Slovakia, after they secured a 1-1 draw against Romania earlier in the day to book their place in the knockout stages.
England now have ideal potential to reach the final, with France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and hosts Germany all on the other side of the draw.
If Gareth Southgate’s men get past Slovakia on Sunday evening, they will play a draw with defending champions Italy or Switzerland in the quarter-finals.
Gareth Southgate’s England will face Slovakia in the last sixteen at the 2024 European Championship
Harry Kane and Co have been given a favorable route to the final despite struggling through the group stages
They could then face Ralf Rangnick’s impressive Austria in the last four, having topped Group D ahead of France and the Netherlands.
A final against one of Europe’s greats could then await as England look to put in a better performance than three years ago when they lost to Italy on penalties in the final at Wembley.
However, they will need to improve their group performances significantly after three disappointing performances so far in Germany.
England defeated Serbia 1-0 in the opening match, before Denmark and Slovenia drew.
Fans have been left frustrated by England’s displays and plastic beer cups were thrown at Southgate as he went to applaud the traveling contingent after the dire draw with Slovenia on Tuesday night.
Southgate has admitted he expects a lot more from his side but could hardly have asked for a friendlier draw to put things right.
He now has to make some big calls for his starting XI to take on Slovakia after coming in for heavy criticism over his team selections throughout the tournament so far.
Anthony Gordon (left) and Cole Palmer (right) aim for a start in the last sixteen
Southgate still needs to figure out how to get the best out of Jude Bellingham (left) and Phil Foden (right).
Kobbie Mainoo, Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon are all aiming for starts after impressing from the bench against Slovenia, while Southgate is still figuring out how to get the best out of Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.
Former England striker Alan Shearer insisted changes need to be made for the last-16 tie, and Southgate must now decide whether to make minor adjustments or radical changes to finally get his team back to the fore.