The group stage of the UEFA Euro 2024 provided 81 goals, numerous upsets and several spectacular game-winning moments. Sixteen out of the original 24 teams have now advanced to the knockout stage, with the Round of 16 set to kick off on June 29 at 6 p.m. EST.
Switzerland vs. Italy
At Euro 2020, Switzerland managed to shock the World Cup holders France and advance past the Round of 16. The team had a solid group stage at Euro 2024, defeating Hungary 3-1 and tying Germany 1-1. The center backs Fabian Schär and Manuel Akanji have also been strong.
Italy had a rocky group stage, but individual moments of brilliance helped them advance. Italy came from behind to beat Albania 2-1 thanks to a long-range strike from midfielder Nicolò Barella. The team fell to Spain 1-0 and nearly lost to Croatia, but a 98th minute goal from forward Mattia Zaccagni secured Italy’s spot in the Round of 16. The reigning champions will face a difficult opponent in Switzerland, but they still have players who can produce special goals.
Germany vs. Denmark
Hosts Germany had a flying start to the tournament, beating Scotland 5-1 on the opening day and defeating Hungary 2-0 to become the first team to book their ticket to the knockout stage. Young midfield stars Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz have had impressive tournaments so far. Forward Niclas Füllkrug has also provided goals from the bench. Germany will not want to disappoint the nation’s fans with an early exit from the tournament they are hosting.
Denmark have been defensively solid this tournament, but the team is also yet to win a game, advancing to the Round of 16 with three ties. Denmark will need to improve their attacking output to have a chance of winning against the hosts.
England vs. Slovakia
England, one of the tournament favorites, had a quiet and frustrating group stage. The team narrowly edged past Serbia 1-0 thanks to a 13th minute header from midfielder Jude Bellingham. England drew its next two games 0-0. While England managed to top Group C, forwards Harry Kane, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka have not carried an attacking threat.
Slovakia advanced to the Round of 16 after a surprising 1-0 victory against Belgium and a draw against Romania. The team will be the underdogs in this Round of 16 game, but with England struggling to find an attacking rhythm, Slovakia will still have a small chance at frustrating one of the tournament favorites.
Spain vs. Georgia
Georgia beat Portugal 2-0 in its last group stage game to produce one of the biggest shocks of the tournament. Led by the talented midfielder Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and forward Georges Mikautadze, Georgia made the knockout stage in its first ever major international tournament appearance. Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili has also impressed at the tournament, making a record-breaking 11 saves during a 1-1 draw with Czechia.
Spain has been one of the few tournament favorites with exciting and consistent performances at Euro 2024. The team swept aside Croatia 3-0 in its opening game, and they have not given up a single goal. Spain will look to rectify their unexpected loss to Morocco at the 2022 FIFA World Cup by progressing past Georgia to the quarterfinals.
France vs. Belgium
Both France and Belgium have had rocky starts to the tournament. France’s leading forward Kylian Mbappe broke his nose in the first game, which kept him on the sidelines for the team’s 0-0 draw against the Netherlands. France also struggled to beat fourth-place Poland in its final game.
Belgium has also experienced significant struggles in Euro 2024. The team was upset 1-0 by Slovakia and failed to score against Ukraine in a 0-0 tie, which meant Belgium finished second behind Romania in Group E. Forward Romelu Lukaku has had several goals ruled out by VAR, and midfielder Kevin DeBruyne is yet to provide a consistent attacking spark for the team.
As they prepare to face each other in the Round of 16, both teams will search for the great attacking form they once had in previous international tournaments.
Portugal vs. Slovenia
Thanks to a late goal from forward Francisco Conceição in their first game and an assist-providing striker Cristiano Ronaldo in their second, Portugal advanced to the knockout stages with two wins. The team stumbled slightly in their final group stage game, falling 2-0 to tournament newcomers Georgia. Portugal still has plenty of attacking talent to make it far in the tournament.
Slovenia made it to the Round of 16 by tying Serbia, Denmark and England in the group stage. They have an attacking outlet in forward Benjamin Šeško and an experienced goalkeeper Jan Oblak, but they will need an outstanding performance to beat Portugal.
Romania vs. Netherlands
Romania were the unexpected victors of Group E, beating Ukraine and tying Slovakia to finish above Belgium. The Romanian national team has not made the knockout stages of the tournament since Euro 2000.
The Netherlands had an underwhelming group stage. The Dutch national team beat Poland thanks to a late goal from striker Wout Weghorst. The Netherlands tied France 0-0 and lost to Austria 3-2 but advanced to the knockout stage with a third place finish. They will look to return to winning ways against Romania in the Round of 16.
Austria vs. Türkiye
In a group with both France and Netherlands, Austria managed to steal first place with their high-intensity gameplay. The team played well against France despite the 1-0 loss, and they beat the Netherlands 3-2. Guided by the experienced coach and smart tactician Ralf Rangnick, Austria have a shot at going deep in the tournament.
Türkiye started off strong, beating Georgia 3-1 in their opening game. The team then fell 3-0 to Portugal but bounced back by defeating Czechia 2-1. Once touted as a promising team, Türkiye will look to prove their talent in the knockout stage this year. This game, like many other Round of 16 matchups, will likely be close and provide many exciting moments, even with some teams considered as heavy underdogs.