After advancing through the group stage safely, England’s pursuit of Euro 2024 glory now enters the knockout phase as they prepare to meet Slovakia this Sunday.
The teams will clash in Gelsenkirchen, where a place in the quarter-finals awaits the victors, with Switzerland looming as their potential next opponents.
Seeking to surpass their Euro 2020 final loss, England returns to Gelsenkirchen following a strong start to this summer’s European Championship, securing an opening victory against Serbia in the Ruhr Valley city.
Despite Slovakia’s mixed results in the group stage, including a win against Romania thanks to Ondrej Duda’s goal, they progressed by finishing third in Group E, each team ending with four points.
Under head coach Francesco Calzona, Slovakia showed resilience in qualifying for Euro 2024, emphasizing a more attacking style that set new national records for shots and shots on target during the group phase.
Meanwhile, England topped Group C undefeated, drawing with Denmark and Slovenia after a narrow win over Serbia, ensuring a favorable path to Berlin for the Euro 2024 final.
The match marks a significant return for Phil Foden to the squad, rejoining after attending the birth of his child, while Luke Shaw’s recovery from a hamstring injury continues, possibly seeing Kobbie Mainoo stepping into midfield after a solid performance against Slovenia.
Match is scheduled to start at 4:00pm local time on Sunday.
