Gareth Southgate’s England team, arriving in Germany as a tournament favorite, has had a less-than-impressive start to Euro 2024. Their three group stage matches were marked by a lack of conviction and uncertainty regarding the best starting lineup. Southgate himself acknowledged that his “experiment” in the early games had fallen short. This lackluster performance comes in stark contrast to the 2020 runners-up’s pre-tournament expectations.
Meanwhile, Slovakia has been a revelation in the tournament. They stunned the No. 3 ranked Belgium in their opening game, a team 42 places above them in the FIFA rankings. Slovakia midfielder Ondrej Duda highlighted the threat that the Slovaks pose, stating, “The English have quality, but every opponent it has played was able to torment them.”
Slovakia’s head coach Francesco Calzona aptly described his team as the Cinderella story of the group stage after their victory over Belgium. The tournament has shown that underdogs can rise to the occasion, as evidenced by Georgia’s stunning 2-0 victory against Portugal, further highlighting the unpredictable nature of the competition.
England fans may find solace in their team’s relatively easy route to the final on paper, but England defender Marc Guehi emphasizes the importance of staying grounded. He said, “I think everyone has seen in this competition that there is not a favourable side of the draw. Every team, every opponent, is really tough to come up against. I think we need to remain calm.”
The last-16 clash against Slovakia presents a crucial opportunity for England to finally assert their dominance and make their mark on the tournament. However, with Slovakia’s recent upset victory and the unpredictable nature of Euro 2024, it’s a match that promises to be a real test for Southgate’s men.
