Soccer

England to face Slovakia in first knockout stage at Euro 2024

Slovakia are the third-placed team awaiting England in the last 16.

Gareth Southgate will prepare his England team to take on Slovakia
Gareth Southgate will prepare his England team to take on Slovakia (Adam Davy/PA)
By PA Sport Staff

England will play Slovakia in the Euro 2024 last 16 on Sunday.

Gareth Southgate’s side topped Group C despite recording underwhelming draws against Denmark and Slovenia after winning their opener against Serbia.

That 1-0 triumph came in Gelsenkirchen, where the Euro 2020 runners-up will return this weekend to take on Francesco Calzona’s side.

Slovakia finished among the four best third-placed sides and were confirmed as England’s opponents upon the conclusion of the group stage on Wednesday night.

Ondrej Duda’s equaliser against Romania clinched Slovakia’s progression (Arne Dedert/AP)
Ondrej Duda’s equaliser against Romania clinched Slovakia’s progression (Arne Dedert/AP) (Arne Dedert/AP)

Calzona’s team finished on four points in Group E, where a 1-0 win against Belgium and 2-1 defeat to Ukraine was followed by Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Romania.

Slovakia are 45th in the FIFA world rankings – 40 spots below England.

England won 2-1 at Wembley in the last meeting between the sides in September 2017 during qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

The reverse fixture, in September 2016, was a 1-0 England victory in Sam Allardyce’s only game in charge of the national team.