Euro 2024: England vs France and 11 Other Possible Heavyweight Clashes in The Knockouts

• All the Euro 2024 favourites including England, Italy, Belgium, France, Germany and Spain, are still in the competition
• The last 16 setup, however, means several heavyweights will have to exit the competition quite early
• Sports Brief analyses 12 ways the heavyweights of the European Championship can meet and at what stage

Things are about to get interesting at the Euro 2024.

The group stage of the competition has concluded, and after a two-day break from football action, teams will resume the battle from Saturday, June 29, 2024.

All the heavyweights made it to the knockout stages, including France, England, Germany, and Spain, which have been tipped as the four teams that could win the tournament.

However, lacklustre performances from some of the top nations in the group stages resulted in a lopsided last-16 draw.

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The likes of Belgium and France , for example, ended their respective groups as runners-up, resulting in the two nations finding themselves in the same side of the bracket.

England was lucky, as they avoided all the perceived ‘big guns’ and were placed in a bracket containing nations that are largely considered ‘dark horses’.

Regardless, the knockout stages of the Euros promise to be action-packed, and the heavyweights are bound to clash - one way or another.

Sports Brief looks at what needs to happen for some of the tournament favourites to meet and at what stage of the competition it can happen.

Euro 2024 knockout permutations

England vs Italy

The two sides have history between them as they were the finalists of the 2020 edition of the Euros.

Since they are on the same side of the bracket, England and Italy cannot meet in the final.

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If The Three Lions beats Slovakia and Italy gets past Switzerland in the last 16, the two teams could meet in the quarter final.

Spain vs Germany

Only one of these two heavyweights can make it to the final.

La Roja and Germany are two of the only favourites in the tournament who have shown their credentials in the group stages.

There is a possibility they will clash in the Euro 2024 quarter-final.

Spain vs England

Compared to England, Spain has a tougher route to the Euro 2024 final.

Chances of clashing with England are fairly low, but if the two nations beat all their opponents in the last 16, quarter-final and semis, fans will be in for a treat in the final at Olympiastadion in Berlin.

France vs Belgium

Fortunately for fans, this matchup is already set up.

The 2018 World Champions will come up against Belgium's ageing ‘Golden Generation’ in arguably the biggest game of the last 16 on Monday, July 1.

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Spain vs Italy

Spain and the Azzuri have history between them, as La Roja took the World Cup from the Italians in 2010.

The two nations have had unforgettable clashes in recent times and have met in all UEFA Euro editions since 2008.

This year, the only way they can meet again is if both nations make it to the final.

Germany vs Portugal

Germany, considered one of the favourites at the tournament, are in the same bracket as Portugal, Spain, France and Belgium.

If they are to meet Cristiano and his wads, it will have to be at the semifinals of the Euro 2024.

Portugal would have to beat Slovenia in the last 16, and follow up that win with a quarter final victory against either France or Belgium.

Germany, meanwhile, will have to overcome Denmark in the last 16 and beat either Spain or Georgia in the quarter-final to set up a semifinal clash with Roberto Martinez’s side.

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Portugal vs France

This is another very plausible matchup at the Euros.

A repeat of the Euro 2016 final could take place as early as in the quarter-final if Les Blues beats Belgium and Portugal beats Slovenia.

England vs Portugal

Since The Three Lions and Portugal are in different brackets, the only way they can clash is if both sides make it all the way to the final.

France vs Germany

Prior to the start of the tournament, many fans and pundits predicted that France and Germany would advance to the Euro 2024 final.

This is impossible, however, as the two nations can only meet in the semi-final.

England vs Belgium

England and Belgium have not had enough competitive clashes in recent times.

The two nations’ last decent clash was at the 2018 World Cup when they were fighting for third place. Belgium comfortably won that game 2-0, as cited on Sportsmole.

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The only way the Red Devils can face the Three Lions at the 2024 Euros is if they meet in the final.

Spain vs the Netherlands

There is a slim chance of a repeat of the 2010 World Cup final at the Euro 2024.

Spain could meet the Netherlands, but it would take both nations overcoming some tough opponents to meet in the final.

Italy vs France

A France versus Italy matchup at the Euro 2024 is also improbable but not impossible.

The two nations, who played a memorable World Cup final in 2006, are in different brackets; hence, their chances of meeting at Euro 2024 are dependent on both sides making it to the final.

How the underdog could make history

Sports Brief also reported on how underdogs can make history at the Euro 2024.

Four teams - Georgia, Slovakia, Romania, Slovenia and Austria – have the potential to shake things up at the tournament and potentially make it to the final.

For Romania, it is the nation’s first appearance in the tournament's knockout stages in 24 years.