England's potential route to the final

The flag’s within the window, the fridge is stocked, you’ve saved up your annual depart and a mad month of desires and despair is lastly upon us. Euro 2024 is right here.

It’s been 58 years for the reason that final and solely time England’s males lifted a serious trophy. Too lengthy. The wait is over, absolutely?

We gained’t know for certain till bedtime on Sunday, July 14, however do you have to guide the Monday off now and beat the push?

You’ll be able to’t set off on a journey into the unknown with out some type of a map, so let’s take a look on the path upon which England will embark this weekend.

What do we all know for certain?

England face Serbia of their opening Group C sport in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday (8pm BST) earlier than taking over Denmark in Frankfurt 4 days later and ending the group stage with a sport in opposition to Slovenia in Cologne on June 25.

Group C is full

What do you reckon, #ThreeLions followers? pic.twitter.com/BLVZoQvPOs

— England (@England) December 2, 2023

England ought to win that group, proper?

Properly that’s harmful speak, however the bookies actually suppose so.

Ought to England certainly end high of Group C they’d then play their Spherical of 16 sport again in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, June 30, in opposition to a third-placed aspect from Teams D, E or F – doubtlessly Poland, Czech Republic or Ukraine.

The winner of that encounter would then face a visit to Dusseldorf for the quarter-final on July 6, the place they may anticipate to come back up in opposition to defending champions Italy, ought to they end as runners-up behind Spain in Group B.

The aspect who progresses to the semi-final in Dortmund on July 10 can be more likely to discover France ready for them within the last-four.

Whichever aspect prevails on that aspect of the draw can anticipate to tackle Portugal, Spain or, gulp, Germany, within the closing in Berlin’s Olympiastadion on July 14.

Sounds arduous. What if England end as runners-up?

It’s doubtlessly even tougher! Ought to England end second of their group they’ll head to Dortmund on June 29 for the Spherical of 16 the place they’d face the winners of Group A – you’d anticipate that to be Germany.

England did oust their previous foes at that very same stage at Wembley within the earlier event however may they repeat the feat with the tables turned on German soil in a Saturday evening sport? Think about the hype on that one for a second. Shivers.

The winner of that tie would, after they end celebrating, undergo to a quarter-final in Stuttgart on July 5, with Spain or Italy the potential opposition at that stage.

Whoever will get via that tie can anticipate to line-up in opposition to Portugal within the semi-final in Munich on July 9.

The ultimate, in Berlin, would pit the winner of that encounter in opposition to, in all chance, France – on Bastille Day, July 14. What a prospect.

Olympiastadion, Berlin July 14, 2024

Which two groups will attain the #EURO2024 closing? pic.twitter.com/29E9Bvgbon

— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) January 2, 2024

It’s top-two or bust, proper?

Truly no. There’s additionally a manner of progressing, even when catastrophe strikes within the group stage and England don’t end within the high two in Group C.

The 4 finest third-placed finishers throughout the six teams will be part of the 12 groups who end first and second of their teams in going via to the following stage.

At Euro 2016, the primary expanded event the place this 24-team format was used, Portugal certified from Group F regardless of solely incomes three attracts, whereas Northern Eire additionally progressed with three factors and a aim distinction of zero after profitable one and shedding two video games in Group C.

At Euro 2020 Ukraine truly certified from Group C with three factors from three video games and a aim distinction of minus one, having misplaced two of their three group video games.

Ought to England discover themselves in third place then their ‘reward’ can be a last-16 conflict with Portugal or Belgium, although ought to they handle to get via that then issues would possibly truly open up from there with the Netherlands probably the most daunting potential quarter-final opposition earlier than the really big-guns reconvene within the last-four.

So in conclusion…

Runners-up appears to be the very definition of doing issues the arduous manner. It’s virtually preferable to complete third and take the short-term ache for long-term achieve choice.

There aren’t any straightforward video games and to be the most effective it’s important to beat the most effective, however you additionally need to develop right into a event and peak on the proper time. England’s finest probability of doing that might appear to be by topping Group C and building-up for a doubtlessly decisive encounter with France within the semi-final.

Whoever wins that, you’d suppose, can be sturdy favourites to go on and elevate the trophy in Berlin – although absolutely no person can ever write off the Germans, particularly on dwelling soil.

No matter occurs, it’s going to be a month of reminiscences which can final a lifetime, a method or one other.