The dust has settled on a breathtaking Round of 16 at EURO 2024, leaving football fans across the continent in awe. Defending champions have fallen, underdogs have risen, and fans have been treated to last-gasp equalizers and nerve-wracking penalty shootouts.
With the quarter-finals now set, anticipation is building for the next chapter of this tournament. Join us as we relive the drama and look ahead to what promises to be a spectacular conclusion to EURO 2024.
SUI-ITA (2-0): Switzerland Beat Reigning Champions Italy
At Berlin’s Olympiastadion, Switzerland pulled off the tournament’s biggest shock, sending reigning champions Italy packing with a convincing 2-0 victory. Freuler’s 37th-minute strike gave the Swiss a deserved lead, but it was Vargas who wrote his name in EURO history, scoring just 27 seconds into the second half — the second-fastest second-half goal in the tournament’s history.
Italy’s goalkeeper Donnarumma kept his side in the game with brilliant saves against Embolo and Rieder, but even when Schär and Scamacca hit the woodwork late on, it was clear the football gods were smiling on the Swiss. Nothing to do for the Azzurri, who must give up the crown and admit the defeat after an underwhelming performance that surely left them with much to reflect on. Meanwhile, Switzerland will prepare to face England in the quarter-finals.
GER-DEN (2-0): Havertz and Musiala Shine as Germany Advance
At BVB Stadion Dortmund, Germany overcame both Denmark and the elements in a match interrupted by a 20-minute lightning delay. Nagelsmann’s side started brightly, with Schlotterbeck’s early header ruled out for offside. Schmeichel made some great saves to keep Denmark in the game.
The weather break seemed to galvanize Denmark, with Højlund almost scoring just before half-time. But it was Germany who scored first, with Havertz converting a penalty after a handball by Andersen. Musiala then scored a beautiful curling shot to make it 2-0. Germany seems to be in their best form at the perfect time in the tournament, as they prepare to face Spain in a thrilling quarter-final clash.
ENG-SVK (2-1): England’s Great Escape Stuns Slovakia
In a heart-stopping finish at Arena AufSchalke, England snatched a 2-1 victory from the jaws of defeat against Slovakia. Schranz’s first-half goal had Slovakia dreaming, but Jude Bellingham had other ideas. His exceptional overhead kick five minutes into injury time forced the match into extra time. There, captain Harry Kane sealed the win, nodding home Ivan Toney’s header moments after the restart.
It was a cruel blow for Slovakia, who had contained England for over 90 minutes. Despite the win, Southgate’s men will need to improve significantly in the next round. England now faces Switzerland in the quarter-finals, where they’ll hope to build on this dramatic comeback.
ESP-GEO (4-1): Spain Dominate Georgia After Early Scare
At Cologne Stadium, Spain turned an early setback into a dominant display against Georgia. Despite scarce possession, Georgia took a shock lead through Le Normand’s own goal. However, Rodri equalized before half-time, and Spain scored other goals after the break. Ruiz, Williams, and Olmo all found the net as De la Fuente’s men demonstrated why Spain is among the elite of football.
The final 4-1 scoreline reflected Spain’s dominance. The 2008 and 2012 champions look ominously good, and La Roja’s reward is a titanic quarter-final match against Germany.
FRA-BEL (1-0): France Edge Past Belgium in Battle of Neighbours
In a match that failed to live up to its billing, France scraped past Belgium with a 1-0 victory, securing their quarter-final spot. The first half offered little for fans to cheer about, with both teams cancelling each other out. The second half saw a slight uptick in tempo. The Belgian keeper was kept busy, denying efforts from Thuram, Griezmann, Saliba, and Mbappé as France turned up the pressure.
As the game seemed destined for extra time, France got their lucky break. With just five minutes remaining, Kolo Muani’s shot on the turn took a wicked deflection off Jan Vertonghen, wrong-footing Casteels and finding the net. The Red Devils saw their tournament end here.
France advances but will need vast improvement against Portugal in the quarters. This performance, while winning, was far from convincing and left some fans underwhelmed.
POR-SVN (Penalties: 3-0): Portugal Survive Slovenian Scare in Penalty Drama
In a match that stretched to its limits, Portugal needed penalties to overcome a stubborn Slovenia after a goalless 120 minutes. The drama peaked when legend Cristiano Ronaldo saw his extra-time penalty saved by Oblak, only to redeem himself by scoring in the shootout.
Portuguese keeper Costa emerged as the hero of the match, saving all three Slovenian penalties for a 3-0 shootout win. Slovenia can hold their heads high though, having performed great against Portugal across two hours of football and creating the game’s best chance through Šeško late on. Portugal now prepares to face France in a heavyweight quarter-final match.
ROU-NED (0-3): Dutch Delight as Malen Makes History
The Netherlands hit their stride against Romania, securing a 3-0 win in Munich. Gakpo opened the scoring in the first half, cutting in from the left to squeeze a shot past Niță. The Liverpool forward then set up Malen for the second goal after the break, following a previously disallowed offside goal.
The final blow came in stoppage time when Simons set up Malen for his second goal, making the Dortmund forward only the fourth player ever to score twice off the bench in a Euros match, and the first since Savo Milošević for Yugoslavia against Slovenia at Euro 2000. The Dutch progressed to play Türkiye in the quarter-finals.
AUT-TUR (1-2): Türkiye’s Defensive Masterclass Overcomes Austria
In Leipzig, Türkiye upset Austria 2-1 in a match that defied the expected goals. Demiral stunned the Austrians with a goal after just 57 seconds, then doubled the lead with a powerful header from Güler’s corner in the second half. Gregoritsch pulled one back to set up a grandstand finish, but Türkiye’s keeper Günok pulled off a physics-defying save.
Montella’s young side proved that football isn’t played on paper. Their fairy tale continues in the quarters, where Türkiye will face the Netherlands in Saturday’s second clash, the last match before the semi-final.
Quarter-final Matchups
The stage is set for four fantastic quarter-finals:
Friday, July 5
- Spain vs Germany | 5 pm BST
- Portugal vs France | 8 pm BST
Saturday, July 6
- England vs Switzerland | 5 pm BST
- Netherlands vs Türkiye | 8 pm BST
With the semi-finals scheduled for July 9 and 10, and the final set for Sunday, July 14, we’re running towards the end of EURO 2024.
As we edge closer to crowning the champions of Europe, the questions are mounting. Can Spain maintain their dominant form? Will England’s luck hold against the Swiss? Can Türkiye continue to defy the odds? And who will prevail in the clash between Portugal and France?
One thing’s for certain — if the quarter-finals match the drama of the Round of 16, we’re in for a treat. The stage is set, the players are ready, and football fans across Europe are holding their breath. EURO 2024 is about to get even more exciting!