Euro 2024: England, France, Netherlands advance to knockouts as Albania lose

Albania’s players react after the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between Albania and Spain at the Duesseldorf Arena in Duesseldorf on June 24, 2024. (Photograph: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)

England, France, and Netherlands progressed to the knockout stages of Euro 2024 on Monday after Albania lost 1-0 to Group B winners Spain thanks to an early Ferran Torres goal in Duesseldorf.

England have qualified from Group C and France and Netherlands from Group D as at least three of the four best third-placed teams at the tournament.

All three sides play their final group-stage matches on Tuesday, where they will seek a top-two finish in order to ensure a kinder draw for the last-16 stage.

England have four points and sit top of Group C before their match against Slovenia in Cologne.

A win will ensure Gareth Southgate’s men top the group, or a draw will suffice if Denmark fail to beat Serbia in the section’s other clash.

France and Netherlands played out a goalless stalemate in Group D on Friday, leaving both on four points.

France take on already-eliminated Poland and the Netherlands face Austria, who know a win against the Dutch would ensure their spot in the knockouts with six points.

If both France and Netherlands win or draw on Tuesday, they will be separated for first place on overall goal difference, then overall goals scored, then disciplinary points, and finally their European qualifiers rankings.

AFP