Euro 2024: England Qualifies For Last 16 In Tournament
England have qualified for the last 16 of Euro 2024 with just a game left after Spain beat Albania 1-0 on Monday.
Victory for Spain also means the Netherlands and France progress from Group D into the knockout phase.
The Three Lions finish their Group C campaign on Tuesday against Slovenia in Cologne (20:00 BST) but are already guaranteed to be in the next phase.
Gareth Southgate’s side have four points after a 1-0 win against Serbia and then a 1-1 draw with Denmark, but Albania’s defeat ensured England would, at least, be one of the four best third-placed teams.
England will win Group C if they beat Slovenia, while they could still come top if they draw and Denmark fail to beat Serbia.
If England draw and Denmark win the two nations will be split for first and second place on overall goal difference, then overall goals scored, then disciplinary points.
England cannot finish lower than third in Group C.
If Albania had beaten Spain then England would have had to wait until Tuesday to secure their potential qualification, but Spain, European champions in 1964, 2008 and 2012, proved too strong.
If England win the group they will play on Sunday at 17:00 BST in Gelsenkirchen against a third-placed side from either Group D, Group E or Group F.
Austria are currently third in Group D with one round of matches to go, all four teams in Group E – Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine – are on three points, while the Czech Republic are third in Group F, level on points but with a better goal difference over fourth-placed Georgia.
It is more straightforward if England finish as group runners-up as they will then face hosts Germany in Dortmund on Saturday (20:00 BST).
If England come third in Group C they will play either Group F winners Portugal in Frankfurt on Monday, July 1 (20:00 BST) or the Group E winners in Munich on Tuesday, July 2 (17:00 BST).
