The Serbian, Croatian, Romanian, Slovenian, Austrian, Hungarian and Albanian Football Associationss have all been sanctioned.

The punishments range from a 50,000 euros (£41,970) fine and a ban from selling tickets to its next Uefa away match (a Nations League game in Portugal on 5 September) for Croatia, to a 20,000 euros (£16,790) fine and a ban on selling tickets to its next Uefa away match – suspended for two years – for Austria.

In total, 17 games were identified as being affected, including three involving Slovenia, Romania, Croatia and Serbia.

The move comes a day after Uefa charged Spain players Rodri and Alvaro Morata for violating “basic rules of conduct” in the aftermath of their final victory over England when they sang offensive songs about Gibraltar, whose FA lodged a formal complaint.

The Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) made an official complaint about the celebrations to Uefa and European football’s governing body appointed a disciplinary inspector to “evaluate a potential violation of the Uefa disciplinary regulations”.

Morata and Rodri have now been charged with “general principles of conduct, violating the basic rules of decent conduct, using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature, and bringing the sport of football, and Uefa in particular, into disrepute”.

Uefa’s control, ethics and disciplinary body (CEDB) will make a decision on the issue “in due course”.

Gibraltar is an enclave at Spain’s southern tip that has been under British rule since the 18th Century, and Spain has long called for its return.

The chanting took place in front of tens of thousands of Spain fans in Cibeles Square, Madrid on 15 July as players celebrated their 2-1 Euro 2024 final success against England.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri, 28, could be seen chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” on the stage, and AC Milan striker Morata, 31, later encouraged the crowd to join in with the same chant.

The Gibraltar FA complained about Spain’s behaviour, saying it had “noted the extremely provocative and insulting nature of the celebrations around the Spanish Men’s national team winning Euro 2024”.

“Football has no place for behaviour of this nature,” it added.

Gibraltar has been a full member of Uefa since 2013.

Getty captured a remarkable 250,000 photos during the tournament, including 20,000 in the final – and images of the opening goal were published within 46 seconds of it hitting the back of the net.

The photographers who took some of the most striking and iconic pictures explain how and why they did it.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Alex Pantling: Capturing a player heading the ball often results in compelling images, but the backlight and clean background in this shot truly emphasise the sweat spraying off Lutsharel Geertruida’s head in the Netherlands’ game against Austria. This, combined with the colour of the Netherlands kit, makes for a striking photograph.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Shaun Botterill: The exterior of the iconic Munich Football Arena is a sight to behold when it comes to life, illuminated in a multitude of colours. The Euros were a wonderful mix of fans, with both sets of supporters filtering through the entrance. For this shot, I used the massive exterior panels as a uniform backdrop, softened by a shallow depth of field, to highlight a passionate Romania fan proudly holding his flag aloft in the sunshine. I love how he could celebrate with fellow Romania supporters while mingling with Ukraine fans. The vibrant colours, combined with the patterned backdrop, worked perfectly to create an image previewing the match.

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Matthias Hangst: I shot this frame during the match between England and Denmark in Frankfurt. Major football tournaments offer the rare opportunity to cover matches from the tribune – high in the stands among the fans – which I enjoy for its unique angles and perspectives. Whenever I’m up on one of these tribunes, I always think of one of the most famous football images of all time: Diego Maradona guarded by six Belgium players during the 1982 World Cup. Jude Bellingham is one of the shining stars of modern football, a character to focus on and try to capture in a distinctive way.

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Boris Streubel: With the way modern football is played, it’s sometimes difficult to capture great action shots. The slick, one-touch play doesn’t often lend itself to the crunching tackles of days gone by. Usually, it’s a stray pass or a slight error that leads to those classic confrontations. This shot of Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes with his foot raised high while the Czech Republic’s Antonin Barak goes to head the ball provided a fantastic opportunity to capture an amazing image. Timing was everything for this one, as capturing it slightly before or after this moment wouldn’t have had the same impact.

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Julian Finney: Austria were performing exceptionally well, topping their group. This photograph was taken during their final group match against Poland, where the Austria fans travelled in large numbers. At full-time I witnessed them celebrating and my camera was drawn to a particularly enthusiastic, topless, tattooed man. I wanted to centralise him, surrounded by fellow red-clad supporters. Berlin’s stadium is stunning for photography, and the gap in the structure allowed sunlight to stream through, creating a beautiful backlight that added to the drama of the scene.

IMAGE SOURCE: AMA/GETTY IMAGES

James Baylis: When we arrived at Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park stadium for Turkey’s match against Georgia the rain was torrential. Some were doubting whether it would be played, but the pitch withstood the soaking and we went on to witness one of the best games of the group stage. The photographers’ pitchside entrance was impassable before kick-off, with water flowing down the steps like a waterfall. The situation was made worse as rainwater cascaded through gaps in the roof, bouncing off seats in the front few rows.

This picture shows how hard the Dortmund stadium staff were working to sweep as much of the water down a drain as they could. It seemed a thankless and futile task because, as quickly as they swept it away, it was all around them again. Completely soaked and exhausted, they carried on regardless.

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Carl Recine: I was in the tribune for the Denmark v Serbia match. This position works best when both teams are going at each other and playing football from a bygone era with long balls and strong tackles. Strong colours on a clean, green background always helps too. Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund was having a torrid time, with the Serbia defenders not giving him an inch. This image sums up Serbia’s desperation to defend their goal at all costs.

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Matthias Hangst: The players are under the spotlight of the world’s media. Photographers capturing the team photo before each match present a wonderful opportunity to showcase the attention and focus on a team. With matches sometimes attracting up to 200 photographers on the pitch, all lenses are trained towards the two teams before kick-off. This symbolic photo of England’s players before the group game against Slovenia illustrates the immense interest and societal impact football can wield. It highlights 11 players who bear the responsibility for the happiness and joy of an entire nation.

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Michael Regan: Kylian Mbappe was struggling with his nose injury. This was his first match wearing the protective mask, making it essential for every photographer to capture it, as we all wondered how it might impact his performance. Despite Mbappe scoring a penalty, France managed only a draw against Poland. This moment occurred during a break in play when the discomfort became too much for him and he removed the mask, revealing a pained expression that spoke volumes about France’s struggles.

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Clive Mason: As expected for a home team fixture in a major tournament, the stadium was packed and buzzing with excitement. Germany fans were in full force, but there was also a passionate contingent of Hungary supporters, despite being heavily outnumbered. From my elevated position, I was captivated by the vibrant colours of the Hungarian flags, which their fans waved frantically, creating a sea of colour that stretched from wall to wall. I particularly appreciated the contrast in the bottom right third of the frame, where a harsh shadow added an angular aspect to the picture.

IMAGE SOURCE: AMA/GETTY IMAGES

Robbie Jay Barrett: Like every photographer at the Euros, I was waiting for that big Cristiano Ronaldo moment. He hadn’t scored yet in the tournament and when he picked up the ball for an extra-time penalty in Portugal’s last-16 game against Slovenia, I presumed this was the moment. He missed. Thankfully I stayed on him on my long lens waiting for any reaction as he had been quite emotive in every game, appearing desperate to score.

At the end of the first half of extra time Ronaldo walked towards the bench and players flocked around to console him. I stuck with him with his back to me during the team talk as I could see he was emotional. It wasn’t until he turned around to get in position to start the second half that I could actually see his face. He was in floods of tears.

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Dan Mullan: This image was taken using a small remote camera attached to the top corner of the net, providing a unique perspective on a critical moment in the match between Turkey and Austria. Turkey keeper Mert Gunok denied Christoph Baumgartner an equaliser in the dying moments of the last-16 match. Some pundits compared this save to Gordon Banks’ legendary stop against Pele in the 1970 World Cup. The comparison is flattering, and I am thrilled that the time invested in setting up the camera for this shot paid off.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Oliver Hardt: Thanks to our co-operation with Uefa, I secured an exclusive photo position in the stands among the fans. As the England-Slovakia match neared its end, I strategically sought out the best spot for any potential extra time and a possible penalty shootout, aiming to capture those special moments. However, football often surprises us with its twists, and this match was no exception. Positioned perfectly, I was able to capture the golden moment of Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick goal with a telephoto zoom lens, highlighting the drama and excitement of the game.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Alex Pantling: I am confident that the Spain-France semi-final will be remembered as the Lamine Yamal show. Scoring a goal of such calibre in a match of this magnitude at just 16 years old is truly special. Thanks to our Uefa on-field privileged access, I was able to capture this remarkable event up close. As the match concluded, forward Lamine walked over to the Spain supporters on his own. I followed him across the pitch, leading to a wonderful moment as he celebrated with them. Being able to document such an intimate and joyous occasion was a testament to the incredible access we had during this unforgettable match.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Alex Livesey: Covering football matches as a photographer is exhilarating, especially when capturing those split-second moments that define the game. The pressure to stay focused until the last second makes the job both challenging and rewarding.

After capturing Ollie Watkins scoring the last-minute winner for England as this semi-final against the Netherlands was heading into extra time, I instinctively stayed on my wider lens instead of switching to a telephoto lens.

A wider shot allowed me to show the entire atmosphere: Watkins’ ecstatic and stunned realisation of his match-winning goal, juxtaposed with the stunned reactions of Virgil van Dijk and Joey Veerman. This kind of shot tells a fuller story, showing not just the moment of triumph but the raw emotions of everyone involved.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Oliver Hardt: As a photographer, there’s the inevitable pressure to capture big moments and great pictures. Images can be missed in the blink of an eye. This pressure is amplified by the occasion, and it doesn’t get much bigger than the European Championship final. Capturing the winning goal – scored by Mikel Oyarzabal as Spain beat England 2-1 – not only brings great satisfaction but also creates an iconic image that defines a moment in sporting history.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Stu Forster: What would have been the equalising goal from Marc Guehi’s header was perfectly captured by a remote camera positioned in the stadium roof. The image clearly shows Dani Olmo heading the ball off the line. So much effort and planning goes into the placement of these cameras that it’s a nice reward to capture unique angles and defining moments like this.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Joosep Martinson: Shooting from an exclusive position in the stands provided a fantastic vantage point for the end of the match, and this moment at the final whistle perfectly sums up the night. Dani Olmo and Dani Carvajal are in utter delirium, a stark contrast to the dejected mood of Ollie Watkins, who is experiencing the complete opposite emotion.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Michael Regan: A cruel twist of the presentation ceremony is that the losing team have to file past the trophy just before watching the winners lift it. While it’s an important part of the night’s story, it wasn’t a picture I wanted to take. This image shouldn’t define the Gareth Southgate era as England manager.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Alex Pantling: I covered Spain in my first game of the tournament in Berlin and, from that game on, it was evident that they had incredible unity and team spirit. This photograph, with head coach Luis de la Fuente at the center of the squad holding the trophy, perfectly encapsulates why they deserved to win Euro 2024. England faced the best team in the tournament by far.

The Manchester City defender played every minute for England in Germany as the Three Lions finished runners-up.

It is the second time in succession Walker has made the team of the tournament, having done so in 2021 when England were beaten by Italy in the final at Wembley.

The team of the tournament was picked by a panel of 12 “technical observers” including David Moyes, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Rafa Benitez.

Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), William Saliba (Arsenal), Rodri (Manchester City) and Manuel Akanji (Manchester City) were the players chosen from Premier League clubs.

Lamine Yamal, who won the Young Player of the Tournament award, was named alongside Spain team-mates Nico Williams, Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz.

Jamal Musiala, who scored three goals for hosts Germany before their quarter-final exit to Spain, was named in attack while AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan completed the XI.

Uefa team of the tournament: Mike Maignan (France); Kyle Walker (England), Manuel Akanji (Switzerland), William Saliba (France), Marc Cucurella (Spain); Daniel Olmo (Spain), Rodri (Spain), Fabian Ruiz (Spain); Lamine Yamal (Spain), Jamal Musiala (Germany), Nico Williams (Spain).

Spain beat England 2-1 in Sunday’s final in Berlin to win their record fourth European crown.

They travelled from Germany to the Spanish capital on Monday and first met with Spain’s King Felipe VI and his family.

The party then continued into the city as supporters gathered at Cibeles Square and lined the streets for Spain’s open-top bus parade in anticipation of seeing their heroes and the Henri Delaunay Trophy.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Image caption: Spain players, led by Euro 2024-winning captain Alvaro Morata, sing with the fans in Madrid

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Image caption: Match winner Mikel Oyarzabal holds the Henri Delaunay Trophy aloft as he celebrates with his team-mates on stage

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Image caption: Thousands gathered to celebrate with the players in the Spanish capital

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Image caption: Spain’s players showed off the trophy from an open-top bus and waved at spectators

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Image caption: Spain defender Dani Carvajal gets his hands on the silverware during the bus tour

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Image caption: The open-top bus had ‘C4mpeones de Europa’ written on the front and side, meaning ‘Champions of Europe’, with the ‘a’ replaced by a ‘4’ because it is Spain’s fourth European title

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Image caption: Earlier in the day, Spain’s squad presented the trophy to King Felipe VI of Spain

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Image caption: Morata shakes hands with Queen Letizia of Spain

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Image caption: Manchester City midfielder Rodri was involved in the celebrations

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Image caption: Crowds gathered at Cibeles Square in Madrid to welcome their heroes home

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Image caption: Morata shows off the trophy as the squad touched down on Spanish soil

Mikel Oyarzabal was La Roja’s hero as he struck the winner four minutes from time at the Olympiastadion, where Cole Palmer cancelled out Nico Williams’ second-half opener.

Spain subsequently became the first team in European Championship history to lift the Henri Delaunay Cup on four occasions, having won all seven of their matches in Germany.

Indeed, since the 2002 Champions League final, Spanish teams and the Spanish national team have now won all 23 major finals against non-Spanish teams.

De la Fuente completed a treble of European Championship triumphs, having also guided Spain to glory at under-19 and under-21 levels.

And the head coach paid tribute to his players, who delivered their nation’s first major international silverware since Euro 2012.

“I couldn’t be happier,” he said. “To see the fans, to see the players. A real team, European champions.

“I said I was proud, and today I am even prouder. It confirms what we are. For me, they are the best in the world, and today I confirm that definition.”

De la Fuente knows there is more to come, however.

“There is always room for improvement, that is our goal,” he said.

“The virtue of this team is that it always wants to improve. These players are very good.”

Gareth Southgate’s side were sunk by Mikel Oyarzabal’s late winner to leave England heartbroken again in a second successive European Championship final and unable to end the long wait for success for the men’s team.

Spain’s young star wingers combined to give them the lead two minutes after the break as Lamine Yamal’s pass opened up space for Nico Williams to beat England keeper Jordan Pickford with a powerful low finish.

England captain Harry Kane was out of sorts once more and was substituted on the hour and it was Cole Palmer – on for Kobbie Mainoo – who raised hopes of another dramatic comeback with a composed left-foot strike after 73 minutes.

It was Spain, however, who snatched the win four minutes from time as Oyarzabal slid home Marc Cucurella’s cross to leave England the nearly men once more.

It is fair to say Lamine Yamal has shaken up the game of football in the past year – and he reached the pinnacle on Sunday as he became the youngest player to win a European Championship or World Cup – at the age of 17 years and one day.

The Barcelona winger set up Nico Williams’ opener in their 2-1 Euro 2024 final win over England – and forced Jordan Pickford into two fine saves.

Nobody was involved in more Euro 2024 goals than Yamal – with one goal and four assists.

Nobody has set up more goals in a single European Championship since records began in 1980.

And nobody has ever been directly involved in goals in a quarter-final, semi-final and final before Yamal achieved the feat.

Unsurprisingly, he was named the tournament’s Young Player of the Tournament.

“I am very happy, this is a dream,” said Yamal. “I’m looking forward to returning to Spain and celebrating with all the fans. It’s the best birthday present ever.”

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand said the teenager was a “sensation” and an “elite player”.

“He was a star before this tournament, but he’s a superstar now,” he added.

In the last few weeks Yamal became the youngest person to play at the Euros, to assist a goal at the Euros and to score a goal at the Euros.

It is not just potential, he is already one of the most exciting players in the world.

Former Spain midfielder Juan Mata, working on BBC One, said: “I was having dinner yesterday with [Barcelona boss] Xavi and he told me he hasn’t seen a player of this quality.”

That is the Xavi who played alongside the legendary Messi at Barcelona.

“I don’t like to make comparisons between players or compare them with Messi, but I think the sky is the limit for this kid,” added Mata.

So what has Barcelona winger Yamal, who turned 17 on Saturday, achieved so far in his career – and why is it so special?​​​​​​​

How rare has Yamal’s breakthrough been?

Before turning 17, Yamal had played 51 times for Barcelona, scoring seven goals and setting up another seven.

For Spain he now has 14 appearances, three goals and seven assists.

By comparison, neither Argentina’s Messi nor Portugal’s Ronaldo – the two greatest players of this generation – had played a single first-team game for club or country when they were 16.

And when we look at the players expected to replace Messi and Ronaldo as Ballon d’Or rivals in the future – France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland – their stats at this age cannot compare to Yamal either.

Mbappe had played four games for Monaco, making one assist before turning 17, while Haaland had played 23 times in Norway for second-tier Bryne and top-flight Molde, scoring once.

Even one of the most famous players to make their breakthrough at 16, Wayne Rooney, had only played 10 times for Everton and scored three goals before reaching 17.

The club records Yamal has broken

Not all of Yamal’s appearances have come aged 16… because he was even younger when he made his Barcelona debut.

At 15 years and 290 days he became Barcelona’s youngest player in the La Liga era when he replaced Gavi with six minutes to go in a 4-0 win over Real Betis on 29 April 2023.

On 20 August, aged 16 years and 38 days, he became the youngest player since 1939 to start a La Liga game when he lined up in a 2-0 win over Cadiz.

Just a week later he became the youngest player to assist a La Liga goal in the 21st century when he crossed for Gavi to head in during a 4-3 win at Villarreal.

He became the youngest player to start a game in the Champions League, at 16 and 83 days, in a 1-0 win at Porto on 4 October.

Four days later he became the youngest goalscorer in La Liga history when he netted in the first half of a 2-2 draw at Granada.

He became the youngest player to play in El Clasico, the youngest to set up a Champions League goal, aged 16 years and 153 days at Antwerp, and the youngest player and scorer in the Spanish Super Cup.

Yamal also became the youngest player to score in the Spanish Cup this century, the youngest to score twice in a La Liga game, the youngest player in a Champions League knockout game and then a quarter-final.

Unsurprisingly he is the youngest player to make 50 appearances for Barcelona and the youngest to play 10 Champions League games.

Even Yamal could not match the records of Armand Martinez Sagi, though. He was Barcelona’s youngest-ever player and scorer at the age of 14 in the Catalan Championship in 1920 – nine years before Spain had a national league.

Among the few major records he has missed out on are youngest player in the Champions League (Youssoufa Moukoko was 16 years and 18 days for Borussia Dortmund against Zenit St Petersburg in 2020) or La Liga (Luka Romero was 15 years and 219 days old when he appeared for Mallorca against Real Madrid in 2020).

He has yet to net in the Champions League and will not have the chance to break Ansu Fati’s record as the youngest scorer, aged 17 years and 40 days for Barcelona against Inter Milan in 2019, in that tournament now.

The Spain records Yamal has broken

On 8 September 2023, Yamal became Spain’s youngest player and goalscorer in the same game – a 7-1 win over Georgia in Euro 2024 qualifying.

He was aged 16 years and 57 days when he replaced Dani Olmo just before half-time. That was before he had even scored for Barcelona.

Only Martin Odegaard, who was 15 years and 300 days when he played for Norway in 2014, has been younger while playing a European Championship qualifier.

In this summer’s finals, Yamal has broken nearly every record there is to break – even though he has been doing school homework during some of his downtime in Germany.

He became the first 16-year-old to play at a men’s Euros when he started their group opener against Croatia.

Yamal also set up Dani Carvajal’s goal for 3-0 in that game, making him the youngest to assist in Euros history.

In the semi-final against France he became the youngest goalscorer in European Championship history – aged 16 years and 362 days.

In that game he passed two Pele landmarks that have stood since 1958 – the youngest player to score at a Euros or World Cup – and the youngest to feature in the semi-finals of either.

And then he broke Pele’s record as the youngest player in either final.

The only quirky milestone he missed out on was the chance to become the first 16-year-old and the first 17-year-old to score at a Euros.

He turned 17 the day before the final – and the previous youngest Euros goalscorer was Johan Vonlanthen at the age of 18.

Since his debut in September 2023, Yamal has been involved in more goals for Spain than anyone else (three goals, seven assists)

Spain’s Dani Olmo, Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze, the Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo, Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz and Germany’s Jamal Musiala also won a share of the award.

Neither Kane nor Olmo scored in the Euro 2024 final, which Spain won 2-1.

Previous Euros have seen assists used as a tie-break, which would have given Leipzig midfielder Olmo the award on his own, but Uefa announced this year’s would just be decided on goals.

Bayern Munich’s Kane, 30, scored against Denmark in the group stages, an extra-time winner against Slovakia in the last 16 and the equaliser against the Netherlands in the semis.

It caps a prolific season for Kane, who won his first European Golden Shoe – as the top scorer in any of Europe’s top flights – with 36 Bundesliga strikes.

Former Tottenham striker Kane, England’s all-time leading scorer, also won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup with six goals.

Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who went off at half-time in the final through injury, was named the player of the tournament.

The Young Player of the Tournament award went to Spain’s 17-year-old winger Lamine Yamal – who set up four goals and scored once in Germany.

Tens of thousands of England fans have been pouring into the German capital and not all of them are lucky enough to have tickets – there are reports of some changing hands for thousands of pounds.

Every bar, café and fan zone is awash with fans from both teams counting down the hours until kick-off.

Here is a photographic flavour of the atmosphere.

PA: These fans have been parading with a replica trophy around Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz

Andrew Milligan/PA Media

This optimistic Spanish fan is hoping against hope that he can land a last-minute ticket for the final. Good luck with that, amigo…

Ben Birchall/PA Media

Berlin’s Weidendammer bridge has been given a new look in recent days by England fans – can you spot your local area among these flags?

PA: This happy duo in Berlin hope to be cheering and fist-pumping the air for England later

The party is not just happening in Germany.

England fans at home and overseas on holiday are also getting in on the action, from transforming streets into a sea of white and red flags, to heading down to fan zones to watch the game.

And some are showing their support in more permanent ways.

Dan Thomas from Swindon has already declared the Three Lions as champions with a tattoo on his leg of a trophy and the words: “England Euro 2024 Winners.”

More than 42,000 people watched him go under the needle in a process that took two and a half hours.

Jack Wilkinson/PA Media

Confidence or bravado? Dan Thomas from Swindon has made it abundantly clear how he thinks tonight’s final will go!

Getty Images: Dressed in their finest: Back home, the Kirby estate in London is not exactly short of flags ahead of the final

Germany’s Brandenburg Gate has become a hotspot for fans – both English and Spanish – to come dressed in their football Sunday best and pose in their country colours.

And fans have not just confined themselves to the city’s historic monument – they have been getting the party started right across Berlin.

Reuters: Ole!, ole!, ole! Banging the drum – literally – for Spain

PA: Toro bravo! Small in stature but impressive – this plastic bull takes centre stage among these Spanish fans in Berlin

Central Berlin has been transformed as fans deck out the German capital in their team colours ahead of tonight’s match – with some fans adopting crazy hairstyle colours.

PA: Fans come in all shapes and sizes… and hairstyles, real or otherwise

PA: Sam Tattersall wears his devotion on his head with the St George’s Cross – a haircut he says “could stay for a year” if England win

PA: And these Spanish fans are also getting in on the crazy hair colour act!

The 16-year-old, who has stunned the world with his displays in Germany, plays for Spain despite having an Equatoguinean mother and a Moroccan father.

He was born in Barcelona, where he grew up and is coming through La Masia academy for the five-time European champions, with whom he recently concluded his first season of action.

“Even though Lamine is not playing for Equatorial Guinea, we hold him very close in our hearts and think he is going to do many things for Equatoguinean football,” Venancio Tomas Ndong Micha, the country’s football federation president, told BBC Sport Africa.

“We are enjoying his extraordinary performances at the Euros, on top of the great season with FC Barcelona. “He has our roots, and this shows that we are a country of good footballers,” added Ndong Micha.

Entrusted with dead-ball situations for a major European football nation despite his tender age, Yamal has shown his all-around ability with his stunning goal against France and assists in the games against Croatia, Georgia and Germany.

He is set to play the final against England on Sunday, a day after he turns 17, making him the youngest player to contest a final at either the Euros or World Cup.

Pele is the youngest to play in a World Cup Final. He was 17 years 249 days when he played in Brazil’s 5-2 triumph over Sweden in the 1958 final, when he scored twice.

Yamal’s record as the youngest goal scorer at a Euros (aged 16 years 361 days) will be very hard to beat. As will his feats at Barcelona – for whom he is the youngest player to start a league game (16 years and 38 days) – and in La Liga, where he is the youngest scorer in history (16 years and 87 days).

‘He is not forgetting his roots’

Equatorial Guinea is a country split into two parts, with the capital Malabo located on one of its island areas while the largest city on its African mainland section is Bata, where Yamal’s mother was born.

She eventually found her way to Spain where she was working as a waitress when she met his father, from whom she has since separated.

While his mother and grandmother live in Barcelona, the rest of Yamal’s maternal family are still in Equatorial Guinea, a country which has reached the knock-out stages at the last two Africa Cup of Nations despite its small stature.

Three years ago, Equatorial Guinea’s football federation (Feguifoot) tried to secure the winger’s services for the team currently ranked 89th by Fifa, only to discover they were far behind Spain, who play England in Sunday’s European Championship final.

“We contacted the family in 2021 but the advances with the Spanish football federation had gone very deep,” Ndong Micha explained.

“But we did try, because I am a good friend of the family by chance – particularly the grandfather – and all the family used to talk about the kid.

“Then, there were also the Moroccans who went after him… but the Spanish beat us.”

Faouzi Lekjaa, the president of Morocco’s football federation, has explained how their attempts to secure Yamal last year ended in defeat, given the teenager’s firm desire to play for Spain.

Nonetheless, both African countries remain close to Yamal’s heart – as can be seen by the presence of their respective national flags on the football boots his feet dazzle in.

“This shows that even though he is playing for Spain, he is not forgetting his Equatoguinean roots,” added Ndong Micha.

IMAGE SOURCE: AFP

Image caption: His boots nod to his parents’ home countries – Morocco and Equatorial Guinea

Ndong Micha believes that Yamal is placing his mother’s nation firmly in the global spotlight, saying it echoes Ansu Fati’s breakthrough at an early age, also at Barcelona when people learnt about his family’s country Guinea-Bissau.

“His performances – coupled with those in the Barca first team – show that Equatorial Guinea has an extraordinarily different way of playing to most African countries,” argues Ndong Micha.

“Given his talent and his roots, we could one day have more players like Lamine here.”

Yamal is not the first Spain-based player with Equatoguinean roots to hit the headlines this year, after Emilio Nsue stunned global observers when finishing top scorer at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations aged 34.

Far less welcome global headlines followed last month, when Fifa ruled that the striker had never been declared eligible to play for Equatorial Guinea, for whom he is top scorer with 22 goals.

Nonetheless, his goals helped the “National Thunder” reach the final 16. The nation of under two million people has reached the knock-out phase at all four Afcons they have contested.

“We have to continue preparing well,” says Ndong Micha.

“The government will soon invest in football academies so that we can unearth more Lamines and Emilios in future. It is prepared to keep investing as it has in recent years to continue searching for natural talent from Equatorial Guinea, but particularly in the country itself.

“Prior to my arrival, we had never qualified for a Nations Cup on our own merits – only as a host nation (twice) – but we have now qualified twice for Afcon outright (in 2021 and 2023).

“On a sporting level, with Fifa, the Confederation of African Football, and our government we are going to keep growing football-wise so that in the next few years, Equatorial Guinea will be the model of a small country but a big giant-killer.”

If Ndong Micha gets his way and the tiny central African nation secures a historic first World Cup qualification, there is even a chance that Yamal could face his mother’s nation on the biggest stage one day.

IMAGE SOURCE: AFP

Image caption Equatorial Guinea may be small but it punches well above its weight in football

Kobbie Mainoo is one of those kids.

It was back in February, after he had scored his first Premier League goal for Manchester United, that I said he reminded me of legendary Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf.

When I said Kobbie gave me ‘Seedorf vibes’, I wasn’t talking about his ability, I just meant style-wise, in terms of his movement.

I spoke to Clarence about him here in Germany the other day and he said he definitely sees it too.

The thing about Kobbie, though, is he seems to get better every time you watch him play. As well as his movement, there’s his decision-making and the pace of his passing, plus the way he always seems to be in control and the way he handles everything that is thrown at him despite only being 19.

The best part of his game, though, is that he is prepared to wait. Let me try to explain what I mean.

Choosing the right moment

IMAGE SOURCE: PA

Image caption: Mainoo made his England debut when he came off the bench against Brazil in March

When you’re a young kid, playing at the level Kobbie is, you sometimes try to prove why you are there. I know from my own experience that you feel you always have to show what you can do, and you can end up trying too hard.

Kobbie’s not like that, though. He won’t try to push it and over-play.

I’ve watched him closely and the first 30% of passes of the ball he gets in a game, in those opening minutes, he is happy just playing the ball short, five or 10 yards, waiting for the right moment for his natural raw ability to come out.

Then, when the moment comes – and he knows exactly when – he can give you that little bit of ‘wow’ factor where he draws someone out, breaks the press or when the opposition think they are going to nick the ball off him. Those times when they have got him down a blind alley but he somehow just comes out the end anyway and you are left going ‘oh my god’.

What he is doing is a part of the game – and I heard Gareth Southgate say this too, by the way – that he makes look very easy, but is actually one of the most difficult things.

Ask any midfielder what it is like to receive the ball from your defence with your back to play, not knowing what is behind you and with people pressing you from behind from different angles, but being able to feel where they are and still get out.

Waiting for his chance

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Image caption: Mainoo started each of England’s three group games on the bench, and came on in two of them. He has started all three knockout games so far at Euro 2024

It took Gareth a little while to realise Kobbie is the right man to partner Declan Rice in England’s midfield.

First he tried Trent Alexander-Arnold at these Euros, then it was Conor Gallagher. But Gareth knows now, and so does everyone else. You cannot leave Kobbie out.

I said that straight away after I watched us beat Slovakia in the last 16, which was the first competitive international Kobbie had started.

I thought there was no way Gareth could have watched that game and thought ‘oh, we still need to experiment in midfield’. The kid showed he is the real deal, so that’s it. He has to play.

Kobbie’s age and lack of experience is almost irrelevant. He already plays way beyond his years. He knows he belongs at this level and it is like nothing fazes him at all.

On Sunday, he is going to be playing in a European Championship final as a teenager but there is no way the size of the occasion is going to intimidate him.

We saw that at the FA Cup final, not just with his man-of-the-match performance but also his celebration, or lack of it, after helping Manchester United beat Manchester City at Wembley. A lot of other players his age would be a bit over-exuberant maybe, but he is just so level-headed and calm.

Part of that is down to his background. I spent a bit of time with his family earlier in the tournament, and after the semi-final win over the Netherlands too.

They were enjoying themselves and having a good time, soaking it all up the same way I expect Kobbie is, but without going crazy or getting carried away. They are all really lovely, balanced, grounded, well-rounded people, which is why he is the same and appears to be unaffected by fame.

IMAGE SOURCE: PA

Image caption: Kobbie Mainoo celebrates with his family after England’s Euro 2024 semi-final win over the Netherlands

What can he do next?

Kobbie is already an incredible player. When this tournament is over, hopefully, he will have helped England become champions of Europe.

But whether we beat Spain in Sunday’s final or not, I hope he embraces this moment and enjoys it… but then starts thinking ‘what can I add now?’

You get some kids who arrive on the scene and make a huge splash but some of that success is down to them being a surprise. No-one knows who they are, but that only lasts so long when you are on the biggest stage.

Kobbie has had an amazing few months, from making his first Premier League start in November, to playing in such huge games for England at this tournament. But this is only the start for him, so how can he enhance his game?

That’s what all the very best players did, including Seedorf himself. He told me he taught himself how to have a left foot because he knew it would make a difference, something that meant he could go both ways and become more of a threat.

So can Kobbie open his game up so he can play more passes over 20 yards, so he can pick up the ball from the full-backs and ping them forward like Paul Scholes used to?

Are we going to see him get more shots off next season, or take a few more risks with his passes?

I am not saying that these are the things that he has to do, but I want to see him continue to develop.

There are elements Kobbie could add that could turn him from being a very good player to being one of the greats – that Seedorf level, basically. That’s what he should be aiming for.

Van Dijk, who turned 33 on Monday, said he would spend the next weeks figuring out his next career steps after nine years, and 75 caps, in the Netherlands team, plus with a single season left on his contract at Liverpool.

“I haven’t the slightest idea right now. I will think carefully this summer about what I want at club level and as an international player. Then we’ll go for it again, but first recover from this,” Van Dijk told reporters after England beat the Dutch 2-1 to advance to Sunday’s final against Spain.

“After a season like this, where all kinds of things have happened, it gets emotional at the end because you know it’s over,” said Van Dijk, who had felt the Dutch were well placed to win the semifinal at the BVB Stadion.

“Especially in the second half I had the feeling the outcome would fall our way. But (Ollie) Watkins was perhaps given a little too much space and he finished well,” he added of the England substitute’s goal seconds into stoppage time.

“It hurts a lot that we conceded this goal so late in the match and are now empty-handed. You put everything into it, everyone gives everything and if the goal comes like that in the last minute, that just sucks. Yes … sorry.”

The Dutch had taken an early lead through Xavi Simons’ powerful strike but Gareth Southgate’s side were handed a lifeline when Harry Kane was caught on the follow-through by Denzel Dumfries after the England captain had already shot over the bar.

No penalty was given originally but referee Felix Zwayer then pointed to the spot after he was advised to go to the monitor by VAR.

Kane levelled with the spot-kick and substitute Ollie Watkins struck a 90th-minute winner to send England to Sunday’s final, where they will play Spain.

“In my opinion it should not have been a penalty,” said Koeman.

“He kicked the ball and the boots touched. I think that we cannot play properly and this is due to VAR. It really breaks football.”

Former England defender and ITV pundit Gary Neville felt the Netherlands had every right to feel aggrieved.

“As a defender, I think it’s an absolutely disgraceful decision,” he said.

“There’s no way that was a penalty. He just goes in naturally to block the shot. It’s not a penalty for me.”

Ex-England striker Alan Shearer said on BBC Radio 5 live: “There is no doubt that there is contact, but the defender [Dumfries] is trying to block the ball.

“The follow-through from Harry Kane makes the connection and I didn’t think it was a howler to be turned over.”

Netherlands and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk also felt the penalty decision was the turning point in the game.

“I think the penalty moment is a big moment, England had some confidence out of it,” he added.

“I think so many decisions didn’t go our way, but I don’t want to speak about the referee.”

Both sides began positively, but it was the Netherlands who took the lead early, Declan Rice losing the ball and Xavi Simons drilling home a beauty, as he fell, from the edge of the box to get the Dutch off to the perfect start.

England, though, forced their way back into the game with Kobbie Mainoo and Phil Foden to the fore. Then, on 16 minutes, Harry Kane got off a decent shot, only to be caught by Denzel Dumfries, making an attempt to block, in his follow-through. He stayed down and eventually VAR took an interest, the referee coming over and deciding the award a penalty; Kane drilled home into the bottom-left corner.

Though England dominated the remainder of the half, Dumfries headed against the bar with the Pickford beaten before Foden unfurled a curler reminiscent of Lamine Yamal’s goal for Spain last evening, but his effort almost as brilliant, crashed against the angle.

The second half was an altogether duller affair, Netherlands suffocating England in midfield. But Gareth Southgate was positive and decisive with his changes, and received his reward when Cole Palmer found Watkins, who did exactly what he was brought on to do and sent England to Berlin.

Appiah, who formerly coached the Ghana Black Stars, has been under pressure to step down from the ExCo due to potential conflict of interest concerns, following the announcement of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) draw.

Ghana and Sudan have been placed in Group F, alongside Angola and Niger.

In an interview with Graphic Sports, Zito defended Appiah, emphasizing his professionalism and urging that he be allowed to perform his duties without interference.

“People are talking about Kwesi Appiah but I don’t see why they should be talking about him. Those in the ExCo, are they not having clubs? Kwasi is a professional coach and the ExCo doesn’t pay him,” Zito stated.

Zito highlighted that Appiah’s coaching role does not conflict with his ExCo responsibilities, especially since he is not financially compensated by the ExCo.

He noted that, the ExCo was aware of Appiah’s coaching commitments when he ran for and won his election.

“The ExCo knew Kwasi was still in coaching and yet they allowed him to stand for election, which he won before he had this opportunity,” Zito added.

Zito also pointed out the perceived hypocrisy in calls for Appiah’s resignation when other ExCo members have affiliations with clubs. He expressed full support for Appiah continuing in both roles and encouraged him to focus on his coaching duties.

Zito expressed confidence in Appiah’s capabilities and acknowledged the competitive nature of football, noting that it would be a testament to the sport if Sudan were to defeat Ghana during the qualifiers.

“For me, I am behind Kwasi one hundred percent. He should keep quiet and do his job. If he is able to beat us, fine; and if we also beat him, fine.”

The 2025 AFCON qualifiers are scheduled to begin in September this year.

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Match background

The Netherlands have grown as a force in this tournament, recovering from finishing third in Group D behind Austria and France to batter Romania 3-0 in the round of 16. They then showed great composure and resilience to come from behind and defeat Turkey 2-1 in the quarterfinals – via unlikely hero Stefan De Vrij and an own goal from Mert Muldur. The Oranje may not have the sheer talent of the other three semifinalists, but they have a canniness and self-belief that could yet carry them to glory.

England, despite their lack of cohesion throughout the tournament, have advanced into the final four on the back of topping Group C, a dramatic extra time 2-1 win over Slovakia (in which Jude Bellingham pulled the game from the fire with an incredible goal), and a penalty shootout triumph over Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Gareth Southgate’s side have not fully capitalised on the tools they have at their disposal, but that perhaps makes it even more impressive that they have got this far… and hints that they could hit their stride at just the right time.

What the teams are saying

“It will be a great night on Wednesday between two big nations – a historic night,” predicted Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman. “If we play in the final, my preference is Spain because we had France in the group. But first we must prepare in the best way to play a good semifinal.”

“Our intention is to play with the ball, but you have opponents trying to stop you. Our team has been under enormous pressure from the start, and they did so well. Now we can’t score lots but the last three games we’ve played against five at the back. We’re through to our third semi-final in four attempts but that’s not where we want it to end,” said England coach Gareth Southgate.

Players to watch

Memphis Depay – The attacker with Ghanaian heritage has scored just once at the tournament thus far but has nonetheless played with his characteristic swagger. Memphis Depay’s movement and maverick style could be a real challenge for the England defence to handle.

Bukayo Saka – The Arsenal winger played somewhat out of position as a wingback against Switzerland but still made a major contribution – including a superb equalising goal. Bukayo Saka’s pace, movement and shooting ability will be a major feature of the Three Lions’ play on Wednesday night.

Head-to-head

In head-to-head terms, Netherlands and England have met in 22 matches dating back as far as 1935. The Oranje have claimed seven wins compared to six for the Three Lions, while nine games have been drawn.

The teams last met in the semifinals of the UEFA Nations League in June 2019, with the Dutch winning 3-1 in Guimaraes, Portugal, thanks to strikes from Matthijs de Ligt and Quincy Promes, as well as a Kyle Walker own goal.

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UEFA Euro 2024 broadcast details

All times CAT

Wednesday 10 July

21:00: Netherlands v England – LIVE on SuperSport Premier League, SuperSport Maximo 1, SuperSport Maximo 2 and SuperSport Maximo 360

Imagine playing for your country in a major tournament aged 16. Lamine Yamal has done that – and more.

The Barcelona star, who is already the youngest man to play at the European Championship, is now the youngest to score after curling in a sublime equaliser against France in Tuesday’s semi-final.

Spain went on to reach Sunday’s final, after Dani Olmo’s first-half strike sealed victory, with Yamal turning 17 the day before the Berlin showpiece.

The tricky winger – full name Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana – has already played 51 times for Barcelona, scoring seven goals, so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised to see Yamal mixing it with the very best.

Those who know him best certainly aren’t.

‘He will do things we cannot yet imagine’

An outrageously precocious talent, Yamal will turn 17 on 13 July, the day before the final.

The previous youngest player at the Euros was Poland’s Kacper Kozlowski – 17 years and 246 days – in a 1-1 group-stage draw against Spain in Seville in June 2021, but you get the feeling Yamal could break a few more records in the coming days.

“He will do things we cannot yet imagine,” says Ivan Carrasco, who trained him at junior level.

“I remember him as a boy who was very aware of his talent. In sport, talented people tend to be very selfish, but not Yamal.

“I saw a generous child who did not seek recognition. As a coach you sometimes thought, ‘what can I teach him if he does things that I can’t even imagine from the bench?’

“The closer you are to Lamine, the more you realise that the label of ‘decisive’ falls short. He is a very, very special footballer.”

Former Barcelona reporter and current Sport TV journalist Jaume Marcet remembers the day he knew he was watching a prodigy.

Marcet, who is an expert of Barcelona grassroots football, said: “The most brutal display I have seen in grassroots football was from Lamine in the final of the Catalunya cadet tournament.

“I had seen Messi perform brutally, but never something like what Lamine did that match, with kids older than him. That day he did everything.”

‘A beacon of hope’

Yamal’s trademark 304 celebration is formed by angling three fingers on his right hand, forming a ‘0’ with his thumb and forefinger, and angling four fingers on his left hand.

It is a homage to the neighbourhood where he was raised, Rocafonda 304, an area of Barcelona rarely seen by the millions of tourists who flock to Catalonia’s capital and one of the most deprived zones, not just in Catalonia but in the whole of the Spain.

The son of a mother from Equatorial Guinea and a father from Morocco, after being spotted by Barcelona as a seven-year-old playing in the concrete parks in Rocafonda, his father took him by the hand into Barcelona, where he asked: “Do you want my son to play for Barcelona?”

When they said “yes”, he replied: “Well, educate him first.”

Yamal moved into Barcelona’s La Masia academy, despite the close proximity of where he lived.

In an interview with Sport, Xavi Martin, former director of La Masia, remembers the meeting with the player, his parents and the agent at the time, Ivan de la Pena, so that the boy could live in La Masia.

“We met on a Tuesday and on Saturday he was already packing his bags,” he said.

Yamal’s success is not just his, but that of an entire area until now ignored, decried, demeaned.

He is a beacon of hope for people who see in his success that dreams can come true, that anything is possible.

Yamal fell in love with football watching his father and older cousin play in the park opposite where he lived and where he would be spotted.

“I spent more time at the park than at home. Every time I set foot in the street it was to play football. These experiences stay with you,” he said.

The records just keep tumbling. He is the youngest to have played for Barcelona – at 15 years and 290 days – since 15-year-old Armando Sagi in 1922.

At the age of 16 years and 57 days, he became the youngest player and goalscorer for Spain.

A future Ballon d’Or winner?

Yamal’s talent has also not gone unnoticed by the very person whom many people are daring to compare him too – Lionel Messi.

In a WhatsApp message to one of his entourage, the Argentine maestro commented: “How easy does Lamine make it look?”

Messi has already mentioned Yamal when he was asked about the players who will fight for the Ballon d’Or in the coming years.

The player himself is realistic. “There will never be another like Messi,” Yamal has replied to the countless comparisons between him and the Barcelona legend.

He may be right, but these days there is a huge banner that can be seen at Barcelona home games with a picture of Yamal doing the 304 sign and a logo that states “El futuro no espera” (The future won’t wait).

The rest of this summer will dictate if the future has already arrived.

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Match background

Spain’s path to the final four has seen them top Group B with a perfect record ahead of Italy, Croatia and Albania, before ending the fairytale run of Georgia with an emphatic 4-1 triumph in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, La Furia Roja came up against a talented and determined Germany, but ultimately, they overcame the tournament hosts 2-1 after extra time – with Mikel Merino netting in the 119th minute to decide a great match. Luis de la Fuente’s side has played with a cohesion, aggression and control that has been a cut above any other team at the tournament thus far.

France, for all their incredible talent, have played well within themselves through the tournament and have relied on a water-tight defence to see them through. Les Bleus were second in Group D behind Austria and then squeezed past Belgium 1-0 in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals they came up against an equally resilient Portugal and the match inevitably went to penalties, with Didier Deschamps’s side advancing 5-3. Yet the fact that they have scored just three goals thus far – two of them own goals and one a penalty – suggests that France have not yet moved out of second gear.

What the teams are saying

“My players are insatiable. I’m proud to coach players like this. I’ve known many of them for many years. They’re used to competing at the highest level and they have an opportunity to win [the tournament]. This team are always going to compete. There’s always room for improvement, of course, but we can’t question their pride, quality, and commitment,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente.

“We’re in the semifinals and it’s something we shouldn’t take for granted, even if we may be used to it recently. I was already enjoying being in the quarterfinals. Now we go to win it,” said France coach Didier Deschamps.

Players to watch.

Nico Williams – Alongside his fellow winger on the opposite flank, Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams has provided Spain with an incredible attacking thrust. His pace, movement, and ability to both create and finish scoring opportunities will be a feature of this match.

William Saliba – With France’s attack misfiring throughout the tournament, they have had to rely on the excellence of their defence… and no one has exemplified this better than William Salibia, whose positioning, composure, and determination have been beyond reproach.

Head-to-head

In head-to-head terms, Spain and France have met in 36 matches dating back as far as 1922. La Furia Roja have claimed 16 wins compared to 13 for Les Bleus, while seven games have been drawn.

The teams last met in the UEFA Nations League final in October 2021, with France winning 2-1 in Milan thanks to goals from Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe.

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UEFA Euro 2024 broadcast details

All times CAT

Tuesday 9 July

21:00: Spain v France – LIVE on SuperSport Premier League, SuperSport Maximo 1, SuperSport Maximo 2 and SuperSport Maximo 360

Les Bleus have been criticised by some for a lack of entertainment in their matches, with BBC pundit and former Premier League striker Chris Sutton last week saying he would “close the curtains” if they were playing in his back garden.

It comes after France have reached the last four of the tournament in Germany with none of their players scoring a goal from open play.

Their three goals at the Euros have been two own goals and a penalty scored by Kylian Mbappe in the 1-1 draw with Poland in the group stage.

In Monday’s pre-match news conference, Deschamps was asked about playing “boring football” by one journalist, to which he responded: “If you are bored, watch another game – you don’t have to watch us, it’s fine.

“Maybe it’s not the same as it was in the past, but we do have the capability to spark emotions and make lots of French men and women happy with our results, especially after a difficult period in our country.”

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente dismissed the suggestion that France are boring, saying at this stage it is all about the result.

“We all try to build a gameplan that will help you win,” he said.

“Spain are an eye-catching team, I won’t deny that, it’s our DNA, but in the end, here it’s about winning. We want to play, but we want to be practical.

“Our way to get the result is to try to be eye-catching. But at this stage it’s the result that counts because it is how your job will get judged and evaluated in the end.”

Mbappe ‘in the right headspace’ despite poor form

Key to France’s lack of goals has been the disappointing form of forwards Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann.

Mbappe has struggled since having to wear a mask after breaking his nose during France’s opening 1-0 win against Austria.

The striker, who this summer joined Real Madrid from Paris St-Germain, scored eight of France’s 16 goals at the World Cup in Qatar two years ago as they reached the final, where they were beaten by Argentina.

Despite just scoring one goal so far in Germany, France captain Mbappe is likely to start against Spain.

“We are convinced Kylian is in the right headspace, as are all of our players,” Deschamps added.

“He had an issue with his back, took a blow to the nose – it could have been the end of the road for him but he’s still here.

“His field of vision is changed and it was a huge shock to him but I’m convinced he will do everything he can [against Spain].”

Atletico Madrid striker Griezmann has yet to score, but team-mate Adrien Rabiot says all the players are right behind him.

“I think everyone is surprised because we know what Antoine is capable of,” Rabiot said.

“We saw what he pulled out of the bag at the World Cup, where he was at the peak of his powers as a player.

“I don’t know the reason. We have high expectations when it comes to Antoine and we expect a lot because he’s capable.

“If someone’s having a rough patch then we’re here to support them, but obviously it’d be better if we had the Kylian and the Antoine [we know] playing here at the Euros.”

Spain looking to keep strong run going

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Image caption: Spain are the highest scorers at Euro 2024 with 11 goals in five games

By contrast, Spain have been in excellent form at Euro 2024, winning all five games and scoring the most goals with 11.

They also have two of the most exciting youngsters at the tournament in Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams.

But despite their impressive results, Spain were pushed by hosts Germany in the quarter-finals, before Mikel Merino’s 119th-minute header sealed a 2-1 win.

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has been particularly impressive for Spain at this European Championship, and he will be key to ensuring France’s forward line are frustrated once again.

“We are a group of players that give everything for our team-mates and that’s one of the secrets,” Cucurella said.

“I think we have created a great group. We have a mix of veterans and very young players and that makes it all very enjoyable. The key is to be like a family.

“We may not have superstars, but as a team we are good, we are doing well and I hope we keep it that way.”

Spain were the first to advance to the final four with a hard-fought victory over hosts Germany, and their opponents were decided later in the day when France held on to beat Portugal on penalties.

For France, they advance to the semi-final despite not yet scoring a single goal from open play at the tournament. An own goal and a Kylian Mbappe penalty led them through the group stage, after which Jan Vertonghen fired into the back of his own net to dump Belgium out in the last 16. Les Bleus then drew a blank against Portugal but won under the pressure of penalties.

Making up the second tie, England needed their own shoot-out to see off Switzerland in perhaps the Three Lions’ strongest showing of the summer so far, and they were joined by the Netherlands, who had to come from behind to see off surprise packages Turkey.

Cody Gakpo was the Netherlands’ hero once again. The Liverpool forward forced a late own goal to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory.

Euro 2024 semi-final draw

• Spain vs France
• England vs Netherlands

When will the Euro 2024 semi-finals be played?

The first semi-final will be contested between Spain and France, who will grace Munich’s Allianz Arena on Tuesday 9 July.

England and the Netherlands will do battle 24 hours later at Westfalenstadion, the home of Borussia Dortmund, on Wednesday 10 July.

The Euro 2024 final is scheduled for Sunday 14 July at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

An own goal from Mert Muldur, bundling the ball over his goalline under pressure from Cody Gakpo, meant the Dutch clawed back the lead having trailed at the break.

Centre-back Samet Akaydin had deservedly put Turkey in front when he headed in Arda Guler’s dinked cross, capping an impressive first-half display.

He ran over to the Turkey fans, kissed the badge on his shirt and knelt down to pray in front of them, while substitutes sprinted down the touchline.

But their celebrations would not last as the Netherlands, who had a poor first half, responded after the break, buoyed by substitute Wout Weghorst.

They found an equaliser through Stefan de Vrij’s header, moments after Weghorst made a crucial interception inside his own box to stop Turkey’s Kaan Ayhan getting to a rebound.

Turkey almost doubled their lead when Real Madrid’s Guler bent a brilliant free-kick on to the post, but did not capitalise when they had their chances.

It means Ronald Koeman’s side will now take on England in Dortmund on Wednesday (20:00 BST) after Gareth Southgate’s team beat Switzerland on penalties, with a place in the final against either France or Spain at stake.

It was left to penalties to decide the match. Manuel Akanji saw his penalty saved by Jordan Pickford, which allowed Trent Alexander-Arnold to score England’s fifth penalty in the shootout and settle the contest.

Breel Embolo gave Switzerland the lead with 15 minutes to go in normal time before a low, long-range drive from Bukayo Saka drew the game level five minutes later.

The match was a stalemate throughout, with few chances created by either side. In the extra-time period Xherdan Shaqiri almost scored directly from a corner, hitting the angle of post and bar.

England will now face the winner of Netherlands and Turkey, in a semi-final in Dortmund on Wednesday night.

And as the ongoing 2024 edition reaches the quarter-finals, a number the teams remaining can trace part of their success to the performances of players with African heritage.

Kevin Danso, more than most, exemplifies this.

The 25-year-old defender was a lynchpin for Austria, the country of his birth, as they reached the last 16, but grew up in England from the age of six under the wardship of Ghanaian parents, developing in the academies of Reading and MK Dons.

Despite standing at the intersection of three different nations, Danso, who plays for Ligue 1 side Lens, has always stayed connected to his roots.

In June 2022, he visited Ghana for the first time, a trip that left a profound impression on him.

“I’ve been very lucky to call Austria home and Ghana my ancestral home,” Danso told BBC Sport Africa.

“The culture, the food, the people and everything that is Ghanaian makes me who I am. I always follow the national football team and my support is always there for Ghana.”

Taking in Ghanaian culture has also meant adopting its social peculiarities, specifically the enduring food rivalry with West African neighbours Nigeria.

In fellow Austria international David Alaba, who has Nigerian parentage, he has a willing sparring partner.

“He [Alaba] knows Ghana has the best jollof but he will always argue with me.”

Spain’s dynamic attacking duo

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Image caption: Yamal and Nico Williams (right) have caught the eye for Spain with their silky wing play – and dancing celebrations

During their rise to the top of the international game in the late 2000s, Spain’s play was defined by slow, patient possession football.

But things have changed, and in Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal La Roja now have two direct, pacey wingers of Ghanaian and Moroccan-Equatoguinean descent.

In much the same way that international affiliation split the Boateng brothers, Jerome and Kevin-Prince, across Germany and Ghana respectively in the 2010s, Nico and older brother Inaki are now on different tracks.

Both were born in Spain, children of migrant Ghanaians who crossed the Sahara in search of a better standard of life, but while they share a strong sibling bond, the latter pitched his tent with the four-time African champions as opposed to his new home country.

And while Inaki has found life with the Black Stars challenging after making that choice, Nico has been one of Spain’s leading lights in his second major tournament.​​​​​​​

His cracking finish in the 4-1 last-16 win over Georgia may have been his first goal of Euro 2024, but Nico had already demonstrated his menace earlier in the tournament – most notably in the lopsided 1-0 win over defending champions Italy.

“We may have followed different international paths but I always look up to him [Inaki] for guidance,” Nico told BBC Sport Africa.

“To play in the same tournament [the 2022 World Cup] was a dream come true and our parents are the proudest because we represented two countries that define our family history.”

On the opposite flank, Yamal is a silky, creative type whose decision-making belies his modest years.

Few 16-year-olds make as much of a mark in their debut tournament as the Barcelona wonderkid has in Germany.

Unequivocal about his desire to represent the country of his birth, Morocco nevertheless hoped to steal a march on Spain in order to secure Yamal, as they had done in the past for other Spain-born internationals like Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz.

Their loss has been Spain’s gain.

‘Bambi’ starring for Die Mannschaft

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Image caption: Musiala is the joint-top scorer at Euro 2024, with three goals in four games

Host nation Germany have been, next to Spain, perhaps the most impressive side at Euro 2024, sealing a place in the last eight with a hard-fought victory over Denmark.

While there have been question marks over the effectiveness of Kai Havertz up front and Bundesliga winner Florian Wirtz who was dropped for the last 16, Jamal Musiala has been the one immovable piece of Die Mannschaft’s attacking puzzle.

The 21-year-old was at the centre of an international tug-of-war between Germany and England as a youngster, but he could also have turned out for Nigeria, for whom he is eligible through his dual-national father.

Musiala has, in recent interviews, peeled the curtain back on his exposure to Nigerian culture.

“My dad made fufu while I was growing up back in England; he made this dish every other day,” he said.

It is no surprise then that, as he told UK3, his international allegiance was not a decision he took lightly.

“I could have played for Nigeria because it crossed my mind, and I thought about it well,” the Bayern Munich winger explained.

“I had good talks with Nigeria and Germany. So it really just came down to me and where I’d feel the most comfortable. I decided to go with Germany.”

Nicknamed ‘Bambi’ in his early days, Musiala has not looked back since making his international bow in 2021.

His long-limbed dribbling gives him an elusive, mesmeric quality that has elevated Germany’s intricate possession play, and could prove the difference if Julian Nagelsmann’s side are to go all the way and lift the trophy in Berlin on 14 July.

Switzerland’s African contingent

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Image caption: Dan Ndoye struck for Switzerland in their group-stage draw against Germany

Less than 12 months ago, Lausanne-born Dan Ndoye was talking up the possibility of turning out for then-reigning African champions Senegal.

“For me, Senegal is the best team in Africa,” he told wiwsport. “They demonstrated it at the Afcon and qualified for the World Cup.

“Of course, I’m interested, but it’s not up to me to decide if I’m going to play for Senegal or Switzerland.”

A year on, via a stellar Serie A campaign at Bologna, he has been one of the revelations of Euro 2024 for a team that prides itself on its cultural diversity.

Back-up keeper Yan Mvogo, defender Manuel Akanji, midfielder Denis Zakarai and forwards Breel Embolo, Kwadwo Duah and Zeki Amdouni all have links to Africa.

Before a last-eight clash with England on Saturday, the Swiss are now being viewed as dark horses for the title.

Upsetting Italy in dominant fashion has certainly played a part in that perception, but it was their Group A draw against Germany that really stood out.

The host nation, on the rack after Ndoye’s first-half opener, needed a late Niclas Fullkrug header to salvage a draw.

Within Switzerland’s fluid structure, Ndoye’s ability to play between the lines, pull out wide, and pose a threat inside the opposing penalty area has been key.

The Three Lions have been warned.

Both players have been a regular feature in the Portugal side throughout the tournament, with 39-year-old Ronaldo playing every minute of both the shootout win over Slovenia in the last 16 and the defeat on penalties by France in the quarter-finals.

Pepe has also made history at the tournament, becoming the oldest player in European Championship history aged 41.

The pair shared a long embrace on the pitch after Friday’s loss, with Pepe in tears as Ronaldo consoled him.

“His tears are frustration,” said Martinez. “Pepe is a role model in Portuguese football. What he did tonight and in the tournament will stay with us for the next generations.”

When asked whether the two players had just featured for Portugal for the final time, Martinez answered: “No. Everything is too raw. We are still suffering the defeat.

“There’s no individual decisions at this point”

More shots than any other player – but no goals

Ronaldo has endured a difficult tournament, with his place in the side constantly questioned as he failed to score in any of his five appearances.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward was left in tears after missing an extra-time penalty after Slovenia – although he made amends by scoring in the shootout as Portugal went through.

But he again cut a frustrated figure during the defeat by France – and now there are doubts over whether he will play for his country again.

“They probably know it’s the end of the line in the national team, perhaps. Where do you go from here?” former Portugal defender Jose Fonte told BBC Sport.

“They’ve achieved so much, they’ve done so much for Portugal, sometimes you just have to give your place to the young boys coming up and let them show their talent.”

Ronaldo’s stats at Euro 2024 do not make for good reading.

• It is the first time Ronaldo has failed to score at a major international – with Euro 2024 his 11th.
• He has not scored in open play at a major tournament since the group stage of the last Euros in 2021.
• He had 23 shots in Portugal’s five games at Euro 2024 – more than any other player – and failed to score.
• His expected goals across all fives games is 0.692

Despite his struggles in front of goal manager Martinez has resisted the urge to drop him to the bench.

BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton says Martinez has an “obsession” with Ronaldo and shows a “lack of imagination” by keeping him on.

Ronaldo is managing the team and Martinez isn’t when you have options like they do on the bench – he is hampering them,” said Sutton.

Danny Murphy added: “It does seem ridiculous at times that he keeps Ronaldo on when he is having no impact.”

Theo Hernandez scored the winning penalty after substitute Joao Felix hit the outside of the post with his effort, the only miss.

Players sprinted over to the other end of the pitch to celebrate with fans afterwards, while Portugal, who had overcome Slovenia via a shootout five days ago, were left feeling deflated while they applauded their supporters.

It marks the end of an era for Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who confirmed this week it would be his final Euros.

Before the match, all eyes had been on a showdown between 39-year-old Ronaldo and France’s Kylian Mbappe but both failed to have an impact, though the Portugal striker did put away his spot-kick.

Mbappe had to be substituted in extra time after an earlier whack to his face, covered with a mask due to a broken nose, so he was unable to take part in the shootout.

It had been a cagey match with relatively few chances though Portugal had the best of them.

Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha were both denied by goalkeeper Mike Maignan before France’s Randal Kolo Muani had a shot deflected inches wide by Ruben Dias.

Moments later, Eduardo Camavinga should have put France ahead when he dragged an effort beyond the far post from close range.

But extra time was needed and when the moment came, Portugal’s talisman Ronaldo stabbed a cutback from Francisco Conceicao way over the bar, to the astonishment of fans behind the goal and their luck ran out after a second shootout in consecutive games.

It means France will now face Spain in the semi-finals in Munich on Tuesday (20:00 BST kick-off).

This was the most anticipated match of the tournament so far as it put together the resurgent home nation against arguably the best-performing side to date at Euro 2024 – and it certainly lived up to expectation.

Played with aggression, tension and drama the contest barely let those watching pause for breath from the moment Dani Olmo gave Spain the lead six minutes into the second half.

The substitute side-footed home a cross from 16-year-old star Lamine Yamal – his third assist of the Euros – and his strike opened up a game that had been played with caution until then.

Germany hit the post through their own substitute Niclas Fullkrug, but equalised in the final minute of normal time when Florian Wirtz sent a thunderous strike in off the post to send the home fans wild.

Mikel Oyarzabal and Wirtz then sent efforts agonisingly wide in extra time, while Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon superbly clawed away a Fullkrug header as it looked like penalties would be needed to settle an exhilarating contest.

But with seconds remaining of a thrilling tie, Real Sociedad forward Merino – who spent the 2017-18 season at Newcastle United – thumped home a header to send Spain into the semi-finals, where they will face either France or Portugal.

Full-back Dani Carvajal was sent off just before the end for a second yellow card, but it was not enough to spoil the Spanish celebrations as fans and players greeted the final whistle with joy and relief.

After disappointing performances at recent major international tournaments, this Germany side impressed, with exciting young talent like Wirtz and Jamal Musiala providing optimism for the future.

But that future will be one without the legendary Toni Kroos, with the 34-year-old having said this tournament would be his last as he retires from football.

The 21-year-old’s ban is suspended for a year and he has also been fined £25,400 (30,000 Euros).

The midfielder’s crotch-grabbing gesture towards the Slovakian bench after scoring a late equaliser in the 2-1 victory was investigated by Uefa.

Bellingham, who has made the gesture while playing for his club side Real Madrid, denied that it was aimed at England’s opponents.

Responding to the incident on social media, Bellingham said it was “an inside-joke gesture towards some close friends who were at the game”, adding he had “nothing but respect for how Slovakia played”.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Image caption: Bellingham’s gesture after his equaliser against Slovakia

Bellingham has started all four of England’s Euro 2024 matches, scoring two of England’s four goals in Germany, including the 95th-minute overhead kick equaliser against Slovakia.

England play Switzerland in Dusseldorf at 17:00 BST in a match that will be live on BBC One, BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website and app. All 26 players in manager Gareth Southgate’s squad trained on Friday morning.

Meanwhile, the Football Association has been fined £9,310 (11,000 euros) for crowd issues involving England supporters. A fine of 10,000 euros was issued for crowd disturbances and 1,000 euros for lighting fireworks.

While Bellingham is available for Saturday’s match, Turkey defender Merih Demiral has been handed a two-match ban for a gesture he made during his side’s last-16 win against Austria.

Demiral, 26, scored both of Turkey’s goals in the 2-1 win and celebrated his second goal with a ‘wolf salute’.

The gesture, which is banned in Austria and France, is associated with the far-right extremist group Grey Wolves that is closely linked with Turkey’s ruling coalition party the National Movement Party.

Turkey face the Netherlands in Berlin, with the game kicking off at 20:00.

The 16-year-old winger has provided two assists for Spain so far, just the third teenager on record (since 1980) to provide multiple assists in the competition after Enzo Scifo (1984) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2004).

Yamal again looks likely to be a key player in the last-eight tie against the tournament hosts in Stuttgart on Friday.

But Nagelsmann said: “Let’s see how he reacts when things get tough.

“You can’t defend him completely. You have to be prepared for different things. My focus is less on [Lamine] Yamal, more on Jamal [Musiala]. We can do something in attack ourselves.”

Germany captain Ilkay Gundogan said his Barcelona team-mate Yamal enjoyed an “unparalleled” season in La Liga last season, but hopes a passionate home support can disrupt Spain’s approach after their impressive start.

The midfielder added: “We want to ignite this atmosphere with the style and manner in which we play. That can push us – and perhaps make the Spaniards a bit less secure.”

‘Could be the final’

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has promised his side will be on the front foot against Germany.

His side are the only team in the tournament to have won all of their matches so far.

“We will try to take the initiative and go all-out from the first minute, to minimise their strengths and exploit their weaknesses,” said De la Fuente.

“It could have been the final of the European Championship, but I think it will be an even game on a footballing level.”

De la Fuente acknowledged that stifling the influence of Germany midfielder Toni Kroos will be vital for his side to succeed.

“We thought about tying Kroos’ feet together, but I’m not sure if Uefa will let me,” the 63-year-old joked.

“We know how Kroos behaves. We will try to make sure he doesn’t have the chance to receive the ball and will limit his passing options.”

Frenchman Mbappe, 25, signed for Real Madrid this summer – a club where Ronaldo won four successive Champions League titles.

The two will go head-to-head in Hamburg on Friday (kick-off 20:00 BST) and Mbappe describes it as “a pleasure” to face Portugal’s five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

“It’s the admiration I’ve always had for Cristiano, for the player. Over time, I’ve had the chance to get to know him and talk to him many times. We’re still in touch,” said Mbappe.

“He’s always trying to give me advice and keep up to date with what’s going on. Playing against him is an honour for everything he’s done in football.

“No matter what happened before or what happens after, he’ll always be a legend of the game. But of course we hope to win and reach the semi-finals.”

Ronaldo, 39, said this week it would be his last Euros so this showdown with Mbappe is being described as a “handover” between two great players.

But Mbappe says the Portugal legend is “unique” and he will follow his own path when he begins his stint with Madrid.

“There will only be one [Ronaldo] I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to start living my dream as a player in Madrid,” he added.

“I hope I’ll write a great story there, but I’m certainly not going there to write the rest of Cristiano’s story. What he did in Madrid is unique.

“You have to appreciate what he has been, what he is. I’ve never been an envious person, so I just want to admire the greatness of the player.

“He left his mark on the history of football. He inspired generations. He has scored many goals and won many titles. So his CV speaks for itself.”

‘It’s not about Mbappe v Ronaldo’

Manchester City and Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva played with Mbappe at Monaco and said he always “stood out from the crowd”.

“Kylian is a wonderful player and started with us at AS Monaco when he was 16. I remember after his first week we would say ‘who’s this kid?'” added Silva.

“I am so delighted for him that he was able to have a wonderful career. I wish him the best but not [against us] obviously. I want us to qualify.”

But Silva would not be drawn on comparisons between Mbappe and Ronaldo.

“It’s not about Kylian and Cristiano – it’s about Portugal and France. They are both two unbelievable players,” said Silva.

“Cristiano is one of the best to ever play the game. Kylian is still going through the beginning or middle of his career. But it’s not about them. As Portugal, we want to go through and qualify for the semi-finals.”

Portugal boss Roberto Martinez has faced criticism for his team selection and their performance so far in the tournament.

They needed extra time and a penalty shootout to overcome Slovenia in their last-16 tie on Monday.

“Criticism is part of the job description. Criticism shows how passionate people are about the national team and I accept that,” said Martinez.

“I believe we have very important players and a very competitive dressing room. I see them every day in training so can make decisions.

“In the qualifying campaign, we won 10 matches and I was criticised. I’m not focused on myself. My job is to help our players perform as best we can and that’s what I promise all fans.”

The Three Lions emerged 2-1 victors after Jude Bellingham levelled with an injury-time overhead kick, before captain Harry Kane notched the decisive strike in extra time.

Stones, speaking as England prepared for Saturday’s quarter-final against Switzerland (17:00), said the success will “change a lot of things”.

“It shows that unity, and togetherness, as a team,” said the 30-year-old defender.

“When you have done those things, you can believe you can do it better, and when it gets tough you can always recap to these moments.”

Stones felt England were heading for an early exit before their late fightback – and will now use that performance as “fuel” for the rest of the tournament.

“I thought we were going home up to 60 minutes into the game,” he added.

“To change the mindset, and for us all to keep the belief, it has a lot of power behind it – for ourselves and other teams.”

The Manchester City centre-back also said he is “all good” despite appearing in training with heavy strapping around his knee on Wednesday.

Stones will have to find a new centre-back partner with Marc Guehi suspended for Saturday’s quarter-final, which is being shown live on the BBC.

Criticism makes Southgate ‘want to win even more’

Manager Gareth Southgate will take charge of his 100th game at the weekend, but it hasn’t been easy for the England boss at Euro 2024.

His side have faced jeers – and even some cups being thrown by angry supporters – amid underwhelming performances, but they were greeted by a better reaction after beating Slovakia.

Stones said the criticism Southgate has faced will further motivate the Three Lions manager.

He added: “He pushes it aside, I can only comment on how that’ll only affect him in a good way. It will make him want to win even more, do better. It gets brushed aside very quickly.”

As Southgate nears his landmark century, Stones praised the way the 53-year-old has changed the national team’s “culture” as they look to win a first major trophy.

“The great attributes and qualities he has as a manager – he’s simple and clear with what he wants,” added Stones.

“To be here and try to leave a mark in this tournament is important and we have that goal at the end of it, to do something that has not been done before.”

England striker Toney was sent on for his first appearance of Euro 2024 in the final seconds of the round of 16 match with the Three Lions trailing 1-0.

Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick took the game to extra time, before Toney provided the headed assist for Harry Kane’s winner.

England manager Gareth Southgate said afterwards that Toney was “disgusted” at being introduced with a minute to go, but the player himself says he is ready to play any part at the Euros.

“It’s always going to be tough,” he said at a media conference on Wednesday when asked about his lack of minutes in Germany.

“It’s tough for all of us as we play week in, week out for our clubs. I have been in this position before and when I get an opportunity I’ll take it.”

Toney is an automatic starter when fit for Brentford, but has to play second fiddle to Kane for England in Southgate’s one-striker system.

The 28-year-old admits that can be frustrating, but he has worked with sports psychologists at his club to ensure he is ready for his country at any moment.

“At my club, there is a guy called Michael Caufield [a sports psychologist] and he talks about controlling your emotions,” Toney said.

“Yes, I was annoyed but there was still 30 minutes of football to play [including extra-time] and you have got to come out of that mood and focus.

“I feel like, people call them substitutes, others finishers. I think you have to be ready and there’s more than 11 players needed to win a tournament.”

Toney and England are preparing to face Switzerland in their quarter-final on Saturday in Dusseldorf at 17.00 BST.

Originally defender Luke Shaw had been due to face the media, but was replaced by Toney at the last minute as the left-back tries to regain fitness and face the Swiss for his first appearance at Euro 2024 after injury.

Shearer: England’s Euro 2024 starts here

England’s performances at Euro 2024 have drawn criticism, however they have reached the quarter-finals of a fourth successive major tournament under Southgate.

The England manager, despite pressure from fans and pundits, has made minimal changes to his starting XI throughout the competition.

He will be forced to make one change against Switzerland with central defender Marc Guehi suspended.

Former England striker Alan Shearer thinks that whatever decisions Southgate makes, now is when his players have to raise their game.

“He has got some difficult decisions to make,” Shearer told BBC iPlayer of Southgate.

“But whoever wins this tournament will have to make big decisions and be brave at times.

“This is time for England now to say ‘we’re in this competition, we haven’t played as well as we want to or can do and this is it’. This is where it has to start for them.”

France and Portugal face-off in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. While multiple world-class players will be in action for both sides, it is hard to escape this being a gladiatorial duel between Ronaldo and Mbappe.

This is not the first time the two icons have shared a pitch. They met in the 2017-18 Champions League last 16, when Real Madrid comfortably beat Mbappe’s PSG 5-2 on aggregate – on Ronaldo’s way to a fourth and final Champions League trophy in Spain.

Mbappe was yet to break into the senior France squad when they were beaten by Ronaldo’s Portugal in the Euro 2016 final, while Ronaldo scored twice in a 2-2 draw in the group stages to help Portugal reach the knockouts at Euro 2020.

This game in Hamburg has a totally different context to the Champions League meeting six years ago. Back then, Mbappe was a 19-year-old on loan from Monaco – full of potential and the subject of hype, but far from the finished product.

Now he is 25, widely regarded as the world’s best player and the man on whose slim shoulders France’s hopes of a first European title since 2000 rest – at times in this tournament quite uneasily.

Mbappe will this summer move to Real Madrid, where he is expected to be the main man. The focal point and grand attraction. That was the role served by Ronaldo in his prime.

Six years on, Ronaldo – away from playing his club football in Saudi Arabia – is still a focal point who grabs attention.

The 39-year-old’s role in the Portugal team is the subject of great discussion after a last-16 display against Slovenia summarised by wayward free-kicks, a saved penalty and floods of tears.

Yet Ronaldo can still deliver when it counts, tucking away his spot-kick in the shootout – though it was goalkeeper Diogo Costa who took the spotlight with three successive saves.

Can Mbappe surpass Ronaldo in Madrid?

So that’s the plot to the showdown under the Friday night lights. A former Real Madrid legend against someone who hopes to achieve that status.

If this was a Hollywood script, the likely narrative would have this as the moment where the baton is passed, France beat Portugal and Mbappe fully assumes Ronaldo’s former mantle.

But football does not work to schedule, as Ronaldo knows. When he was 25, Portugal were dumped out in the last 16 at the 2010 World Cup by eventual winners Spain – and he would have to wait another six years to get his hands on an international trophy.

By 2010, Ronaldo had won three Premier League trophies, a Champions League and his first of five Ballons D’Or. Up against Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona side, his Real Madrid gold rush had yet to begin.

Mbappe in comparison has seven Ligue 1 titles, albeit six of them in a PSG side with vastly greater resources than their competitors in France, and no Champions League trophy yet.

He does, however, have something it looks increasingly like Ronaldo shall never possess – a World Cup winner’s medal, collected in 2018 aged just 19.

So might Mbappe surpass Ronaldo at Madrid if he follows a similar path? It seems likely. Barcelona are a reduced force compared to the one Ronaldo encountered in his early days. There is no Lionel Messi nor Guardiola.

Real Madrid are reigning champions both domestically and continentally, and will only be strengthened by Mbappe’s arrival.

Ronaldo scored 33 goals in 35 games during his first season at Madrid – a tally Mbappe surpassed in five of his seven campaigns at PSG, and which seems eminently reachable in 2024-25.

Mbappe has scored 287 goals in his club career to this point, while Ronaldo netted just 118 before joining Madrid. While Mbappe has sometimes played centrally for PSG, both men primarily occupied wide areas in their pre-Bernabeu days.

After below-par tournaments, a time to shine

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES

Image caption: Mbappe and France squeezed into the quarter-finals thanks to a late own goal against Belgium

Off the pitch, Mbappe has some catching up to do. Ronaldo remains an icon in Madrid, has a hotel bearing the CR7 branding in the city, attracts more than half a billion followers across his social media accounts and even has a galaxy named after him.

But Mbappe, having been the star attraction and huge selling point of PSG during his time there, will be placed on a similar pedestal once he arrives in Madrid.

Before all those bells, whistles and social media debates, the small matter of a Euro 2024 quarter-final.

Neither man has set the tournament alight so far. Mbappe looks hampered by a range of issues – including a broken nose from the opening game against Austria and having to play in the discomfort and distraction of a protective mask.

France’s style of play, as evidenced by their lacklustre last-16 win over Belgium, is characterised by stodginess and a need for everything promising in attack to go through Mbappe. When he is crowded out or out of form, the system does not work – leading to the pre-tournament favourites failing to score from open play in four matches in Germany.

Questions of Ronaldo, meanwhile, focus around whether he should even start after two below-par, goalless showings against relative minnows Georgia and Slovenia, where at times the bright attacking talent Portugal possess seemed actively hampered by the presence of a man more than a decade older than his team-mates.

Will such a grand occasion as this quarter-final bring the best out of one or both of these men? We wait with baited breath.

If it is Mbappe who comes out on top, the journey from doe-eyed child admiring posters of Ronaldo to being the sport’s undisputed poster boy will surely be complete.

This was arguably the best game of the tournament so far, a thrilling winner-takes-all tie played in pouring rain at a frenetic pace, with both teams roared forward by their fervent support.

From Demiral’s first goal in the first minute to a stunning save by Turkey goalkeeper Mert Gunok to deny Austria an equaliser in the last, there was barely time for the crowd to draw a breath.

Turkey set the tone for what was to come when they opened the scoring with just 57 seconds on the clock. Arda Guler’s corner was not cleared and Demiral pounced from close range to send their fans packed inside Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena into raptures.

Just before the hour mark, the same duo combined again. With Austria piling on the pressure, a rare foray forward resulted in another Guler corner that the 6ft 4in centre-back Demiral rose to powerfully head home.

It brought the same deafening response from the stands and sparked wild celebrations on the touchline from Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella and his squad.

There was still work to be done. Austria had not managed a shot on target in the first half but were much improved after the break and pulled a goal back when Stefan Posch flicked on Marcel Sabitzer’s corner and substitute Michael Gregoritsch was unmarked to turn the ball home at the far post.

Ralf Rangnick’s side, who have won many admirers in Germany for their enterprising high-intensity play, poured forward in search of an equaliser but, whatever they tried, they found the Turkey defence resolute.

Austria are on their way home while Turkey are into their first Euros quarter-final since 2008. Now they head for Berlin, where they face the Dutch at the Olympiastadion on Saturday.

Gakpo saw his low drive beat Florin Nita for power 20 minutes in to settle the Oranje’s nerves, and they were in total command from that moment on.

The Liverpool man saw a potential second goal ruled out before Virgil van Dijk struck the woodwork, but some fine work late on saw him tee up substitute Malen to make it 2-0.

Malen then added further gloss on the break in stoppage time, and the Netherlands will approach Saturday’s quarter-final tie against Austria or Turkiye with confidence, with a potential semi-final clash with England still on the cards.

The Netherlands made a tentative start and were fortunate to see Dennis Man’s 20-yard drive float over the crossbar, but the Oranje went ahead in the 20th minute.

Gakpo cut inside Andrei Ratiu before shooting from the left side of the area, and Florin Nita arguably should have done better as the ball squirmed past him at his near post.

The Netherlands grew in confidence from there and bossed the remainder of the first half, going close to a second goal when Denzel Dumfries forced an error from Bogdan Racovitan before teeing up Xavi Simons, but the RB Leipzig man took too long before shooting wide.

The Oranje pressure continued after the restart as Ratiu’s desperate tackle prevented Memphis Depay from blasting into a gaping net, before Van Dijk sent a downward header against the post and wide just before the hour mark.

Depay then called Nita into action with a ferocious 25-yard strike before he was denied his brace by a VAR review, being called offside after he poked home following a scramble in the area.

Joey Veerman went closer still when he rolled his shot across goal and wide after finding space on the left of the box, but Ronald Koeman’s team had daylight with seven minutes remaining.

Gakpo did brilliantly to keep the ball in play under pressure from Radu Dragusin, with Malen turning his low cross home for the clinching goal.

With Romania crestfallen, Malen doubled his tally at the death, streaking away on the break before rolling his finish into the bottom-left corner.

The former Manchester United interim boss has transformed Austria’s fortunes since he took charge two years ago.

Austria topped a group including France and the Netherlands to reach the knockout stages in Germany.

They now have their sights set on a first European Championship quarter-final – but must first negotiate a last-16 tie against Turkey in Leipzig.

“I said at the beginning of the tournament it is not impossible to become champion or get to the final,” Rangnick said.

“We are realistic. There is only one way to get as far as possible which is to take care of the next match. This philosophy helped us to get to Leipzig and this is the only way to get further in the tournament.”

Turkey boss Vincenzo Montella said his side face a tough test against a “complete team” who are “perhaps the best team as a unit”.

Austria thrashed Turkey 6-1 when the sides met in a friendly in March.

Montella said: “They are a team that presses very aggressively high up the pitch, very consistently and they are excellent in transition.

“They remind me of a club team because they are able to recognise all different match situations.”

Portugal’s superstar captain saw his penalty kept out by Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak and he was consoled by his team-mates, as fans chanted his name in the stands.

But he recovered to score his country’s first penalty in the shootout – where goalkeeper Diogo Costa saved all three kicks he faced – before Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva netted the winning kick.

Ronaldo was involved in the thick of it throughout the night as he searched for his first goal at Euro 2024.

Before his penalty was tipped on to the post, he wasted a golden opportunity in the final minute of normal time, drilling his shot straight at Oblak, having seen countless crosses fly over his head throughout 120 minutes of blockbuster action.

Eventually, Portugal’s persistence paid off as Slovenia crumbled in the shootout and Costa’s heroics ensured Ronaldo’s Euro dream continues.

Portugal had dominated for long periods and should have led in the first half when Joao Palhinha struck the post.

Slovenia, who defended with grit and resilience, had chances of their own and will regret Benjamin Sesko failing to score when through one-on-one with Portugal goalkeeper Costa in the final minutes of extra time.

Portugal now play France in the quarter-finals in Hamburg on Friday, while Slovenia leave the competition in the cruellest of manners.

A game that had lacked quality and excitement for large periods looked destined for extra time, but a shot by substitute Randal Kolo Muani deflected off Vertonghen with five minutes remaining to seal the victory at Dusseldorf Arena.

France had missed several chances before that as once again their lack of a cutting edge let them down, and even captain Kylian Mbappe put efforts he would normally finish wide.

Belgium could even have taken the lead themselves before France’s late goal as Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne charged into space through the middle, but his shot was pushed behind by Mike Maignan.

That had been the below-par Belgians only decent opportunity as France closed out the final few minutes to progress to the last eight, where they will face either Portugal or Slovenia.

European football’s governing body said it is looking into a “potential violation” of “the basic rules of decent conduct” by Bellingham.

Bellingham was seen making a crotch-grabbing gesture towards the Slovakian bench after scoring an overhead kick in stoppage time.

The Real Madrid player denied it was aimed at England’s opponents, saying on social media that it was an inside joke directed towards some close friends.

If found to have breached the rules, the 21-year-old could face a suspension, a fine or both.

The rule in question is Article 11 2b, which requires anyone subject to Uefa regulations to respect the “principles of ethical conduct, loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship.”

Anyone whose conduct is “insulting or otherwise violates the basic rules of decent conduct” could be in breach.

England won 2-1 after extra time to set up a quarter-final meeting with Switzerland on Saturday.

Responding to the incident on social media, Bellingham said: “An inside-joke gesture towards some close friends who were at the game.

“Nothing but respect for how that Slovakia team played tonight.”

Cristiano Ronaldo was fined but avoided a ban for making a similar gesture while celebrating a goal for Juventus against Atletico Madrid in a Champions League last-16 second-leg tie in 2019.

Atletico boss Diego Simeone was also fined for making the gesture during the first leg.

A goalless draw against England in their final Group C fixture helped Slovenia advance as one of the four best third-placed teams.

It is the first time they have reached the knockout phase of a major competition.

“It is a new milestone for the Slovenian national team, for Slovenia in general,” said Gnezda Cerin.

“We have our goals and I think tomorrow’s match will be a beautiful evening for everyone to enjoy because these matches are something you dream about as a kid who starts playing football.

“We are not done. We will try to play tomorrow’s match at the highest possible level.”

Slovenia, appearing at only their second European Championship, drew their three group matches.

“We are prepared for Portugal,” said Gnezda Cerin, who plays for Panathinaikos.

“They’re a very, very talented team and they can cause you problems all around the pitch.”

Portugal won Group F despite losing 2-0 to Georgia in their final group game.

They have reached at least the quarter-finals in five of their past six European Championships, including winning the tournament in 2016.

Slovenia won 2-0 when the sides met in a friendly in March, ending a run of 11 Portugal victories in a row.

Midfielder Bruno Fernandes said that defeat has put Portugal “on their toes” for the game in Frankfurt at 20:00 BST.

“We don’t have a lot of time to think about what was. We have to think about what’s going to be,” Manchester United’s Fernandes said.

“We respect every opponent. This [Slovenia] team has very relevant names, and high-quality players – we respect them greatly.

“After the negative results, people tend to focus on the negative aspects, but this is how football works.”

The 25-year-old striker broke his nose in a collision during his side’s 1-0 win against Austria in their opening game of the tournament.

He missed the goalless draw with the Netherlands but returned and scored as France drew 1-1 with Poland.

Mbappe wore a protective mask in that game but said he found it uncomfortable.

“I didn’t think it would be, but playing with a mask is absolutely horrible,” Mbappe said before the Belgium game in Dusseldorf.

“I have changed [the mask] because every time there was something that wasn’t right.

“It is really difficult. It limits your vision and the sweat gets blocked up so you have to take it off to let it run away.

“As soon as I can take it off I will do, but I don’t have a choice. That is how my tournament is going to be. I can only play like that.

“It is really annoying, but I have to just say thanks to the mask.”

Mbappe’s goal against Poland was a penalty, meaning France are yet to score from open play at the tournament.

“It’s not the group matches anymore,” boss Didier Deschamps said. “It’s a new competition within the competition.

“You have to be efficient. To win matches, you have to score. That’s not done by snapping your fingers, but you need to move the cursor [closer to goal].”

These two sides met in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, with France winning 1-0 on their way to lifting the trophy.

Like Les Bleus, Belgium finished second in their group, drawing 0-0 with Ukraine to ensure progression.

Both sides are yet to click into gear, but Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco believes the chances they are creating means their luck will turn.

“The quality and quantity of chances we made in the first three games was unbelievable,” he said.

“It is unbelievable that we scored only two goals in three games, and France too, but this is football.”

Belgium were booed after the goalless draw with Ukraine, but midfielder Orel Mangala believes the fans will be behind them on Monday.

“I believe that has been cleared up,” he said.

“I can understand that [reaction]. We we were all frustrated. Now we are facing a new match and I hope that all the fans stand with us and we’ll play with a lot of imagination.”

They beat Austria in their opening game, but only with an own-goal winner. A 0-0 draw with the Netherlands followed before they shared the spoils in a 1-1 stalemate with Poland.

Didier Deschamps’ side lifted the 2018 World Cup and finished runners-up at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, but they have failed to sparkle as expected in Germany.

“Suddenly the ruthlessness we’ve been used to is just not there any more,” French football journalist Julian Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast.

Despite being below-par, France have at least managed to reach the last 16 and face Belgium on Monday (17:00 BST).

But if Deschamps fails to guide his side to the quarter-finals after ending up on the trickier side of the draw, he could get “torn apart”.

“There’s this lack of momentum, where usually that is not there either,” added Laurens. “Suddenly the few certainties you had before are not even there anymore.

“Bring on the last 16, for sure. That’s where they’ll be judged.”

‘This is not the team we expected’

France created 5.93 expected goals in their three group-stage games but failed to score from open play, with their two goals being the Austria own goal and a penalty for Kylian Mbappe against Poland.

Laurens said “there’s a point where it starts getting really worrying” if they keep struggling in front of goal.

“They’ve been a bit underwhelming, certainly in the last game against Poland,” he added.

“The fact that they create chances is something the players and Deschamps keep repeating, saying ‘the chances are there, we’re just not taking them’.”

Deschamps has been France manager since 2012 and led his team to three major finals, but they have not been able to replicate that form at Euro 2024.

Laurens said: “This is not the team we expected, this is not the team we used to know in big tournaments.

“That’s maybe where the worry is because if Deschamps has lost the thing that made him and that team special… maybe that’s because it’s been too long – he’s been there for 10 years now.”

‘France are going to have a tough time’

German football expert Raphael Honigstein said it was “beyond carelessness” that France failed to beat already-eliminated Poland to win the group – and therefore ended up on the side of the draw with Spain, Germany and Portugal.

“You can have bad performances but to give away winning a group and being on the much easier side of the group in that fashion, that’s really stupid,” he said.

With France struggling, Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague said it hands their opponents “an opportunity to have a go”.

“It’s probably the only chance in the whole tournament we’re going to have a chance to have a go at France before they win it,” he added.

“It’s no question, they’re going to have a tough time to actually win this one.”

Belgium reached the last 16 by finishing second in Group E, where all four teams were tied on four points.

They recorded just one win – a 2-0 success against eventual group winners Romania.

‘The players aren’t worried’

The knockouts could be an opportunity for France to show their true strength, although Laurens said the lack of “confidence” will not help.

“I guess we have to trust them,” he added. “They’re not worried. The players aren’t worried, Deschamps isn’t worried – he says it’s now that the competition starts, which is partly true of course.

“But I guess it’s easier to approach a knockout stage at a big tournament like this if you have a bit of confidence, some momentum if you’ve done well.”

Winning against neighbours Belgium is crucial, or Deschamps could face a “brutal” reaction in his homeland.

Laurens said: “We’ll see against Belgium, the old enemy of course, and so much rivalry. There’s more than just a football match.

“If France don’t win that one – if they win and don’t play well then it won’t matter so much – then I think it could be quite brutal against Deschamps.”

Playing in their first major tournament, Georgia had to soak up heavy pressure from Spain early on but stunned those watching on at Cologne Stadium when they took a surprise lead after 18 minutes.

Spain defender Robin le Normand poked Otar Kakabadze’s curling cross into his own net, finishing off a devastating counter-attack and silencing supporters behind their goal.

Substitutes warming up sprinted over to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who led Georgia’s celebrations in the corner.

It sparked confidence in Georgia but Spain’s pressure eventually paid off when Manchester City’s Rodri drilled a shot into the bottom corner – beating goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who had another outstanding overall display.

Spain continued to excite in attack, stringing together countless chances, and capitalised when Fabian Ruiz nodded in a cross from 16-year-old Lamine Yamal.

Georgia continued to battle and Napoli winger Kvaratskhelia would have scored the goal of the tournament had his clever chip from the halfway line bounced a metre to the right instead of passing the post.

But despite Georgia’s flair and unpredictability, Spain’s accomplished possession game took control – Nico Williams striking powerfully into the roof of the net to make it 3-1, before Dani Olmo’s precise finish capped things off.

European giants and home favourites Germany are up next for Spain in Stuttgart on Friday, while Georgia exit the competition after a fairytale run in which they massively exceeded expectations.

With England seemingly out of ideas and virtually out of the tournament in the fifth minute of injury time, Jude Bellingham sent the game into extra time with a spectacular overhead kick to draw England level.

Within a minute of the extra period England located what would prove to be the winning goal, as Harry Kane crashed home a close-range header after a flick across goal by substitute Ivan Toney.

Slovakia had been just 60 seconds from their first-ever tournament quarter final and Ivan Schranz was once again their goal scorer. He converted another smart finish here to put the Slovaks ahead after 25 minutes after good work from David Strelec.

They almost went two ahead early in the second half when Strelec shot from 50 yards after a miscommunication between John Stones and Marc Guehi, with the effort beating Pickford but going just wide of the post.

Although they were outplayed for the majority of normal time England managed to turn it around and will now face Switzerland in Dusseldorf in the quarterfinals next Saturday.

Local police say a man from Osnabruck in north-west Germany has been detained.

They added that there is currently no evidence that the man intended to endanger spectators at the Westfalenstadion, which is the home of Borussia Dortmund.

Authorities said on Saturday that they were using a helicopter to illuminate the roof in a bid to find the man, who had been spotted by fellow spectators climbing the interior of the stadium.

The match had to be temporarily suspended in the 35th minute because of a thunderstorm, but Germany’s 2-0 win took the hosts through to the quarter-finals.

However, Denmark will feel aggrieved about their exit after Joachim Andersen thought he had given his country a 48th-minute lead, only for VAR to rule it out for offside.

Just two minutes after seeing his goal chalked off, Andersen was then judged by VAR to have handled a cross into the box and Havertz dispatched the spot kick.

Germany sealed their quarter-final spot as Nico Schlotterbeck sent a floated ball into the path of Musiala who calmly fired home.

The home nation could have added to the score-line late on, but were met by a determined Kasper Schmeichel performance.

Germany will now face either Spain or Georgia in the quarter-final.

The defending champions crashed out in the last 16 on Saturday, with Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas scoring as Switzerland claimed a deserved 2-0 victory in Berlin.

Following the Azzurri’s defeat, the reigning champions have been eliminated in the round of 16 at three successive editions of the tournament, with Spain going out to Italy in 2016 and Portugal doing so versus Belgium at Euro 2020.

The loss was Italy’s first in a knockout game at the Euros since the 2012 final versus Spain (90 minutes only), ending a run of six such matches unbeaten (three wins, three draws).

Spalletti only became Italy coach last September after Roberto Mancini quit to take the Saudi Arabia job, and he used Saturday’s post-match press conference to remind reporters of his late appointment.

“I have to say this, even if it may seem like I’m looking for alibis. Before this competition the other coaches had 20 or 30 games,” he said.

“I had 10 and I already had a gun pointed at me, saying that I had to win.

“Then we had several injured players that I was counting on, and today we saw that in terms of the intensity we were inferior. Switzerland qualified in a fair way.”

Spalletti was then asked whether he was likely to stay on as Italy coach in the aftermath of their worst Euros performance since 2004’s group-stage exit.

The former Napoli boss has no intention of stepping down but admits things must change for the team, responding: “It’s a natural question, don’t feel guilty for asking me.

“It changes nothing for me in the sense that I take responsibility for what happened.

“I picked the players. I am not happy with the performance we produced or the performance against Spain.

“I am partially happy with the other two matches we played. This time I rested them up and changed the team.

“After the previous game, I blamed it on myself, regardless of team selection, for not making too many changes.”

The Swiss dominated from the start and took a deserved lead when the impressive Ruben Vargas crossed for Remo Freuler, who took a touch before hammering a low shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Vargas, who plays his club football in Germany for Augsburg, made it 2-0 just 27 seconds into the second half when he picked up Michel Aebischer’s pass near the left-hand corner of the Italy area and expertly bent the ball into the far top corner of the net.

Italy did not manage a shot on target until the 73rd minute and their best effort before then came when Switzerland defender Fabian Schar headed Nicolo Fagioli’s cross against his own post, with Yann Sommer stranded.

Although Gianluca Scamacca also hit the woodwork from close range before the end, the Azzurri never seriously threatened a fightback and their forgettable campaign in Germany simply fizzled out.

While they head home, Switzerland, roared on in Berlin by their boisterous and frequently bouncing supporters, head for Dusseldorf where they will play the winners of England’s tie with Slovakia on Saturday, 6 July (17:00 BST).

The Dutch only qualified for the last 16 as one of the best third-placed finishers after losing to Austria on Tuesday.

“I can completely understand the criticism,” Van Dijk said.

“Things overall can and should be better. Maybe we overestimate ourselves.”

Ronald Koeman’s side finished behind France as Austria topped Group D with an impressive six points.

The Netherlands, who last won the European Championship 36 years ago, know they are going to have to play much better to repeat that success in Germany.

Van Dijk added: “A lot had to be said [following the defeat to Austria] and we had to analyse a lot.

“It was not the tactics where things went wrong. It was mainly the will to win, so we have talked about that and with harsh words.”

Van Dijk was heavily criticised by former midfielder Rafael van der Vaart on Dutch TV channel NOS. Van der Vaart accused him of showing a lack of passion in an overall “disgraceful performance” against Austria.

The Liverpool captain was at fault for the third and decisive Austria goal in Berlin and the 32-year-old told the media on Friday he knows he has to defend to a higher standard.

“I’m not stupid,” Van Dijk said. “I also know that I can do better and that it should be better, and that’s what I’m working on.”

The Netherlands play Romania for a place in the quarter-finals on Tuesday with kick-off at 17:00 BST on BBC One.