Explainers

FANS might need to get their calculators out as England go into their final Euro 2020 group game against Czech Republic.The Three Lions are open to facing a whole host of possible opponents as it stands, depending on their final result against the resurgent Czechs.
England’s 0-0 draw with Scotland opens up multiple possibilities for the round of 16Credit: Getty
And there is an ideal result for many fans, with some surprising opponents in store.
Here is how things currently stand in Group D:

Who will England play in the last 16 if they beat Czech Republic?
With a victory, Gareth Southgate’s side will leapfrog the Czechs, who are leading Group D on goal difference.
As group winners England WOULD play in London against the second-placed team from Group F.
The problem is, that could be any of France, Germany or Portugal – and also Hungary.
England could face either Germany or Portugal if they win the groupCredit: Reuters

Joachim Low’s side are currently second behind France in Group F, only ahead of the Portuguese on head-to-head record.
The final games in Group F are: Portugal vs France and Germany vs Hungary, so anything could still happen if Portugal beat France.
When and where would this match take place?

1D vs 2F
Tuesday, June 29 at 6pm
Wembley Stadium, London

Who will England play in the last 16 if they draw?
If England don’t beat the Czech Republic and draw, they will finish SECOND in Group D.
That means they will face the runners up in Group E, which is currently Slovakia – is this the worst draw in the world?
England could face either Spain or Sweden if they finish second in the group, with Slovakia another possibilityCredit: Reuters
Sweden are currently top of Group E, and Spain and Slovakia can still mathematically win it as well, with the Swedes facing Poland in their final group game.
The underwhelming Spaniards NEED to beat Slovakia in order to realistically qualify for the knockout stages and are even in danger of missing out on a third-place qualifier.
When and where would this match take place?

2D vs 2E
Monday, June 28 at 6pm
Parken Stadium, Copenhagen

Spain are currently in danger of failing to qualify for the knockout stages even if they finish third in Group E
Who will England play if they lose?
Should Southgate’s side slip up in their final group game and lose to the Czech Republic they could either finish second or third.
That depends if there is a winner from the Scotland vs Croatia clash.
Croatia cannot finish above England – as even if England lose and Croatia win, they would be level on four points and it would come down to head-to-head record, with England having won their meeting 1-0.

However, Scotland could still trump England.
If the Three Lions lose 1-0 against Czech Republic and Scotland beat Croatia 2-0, with both sides on four points and level on goal difference, the Scots would finish second due to having scored more goals.
If England do finish third in their group they could either play Belgium, Holland or Sweden as things stand.
But there are many possibilities that could arise, as you can see in the graphic above, depending on the last lot of group stage results.
When and where would this match take place?
There are multiple possibilities, including:

Holland vs 3D/E/F – 6pm, Budapest
Belgium vs 3A/D/E/F – 9pm, Seville
1E vs 3A/B/C/D – 9pm, Glasgow

Round of 16 – fixtures so far
Saturday, June 26

Wales vs Denmark, 5pm
Italy vs Austria, 8pm

Sunday, June 27

Holland vs 3rd Group D/E/F, 6pm
Belgium vs 3rd Group A/D/E/F, 8pm

Monday, June 28

Match five – Runner-up Group D vs Runner-up Group E, 6pm
Match six – Winner Group F vs 3rd Group A/B/C. 8pm

Tuesday, June 29

Match seven – Winner Group D vs Runner-up Group F, 6pm
Match eight – Winner Group E vs 3rd Group A/B/C/D, 8pm More

SPAIN were expected to breeze through the Euro 2020 group stage as group winners, but not all is going to plan.Powder puff attacking displays against Sweden and Poland have seen La Roja languishing in third and staring down the barrel at a shock elimination.
Spain are staring down the barrel at a surprise elimination from Euro 2020Credit: Reuters
But they still have the opportunity to save themselves. Here’s what they have to do.
How can Spain qualify for the Euro 2020 last 16?
If Spain beat Slovakia, they will qualify for the Euro 2020 last 16 no matter what happens elsewhere.
A draw will be enough to progress as one of the best four third placed teams provided Poland do not beat Sweden.
If Poland do beat Sweden, a draw will see Spain finish fourth in Group E and get knocked out of the tournament.
A defeat will see Spain knocked out regardless of the Poland vs Sweden result.
⚽Get ALL of the latest Spain news and updates from Euro 2020

Who can Spain play if they qualify for the Euro 2020 last 16?
If Spain qualify as Group E winners, they will play a third placed team at Hampden Park on Tuesday, June 29.
That currently looks like being Scotland or Croatia, but could be Ukraine if the third placed team from Group E is eliminated or if Scotland vs Croatia ends in a draw.
Should Spain finish second, they will head to Copenhagen to play the runner-up in Group D.
And if Spain finish third, they are likely to stay in Seville to host Belgium. More

THE group stages of Euro 2020 are coming to a close – and there’s been drama aplenty. With 16 places up for grabs in the next round, there’s all to play for in the remaining games this week.
Italy were the first team to qualify for the Euro 2020 last 16Credit: Getty
Here’s all you need to know about the teams that have gone through so far.
Which teams have qualified for the Euro 2020 last 16?
The following teams have qualified for the Euro 2020 last 16:

Italy
Belgium
Holland
Wales
Austria
England
Switzerland
Czech Republic
Sweden
France
Denmark

The Italians followed up their 3-0 win over Turkey by hammering Switzerland by the same scoreline to make it through to the last 16.
And a 1-0 win over Wales made it a clean sweep for the Italians – but also saw the Welsh finish second and go through.
Switzerland will be forced to wait to see if they can qualify after a 3-1 win over Turkey saw them secure third in Group A.
Belgium have qualified from Group B after seeing off Denmark 2-1 in Copenhagen, while Holland have been confirmed as Group C winners following victory over Austria.
After Denmark’s incredible win over Russia, every team who has four points will now be guaranteed a spot in the last-16.
As such, England are through ahead of their game against the Czech Republic.
The Three Lions can even afford to lose at Wembley – they would still qualify as one of the top-ranked third-placed teams.

How many points will be enough to qualify?
In Euro 2016, Northern Ireland were the lowest ranked third placed team to qualify, with three points and a goal difference of zero.
And exactly the same points total and goal difference will be enough to take teams that finish third through this time.
That’s because Finland are the lowest ranked third place team with three points and a goal difference of -2, followed by Ukraine with a goal difference of -1. More

SCOTLAND kept their chances of qualifying for the Euro 2020 last 16 alive with a crucial point away to England.Steve Clarke’s men were beaten 2-0 at home by the Czech Republic in their opening match at Hampden as Patrik Schick scored from the halfway line.
Scotland still have a chance of qualifying for the Euro 2020 last 16Credit: Getty
But there’s still all to play for after a battling performance at the Home of Football.
How can Scotland qualify for the Euro 2020 last 16?
Scotland’s chances of qualifying are boosted by the fact that the best four third placed teams from the six groups will progress to the last 16.
However, they are not helped by the fact that head-to-head record is the first method used to split teams level on points in Uefa competitions.
That means if Scotland were to finish level on points with the Czech Republic, the Czechs would be placed higher in the group because of their 2-0 win.

For Scotland to be certain of qualification, they must finish second.
For that to happen, the Scots must beat Croatia and hope the Czech Republic beat England by enough of a margin to secure a four-goal swing against the Three Lions.
However, the Scots can qualify if they finish as one of the four best third placed teams.
That means they must win against the Croats and wait on other results.
Should Scotland fail to beat Croatia, they will be eliminated regardless of what happens in the other games.

At Euro 2016, the lowest ranked third placed team to qualify from their group was Northern Ireland.
They finished with three points and a goal difference of zero. More

EURO 2020 is here and one new feature of the competition is the differing stance teams are taking against racism.England have become embroiled in a big row with the players condemning fans who booed them taking the knee against Austria and Romania.
England will continue taking the knee throughout Euro 2020Credit: PA
And manager Gareth Southgate said the players are even more determined to take the knee following the booing.
Here are the gestures each of the 24 teams will be making during the tournament.
Which teams are taking the knee at Euro 2020?
England
England will continue to take the knee during Euro 2020, as they have been since the murder of George Floyd last year.
The team have stated that they believe the gesture is not a political one and designed simply to show support for racial equality.
Gareth Southgate said: “I think we have got a situation where some people seem to think it is a political stand that they don’t agree with.
“That is not the reason the players are doing it. We are supporting each other.”
Wales
Wales and France take the knee in a pre-Euro 2020 friendlyCredit: Reuters
Wales have taken the knee over the past year and will continue to do so.
Interim manager Rob Page said: “We had a meeting and we all think it’s still important to take the knee.
“That’s the message we’ve given out. We’re all in it together and there were no issues.”
Belgium
Belgium are the only non-British team to announce they will take the knee throughout Euro 2020.
Romelu Lukaku said of any negative reactions: “I don’t care. I fight for diversity.
“Not only for the black community, also for the women. Colour, sexuality, faith, it doesn’t matter. Everybody should be respected.”
Which teams have not taken the knee at Euro 2020?
Hungary
Hungary point to the Uefa Respect badge as Ireland take the kneeCredit: Reuters
The Hungarian FA were the first association to confirm they will not take the knee at Euro 2020.
In a statement they said they view the knee as a political gesture in defiance of Uefa and Fifa rules.
It read: “The basic values ​​of the sport are equal opportunities, respect for the teammate and the opponent.
“Football may have become the most popular sport in the world because it belongs to everyone.
“The Hungarian national team not only follows the international rules and norms in all cases, but also pays tribute to everyone – be it an opponent, a fan or anyone else.
“MLSZ has been fighting all forms of hatred for years as part of the ‘Hate is not a track’ campaign.
“The rules of UEFA and FIFA do not allow politicization on the pitch and in the stadium either, which the MLSZ not only accepts but also agrees with.
“The national team will not express its condemnation of any form of hatred by kneeling before the matches.”
During their warm-up game against Ireland, Hungary pointed to the Uefa Respect logo on the sleeves of their shirts while the Irish team took the knee and were booed by a sizeable portion of the 15,000 crowd.
The gesture is thought to be hugely unpopular with a core group of Hungarian supporters, who marched to the Puskas Arena before Hungary’s game against France with an anti-kneeling banner.
Hungary fans hold up an anti-kneeling banner before their game against FranceCredit: AP
The Republic of Ireland’s players were booed and jeered by some Hungary fans as they took a knee before kick-off in their friendly in Budapest. pic.twitter.com/15npHfKZcE— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) June 8, 2021

Croatia
England’s first opponents at Euro 2020 did not take the knee but instead pointed to the Uefa Respect badge on their shirts.
An official statement read: “CFF and the players are against any form of discrimination.
“But the FA provides the players with the right to choose, as the act itself isn’t a part of Croatian culture and heritage.
“The players chose not to kneel down before the Belgium [friendly] game, but they’ve taken a respectful stance towards the gesture made by their Belgium colleagues.”
Denmark
Denmark did not take the knee in their Euro 2020 opener against Finland or their third game against Russia.
They also chose to remain standing during the game against Belgium, but applauded the Belgian team for performing the gesture.
Russia
Russia did not take the knee in any of their Euro 2020 games.
The crowd in St Petersburg were also heard booing the Belgian team, who chose to kneel against the Russians and Finland, when they played in the city.
Holland
The Netherlands will not take the knee in any of their games, captain Georginio Wijnaldum has said.
Wijnaldum, who has been taking the knee with Liverpool in Premier League games, commented: “We have talked about that but we decided not to do this.
“We’re trying to bring attention to the issue in a different way. Actually, only the players who play in England are used to this [kneeling].”
Austria
Despite taking the knee in a warm-up game against England, Austria have not taken the knee in any of their Euro 2020 games.
It is not known whether they will kneel if the opposition does.
North Macedonia
North Macedonia did not take the knee in any of their Euro 2020 games.
Ukraine
Ukraine have not taken the knee in any of their Euro 2020 games.
Czech Republic
Czech Republic refused to take the knee in their game against Wales in March and are highly unlikely to do so at Euro 2020.
The Czechs decided to point to the Uefa Respect logo in their sleeves on that occasion as a “neutral, apolitical gesture”.
During their Euro 2020 opener against Scotland, neither side took the knee.
The Czechs are thought to be less likely than ever to take the knee after being angered by the ten-game suspension Uefa handed down to defender Ondrej Kudela after he was found to have racially abused Rangers’ Glen Kamara.

Spain
While some La Liga players have shown solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, the Spain team have never taken the knee and their clubs also tend not to.
Real Madrid did not take the knee against Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester City while Villarreal chose not to kneel against Man Utd in the Europa League final.
When Granada played Man Utd, only Brazilian winger Kenedy took the knee.
Spain have not take the knee in any of their Euro 2020 games so far.
Sweden
Sweden did not take the knee in their opening Euro 2020 game against Spain or their second game against Slovakia.
Poland
Poland point to their Uefa Respect badge as England take the kneeCredit: Getty
Poland did not take the knee in their opening Euro 2020 game against Slovakia.
The gesture has been criticised by both the Polish FA president and sections of their support.
The Poles refused to kneel against England and instead pointed to the Uefa Respect logo on their sleeves.
Polish FA President Zbigniew Boniek labelled the gesture “populism” that “achieved nothing” and said: “I am absolutely against such actions.
“Footballers sometimes kneel, and if you asked some of them why they were kneeling, they wouldn’t even know.”
Slovakia
Slovakia did not take the knee in their Euro 2020 opener against Poland or their second game against Sweden.
The Slovaks took the knee against Ireland and Scotland last October but were criticised in the Slovakian parliament.
After this, the country’s FA said the players had only taken the knee because they believed Uefa had instructed them to do so and would no longer perform the gesture.
Portugal
Portugal did not take the knee in their Euro 2020 opener against Hungary or their second game against Germany.
It is not known whether they will kneel if the opposition does.

France
France took the knee in their first warm-up friendly against Wales but not in their second one against Bulgaria.
The French team were expected to kneel throughout Euro 2020 but changed their mind at the last minute.
Les Bleus were criticised in some sections of the French media after kneeling against the Welsh.
And captain Hugo Lloris said after the opening game against Germany: “It was a collective decision.
“We assume that if we have to do it, all the nations must do it with the support of UEFA.
“This is the case in Premier League, where the movement is united. In this competition, it is less the case.
“This does not mean that we do not support the cause, we especially do not want racism in our sport and in society.”
Another France player said anonymously: “The truth is that players were concerned about the fierce reaction to the gesture, and felt that it was dividing more than uniting.”
It is not known whether France will take the knee if the opposition does.
Germany
Bundesliga players took the knee after the murder of George Floyd last season.
However, the national team have not been kneeling in 2021.
The German team chose not to kneel before their game against France but it is not known whether they will kneel if they face an opposition who do.
Which teams are taking the knee in some Euro 2020 games?

Scotland have made their decision ahead of their opener against Czech Republic
Scotland stars originally said that would NOT be taking a knee prior to their Euro 2020 matches.
The Scottish FA have confirmed they will continue to promote an anti-racist message by standing before matches.
But just a day later, they confirmed that they WILL in their match against England.
Scotland skipper Andy Robertson said: “It is important we continue to tackle the issue of racism and raise awareness of the need to change people’s mindsets but also their behaviours.
“Prior to our World Cup qualifiers in March we spoke as a group and felt that taking a stand was the best way for us to show solidarity and also to reinforce the need for meaningful change in society.”
As per their announcement, Scotland did not kneel against the Czech Republic at Hampden but did against England at Wembley.

Italy*
Italy were not thought to be taking the knee in any of their Euro 2020 games.
In their opening two matches against Switzerland and Turkey the two sides kicked off the match as normal.
And when Wales took the knee in Rome, the Italians initially kicked off the match as normal.
However once the referee called them back, five players did take the knee – Rafael Toloi, Federico Bernardeschi, Emerson Palmieri, Andrea Bellotti and Matteo Pessina.
Turkey
Turkey did not take the knee in their opening match against Italy or their third game against Switzerland but did in their second game against Wales.
Switzerland
Switzerland did take the knee in their opening Euro 2020 game against Wales but did not in their second game against Italy or their third game against Turkey.
Finland
Finland did not take the knee in their first two Euro 2020 games against Denmark and Russia, but did in their third game against Belgium. More