The MBM OGs are in the building so it’s time to wrap up this frankly disappointing blog. Scott Murray will be with you for Netherlands v Turkey at 8pm; before that, Barry Glendenning is your man for England v Switzerland. Thanks a lot for your company and emails. Good luck folks!
“As a neutral,” says Joe Pearson, “I still want England to keep winning ugly, because the subsequent coverage is frankly hysterical (in both senses of the word).”
Funnier still, three more wins and the jeers will turn to patriotic flares up the bum.
History lesson
Today is Gareth Southgate’s 100 game as England manager, and all because of a pint of wine. On this historic occasion, one or things will happen:
England will reach their third semi-final in six years, having played only four in 67 years before that, or
Switzerland will get to the last four of a major tournament for the first time in their history (not counting the 1924 Olympics).
England: the equation
“Woke manager + entitled fans x social media = what we have,” writes Patrick Ferriday.
At the risk of getting myself sacked before Jude Bellingham’s been out for his first warm-up, I think traditional media has a lot to answer for as well. Particularly the impact, conscious and unconscious, that metrics have on editorial decisions. We’re all guilty of fuelling the fire to some extent, even a metrosexual beacon like me.
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“I’ve got a feeling today’s game between England and Switzerland will be a great one for the neutrals...” says Chris in Dunfermline. “Okay, I’ll get my coat.”
Apologies for the poverty of, well, everything in today’s blog. It’s been a very quiet day and we’re only as good as the old news cycle. Thankfully the buildup to the buildup will soon be over and I can hand over to Barry Glendenning for the buildup.
“Further to the point about football making people mad no matter their nationality etc,” begins Des. “I was on a flight back from a conference in Dublin once and was seated next to a world renowned oncologist. He’d been a keynote speaker on his research on biomarkers in cancer treatment.
“We discussed the future of medicine, the state of European politics (this was 2013), as well as pretentious cinephile chat about the works of Akira Kurosawa. I was barely holding my own as I realised this was probably the most intelligent and accomplished person I’d ever spoken to.
“Then we turned to football and I watched this eloquent polymath descend into a TalkSport conspiracy theorist who was convinced the Suarez-Evra situation was down to some anti-Dalglish vendetta.
“In matters of football so many of us suspend all reason. I’ve even seen some of my fellow Palace fans touting us for a title win next season. Football, eh?”
It’s fascinating. I couldn’t win a fight with my own subconscious, never mind another human being, but at times during the Arsenal/Man Utd rivalry I was mouthing off like Danny Dyer. Eejit.
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“Just reading that Andy Murray’s Wimbledon playing career is over after his partner Emma Raducanu withdrew from the mixed doubles today,” says Simon McMahon. “Which got me thinking, maybe Southgate missed a trick by not crying on telly after England’s final heartbreak in 2021. Get the onions out at full time, Gareth, and the England fans will love you.”
“Obviously every quarter-final is a massive game but this one feels especially consequential,” says Max Williams. “Reach the semis and England’s tournament cannot be deemed a failure. Lose to Switzerland in the quarters and it absolutely will be. Defeat won’t destroy Southgate’s legacy but it will end his tenure on his lowest point and amplify those who believe his success was primarily due to favourable knockout draws. (Although the Euro 2020 win over Germany is criminally underrated, partly because it happened in the last 16 rather than the semis.)
“More tangibly, there’s the formation change: England should beat Switzerland if it works but will surely lose if it doesn’t. That carries ramifications for the semifinal as well – England have more talented players than Turkey or the Netherlands and if Southgate manages to unlock their potential today then they will be favourites next week as well.
“Or maybe we’ll grit out a terrible 1-0 win and nobody will be any the wiser as to whether the team and their manager any good or not.”
On the formation, it sounds like it’s a bespoke plan for this game so they might revert to 4-2-3-1 if they reach the semi-finals. He did that in 2021 from memory: back five v Germany and Italy, back four v Ukraine and Denmark.
“Is there any point discussing the England men’s team in footballing terms?” asks Niall Mullen. “It feels like trying to use performance at the Christmas party to allocate company bonuses. The real business happens for the remainder of the year while the party can only tell you a bit about the company culture and end a few careers.”
Haha. I now have an image in my head of Gareth Southgate literally, well never mind.
We have a new article to plug! Luke Entwistle look at the problems facing France ahead of their semi-final with Spain on Tuesday.
“While I agree with Justin that the negative treatment of Southgate is absurd, the idea that this outlook is unique to England is a sort of inverted exceptionalism,” says Des. “England are not special (I don’t think we’re the best nation for flares up the arse, but we’re definitely in the top one).
“Even with his record, Deschamps is getting pelters in France. Louis Van Gaal was pilloried in the Netherlands for getting to a semi the “wrong” way and Koeman was asked last week if the Netherlands’ performances would ‘hurt Cruyff’s eyes’. Fans expect and are pretty vocal when they don’t think their team is performing as it should.”
Yeah that’s a fair point. Football makes everyone go mad, doesn’t it? I wince when I recall some of my reactions over the years.
“Reading Gareth Southgate’s Trial by Fandom has been bemusing for the neutral (ok, I’m Irish, but that just means you’ve followed English football all your life),” says Justin Kavanagh. “You have a very strong team with several world class players, and one potential all-time great, who are led by a thoroughly decent and grounded English coach. You’re in the quarter-finals, despite playing poorly. Most nations would be delighted and enjoy the occasion with pride. Not so Englanders.
“I can’t help thinking of that grown man with a lit firework up his jacksie at the last final, the perfect modern-day symbol of English support in extremis. The fuse seems to have gotten a lot shorter this year; the inevitable s***show a lot more imminent.”
The metaphor ran out of steam a bit at the end but I take your point. Also, I didn’t realise Why I Stuck A Flare Up My Arse For England is a successful play.
‘Gareth, some fella in his undercrackers back home thinks you’re tactically clueless. Thoughts?’
"I think people that understand the game would see it"
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 6, 2024
Gareth Southgate bites back at the critics who call his tactical plan unclear 🏴#Euro2024 | @gabrielclarke05 pic.twitter.com/QzAUr3xCxJ
“Part of my job as a parent is to persuade my 19-year-old son that Southgate might just be the greatest England manager ever, and not a ‘clown’ and a ‘fraud’,” sighs Mac Millings. “I’d send him a link to Barney Ronay’s fine article on the subject, but two things prevent me, namely: a) he’s a teenager who is never wrong; and b) Barney needed to do some fact-checking, because to my recollection, there has never been a ‘Watford in the Cup final horror show’.
“If he’s referring to 2019, he must have forgotten that the final wasn’t played that year. In fact, 18 May 2019, didn’t occur at all, but was instead replaced by memories of a deep pit of despair somewhere in the stomach region, accompanied by the drying of tears on my children’s faces. Weird, huh?”
Don’t click on this link it doesn’t exist.
If you measure these things in goals and assists, Cristiano Ronaldo is easily the greatest player in European Championship history. But his final Euros was an almost unmitigated disaster.
Wimbledon latest
Cam Norrie has started his match against the fourth seed Alexander Zverev, with Leah Williamson, Pep Guardiola nad Roy Hodgson among those in attendance. It’s just like being there!
“Many years ago I was living in Austria with my then wife who is a translator for English, German and Turkish,” says Phil Keegan. “Middlesbrough and their then manager Gareth Southgate had bought the Turkish player Tuncay who joined up with them on a summer training camp in Austria. My ex-wife, who has zero interest in or knowledge of football, got the job of being translator for Tuncay and Gareth Southgate for a week.
“She told me that Tuncay was chronically shy and hated journalists and had left Turkey to get away from the Turkish journalists who followed him everywhere and that Gareth Southgate was an absolute gentleman. He was unfailingly polite, modest, kind and considerate. Maybe he is simply too nice to be England manager. We need a ba$tard in charge.”
Didn’t they try that with redacted?
An emotional Julian Nagelsmann has been reflecting on Germany’s tournament at a press conference
I have not been to another tournament but I was told that it was not always the case that every player left the camp with tears in their eyes after six weeks together.
We will try to reinforce things now and not launch a completely new start. The Nations League matches will be used so that we develop further. We are still a work in progress and that is normal after the previous years. We will miss one pillar in Toni Kroos and let us see whether others will follow.
There is no point in undergoing any major overhaul because we have a very good climate and that is a good foundation to build on. My job will continue the way it started.
I always said we needed the fans united behind us after the bad previous tournaments. We had a vision and belief we could do some good things. I would have loved to give the fans more, to win the title.
I wish for this country to be better together, united and for people to help each other out more. We should not always fall into sadness and dreariness where everything is grey. I think we managed that in that small part that is football.
Team news
This is the side Gareth Southgate is expected to pick this afternoon.
England (3-4-2-1) Pickford; Walker, Stones, Konsa; Trippier, Mainoo, Rice, Saka; Foden, Bellingham; Kane.
Switzerland have juggled their attacking players throughout the tournament, but I’d expect something like this.
Switzerland (3-4-2-1) Sommer; Schar, Akanji, Rodriguez; Widmer, Freuler, Xhaka, Aebischer; Ndoye, Vargas; Embolo.
“Picking up on the earlier thread, as a (relative) outsider, it is disheartening to see the stick Southgate gets,” says Matt Dony. “No, he’s not the finest manager ever, but he’s delivered more success than could be expected, some beautiful memories for England fans, and (most amazingly of all), he’s made the whole England team likeable. Traditionally, they’ve been an easy group to hate, for many, many reasons. But a few individuals aside, I wish this team well. Decent lads led by a decent bloke, all with seemingly decent attitudes. Well done, Gareth. You deserve a break after this tournament.”
We’re not living in a golden age of empathy, are we? If I ever grow up, Gareth Southgate is pretty much the model of who I’d like to be; I think that makes the hatred harder to stomach.
“I’m someone who wants to imagine we’re in with a chance of Sir Gareth Southgate, partly because it would infuriate the handbrake crowd,” says Duncan Edwards. “But the Swiss - they conceded a few in qualifying, to Kosovo and Belarus, and England can surely get two or more v them today. I know they surprised a cocky Hungary, drew with an already qualified Germany, and stood there while Italy imploded, but come on, we can take them regardless of formation and personnel.”
I’m never predicting a Switzerland game again after smugly writing that Portugal v Switzerland in the last 16 of Qatar 2022 was nailed on to go the distance. Portugal won 6-1.
(Switzerland 2-0 or 2-1. I fear England’s funk might be too great.)
“Regarding ‘I don’t really understand the logic of moving your best player to accommodate somebody who, for all his obvious brilliance, hasn’t done much for England,’ surely it would be an attempt to turn one brilliant player into two,” writes Mac Millings, “with apologies for making a somewhat serious point”.
Foden doesn’t even play there for his club. I don’t see it myself. But it’s academic because Gareth has gone all 3-4-2-1 on our derriere.
“It’s great to have England playing in Düsseldorf,” writes Chris. “How times have changed since the last time you visited our city: At Euro 1988, a potentially great fixture between England and the Netherlands turned into an ugly mess of hooliganism, with many German thugs involved as well. Older folks in the city still remember this as the battle of Düsseldorf. Good to know that things are different now. All the best for tonight!”
There were doubts about Granit Xhaka’s fitness earlier in the week, but he will start today’s game. England need Phil Foden, or whoever they choose as the right-sided No10, to do a diligent defensive job because Xhaka ran the games against Hungary and Italy.
Switzerland are full of the joys, and quite right too after their performances against Germany and Italy.
“My highlight from yesterday’s match between France and Portugal came after the ref called a pause so Mbappe could get his nose checked out,” says Peter Rehwaldt. “I was stunned when a player came up to the referee waving a yellow card at him. OK, so it had fallen out of the referee’s pocket and the player was trying to return it, but still. It’s not every day a player gives a referee a yellow card.”
At least he didn’t then book the player.
“I just want to check this isn’t all in my own head,” says Shaun Tooze. “So we picked a squad that had us all wondering about the midfield (uncapped, untried players, etc) and since the start, we’ve tried the Trent thing, a half of the Gallagher thing, Mainoo in and out, and all the while with a right back playing at left back and not really getting Foden, Bellingham or Kane into the games enough (despite the latter two’s goals) and now it seems we’re looking to experiment again for this game, including having a lad at left-back in the diagonally opposite area of the pitch he’s used to playing.... right?
“Have I missed anything? And all of this DURING AN ACTUAL FINALS TOURNAMENT and yet we somehow aren’t out yet. “Just bonkers isn’t it really when you think about it.”
It is and it isn’t. Lots of successful teams have prepared for two years and then ripped it all up mid-tournament. England in 1986 and 1990, Argentina in Qatar, Ivory Coast earlier this year.
“Bellingham’s position at Real was a bit of make do,” says Richard. “Put him back to where he played for Dortmund/England previously: 4-3-3 in possession and 4-5-1 out of possession.”
A make do in which he scored 23 goals. If you did move Bellingham deeper, wouldn’t it be to accommodate Foden in a 4-2-3-1 rather than a 4-3-3? While I’m sure he’d pick up where he left off as a No8, I don’t really understand the logic of moving your best player to accommodate somebody who, for all his obvious brilliance, hasn’t done much for England.
If you’re into the whole trivia thing, this week’s Knowledge is a major tournament special.
On this day in 1960… the first ever European Championship semi-final ends France 4-5 Yugoslavia. In normal time!
On this day in 2021… Italy beat Spain on penalties after a terrific semi-final.
And Will Unwin is your man for Wimbledon coverage, and much else besides
Stage eight of the Tour de France is under way. You can follow that with John Brewin.
“Has this been the best Euros of all time?” asks Kurt Perleberg.
I’d say it’s not even close, though some classic games in the next nine days could change that. My favourite is Euro 2000, which was rich in drama and optimism. Euro 76 and 84 were also terrific, and I’ve always thought Euro 2008 is slightly underrated.
Meanwhile, in SW19
“What does it say about this age we are in that someone as thoughtful, unassuming, intelligent and successful as GS can be turned into a figure of hate?” says Ian Copestake. “The England team has been struggling. This is not the way it wants to be performing. So the whole ‘handbrake’ narrative is also wrong. I am casting my vote for the man having seen so many awful English national sides filled with excellent players be mismanaged.”
It says STOP TWITTER.
The acceptable face of banter
“England will either deliver a shambolic performance today, as of late, or they will get back their old sense of confident shape and coordination, drive and ambition, and win hugely. And then go on to win the tournament,” says Andrew Benton. “Either way, Southgate should be widely praised for growing such a humble and effective team (current hiccup aside) and banishing the sense of entitlement that pervaded England team for so many years. To me, the old teams seemed to have worked hard, and played hard. Southgate’s work hard, and then work more. Huge respect to him and all of them for that.”
Couldn’t agree more. But I’m not sure we’re in the majority.
“As an Englishman who has spent over 17 years living in this beautiful land tonight is a special one,” writes Mark Bennett from Emmetten in Switzerland. “I cannot lose, I cannot decide what to wear (Mark attached a picture of two kits: England 2006 and Switzerland maybe 2008ish) and will enjoy with some Swiss friends and a beer or two. Come on England / Hopp Schwiiz!”
Karen Carney talks tactics
The theory of having Foden and Bellingham in those little central spaces is sensible. It is what Foden is used to at City but there he has got width from Jérémy Doku or Jack Grealish, who hug the touchline, and Bellingham has got Vinícius Júnior at Real Madrid. Those players make the opposition worry about them and that gives Foden and Bellingham more space. No one in Germany is worried about Trippier because they know he will not overlap and provide a great left-foot cross, meaning England are unable to stretch defences and create pockets to work in, but Saka on the left could change that.
“Haven’t yet seen a full match of the tournament due to time differences,” writes Alasdair in Bangkok. “Reckon it’s one to stay up for? Or just cold turkey until the final when England will have the real test?”
It’ll be an interesting game, though I’m not certain it will be exciting. Turkey v Netherlands has the potential to be a belter though.
“I’ve long said that Bellingham should be an 8 in a 4-3-3 for England, with Foden in 10,” says A Jo. “But the predicted team could really suit this group. It reminds me of the solution Wales came to in 2016 in order to fit two 10s in with Bale and Ramsey. Saka at wing back might not be his favoured position but it gives balance while still allowing him to play attacking football. Could work...”
Can you really put Bellingham in a position he doesn’t play for his club? I like England’s formation but I don’t love Saka at left wing-back, a role he has barely played in the last three years. That said, I suspect Saka is good and selfless enough to make it work. The big advantage is that it gets Foden onto the right side of the field in more ways than one. Doesn’t solve the problem of pace in behind though. I would probably have picked the same team as last week but with Gordon in for either Saka or Foden.
If you want some actual live sport, Daniel Gallan is covering the rugby international between Australia and Wales. It’s 13-10 at half-time, but to which team? Clickedy click click click!
England also drew with Switzerland in the group stage of Euro 96. The highlights include a gem of a miss from Marco Grassi, and a brief glimpse of football’s greatest moustache.
Here’s more on a couple of big domestic transfers: Sandy Baltimore to Chelsea and Max Kilman to West Ham.
On this day in 2016… Cristiano Ronaldo ends a Welsh fairytale.
Cheers John, hello again. There is another game tonight, apparently: Turkey v Netherlands in Berlin. Here’s Emre Sarigul on how Vincenzo Montella has encouraged Turkey to embrace the passion.
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The baton passed back to Rob, on this day of all days.
Phil get in touch: “Hey John - I have nothing to contribute, just wanted to say I love you on the pod and your music takes are gold - have you heard of Flying Nun Records from NZ?”
Thanks, I have the Fall In A Hole record on Flying Nun, and read an interview with the proprietors, but don’t know anything else. What do you recommend?
Kári Tulinius gets in touch: “Rob asked for theories on a postcard for why the French haven’t scored from open play. I think the simplest explanation for what ails France upfront is probably correct. Mbappé is playing through a lot of pain, Griezmann is out of sorts, and once you get past them the French forwards are Giroud, who’s 37, and a collection of forwards who’ve never scored much for Les Bleus. Coman has 8 in 56, Dembelé 5 in 44, Thurman 2 in 20, Kolo Muani 4 in 17 and Barcola has only played two matches, and scored in neither. I wish Deschamps had taken a chance on a young prospect like Arnaud Kalimuendo, but hindsight is 20/20 and all that.”
More transfer news: Chelsea get stronger and stronger in the WSL.
An interesting dynamic here. Has this happened before? One for the Knowledge?
Juventus have completed the signing of Alisha Lehmann from Aston Villa. Lehmann joins her partner Douglas Luiz who also signed for the Italian club from Villa last week.
— Charlotte Harpur (@charlotteharpur) July 6, 2024
“For Douglas and me to be together in the same club is a dream."@TheAthleticFC https://t.co/5hdv7ktME7
That suggested England team. The Trent faction will go potty if this is the selection. A significant number of comments we’ve had to the pod over the last two England matches have been “what about Trent?” or the like. Many are Liverpool fans, of course, but not all.
Predicted England team to face Switzerland- (3-4-2-1): Pickford; Walker, Stones, Konsa; Trippier, Rice, Mainoo, Saka; Bellingham, Foden; Kane
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) July 6, 2024
Big talk from Julian Nagelsmann after Germany lost to Spain, looking fully ahead to the 2026 World Cup.
“I won’t experience another Euro on home soil and it hurts to have to wait two years before becoming world champions. What do you want me to say, that we will lose in the first round? Of course we want to become world champions.”
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A Bola, the Portuguese daily, had this reaction to the Ronaldo show, from Luís Pedro Ferreira.
Ronaldo? The question that everyone asks, the man in whom everyone believed – and that is his sole fault, for his achievements – but which results in a number: six hours, zero goals for Portugal. Ronaldo played his best game at the Euros with France, even if he was the most discreet player. The captain knew how to play with his colleagues, he was more altruistic than in the round of 16, he tried to support, but victim or not, he ended up not standing out. I repeat now: six hours of Portugal without scoring a goal. Anyone who lived through the 90s with the national team wouldn’t be surprised. But Cristiano Ronaldo was the most prolific forward of the 21st century, so having so many hours of football without a goal and, incredibly, without a goal from Cristiano should make everyone reflect: on the national team, on Cristiano Ronaldo’s space, on Martínez’s options. For me? Simple, starting for this European Championship. Ronaldo had to be there. He didn’t necessarily have to be a starter or play 90 minutes.
Good morning, I’ll be tilling the blog for the next hour. john.brewin.casual@theguardian.com if you please.
I’m going to hand over to John Brewin for a bit, but I’ll be back later for all the buildup to the buildup.
Jacob Steinberg on England’s change of approach
There cannot be more of the same from England. It is not a surprise that a switch from 4-2-3-1 to a back three is on the cards. It is partly a response to Marc Guéhi’s suspension – Ezri Konsa, who has only five caps, is expected to replace him in central defence – and also an attempt to fix England’s lack of balance on the left.
“Morning Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “What did you make of the penalty decision last night? It seems to me that Nagelsmann is talking a lot of sense. It was clearly a handball, clearly unintentional, but the key point being that the shot appeared on target and the handball prevented it from reaching the target. Even if Simón made the save, who knows what might have happened from the rebound. Unlucky for Cucurella, no doubt, but since when did sport care about the feelings of players?”
When I saw it I thought it would be given, though apparently the decision was consistent with Uefa guidance. The last few years have been so confusing that I’m not sure what to think about handball any more. I’m slightly wary about placing too much emphasis on intent, just because cheating has become so sophisticated. So, er, I’ve no idea. You’re welcome!
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A bit of Premier League news: West Ham have signed Wolves captain Max Milman for £40m. And he’s a very happy young man.
It’s an amazing feeling to be a West Ham United player. As soon as I was aware of the interest from the club, it was an opportunity I was keen to pursue, so I couldn’t be more delighted to be here.
I really enjoyed working with Julen (Lopetegui) during his time at Wolves - he’s a top-class coach and someone I learned a lot from, and I am confident I will continue to improve as a player under his management here.
France’s semi-final opponents are Spain, who edged a bruising, dramatic match against the hosts Germany.
Back to Portugal v France, a match dominated by a player who hardly touched the ball.
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Kieran Trippier on Switzerland and Gareth Southgate
I think what Gareth’s done since he took charge has been nothing but remarkable, really. When I first arrived, we had many meetings about what it means to represent England and he really installed that real togetherness in the squad from when he first took charge to now.
Everybody’s entitled to their own opinion, but I think Gareth certainly knows, from myself, the players, what we think of him. He is an unbelievable, unbelievable person and somebody that we all, every single person in this camp, respects.
Switzerland are a very well drilled side, organised. They have got very, very good players. Obviously the 3-5-2 system, they play, they have played that for a long time. So it’s one we’ve worked on really hard this week against that press, and it’s about us delivering now.
Of course, they’ll be going into the game with great motivation to win a quarter-final against England. We’ve always got to respect our opposition. We know that it’s going to be a tough game, but we’re ready. We’ve prepared well, and we’re all calm and really looking forward to the game.
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Jude Bellingham’s unusually wired behaviour at Euro 2024 is vaguely reminiscent of Wayne Rooney in 2006. That tournament ended with Rooney being sent off after stamping on Ricardo Carvalho’s babymaker, but Gareth Southgate doesn’t sound too worried about Bellingham.
I’m just so mindful of everything he’s achieving and at that age – or any age – nobody is going to be perfect. You are at times going to react emotionally and without that emotion I don’t think you have the type of player he is. I think he deals with everything so well.
Switzerland remoulded in Xhaka's image
Switzerland are serious opposition for England. They should have beaten the hosts Germany (although in hindsight Niclas Fullkrug’s injury-time equaliser was a blessing) and they hammered the holders Italy.
The last time England met Switzerland at a major tournament was in the group stage of Euro 2004, when a rampant Wayne Rooney scored twice (even if one should have been an own-goal) in a 3-0 win.
Two England fans arrested in Düsseldorf
UK police have confirmed that two England fans were arrested in Düsseldorf last night after a fight broke out at a bar.
According to footage obtained by the Daily Mail the incident occurred after some some supporters tainted German fans about their defeat to Spain earlier in the day.
Police said the arrests were made “following a small pocket of disorder, which was very swiftly dealt with.”
Estimates were of 6000 fans in the city on the Rhine last night with police saying “the vast majority were extremely well behaved.”
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Match reports
It was a bit rude to start this blog and not furnish you with match reports from last night’s games. So here they are.
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George Graham’s France are in the semi-finals despite scoring only three times in five games: one penalty and two own-goals. Theories on a postcard please.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to our coverage of day 23 of Euro 2024. It’s a big one for England, Switzerland, Turkey and the Netherlands, who are hoping to join Spain and France in the semi-finals. We’ll have reaction to last night’s games and all the buildup to today’s contests.
Let’s start with Julian Nagelsmann’s reaction to Germany’s dramatic defeat to Spain.
