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BBC Sport pundits discuss England's chances ahead of last-16 tie against Slovakia
England manager Gareth Southgate says he is "desperate to do well for my country" as the Three Lions prepare to play Slovakia in the last 16 of Euro 2024.
England won Group C but only scored twice in three games and Southgate and his players have come under heavy scrutiny.
But a victory in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday will set up a quarter-final against Switzerland and Southgate says his side have no fear of the knockout stage.
"It could be another brilliant night to create more memories for our supporters," he said.
"I have played in a semi-final of a major tournament, and managed in a semi-final and a final. Tomorrow, it's about the team progressing.
"We shouldn't have a fear of losing, it's about opportunity. We are trying to reach for something which is a challenge.
"We have lost matches before, life goes on. At that point when you can handle the worst you are free to try and go and win the game."
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Phil Foden is back in the squad after returning home this week to attend the birth of his child.
Left-back Luke Shaw has been training after a long-term hamstring injury but is not ready to start, while Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo could come into midfield after coming on at half-time against Slovenia.
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Bellingham heads England to the lead
Jude Bellingham, who scored England's winner against Serbia in their opening game, turned 21 on Saturday and celebrated with the squad.
Southgate dismissed concerns over the Real Madrid player's fitness and says he will be better for playing in the group games.
Southgate said: "Jude missed a period at the end of the season with an ankle injury so he will have benefited from the matches he has had.
"Of course we have to be mindful of the quality we have to come into the game; freshness might make a difference in the latter stages of matches. But I am not concerned about Jude Bellingham's condition. His birthday was a big day for him and a reminder of how well he deals with the expectation around him at a remarkably young age.
"There are few players who have had to live in that world. His world is different to most 21-year-olds."
England captain Harry Kane, who scored four goals in the knockout stage of Euro 2020, backed Bellingham and the rest of his team-mates to shine.
Kane told BBC Radio 5 Live: "There is no need to panic.
"Everyone is coming into their full sharpness into the knockout stages now, which is the most important thing.
"We are both ready. I know Jude is ready to get back out there tomorrow and show the world what he has been showing all season."
This game kicks off at 17:00 BST and is live on ITV.
You can listen to build-up and full live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and also follow text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.
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Schranz gives Slovakia an early lead against Belgium
Slovakia, ranked 45th in the world, produced one of the shocks of the group stage when they beat Belgium 1-0.
They followed that up with a 2-1 defeat to Ukraine before a 1-1 draw with Romania saw them through as one of the four best third-placed teams.
Southgate's side have a path through the knockouts which avoids many of the major teams.
They had looked on course to play the Netherlands in the last 16, but Georgia's shock 2-0 win over Portugal ensured the meeting with Slovakia.
Spain, Germany, Portugal, France and Belgium are all on the other side of the draw and England cannot play any of them before the final.
The winners of Sunday's match will play Switzerland in the last eight after they saw off Italy, with a potential semi-final against one of Austria, Romania, Turkey and the Netherlands after that.
England have won five of their six games against Slovakia – however, their one failure to defeat them was at Euro 2016 in their only previous major tournament meeting, a goalless draw in Saint-Etienne in which the Three Lions had their most shots (29) in a Euro match on record (since 1980).
Slovakia have scored first in three of their six matches against England but have gone on to lose each of those games 2-1.
This is England's third last-16 match at a Euros, losing 2-1 to Iceland in 2016 and beating Germany 2-0 at in 2020.
For just a third time, Slovakia will feature in the knockout stages of a major international tournament. However, they have been eliminated in the round of 16 both times, losing 2-1 to the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup and 3-0 to Germany at Euro 2016.
Across the last two European Championship tournaments, England have kept more clean sheets than any other side (7 in 10 games).
All seven of those clean sheets have been achieved with Jordan Pickford as goalkeeper – the only goalkeepers with more European Championship clean sheets are Spain's Iker Casillas (9), Netherlands' Edwin van der Sar (8) and Italy's Gianluigi Buffon (8).
Harry Kane has scored six goals in his past six appearances in the knockout stages of major tournaments for England (two in two at 2022 World Cup, four in four at Euro 2020). His seven goals in the knockout stages overall are also the most of any Three Lions player.
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Last Updated 29th June 2024 at 22:23
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England have won five of their six games against Slovakia – however, their one failure to defeat them was at EURO 2016 in their only previous major tournament meeting, a goalless draw in Saint-Étienne in which the Three Lions had their most shots (29) in a EURO match on record (since 1980).
Slovakia have scored first in three of their six matches against England but have gone on to lose each of those games 2-1: in both EURO 2004 qualifiers and a 2018 World Cup qualifier in September 2017.
This is England’s third UEFA EURO round of 16 match, losing 2-1 to Iceland at EURO 2016 and beating Germany 2-0 at EURO 2020 previously. They are looking to reach the quarter-final stage of consecutive European Championship tournaments for the very first time.
For just a third time, Slovakia will feature in the knockout stages of a major international tournament. However, they’ve been eliminated in the round of 16 both times, losing 2-1 to the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup and 3-0 to Germany at EURO 2016.
England faced 26 shots in the EURO 2024 group stages, exactly the same number they faced in the EURO 2020 groups, although they had seven more shots this year than in 2020 (29 vs 22). They did, however, only manage 53 touches in the opposition box, only having fewer in one EURO group stage (41 in 2012).
Slovakia had 37 shots overall and 13 shots on target in the EURO 2024 group stage, both highs for them in the group stage of a major tournament. Indeed, at EURO 2020, they mustered just two shots on target in three games.
Across the last two European Championship tournaments, England have kept more clean sheets than any other side (7 in 10 games). All seven of those have been achieved with Jordan Pickford as goalkeeper – the only goalkeepers with more UEFA EURO clean sheets are Spain’s Iker Casillas (9), Netherlands’ Edwin van der Sar (8) and Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon (8).
Slovakia’s starting XIs had an average age of 30 years and 218 days in the EURO 2024 group stage, the oldest of any nation. They’ve handed 809 minutes to players aged 35 or older, with only Italy at EURO 2016 giving more at a single European Championship (870).
Harry Kane has scored six goals in his last six appearances in the knockout stages of major tournaments for England (two in two at 2022 World Cup, four in four at EURO 2020). His seven goals in the knockout stages overall are also the most of any Three Lions player.
Only Germany’s Toni Kroos (130) played more forward passes in the EURO 2024 group stage than Slovakia’s Milan Skriniar (92), whose 203 successful passes so far at this tournament are the most ever by a Slovakian player in a single edition of a major tournament.
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