Gareth Southgate has a lot to prove this summer. Despite standing at the top of their group, England has been subpar during Euro 2024. The Three Lions have failed to make the most of their solid team, with fans questioning if the team is even worthy of being called title contenders. Well, it is a question for the manager to answer as he looks to turn things around during the tournament’s knockout stages.

England will take on Slovenia later tonight as they look to consolidate their place at the top of the table. However, the team could lose everything before they make the knockouts. Despite being on top of their group, England hasn’t confirmed their spot in the knockouts and needs to pick up at least a point to secure qualification while finishing on top at the same time. While that would undoubtedly please the fans, it is fascinating to witness the developments for the Three Lions in the Round of 16.

Euro 2024: Which teams will England face if they top Group C

Meanwhile, there are a lot of permutations and combinations for other teams, and England’s task at hand is pretty clear. Draw or win, see them top Group C and find a favorable draw. Lose and risk washing their hands from a place in the knockouts. According to the seedings, the top team from Group C is scheduled to face the third-place team from either Group D or E. Netherlands has already been determined as the third-ranked team in Group D and Gareth Southgate will hope his team does not face the Flying Dutchmen.

Meanwhile, the situation in Group E is wide open, with all teams still alive in the race for qualification. The winner of the clashes between Slovakia vs Romania and Ukraine vs Belgium decides what’s next for the group. Goal difference could play a big role in the contest, with all four teams emerging as potential opponents for England.

Euro 2024: Which teams could England face if they finish second or third in Group C

Now this is a territory of ifs and buts. England is in a very comfortable position in the standings right now, and won’t be easy to topple. However, if the Three Lions lose their clash against Slovenia and Denmark lose to Serbia, this could force England down to the 2nd place in their group standings. Finishing 2nd won’t change the team’s list of potential opponents as the runner-ups of Group C are scheduled to face the runner-ups of Group E. However, things could be bleak if England finds themselves seeded to Germany who finished at the top of Group A. Meanwhile, finishing third would see the Three Lions take on Portugal.

Path to the Quarterfinals for England

In case England manages to get past all roadblocks and make it to the QFs, the team could lock horns with Germany if they avoid them during the Round of 16. However, if England finishes on top of their group stages and makes it past the Round of 16, they will face either Italy, Austria, or Switzerland.