Euro 2024: Misfiring England faces on-form Switzerland for a semifinal spot
England will play Switzerland in the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 on Saturday. England faced criticism from fans who thought the team underperformed in its extra-time win over Slovakia, while Switzerland exceeded expectations by knocking out defending champion Italy. The winner will play either the Netherlands or Turkey in the semifinals. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. local (1600 GMT) in Duesseldorf. Here's what to know about the match:
Match facts — England is playing its fourth quarterfinal game at a major tournament under England manager Gareth Southgate and won two of the previous three. Southgate's cautious tactics have brought hefty criticism from England fans, some of whom threw plastic cups at him in the group stage.
— Jude Bellingham's last-minute overhead kick to send England's last-16 game with Slovakia to extra time was one of the most dramatic moments of Euro 2024 so far. Defender John Stones said Thursday that surviving that brush with elimination gave the team new confidence.
— Switzerland coach Murat Yakin has won a reputation for smart tactics at Euro 2024, especially by outclassing an Italy team packed with more famous names in the round of 16.
— England is playing two days after a general election ended 14 years of rule by the Conservative Party. It didn't make waves in the England camp, which Stones called a «politics-free zone.»
Team news — Bellingham is available after he avoided an immediate ban from UEFA, which investigated a gesture he made during the Slovakia game. UEFA fined Bellingham 30,000
