Guide: Underdogs Meet Top Teams in the European Championship Round of 16

A questioned England meets Slovakia who wants to write history. The group stage's superior Spain meets the sensation Georgia with the super goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. Here's everything you need to know ahead of Sunday's round of 16.

» Updated:

» Published:

Guide: Underdogs Meet Top Teams in the European Championship Round of 16
Photo: Alessandra Tarantino/AP/TT

Share this article

A questioned England meets Slovakia, who wants to write history. The group stage's superior Spain meets the sensation Georgia with super goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Here's everything you need to know before Sunday's round of 16.

What: England-Slovakia, round of 16.

When: Sunday, June 30, 18.00.

Where? Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen.

TV/radio: SVT 2, SVT Play, P4 Radiosporten.

England's results in group C: Serbia 1–0, Denmark 1–1, Slovenia 0–0.

Slovakia's results in group E: Belgium 1–0, Ukraine 1–2, Romania 1–1.

+ A questioned England

England may have won the group. But national team coach Gareth Southgate and his team are still very questioned. The game has looked slow and England has not impressed.

After the goalless event against Slovenia last, he responded to the criticism.

I'm not going to hide from it. The most important thing is that the fans stand behind the players. I've understood the narrative against me, and it's better that I hear it than it affects the players. It creates a demanding environment to perform in, he said according to NTB.

+ Can Slovakia continue to surprise?

Slovakia struck with a surprise already in the first group stage match: a 1–0 win over Belgium.

A loss and a draw later, and the team was through to the playoffs as one of the four best group thirds.

As an independent nation, Slovakia has never gone further than the round of 16 in a World Championship or European Championship. Twice before, the team has played in the round of 16 (World Championship 2010 and European Championship 2016), but both times it ended there.

Will Slovak football history be written against a shaky England?

.

What: Spain-Georgia, round of 16.

When: Sunday, June 30, 21.00.

Where? RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne.

TV/radio: TV4, TV4 Play, P4 Radiosporten.

Spain's results in group B: Croatia 3–0, Italy 1–0, Albania 1–0.

Georgia's results in group F: Turkey 1–3, Czech Republic 1–1, Portugal 2–0.

+ Spain – the group stage's superior

One nation has won all matches so far: Spain.

The 3–0 thrashing of Croatia in the premiere set the tone, and 1–0 against Italy was on the low side. In the final match, 1–0 against Albania, national team coach Luis de la Fuente rested players who had previously started.

Ferran Torres got the chance from the start and became the matchwinner:

All players are ready to come into the starting lineup and that's a key. Anyone can decide a match and the players who come in from the bench are just as important, said Torres to AP.

Now awaits a round of 16 against the sensation Georgia, and Spain must come to terms with massive favoritism.

+ The wall Mamardashvili tops the statistics

One of the European Championship's absolute best players so far is Giorgi Mamardashvili. Georgia's nearly two-meter-tall goalkeeper has excelled in the group stage and is one of the main reasons why Georgia has sensationally made it to the playoffs.

According to figures from the European Football Association (Uefa), no other goalkeeper has made as many saves in this year's group stage as Mamardashvili: 20 saves. This can be compared to the second, Florin Nita, Romania, with 13 saves.

Will the Georgian Valencia goalkeeper hold up against Spain?

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Stockholm Football Clubs Urge Police to Revoke New Mask Ban

Stockholm Football Clubs Urge Police to Revoke New Mask Ban

Allsvenskan Clubs to Benefit from Expanded Fifa Billion Fund

Allsvenskan Clubs to Benefit from Expanded Fifa Billion Fund

Kerr Secures High Jump Gold in Thrilling World Championship Duel

Kerr Secures High Jump Gold in Thrilling World Championship Duel

Alexander Isak Set for Potential Liverpool Debut Against Atlético Madrid

Alexander Isak Set for Potential Liverpool Debut Against Atlético Madrid

Jakob Ingebrigtsen May Skip 5,000 Meters at World Championships

Jakob Ingebrigtsen May Skip 5,000 Meters at World Championships

SHL Halts Red Bull Overtime Concept Amid Criticism

SHL Halts Red Bull Overtime Concept Amid Criticism

Ethan Katzberg's 84.70m Hammer Throw Sets Two-Decade Record

Ethan Katzberg's 84.70m Hammer Throw Sets Two-Decade Record

Maja Åskag Reaches Two Finals at Tokyo World Championship

Maja Åskag Reaches Two Finals at Tokyo World Championship

World Championship Qualifier Serbia vs Albania Moved to Leskovac for Safety

World Championship Qualifier Serbia vs Albania Moved to Leskovac for Safety

Andreas Kramer Faces Challenges at World Championship 800m Event

Andreas Kramer Faces Challenges at World Championship 800m Event

Armand Duplantis Celebrates World Record in Tokyo After Championship Win

Armand Duplantis Celebrates World Record in Tokyo After Championship Win

Norway Donates Match Profits Against Israel to Doctors Without Borders

Norway Donates Match Profits Against Israel to Doctors Without Borders

Engla Nilsson Debuts at World Championship After European Bronze

Engla Nilsson Debuts at World Championship After European Bronze

Laura Dahlmeier's Body to Remain on Mountain After Accident

Laura Dahlmeier's Body to Remain on Mountain After Accident

Armand Duplantis Earns Big with World Championship Gold and Record

Armand Duplantis Earns Big with World Championship Gold and Record

Duplantis' Secret to Success: Special Spiked Shoes Boost Performance

Duplantis' Secret to Success: Special Spiked Shoes Boost Performance

Tom Brady Returns to Play Flag Football in Saudi Arabia 2026

Tom Brady Returns to Play Flag Football in Saudi Arabia 2026

Duplantis Celebrated Globally for Historic Pole Vault Achievement

Duplantis Celebrated Globally for Historic Pole Vault Achievement

Leidhammar's Goal Leads Norrköping to Victory Over Djurgården

Leidhammar's Goal Leads Norrköping to Victory Over Djurgården

Heintz Leads Göteborg to 2-1 Victory Over Häcken Despite Criticism

Heintz Leads Göteborg to 2-1 Victory Over Häcken Despite Criticism