When is it? How can you watch it? What are the possible line-ups?
England and Switzerland meet in the Quarter-Final at UEFA EURO 2024.
England and Switzerland at a glance
When: Sunday 07 July (00:00 GMT+8 kick-off)
Where: Düsseldorf Arena, Düsseldorf
What: UEFA EURO 2024 Quarter-Final
What do you need to know?
“We were able to compete with Germany and beat Italy, so why shouldn’t we now have what it takes to beat England?” Switzerland coach Murat Yakin asked earlier this week. It is fair to say confidence is high in the Swiss camp after Yakin’s side nearly defeated the fancied tournament hosts in the group stage and then ended the Azzurri’s title defence in impressive style in the last 16.
The Nati are bidding to make the last four of a major tournament for the first time. For England, who have reached a semi-final, final and quarter-final in the last three, this is becoming common ground. Gareth Southgate has been at the helm throughout, and Saturday marks his 100th game in charge. The Three Lions haven’t exactly roared to the last eight, but they have found a way. Is now the time they remove the shackles?
Possible line-ups
England: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Konsa; Trippier, Mainoo, Rice, Saka; Foden, Bellingham; Kane
Suspended: Guéhi
Misses next match if booked: Bellingham, Foden, Gallagher, Mainoo, Trippier
Switzerland: Sommer; Schär, Akanji, Rodríguez; Widmer, Xhaka, Freuler, Aebischer; Ndoye, Embolo, Vargas
Misses next match if booked: Freuler, Ndoye, Rodríguez, Sierro, Xhaka
Route to the quarter-finals
Group C
1-0 vs Serbia (Bellingham 13)
1-1 vs Denmark (Kane 18; Hjulmand 34)
0-0 vs Slovenia
Round of 16
2-1 aet vs Slovakia (Bellingham 90+5, Kane 91; Schranz 25)
Switzerland
Group A
3-1 vs Hungary (Duah 12, Aebischer 45, Embolo 90+3; Varga 66)
1-1 vs Scotland (Shaqiri 26; McTominay 13)
1-1 vs Germany (Ndoye 28; Füllkrug 90+2)
Round of 16
2-0 vs Italy (Freuler 37, Vargas 46)
Expert predictions
Joe Terry, England reporter
I think Southgate will mix things up and opt for a back three with wing-backs, in an attempt to get his side functioning better and to match Switzerland’s shape. This formation could resolve a few issues, getting both Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham operating centrally behind Harry Kane, while providing natural width in the form of Kieran Trippier and Bukayo Saka. Switzerland represent England’s biggest challenge yet, but the Three Lions tend to save their best performances for the biggest occasions.
Anna Sophia Vollmerhausen, Switzerland reporter
Switzerland have developed a reputation for being a compact, solid and humble outfit who keep things simple, which is exactly the kind of energy that anyone dropping by their base camp this past week will have felt. Against EURO 2020 runners-up England, the in-form Swiss have an opportunity to reach the last four of a major tournament for the first time. However, the pressure of the occasion is unlikely to weigh too heavily on Yakin’s men, who have plenty of reasons to go into this game with quiet confidence.
Views from the camps
Gareth Southgate, England coach: “[Switzerland] have good players, a settled way of playing and they press aggressively, at the beginning of games in particular. They have some adaptations to their system that you have to be ready for. They’ve shown that they can defend well as a group when they’ve been ahead in a couple of the matches as well. They’re a very, very good side.”
Murat Yakin, Switzerland coach: “Every big team aims for the knockout phase. Once you are there, it comes down to one game at a time. England reached the final three years ago and everyone knows how good they are, and what great players they have. It is up to us to frustrate another big side and play the game we know how to play. Anything is possible. I just hope luck is on our side again.”