The Group C matches of the 2024 European Championships have officially concluded. England, having defeated Serbia 1-0, drawn 1-1 with Denmark, and drawn 0-0 with Slovenia, secured top spot in Group C with 5 points (1 win, 2 draws). Notably, England is the only team to remain unbeaten in the group stage of the last four European Championships.
England’s draw with Slovenia, securing top spot in Group C, holds significant importance. On the one hand, England’s top-group position propels them to the bottom half of the knockout stages in this European Championship, meaning they will avoid potential encounters with France, Portugal, Germany, and Spain before the final. On the other hand, England has achieved the impressive feat of remaining unbeaten in the group stage of the last four European Championships.
Looking back at the group stage of the past four European Championships: In the 2012 European Championship, England achieved 2 wins and 1 draw; in the 2016 European Championship, England secured 1 win and 2 draws; in the 2020 European Championship, England achieved 2 wins and 1 draw; and in this current European Championship, England again secured 1 win and 2 draws. Conversely, other teams that have remained unbeaten in the group stage of this European Championship and participated continuously in the last four editions have not achieved the same feat as England, failing to remain unbeaten in the group stage of the last four European Championships.
In the 2020 European Championship, Germany lost 0-1 to France in their first group match, and Switzerland suffered a crushing 0-3 defeat to Italy in their second group match. In the 2016 European Championship, Spain lost 1-2 to Croatia in their final group match. In the 2012 European Championship, France lost 0-2 to Sweden in their final group match, while Portugal suffered a 0-1 loss to Germany in their first group match.
Of course, England, being the team with the highest market value in this European Championship, has faced criticism and skepticism for their performance in the group stage, failing to meet external expectations. As they enter the knockout stages, only time will tell whether England can regain their form and live up to their potential.
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