On July 7th at 0:00, a crucial match in the UEFA Euro Round of 16 will take place at the Düsseldorf Arena, pitting England against Switzerland.
England truly found themselves on the brink of elimination in the Round of 16. Just two minutes from defeat, Slovakia threatened to become the David who would topple Goliath. The Three Lions were rescued by their two most relied upon players – Bellingham, with a spectacular bicycle kick, equalized the score and shattered Slovakia’s mental fortitude. Subsequently, captain Kane, just 52 seconds into extra time, put England ahead. The English players celebrated their advancement to the quarterfinals as if they had already won the Henri Delaunay Trophy, but a sobering media and fans continued to level harsh criticism at the team following the match.
While Southgate has led the team to the quarterfinals of four consecutive major tournaments, a record that places him among the best in England’s history, a glaring fact remains – in the 2024 European Championship, England has yet to secure a convincing victory and has failed to secure a win within 90 minutes in their last three matches. This has caused considerable concern among the Fleet Street press, especially considering Switzerland is a different opponent altogether. Yakin’s side, after all, can only be described as having “technically knocked out” the defending champion Italy.
The Round of 16 match in Düsseldorf holds significant meaning for Three Lions manager Southgate, as it marks his 100th game in charge of England. Only two other English centre-backs have coached more – Sir Winterbottom (139 matches) and Sir Ramsey (113 matches). Though Southgate has already secured seven wins in knockout stages of the World Cup and European Championships, surpassing the achievement of all England managers since 1966, if he fails to win the title this summer, his future won’t be as rosy.
Switzerland, with a convincing performance, eliminated Italy and became the first team to reach the Round of 16 in this European Championship. The 2-0 score proved that their ability to push the hosts, Germany, to the final whistle in the group stage was not merely luck. They can confidently face the previous runners-up after defeating the reigning champions, ready to create another miracle. Switzerland has reached the quarter-finals of major tournaments four times but has never broken through. This time, coach Yakin and his players are prepared.
Yakin himself is no stranger to the England side. In the 2004 European Championship group stage, Yakin, playing for Switzerland, suffered a 0-3 defeat against England. However, it wasn’t the fault of that generation of Swiss players, as Switzerland hasn’t managed a win over England since the 1981 World Cup qualifiers. In the last 43 years, Switzerland and England have faced each other 10 times with a dismal record of 2 draws and 8 losses. However, England’s recent struggles have provided a glimmer of hope for the Swiss, who have only lost one of their last 18 matches and have been very consistent in their performance.
In terms of personnel, England will be missing Guy, possibly their most consistent centre-back in this tournament. He sustained a shoulder injury against Slovakia and will also be unavailable due to suspension for accumulating yellow cards. The English media are predicting a three-centre-back formation from Southgate against Switzerland, but with Luke Shaw’s condition still unclear, whether Southgate will use Saka or Trippier as a left wing-back remains a question mark.
On the Swiss side, although Granit Xhaka, the midfielder who played for Arsenal, was initially a cause for concern due to a muscle injury, an MRI revealed no serious damage, and he should be fit for the quarter-final. Widmer, who was suspended for the Round of 16, will return. He faces competition from Ndoye, who has performed admirably. The only injury worry for the Swiss is Okafor, who felt some discomfort during training, but he is not a regular starter and his absence won’t significantly impact the team’s strength.
On paper, England have the superior strength over Switzerland, but their potential formation change leaves their prospects uncertain. Switzerland completely deserves their place in the Round of 16. If they manage to eliminate the reigning European champions and runners-up consecutively, we shouldn’t be surprised. Will England find another hero to step up? Will Switzerland create a new chapter in their history? Tonight’s match will reveal the answers.
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