After several surprises the European football order is more or less restored when France play Spain and England take on the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-finals on Tuesday and Wednesday for a place in the July 14 final.
Led by number two France, all four are in the top eight of the world football rankings, with England fifth, the Dutch seventh and Spain eighth.
France accounted for the other two European teams in the top eight, beating third-ranked Belgium 1-0 in the last 16 and sixth-ranked Portugal on penalties in the quarter-finals.
Spain have won the continental tournament three times, in 1964, 2008 and 2012, France are twice winners from 1984 and 2000, and the Dutch won the last Euros in Germany in 1988. Only England are yet to lift the trophy, having lost the final at the last edition in 2021.
Spain v France France reached their third big event semi-final in six years in minimalistic fashion, yet to score a goal of their own from open play in 480 minutes. Their three goals to date came from two own goals and a Kylian Mbappe penalty. But they are also yet to concede from open play, the only goal against them also from the spot.
Coach Didier Deschamps has said “I am a coach who thinks defensively,” and superstar forward Mbappe said they would analyse the scoring drought “while maintaining this defensive stability.” Les Bleus’ defence could face its biggest test yet as Spain have scored a tournament leading 11 goals while only conceding twice.
La Roja are in their fourth semi from five Euros, showing in the quarter-final win over Germany that they have fighting spirit on top of the flair from the likes of Lamine Yamal, and also overcame the tournament ending injury of Pedri when Dani Olmo came off the bench to score the first and set up the second.
The Munich date is a rematch of the 1984 final which then hosts France won 2-0. France also have the upper hand against Spain overall at big events, winning the 2021 Nations League final, as well as in the Euro 2000 quarter-finals and the last 16 of the 2006 World Cup.
The only Spanish victory came in the quarter-finals at Euro 2012 but Luis de la Fuente’s team will be undeterred a few days after claiming their first ever win over a host team at the Euros or World Cup.
Spain are the only team to have won all games at the tournament.
England v Netherlands England were far from glorious in the group stage, and then were seconds away from going out in the last 16 against Slovakia before beig saved by a Jude Bellingham wonder goal and Harry Kane to prevail in extra time.
They then even needed penalties to get past Switzerland but the tight wins are also giving them belief that a first trophy since the 1966 World Cup can be claimed at last after the shoot-out heartbreak against Italy in the 2021 final.
Manager Gareth Southgate has faced plenty of criticism but insisted that “winning tournaments isn’t just about playing well” as he highlighted that like France they are in their third big semi in six years in Dortmund.
The Dutch, for their part, are in the last four for the first time overall since the 2014 World Cup and at the Euros for the first time in 24 years.
They finished only third in the group after a defeat against Austria but that was a blessing in disguise because it put them in the kinder part of the knock-out draw where they beat Romania 3-0 and then came from behind to oust Turkey 2-1 in the quarters, with super-sub Wout Weghorst playing a key role.
Goalscorer Stefan de Vrij said that “England have a great team, so much quality, but so do we.”
The Dutch have won their only previous knock-out meeting in the 2019 Nations League semi-finals.
At the Euros they have met twice in the group stage, the Dutch winning 3-1 en route to the 1988 title - with their current coach Ronald Koeman part of the team - , and England claiming a memorable 4-1 at the 1996 home event. (DPA)
