Match Centre: Switzerland 1-1 England (3-5 on penalties)
- B. Saka (80′)
- H. Kane (67′)
FT: 1 - 1
- B. Embolo (75′)
- F. Schär (32′)
- S. Widmer (85′)
The Three Lions reach UEFA EURO 2024 semi-final after penalty shootout victory in Düsseldorf
Switzerland v England
UEFA EURO 2024 - Quarter-final
5pm BST, Saturday 6 July 2024
Düsseldorf Arena, Germany
Gareth Southgate believes is expecting a tough test from a 'very good' Switzerland side in Saturday's EURO 2024 quarter-final.
Previewing the game, Southgate also discussed the spirit in the Three Lions' camp and the absence of the suspended Marc Guéhi.
Here is what he had to say in full.
On the Round of 16 as a whole…
We weren't surprised Denmark and Slovenia proved to be tough opposition, winning matches in tournaments is difficult. There are lots of examples in this tournament of lower-ranked teams performing really well and there are some nuances in the games. There seem to be fewer set-piece goals, for example. Teams are better organised, defending well, and finding space has been hard.
Reflections on the Slovakia win…
We made errors defensively at the beginning of the game and got caught a couple of times on the transition. When you go behind it's a challenge but in a tournament the anxiety is at a different level. Our players had to show tremendous courage to keep getting on the ball, not force the game, and play their way through Slovakia's press. We had over 70% of possession so we had domination of the game but they had moments where you can still feel jeopardy. We showed great resilience to keep going until the end and we deserved a draw in the 90 minutes. When you get that goal early in extra time you can take a charge a little more.
On Jude Bellingham…
He's an incredible player in terms of impact in big moments. We've seen that at Real Madrid, scoring late winning goal in big matches. He's got a tremendous drive and personality to affect the big moments. That's unusual, especially in a player of his age. We're very fortunate to have a player like him.
On how his attack can click…
Fluidity in international football isn't easy, there haven't been many teams who have won tournaments and been really, really fluid. Even Spain between 2008-12, who probably played as well with the ball as I can remember, didn't score a lot of goals. We've been solving different problems all the way through the summer and we've got to keep continuing to do that.
On the spirit in the camp…
You can see the impact the substitutes have made in every game. At the end of the last game lots of our less experienced players were fighting for the cause to hold the result. These moments really bond a squad and show the importance of the group. That period of extra time really highlighted the depth of the squad. We've got to find that mentality where we do whatever it takes to win again. We did it against Slovakia and you've got to be ready to go to the depths again. We've had a couple of days to recharge and now full focus is on the game.
On what he expects from Switzerland…
They have good players and a settled way of playing. They press aggressively at the beginning of games particularly. They have some adaptations in their system we need to be ready for. They've shown they can defend well as a group when they've been ahead in a couple of matches. They're a very good side. We have some good players and we want to play attacking football. That's never changed. Granit Xhaka and Remo Freuler are very good midfield players. They use the ball well, they're combative, have leadership and can get forward.
On replacing the suspended Marc Guéhi…
Marc has had an exceptional tournament. We had a lot of belief in him and he's filled big shoes in terms of the way Harry Maguire has played for us over the last three tournaments. He's justified that faith. Now is an opportunity for someone else.
On improving England's attacking play…
We've always had four or five attacking players on the pitch at this tournament and our two big match-winners, if you like, have scored two goals each [Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane]. It would be great if others chipped in with some goals as well.
Pre-match quiz time! 🧠
— England (@England) July 4, 2024
Test your knowledge ahead of England's quarter-final against Switzerland! 👇
Switzerland in profile
Nickname: The Rossocrociati
Coach: Murat Yakin
Captain: Granit Zhaka
UEFA EURO best performance: Quarter-finals, 2020
Head to head
The Three Lions have played Switzerland at men's senior level on 27 occasions, registering 19 wins, drawing five and losing three times. The first meeting came back in 1933 when the nations met in a friendly game in Bern that ended in a 4-0 victory for the Three Lions.
They have met twice previously at EURO Finals, when they drew 1-1 at Wembley in the opening game of EURO '96 and then at EURO 2004 when England ran out as 3-0 winners, which was also in the group stage.
Last three meetings v Switzerland
England 2-1 Switzerland, An Alzheimer's Society International, 26 March 2022
Goals from Harry Kane and Luke Shaw sealed a win at Wembley after Breel Embolo had put the Swiss in front during the first game of 2022.
Switzerland 0-0 England, UEFA Nations League third-place game, 9 June 2019
The Three Lions won a penalty shootout in Portugal thanks to Jordan Pickford's heroics in the inaugural UEFA Nations League Finals, after the teams couldn't be separated in normal time.
England 1-0 Switzerland, Kick It Out International, 11 September 2018,
Marcus Rashford was the matchwinner on this occasion, as the teams met in a friendly game at the King Power Stadium in Leicester shortly after the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Last time out: England 2-1 Switzerland
See the best of the action from our last meeting at Wembley back in 2022
● England have lost just one of their last 24 meetings with Switzerland in all competitions (W17 D6), and are unbeaten in 13 (W9 D4) since a 2-1 loss in a World Cup qualifier in May 1981.
● England have now reached the quarter-final in all four of their major tournaments under Gareth Southgate, the first time they’ve ever reached the last eight at four consecutive EUROs/World Cups. They’ve progressed from two of their four EURO quarter-final matches, with three of the four such games being decided on penalties.
● Switzerland have reached only their fifth ever major tournament (World Cup/EUROs) quarter-final, and second at the UEFA European Championship, after EURO 2020. They have been eliminated at this stage in all four of their previous attempts; this is the most any European nation has featured in quarter-finals of major tournaments without ever participating in a semi-final.
● Having lost six of their first eight matches (D2) at the UEFA European Championship, Switzerland have lost just one of their last 14 in the competition (W5 D8). Two of those eight draws, however, have resulted in penalty shootout defeats.
● England have won 49 of their 116 matches at major international tournaments (World Cup/EUROs – D37 L30), and would be the sixth European nation to reach 50 with a victory here after Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Netherlands.
● This will be Gareth Southgate’s 100th match in charge of the England national team, the third manager to reach that milestone. Walter Winterbottom drew his 100th match (3-3 with Northern Ireland in 1958), while Alf Ramsey won his 1-0 against Wales in 1972.
● Kieran Trippier has created more chances (7) and made more line breaking passes behind the defensive line (6) than any other England player so far at EURO 2024.
● Granit Xhaka has created more chances (8), completed more passes (254) and made more line breaking passes (51) than any other Switzerland player so far at EURO 2024.
● Seven different players have scored for Switzerland at EURO 2024 (Shaqiri, Freuler, Ndoye, Duah, Embolo, Aebischer and Vargas), their most different scorers at a major tournament (World Cup/EUROs).
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Ticket Information
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Where can I watch England v Switzerland?
Games at UEFA EURO 2024 are being shown live in the UK by both the BBC and ITV. This game will be shown live on BBC One.
From the archive: Switzerland 2-2 England
Take a look back at our game with Switzerland from EURO 2012 qualifying back in 2011
Gareth Southgate has named his England lineup to face Switzerland in Saturday's UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland.
The Three Lions are forced into a change, with defender Marc Guéhi serving a one-match suspension and he's replaced by Ezri Konsa.
England: 1 Jordan Pickford, 2 Kyle Walker, 4 Declan Rice, 5 John Stones, 7 Bukayo Saka, 9 Harry Kane (c), 10 Jude Bellingham, 11 Phil Foden, 12 Kieran Trippier, 14 Ezri Konsa, 26 Kobbie Mainoo.
Substitutes: 3 Luke Shaw, 8 Trent Alexander-Arnold, 13 Aaron Ramsdale, 15 Lewis Dunk, 16 Conor Gallagher, 17 Ivan Toney, 18 Anthony Gordon, 19 Ollie Watkins, 20 Jarrod Bowen, 21 Ebere Eze, 22 Joe Gomez, 23 Dean Henderson, 24 Cole Palmer, 25 Adam Wharton
The Liverpool man scored the decisive spot-kick, firing past Yann Sommer after Bukayo Saka's equaliser had forced extra-time.
England won 5-3 on penalties, with Jordan Pickford saving from Manuel Akanji to set up a clash with the Netherlands in Dortmund on Wednesday.
Breel Embolo had given Switzerland the lead in the second half, only for Saka to equalise in fine fashion.
In a cagey first half, neither team was able to create a clear cut chance, although England had the better of proceedings and possession.
But England needed just five minutes to find an equaliser, with Saka stepping up to fire home a fine effort with his left foot.
And as it came down to penalties, Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Saka, Ivan Toney and Alexander-Arnold all found the net to secure victory.
Gareth Southgate had made one change from the team that beat Slovakia, with Ezri Konsa replacing the suspended Marc Guéhi. That change also meant a switch in formation, with England tweaking to a back three and wing-backs pushing forward.
Switzerland started with intent, with Kobbie Mainoo and then John Stones making important interventions in the England box.
England grew into the match though, with Saka at the heart of everything they did well. He beat his man time and again on the right, with a first incursion ending with a blocked Declan Rice shot.
Saka continued to threaten, with the best chance of the half coming as he slipped past Michel Aebischer before pulling the ball back for Mainoo, whose effort was diverted wide by Granit Xhaka's last-ditch tackle.
England burst out of the blocks in the second half, Bellingham striding into space as Akanji flung out a leg to stop his pass to Harry Kane.
Switzerland responded, searching for Embolo as Konsa and then Kyle Walker dealt with the danger.
Their pressure told with 15 minutes remaining as Fabian Schär played in Ndoye. His cross was deflected by John Stones but Embolo was able to stretch out a boot to divert the ball home.
Southgate responded with a triple substitution as Palmer, Luke Shaw and Eberechi Eze were introduced.
But it was Saka, England’s best player all day, who levelled. Picking up the ball on the right, he cut inside before unleashing a precision strike low into the far left corner.
Bellingham then tried to curl one home after having a first shot blocked, but on this occasion, Sommer was able to collect the ball comfortably.
Saka needed to be alert in the second half, racing back brilliantly to deny Silvan Widmer after he had been played in on the right. From the resulting corner, Xherdan Shaqiri tried to score directly, his effort cannoning away off the upright.
Pickford then reacted well to a vicious shot from Zeki Amdouni just after he had come on to force penalties, before playing his part by denying Akanji.
Substitutes: 3 Luke Shaw (Manchester United) for Trippier 78’, 24 Cole Palmer (Chelsea) for Mainoo 78’, 21 Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) for Konsa 78’, 17 Ivan Toney (Brentford) for Kane 109’, 8 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) for Foden 115’
Subs not used: 13 Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), 23 Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), 15 Lewis Dunk (Brighton & Hove Albion), 16 Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), 18 Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), 19 Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), 20 Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), 22 Joe Gomez (Liverpool), 25 Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Goals: Saka 80’
Coach: Gareth Southgate
Switzerland: 1 Yann Sommer, 5 Manuel Akanji, 7 Breel Embolo, 8 Remo Freuler, 10 Granit Xhaka, 13 Ricardo Rodriguez, 17 Ruben Vargas, 19 Dan Ndoye, 20 Michel Aebischer, 22 Fabian Schär, 26 Fabian Rieder
Substitutes: 14 Steven Zuber for Rieder 64’, 3 Silvan Widmer for Vargas 64’, 6 Denis Zakaria for Ndoye 98’, 23 Xherdan Shaqiri for Embolo 109’, 16 Vincent Sierro for Freuler 118’, 25 Zeki Amdouni for Aebischer 118’
Subs not used: 12 Yvon Mvogo, 21 Gregor Kobel, 2 Leonidas Stergiou, 4 Nico Elvedi, 9 Noah Okafor, 11 Renato Steffen, 15 Cédric Zesiger, 18 Kwadwo Duah, 24 Ardon Jashari
Goals: Embolo 75’
Coach: Murat Yakin
