The Round of 16 matches concluded on July 2, 2024, determining the eight teams advancing to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals: Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Turkey.

Notably, five of these teams have previously won the championship, with the exceptions being England, Switzerland, and Turkey. Consequently, the upcoming quarter-finals are anticipated to be the most thrilling since Euro 2012, which featured notable matches such as Spain vs. France and England vs. Italy.

This year, fans will be treated to two blockbuster quarter-final matches on July 5. Both Spain and Germany have displayed their best performances since the start of the tournament, with Spain winning all their matches and the host nation, Germany, scoring the most goals. This match will also be a rematch of the 2008 final, where Fernando Torres scored the only goal to secure Spain’s 1-0 victory over Germany in Vienna.

The clash between Portugal and France brings back memories of the 2016 final, where Eder’s extra-time goal led Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates to their first European Championship title. Ronaldo, now 39, is still playing but has yet to score in the first four matches. Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe has only scored once, from a penalty.

According to Opta’s supercomputer, Spain and France are slightly favored in these two headline matches, but the difference is minimal. The other two quarter-final matches have more pronounced disparities, with the Netherlands having a 62% chance of advancing to the semi-finals compared to England’s 60%.

The Netherlands vs. Turkey match is predicted to be the most lopsided quarter-final, despite the teams never having met in a major tournament before. After a disappointing group stage where they finished third, the Netherlands found their form with a 3-0 victory over Romania in the Round of 16. In contrast, Turkey narrowly edged Austria 2-1 despite being outplayed. Among the quarter-finalists, Vincenzo Montella’s team is the only one ranked outside the top 20 in FIFA, sitting at 42nd.

The England vs. Switzerland match also presents a contrast in footballing traditions. The “Three Lions” reached the final in the previous tournament, whereas Switzerland’s best achievement has been reaching the quarter-finals. However, the performances of both teams so far suggest a more balanced contest. Switzerland remains unbeaten in Euro 2024, having held Germany to a draw and eliminated Italy. In contrast, Gareth Southgate’s team needed a last-minute goal to avoid defeat against Slovakia in the Round of 16.