Slovak coach Francesco Calzona has publicly condemned England’s tactics and the refereeing decisions in the recent Round of 16 match at Euro 2024.
Slovakia led England 1-0 throughout the match but suffered a heartbreaking loss when Bellingham equalized in the 90+4 minute and Harry Kane scored, securing a comeback victory for England in the first minute of extra time.
With the victory slipping through their fingers, Slovakia was officially eliminated from Euro 2024 in the Round of 16. In a post-match interview, Slovak coach Francesco Calzona couldn’t hide his disappointment and frustration. He did not hesitate to criticize Gareth Southgate’s tactics and the “unfair” officiating of the referees.
Regarding England’s tactics, Calzona said, “The only thing I do not appreciate is how England hindered and wasted time without being penalized.”
He particularly emphasized the time-wasting actions of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the final minutes of the match: “What I cannot accept is that with only one minute of added time left, their goalkeeper (Jordan Pickford) wasted a lot of time.”
In terms of refereeing decisions, Coach Calzona expressed dissatisfaction with the Turkish refereeing team led by Umut Meler: “I do not like the referees, not at all. I am not pleased with how the three referees behaved. They always came to our bench area and ignored the other benches. I truly do not appreciate this.”
However, Calzona also admitted that this was not the main reason for his team’s defeat. He said, “Perhaps we should have been more proactive in marking, but what happened has happened, and I have to accept that.”
Despite the loss, Coach Calzona expressed pride in his Slovak players’ efforts: “I am proud of my team. If we had moments of lost concentration, I will review that when I watch the match tomorrow, but for now, I want to congratulate all my players.”
This match marked the end of Slovakia’s Euro 2024 journey. Despite putting on an impressive performance and nearly causing a major upset, they had to bow out in the Round of 16. Meanwhile, this victory propels England into the quarterfinals as one of the top contenders for the championship.
Calzona’s post-match comments have sparked debate over the refereeing and England’s tactics. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that England displayed resilience and determination to make a comeback in a challenging match.
The Three Lions will face Switzerland in the Euro 2024 Quarterfinals, with the match scheduled for 23:00 on July 6 (Vietnam time) at Merkur Spielarena.
