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Euro 2020 Knockout Stage: Will Kane's England and Ronaldo's Portugal Qualify for Round of 16?

On the one hand, Spain's lacklustre form has left Group E wide open, on the other, England and their skipper Harry Kane's struggles have made their life really difficult as they are yet to progress to the next round despite being in a group that doesn't feature any heavyweights.

Apart from England, Group D has teams like the Czech Republic, Scotland, and Croatia.

While in Group F, dubbed the "group of death", reigning champions Portugal, three-time European champions Germany, and 2018 FIFA World Cup winner France are fighting an epic battle to qualify for a place in the Round of 16.

With most teams locked in a tussle for a spot in the next round, let's take a look at the criteria need to qualify for the Round of 16. 

Who Qualifies for the Euro 2020 Round of 16?

The Euro 2020 features six groups of four teams each. All group winners and runners-up automatically qualify for the next round of the tournament and the remaining four places will be taken by the four best third-placed teams.

How Will the Group Standings be Decided in the Tournament?

If multiple teams are level on points in a group, the tie will be broken after taking into account their head-to-head record against each other. If the two sides are still tied on points, goal difference will be considered to break the deadlock.

What are England's Chances of Progressing to the Round of 16?

Ahead of the tournament, England was declared one of the favourites by pundits, but have lacked any spark so far. Gareth Southgate's side opened their campaign with an under-par performance against Croatia, but somehow managed to beat them 1-0.

However, the Three Lions as England is popularly called, put up a disappointing show against neighbours Scotland as they were held to a goalless draw on Friday. Their less than stellar display meant that they stayed in second place, behind the Czech Republic.

Both teams are currently tied at 4 points each, but the Czechs are on top of the group because of goal difference. While England has scored only 1 goal in their two matches, the Czech side has scored 3 goals so far.

The other two teams, Croatia and Scotland are level on a point apiece after playing two matches.

Kane and his teammates take on the Czechs on Tuesday to seal their place in the Round of 16. A win or a draw will secure their qualification. But a draw will keep them at the mercy of other teams. An outright win with a three-goal difference by either the Scots or Croatia, would send England crashing out of the competition.

Former Indian footballer Abdul Khalique, who also played for Mohun Bagan, has told Sputnik: "It would be a disgrace if England fails to qualify because they are a fine side. Undoubtedly Kane's team has the potential and the capability to win the tournament and that's why I want to see them in the next round".

Can Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal Still Qualify for the Knockouts?

Ronaldo and his fellow teammates began their Euro 2020 campaign in style as they registered a stunning 3-0 win over Hungary in their opening match. However, the tide turned in the following clash against former World Champions Germany.

Despite CR7 giving Portugal the lead in the 15th minute, it was the Germans who went on to seal a resounding 4-2 win over the defending champions on Saturday.

While France has four points with a win and a draw in Group F, second-placed Germany and third-placed Portugal are tied on 3 points each.

Portugal now must win their next encounter with France, if they want to qualify for the Round of 16. The only other way Ronaldo's side can go through is if they draw their match against France and Germany loses to Hungary on Thursday.

Former Indian midfielder Mehtab Hossain told Sputnik on Monday that "Ronaldo will give everything he's got against France because it is likely his last Euro tournament and he would not like it to end in the first round."

"The French team is possibly the strongest team in the competition and is in great form, so beating France would not be easy for Portugal. Germany showed in the last match that their defence can be put under pressure and that's what the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema will try to do in the match", he stated.

"It's hard to predict a winner between France and Portugal, but on current form France has a slight edge over Ronaldo's side".

France will qualify from the same group if they manage to win or draw against Portugal.

Germany will move into the next phase of the tournament if they win against Hungary. If they tie, they can still qualify, if France also draws against Portugal.

Will Spain Make It Through to Round of 16?

Who would have thought that despite having 2008 and 2012 Champions Spain, Group E would still be wide open. Sweden is currently on top of the group with four points, followed by Slovakia on three points.

But third-placed Spain can still qualify for the Round of 16 despite their 0-0 draw against Sweden and 1-1 draw with Poland in their initial two matches.

If Spain win their last match against Slovakia, they will be through but a draw against the Slovaks would send them out of the tournament.

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