And then there were four.
Following this weekend’s Euro 2024 quarter-finals, just Spain, France, England and the Netherlands remain in the hunt for the European Championship, with the former two taking on each other in Munich on Tuesday evening, before the latter pair lock horns in Dortmund 24 hours later.
For the winners, a day of destiny awaits in Berlin on Sunday, while losing a semi-final is one of the more heartbreaking defeats that a footballer can suffer in their career, as it’s a case of so near, yet so far when it comes to appearing in a major final. The World Cup will always ‘reward’ losing semi-finalists with a third-place playoff, but is this the case at the Euros?
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Will there be a third-placed playoff at Euro 2024?
It’s the game that no one wants to play in, as every player, coach and fan would rather be at the final. On the plus side, you do get a bronze medal if you win, but that’s about it.
The World Cup has always had a third-placed playoff, with Croatia seeing off Morocco 2-1 in Qatar in 2022, while as beaten semi-finalists in 1990 and 2018, England lost to Italy and Belgium respectively.
But this week’s losing semi-finalists will be free to go on their summer holidays immediately, as there will be no third-place playoff in Germany. UEFA reacted to poor television ratings and dwindling crowds by scrapping the match after the 1980 tournament.
That year saw hosts Italy lose an epic penalty shootout to Czechoslovakia 9-8 after a 1-1 draw, while previously third places went to the Netherlands (1974), Belgium (1972), England (1968), Hungary (1964) and Czechoslovakia again (1960).
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