Every Euro 2024 quarter-final team ranked: England dead last – this is why

8. England

The most boring and ponderous team to watch but you have to be in it to win it and Southgate’s side are still there somehow. Being fun to watch is great but playing badly and winning is not a terrible habit to have in knockout football. Might be wishful thinking but surely they have to play better at some point. Then they might still be dangerous.

7. Portugal

The only team to need a penalty shootout to reach the last eight and their performance against Slovenia made England’s goalless draw against the same opposition look a little better than it did at the time. Even with a preeing Ronaldo distracting everyone, they have so much talent at their disposal. But do they have the right manager in Roberto Martinez?

6. Turkey

They knocked out the best team from the group stage, Austria and anyone who has watched their games will understand why they are ranked ahead of the previously heavily fancied Portugal and England. A young side playing without fear, roared on by partisan fans, they have been a joy to watch and will fancy their chances against Netherlands.

5. France

Still not clicking, still not playing anything their best but like England they keep finding a way to get the job done. It was another stuttering performance against Belgium in the Round of 16 but we have to take the quality of opposition into assessing where they are at. They’ve also been in this situation so many times before to rule out.

4. Switzerland

Have quietly and efficiently gone through the tournament so far but the way they outclassed Italy in the Round of 16 has made everyone sit up and take notice. Quality individual players and a cohesive style of play. They have looked like a well-oiled machine so far and will be very dangerous opponents for England.

3. Netherlands

The Dutch have reached the quarter finals, which was considered a par score before the tournament began, but the thing that should make their rivals nervous is they are scoring goals freely. That was supposedly their big weakness but they were really impressive against Romania. Could be peaking at the right time.

2. Germany

The hosts were made to work hard of it against Denmark and benefited from two favourable VAR interventions in order to take the lead in the second half. They look a really slick and well-disciplined side though and may well have another gear to go up yet too.

1. Spain

They are making their progress through the tournament look effortless, cruising through the group stage before crushing Georgia 4-1 in the Round of 16. They have looked the best side so far but the draw pairs them against the second best team, Germany, in the quarter final. Cruel for one of them, thrilling for the rest of us.