Euro 2024: Quarter-final predictions

The round of 16 served as a mere taster for what's bound to be a thrilling conclusion to Euro 2024.

After two days of twiddling our thumbs and pretending to enjoy Wimbledon, the football returns on Friday evening. With another eight nations succumbing in the first knockout round, the scent of the Henri Delaunay Trophy grows ever stronger. We'll be in Berlin before you know it.

Before we can start talking finals, however, there's more whittling down to be done. Eight will become four by Saturday night with the quarter-finals taking place over the next two days.

Here are 90min's predictions for the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.

Friday 5 July

It's very rare that you get the tournament's undoubted two most impressive teams meeting this early. While Spain have been the standouts this summer, Julian Nagelsmann's Germany have offered dazzle and characteristic efficiency. The pair meet in the first quarter-final, and this fixture is one you certainly don't want to miss.

How could you possibly call it? Both supremely well-coached and boasting the fluency of elite-level club outfits, we should be in for a high-quality affair in Stuttgart. Nobody would've complained had these two collided at the Olympiastadion on 14 July.

While the opening encounter of the round could be scintillating, we shouldn't expect too many fireworks from Friday's later game - even if it does appear a blockbuster on paper. Portugal vs France is so much more than Cristiano Ronaldo vs Kylian Mbappe. The two stars have combined for zero open-play goals this summer.

There's talent in abundance, but we know that Didier Deschamps will aim to merely stifle Roberto Martinez's side on Friday night. The French outlasted Belgium last time out, and they'll certainly take advantage of a Portugal side that was thwarted by Slovenia in the round of 16. Martinez is yet to stumble upon his optimal formula in regard to personnel.

Why don't you try dropping Ronnie, Bobby?

Saturday 6 July

England have hardly waltzed their way into the last eight, but they're here nonetheless and a once optimistic nation will hope that Jude Bellingham's acrobatics against Slovakia will galvanise the Three Lions.

A quarter-final against Switzerland would've very much been greeted with "Oh, I'd take that!" cries from English supporters pre-tournament, but this Swiss side are unlike previous iterations. They're more than merely sturdy.

Sure, the core remains familiar, but each of Murat Yakin's tried and trusted stars are playing at an incredibly high level. They're tactically astute and operating with impressive cohesion. The Swiss have certainly impressed more than England this summer, and they made light work of the holders in the previous round. This is Gareth Southgate's toughest test.

Assuming England didn't quite do enough to put you to sleep this time around, there's another game to enjoy on Saturday night with the quarter-finals concluding with what should be a fun encounter in Berlin.

The Dutch produced their best performance of Euro 2024 to ease past Romania, while the unfancied Turkey upset Austria 2-1 to advance into the last eight. Turkish supporters will once again bring the noise, but they may meet their match in the form of the Oranje contingent.

Can Vincenzo Montella's side go again after such a draining triumph last time out?

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