England are probably about to run out of road when it comes to producing a convincing team performance at Euro 2024.
The Three Lions needed Jude Bellingham’s last-gasp overhead kick to force extra time in their Round of 16 encounter against Slovakia last weekend, with Harry Kane scoring decisively early in the additional period.
As in their 1-0 opening win over Serbia and the back-to-back Group C draws with Denmark and Slovenia, Gareth Southgate’s side struggled for fluency and produced a listless performance.
With that in mind, despite landing in the so-called “easier” half of the draw, a game against Switzerland might be the last thing they need.
Murat Yakin’s side have produced assured, well-balanced performances, looking as much like a club side as any nation at the European Championship.
After beating Hungary and drawing with Scotland, Switzerland were within a stoppage-time leveller by Niclas Fullkrug of beating hosts Germany. In the Round of 16, they produced their most authoritative performance yet as they beat Italy 2-0, having the better of the reigning champions throughout the 90 minutes in Berlin.
England will surely not get away with another below-par showing in this company, but the history of this fixture gives them reasons for optimism.
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England vs. Switzerland head to head record, history, results
| England wins | Draws | Switzerland wins |
| 18 | 6 | 3 |
The Three Lions dominate the historic head-to-head between the two nations and the rivalry is even more one-sided over recent decades.
England are unbeaten in their previous 13 matches against Switzerland, winning nine and drawing four, although the most recent of those saw Southgate’s team prevail 6-5 on penalties after a goalless stalemate in the third-place match of the inaugural UEFA National League Finals in 2019.
The game in Dusseldorf will be England’s fourth against Switzerland under Southgate, with them winning international friendlies either side of the Nations League clash.
A March 2022 meeting at Wembley is the only time Yakin and Southgate have pitted their wits against one another. Breel Embolo gave the Swiss a first-half lead; Luke Shaw, who is battling to be in contention this weekend, equalised before Harry Kane settled matters.
You have to go back to May 1981 for Switzerland’s previous win over England, 2-1 in a qualifier for the 1982 World Cup.
England vs. Switzerland past games at major tournaments
This will be the third game between England and Switzerland at the European Championship finals and the first in the knockout rounds.
Alan Shearer opened the scoring for the Euro 96 hosts in their opening game at Wembley but, in a theme recognisable from this tournament, England faded and played pensively with a lead. Kubilay Turkyilmaz converted a penalty to give Switzerland a 1-1 draw eight minutes from time.
Teenage sensation Wayne Rooney illuminated Euro 2024 and a brace in a 3-0 win over Switzerland at the Estadio Cidade de Coimbra were his first goals at a major international tournament. Yakin played 90 fruitless minutes in the Swiss attack.
For the countries’ first meeting at a major tournament, we have to go back to the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, where England beat their hosts 2-0 thanks to goals from Jimmy Mullen and Dennis Wilshaw.
Both teams progressed from the group stage, only to lose in the quarterfinals. England were beaten 4-2 by reigning champions Uruguay, while Switzerland lost a crazy game 7-5 to Austria. A potential semifinal rematch 70 years later at Euro 2024 would probably not be so free-scoring.