This Euro Cup is the third in a row and 24 teams participate. The increase in the number of participants in the final phase also caused a change in the playoff phase. Now the knockout matches start from the round of 16. From each group, as before, the two best teams qualify, but with the new format, the four best teams of the six that finished in third place also earn playoff spots. “Hanging” teams that finish the group stage early must wait to see how their competitors from the remaining quartets finish their matches.
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What does it take to leave the group in third place? The ideal option is simply to score more points than competitors from other quartets. And in the event of a tie between two or more teams, additional indicators come into force. The best goal difference, then the highest number of goals scored, victories obtained, etc. We tell you how many points the teams from the previous Euros needed to reach the playoffs and how many they were missing.
Euro 2016: Portugal was lucky with third place and won the tournament
At the 2016 European Championship, the teams in group A finished ahead of the rest. In that quartet, Albania took third place, with one win, two losses and a negative goal difference (1:3). The situation was much better for the Slovak team, which completed the group stage the next day. In Group B, the Slovaks finished third, beating Russia, with four points. A day later, the Slovak team celebrated its arrival in the playoffs, as its rivals Northern Ireland and Poland only scored three points each. The Albanians calculated the lineups in vain: in general they turned out worse due to their goal difference. Ireland has four points in Group E and Portugal three in Group D.
They were followed by Slovakia, Ireland and two teams that scored three points with a zero goal difference. If the decisive additional indicator was the number of victories, the Portuguese national team would have been eliminated from Euro 2016. And in the end they took gold!
Table of teams that finished third in Euro 2016
EquipmentGamesVictoryGiveawaysDefeatsGoal differenceGlasses1. Slovakia 31113-342. Ireland 31112-443. Portugal 30304-434. Northern Ireland 31022-235. Turkey 31022-436. Albania 31021-33
Euro 2020: Portugal came out of third place again, but did not repeat the success
If at Euro 2016 only Portugal arrived late to the playoffs, at Euro 2020 three of the four teams that finished third in the group passed the first round and reached the quarterfinals. These are the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Ukraine. It is curious that Portugal also “stands out” here in the general context: they were eliminated in the round of 16.
In the previous European Championship, four points were also enough to guarantee a place in the playoffs from third place. Switzerland finished first in Group A with the same number of points. Not even the negative goal difference stopped her. The next day, two more quartets completed their performances. Finland beat Russia in Group B with three points and waited to see how their rivals would play.
Fortune did not smile on the Finns: Ukraine’s goal difference turned out to be slightly better (although negative), and the remaining days of the game also did not give the desired results. The teams of Finland and Slovakia, who were defeated by Spain in round 3 (0-5), went home.
Table of teams that finished third in Euro 2020
EquipmentGamesVictoryGiveawaysDefeatsGoal differenceGlasses1. Portugal31117-642. Czech Republic31113-243. Switzerland31114-544. Ukraine31024-535. Finland31021-336. Slovakia31022-73
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Cousin. The history of the World Cup: how Russia was unlucky in the 1994 World Cup
Four world championships (1982 to 1994) also held group tournaments with 24 teams. However, in the first three tournaments the old system was still in effect, in which teams received two points for winning. Only in the 1994 World Cup did the value of winnings increase to three points, so let’s remember that tournament in the context of Euro 2024.
At the World Championships 30 years ago, Russia was one of six teams to finish in third place. In the first two rounds of group B, our team lost to Brazil (0-2) and Sweden (1-3). But in the last round he scored three points and the goal difference was positive thanks to the defeat of Cameroon (6-1).
Russia then waited to see how its competitors would act. There was still a chance to make the playoffs. Before they finished Group A, in which the American hosts had the best result (four points), and Group C, where South Korea scored only two points. Thus, one of the three possible positive scenarios was enough for our team.
Russia – Cameroon match in the 1994 World Cup
Photo: Stephen Dunn/ALLSPORT
It didn’t work with group E. There, after two rounds, all the teams added three points and in the last one there were two draws. As a result, four teams finished the group stage with four points. Fantastic! Italy came in third place. But there were high hopes in Group F, where Saudi Arabia faced leaders Belgium. But the Belgians unexpectedly lost 0:1 and, in the end, in this quartet three teams scored six points each.
Finally, in Group D before the third round, Argentina had six points, and Bulgaria and Nigeria three each. And again, not everything turned out the way Russia needed. The Nigerians won their match. The Argentines lost to the Bulgarians and, like Belgium, finished the group stage in third place with six points.
Table of teams that finished third in the 1994 World Cup
EquipmentGamesVictoryGiveawaysDefeatsGoal differenceGlasses1. Argentina32016-362. Belgium32012-163. United States 31113-344. Italy31112-245. Russia31027-636. South Korea30214-52
As the practice of the European Championship and the World Cup shows, four points are enough to get out of the group. It is more difficult to do it with three, but it is also possible. For Portugal at Euro 2016, the circumstances were much better than for Russia at the 1994 World Cup.
