Spain and France meet in the UEFA EURO 2024 semi-finals on Tuesday 9 July.
What do you need to know?
A mouth-watering clash between two titans of European football awaits in Munich.
Spain have lit up the tournament so far, and are the only team to win all five of their games. They are also joint-top in number of goals (11) and top on total attempts (102) and balls recovered (230), demonstrating how impressive they have been both going forward and defensively.
“My players are insatiable,” beamed coach Luis de la Fuente after the quarter-final win over Germany.
“There’s always room for improvement, of course, but we can’t question their pride, quality and commitment.”
Standing in La Roja’s way, though, are a solid France side who have kept four clean sheets in their five matches so far.
Les Bleus are aiming for a fourth major tournament final in the last eight years (after reaching the EURO 2016 showpiece and the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals) – an incredible record which attests to their reservoir of big-game experience.
“We’re in the semi-finals and it’s something we shouldn’t take for granted, even if we may be used to it recently,” said coach Didier Deschamps after the quarter-final victory over Portugal. “Now we go to win it.”
Possible line-ups
Spain: Unai Simón: Navas, Nacho, Laporte, Cucurella; Olmo, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Morata, Williams
Suspended: Carvajal, Le Normand
France: Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernández; Kanté, Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Griezmann; Kolo Muani, Mbappé
Route to the semi-finals
Spain
Group B
3-0 vs Croatia (Morata 29, Fabián Ruiz 32, Carvajal 45+2)
1-0 vs Italy (Calafiori og 55)
1-0 vs Albania (Ferran Torres 13)
Round of 16
4-1 vs Georgia (Rodri 39, Fabián Ruiz 51, Williams 75, Olmo 83; Le Normand og 18)
Quarter-final
2-1 vs Germany aet (Dani Olmo 51, Merino 119; Wirtz 89)
France
Group D
1-0 vs Austria (Wöber og 38)
0-0 vs Netherlands
1-1 vs Poland (Mbappé 56 pen; Lewandowski 79 pen)
Round of 16
1-0 vs Belgium (Vertonghen og 85)
Quarter-finals
0-0 aet, 5-3 pens vs Portugal
Expert predictions
Graham Hunter, Spain reporter
You don’t win major trophies without somehow passing tests like this.
On current form it’s arguable Spain would be favourites to avenge their 2021 UEFA Nations League final loss.
La Roja have been winning, scoring freely and convincing in a way Les Bleus have perhaps not quite yet managed. Luis de la Fuente must cope without Dani Carvajal, Robin Le Normand and Pedri, however.
Time for the extraordinary experience of 38-year-old Jesús Navas to come to the fore?
There is also in-form goalkeeper Unai Simón and, of course, Spain’s thrilling, youthful wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal. This is a test Spain can pass with flying colours.
Alex Clementson, France reporter
While much of the narrative post-Portugal has centred on France’s continued struggles going forward, solace will be taken from the side’s nigh-on impenetrable defensive unit.
Solid foundations prevent you losing, but there’s an admittance within the camp that a formula for offensive fluidity needs concocting.
A third semi-final in Les Bleus’ last four major competitions is a record few can match, and that winning mentality will stand them in good stead against a formidable-looking Spanish outfit.
Views from the camps
Luis de la Fuente, Spain coach: “We can all see the trajectories which have brought these teams here and what those trajectories say. But this is an entirely new, different match. [France] are full of players who usually score frequently and we don’t want that to start again tomorrow.”
Didier Deschamps, France coach: “[Spain] have had the best EURO so far and have left the best impression after every game. All Spain teams have always had a good midfield who are able to control games. Rodri in particular is essential to the Spanish team, but all their players are important.” 
Netherlands and England meet in the UEFA EURO 2024 semi-finals on Wednesday 10 July.
What do you need to know?
For the second time in five years these two European heavyweights meet in a semi-final, with the Netherlands having triumphed 3-1 after extra time in a Nations League clash in 2019.
It would come as no surprise to anybody if this highly-anticipated encounter went the distance once more; five of the last eight games between these teams have finished level after 90 minutes.
“It will be a great night on Wednesday between two big nations – a historic night,” predicted Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman after his side reached a first EURO semi-final since 2004 by defeating Türkiye.
England, on the other hand, have made it to this stage for a second consecutive edition of the tournament. “If we continue to show spirit and togetherness, I’m sure we can go to the very end and win it all,” insisted defender Ezri Konsa after the quarter-final penalty shoot-out win over Switzerland.
It is a tie balanced on a knife edge.
Possible line-ups
Netherlands: Verbruggen; Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Aké; Schouten, Simons, Reijnders; Malen, Depay, Gakpo
England: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guéhi; Saka, Mainoo, Rice, Shaw; Bellingham, Foden; Kane
Route to the semi-finals
Netherlands
Group D
2-1 vs Poland (Gakpo 29, Weghorst 83; Buksa 16)
0-0 vs France
2-3 vs Austria (Gakpo 47, Depay 75; Malen og 6, Schmid 59, Sabitzer 80)
Round of 16
3-0 vs Romania (Gakpo 20, Malen 83 90+3)
Quarter-finals
2-1 vs Türkiye (De Vrij 70, Mert Müldür og 76; Samet Akaydin 35)
England
Group C
1-0 vs Serbia (Bellingham 13)
1-1 vs Denmark (Kane 18; Hjulmand 34)
0-0 vs Slovenia
Round of 16
2-1 aet vs Slovakia (Bellingham 90+5, Kane 91; Schranz 25)
Quarter-finals
1-1 aet 5-3p vs Switzerland (Saka 80; Embolo 75)
Expert predictions
Derek Brookman, Netherlands reporter
Netherlands demonstrated in their 2-1 quarter-final defeat of Türkiye that they don’t always have to play silky, possession-based football to get a result.
After a frustrating first half, coach Ronald Koeman shook things up by bringing on Wout Weghorst, and their play became more direct.
What you then saw was spirit, determination, an increase in tempo and – as Türkiye desperately searched for an equaliser – extraordinarily resolute defending.
It also highlighted the strength in depth of the squad.
Joe Terry, England reporter
England’s progress to the semi-final can be explained by their iron will not to lose, a defensive set-up that is hard to break down and an ability to impact the moments that matter most.
Gareth Southgate has seen signs of growth in performance as well, and his side will surely have to raise their game again against the Netherlands, opponents who, at their best, play with a verve and fluidity that England haven’t yet faced in Germany.
Views from the camps
Ronald Koeman, Netherlands coach: “For the whole nation, it’s something special. We are a small nation and we’re in the semi-finals with England, France and Spain. We are really proud. We had to suffer but it’s a great success to get the opportunity to play in a semi-final.”
Gareth Southgate, England coach: “Our intention is to play with the ball, but you have opponents trying to stop you. Our team has been under enormous pressure from the start and they did so well. At the moment we aren’t able to score lots but the last three games we’ve played against five at the back. We’re through to our third semi-final in four attempts but that’s not where we want it to end.”
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