Curtain. The group stage of the League of Nations ended on Tuesday, September 27 with qualification for the Final Four snatched by Spain, at the expense of Portugal (1-0). The identity of the four selections who will fight to succeed France in mid-June 2023 is known, like that of the future promoted to the next level.
Between Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and Croatia, there will only be one left
Spain-Portugal was to award the last ticket, and it was La Roja who scored it. However, everything seemed to indicate that Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates would be part of the Final Four, as Luis Enrique’s players were harmless on Tuesday night. But the alarm clock rang in the 88th minute and Alvaro Morata came to surprise the Portuguese public to score the only goal of this disappointing clash.
They thus join Italy, which had qualified 24 hours earlier at the expense of Hungary (2-0), an opponent with whom they had already shared the poster for the last Final Four (which had seen France triumph). The other two participants will be the Netherlands, undefeated in their group (5 wins, 1 draw) and Croatia, who left the group of France. These teams will meet in the semi-finals, June 14 and 15, 2023, before the final on June 18in a location that is not yet confirmed.
RESULTS
Spain join Croatia, Italy & Netherlands in the finals! #NationsLeague
— UEFA Nations League (@EURO2024) September 27, 2022
Downgraded England
If the Blues have not been there in the League of Nations, the palm of failure goes to England. The Three Lions Gareth Soutghate missed their subject with three draws and three defeats, including a slap suffered at home against Hungary (0-4). Even when they thought they overthrew Germany at Wembley on Monday night, the fate did not favor them (3-3).
Last of the group of death, behind Italy, Hungary and Germany, the finalists of the last Euro go down to League B. Same sentence for Austria, the Czech Republic and Wales.
Armenia, Sweden and Romania, on their side, move from League B to League C. Finally, thehe Cyprus-Gibraltar and Belarus-Lithuania play-offs, in March 2024, will decide the two teams relefords in League D.
A first for Israel
Apart from English relegation, the other big surprise of this campaign remains the rise of Israel in League A. In Group 2 where Russia was disqualified, Alon Hazan’s men took the best of Iceland and the Albania, .
A great feat for a nation that has played only one World Cup (1970) and has never participated in a European championship. Scotland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia complete the group of first-tier promotions.
Despite a surprise defeat against the Faroe Islands (2-1), Turkey returned to League B, accompanied by Greece, Kazakhstan and Georgia, coached by Frenchman Willy Sagnol. First in their group in League D, Latvia and Estonia reach League C.