Germany's Rudiger overcomes fitness issue for last-16 clash as Nagelsmann ponders striker decision

By Sports Desk June 28, 2024

Julian Nagelsmann has confirmed Antonio Rudiger will be fit for Germany's last-16 clash with Denmark at Euro 2024, though refused to divulge his plans on Niclas Fullkrug and Kai Havertz.

Real Madrid defender Rudiger suffered a thigh strain in the final Group A clash with Switzerland, who were undone by Fullkrug's late header in a 1-1 draw.

That last-gasp heroics from the towering forward secured top spot in the group, subsequently teeing up a meeting with Denmark in the knockout stages on Saturday.

It appeared unclear whether Rudiger would be fit for the round-of-16 clash, yet Nagelsmann says the centre-back will be available after returning to team training.

"If nothing else happens, he can play tomorrow," said Nagelsmann at Friday's pre-match press conference in Dortmund.

Nagelsmann also has to consider his options up top after Fullkrug again impressed from the substitutes bench.

Indeed, Fullkrug has scored four goals in six major tournament appearances for Germany, with all games and goals coming as a substitute.

Among all European players to play at least 100 minutes at the World Cup and Euros, only Poland's Ernst Wilimowski (one every 30 minutes) has a better minutes-per-goal ratio than Fullkrug's 35-minute ratio.

"I'm not following the discussion at all," Nagelsmann said on the decision to start Havertz, Florian Wirtz or Fullkrug.

"We as the coaching team will decide who plays. I won't say anything before tomorrow."

Germany are set to play in their fifth straight knockout stages of the European Championship, with support growing on home soil as they contend with pre-tournament favourites England and France.

Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand acknowledged Nagelsmann's men as one of the favourites to go all the way, but still backed his team's chances.

"I said it before the tournament started that I consider Germany one of the favourites," Hjulman said. "Just too bad they are playing us tomorrow!

"The quality they have, the way they express themselves in the first couple of matches, the talent they have – but so do we.

"We also have a great team. So they have to be very, very good tomorrow to beat us."

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  • Euro 2024 Data Dive: England scrape through after late drama, Spain make statement Euro 2024 Data Dive: England scrape through after late drama, Spain make statement

    It was another dramatic day in the Euro 2024 knockout rounds, as two more teams booked their places in the quarter-finals.

    England fought back from the jaws of defeat as they secured an extra-time win over Slovakia to set up a meeting with Switzerland in the last eight.

    Meanwhile, Spain broke Georgia hearts with their comeback victory, and will play Germany in an eye-catching last-eight tie.

    Here, we round up the best Opta statistics from the second day of the last 16.

    England 2-1 Slovakia (aet): Bellingham, Kane prove late heroes

    It looked like England were going to make an embarrassing early exit from the tournament, until Jude Bellingham stepped up with a spectacular overhead kick in stoppage time before Harry Kane netted the winner.

    Timed at 94 minutes and 34 seconds, Bellingham's goal was the latest ever for England in normal time at the Euros, coming from the Three Lions' first shot on target after a largely toothless performance.

    Kane, on his record-breaking 79th competitive appearance for England, got the timing right too, heading home just 50 seconds into extra time for the fastest goal scored in that period in the competition's history.

    The England captain has now scored 14 goals at major tournaments (World Cup and Euros), with only four European players netting more than him – Cristiano Ronaldo (22), Miroslav Klose (19), Gerd Muller (18) and Jurgen Klinsmann (16).

    It marked the fourth game that England have won from a losing position at the European Championships as well, after losing their first six such matches.

    Only France (five) have ever won more matches when conceding first in the competition, and that late, late show left Slovakia stunned after being just moments from a famous victory in Gelsenkirchen.

    Ivan Schranz's third goal at this Euros seemed set to take the headlines, with only Robert Vittek (four) at the 2010 World Cup ever scoring more at a single major tournament for Slovakia, but the forward will not get a chance to equal that record.

    Spain 4-1 Georgia: La Roja march on with comeback win

    Spain are the only team in the tournament to win all of their games so far, and survived an early scare to come out on top in Cologne thanks to second-half goals from Fabian Ruiz, Nico Williams and Dani Olmo.

    Robin Le Normand's 18th-minute own goal saw Luis de la Fuente's side concede for the first time at Euro 2024, only for Spain to rally to the biggest margin of victory by a team that conceded first in the competition.

    Spain amassed 17 shots on goal in the first half but only Rodri's first major tournament goal hit the net. It is the most on record (since 1980) by a team in the opening half of a European Championship knockout game.

    Indeed, La Roja's 35 shots overall were their most in a single match at either the World Cup (since 1966) or the Euros.

    It was the youngsters who stole the spotlight once more as Lamine Yamal got his second assist at the Euros, with Cristiano Ronaldo the last teenager to tee up multiple goals at a single edition (Euro 2004 when he helped Portugal reach the final).

    Williams, meanwhile, became the first player on record at the European Championships (since 1980) to score a goal, assist another and complete 100% of his passes (46/46) in a game he started.

    Georgia's fairytale was ended by a familiar, formidable foe as they have now lost all seven of their competitive meetings with Spain, conceding 23 goals and netting just four of their own.

  • Spain 4-1 Georgia: La Roja complete emphatic comeback to set up Germany meeting Spain 4-1 Georgia: La Roja complete emphatic comeback to set up Germany meeting

    Spain avoided an early Euro 2024 scare against Georgia to make it into the quarter-finals with a 4-1 comeback victory in Cologne.

    Rodri cancelled out Robin Le Normand's 18th-minute own goal before the break on Sunday, and a spirited Spain rallied in the second half to leave Georgia powerless.

    Fabian Ruiz fired Spain into the lead shortly after the break, with Nico Williams and Dani Olmo making sure of the victory late on to end Georgia's fairytale run at this European Championship.

    Luis de la Fuente's side will next face the hosts Germany in a marquee quarter-final meeting in Stuttgart on Friday.

    Giorgi Mamardashvili was the most worked goalkeeper in the group stages, and he was called into early action against Spain, making two early saves to deny Pedri and Dani Carvajal.

    La Roja were stunned shortly after as they conceded for the first time in the tournament – Le Normand was unfortunate to turn Otar Kakabadze's whipped cross into the back of his own net.

    Mamardashvili remained alert when Spain upped the pressure again, getting down sharply to keep out Marc Cucurella's low strike before pushing away Williams' curler.

    The Georgia goalkeeper was left helpless moments later though, when an unmarked Rodri picked out the bottom-right corner from the edge of the box for his first major tournament goal.

    Spain survived an early warning after the break as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia audaciously tried to catch out Unai Simon from the halfway line, but his hopeful effort bounced narrowly wide.

    Fabian flipped the script shortly after, peeling off the back of Georgia’s backline to thump a header past Mamardashvili from point-blank range following Lamine Yamal's sumptuous delivery.

    Yamal, desperate to get on the scoresheet himself, almost capitalised on a mistake by Georgia's defence but dragged another attempt narrowly wide of Mamardashvili's goal.

    Giorgi Gvelesiani's blushes were spared by a tight offside call as he turned another dangerous Yamal cross into his own net, though Spain would soon extend their lead.

    Williams raced forward on the counter down the left flank, leaving his marker in his tracks before rifling his right-footed rocket into the roof of the net 15 minutes from time.

    Olmo added some more gloss to the scoreline in the 83rd minute, latching onto Mikel Oyarzabal's throughball to nestle his shot into the bottom corner and send Spain coasting into the last eight.

    The kids are alright

    It may have been a couple of the older players in Spain's squad that got the all-important goals in Cologne, but La Roja's youngsters continued to shine.

    Yamal became the first teenager since Cristiano Ronaldo at Euro 2004 to assist multiple goals (two) at a single edition of the competition, while only Fabian managed as many shots as the winger's seven.

    Meanwhile, Pedri made his fourth start in the knockout stages of the Euros, the most of any player aged 21 or under in the competition's history.

    It is the second time Williams has both scored and assisted in a game for Spain, with the other also coming against Georgia in September 2023.

    With Williams also getting his first assist in the tournament, it looks like the youngsters are on course to keep leading the team forward as they prepare to meet the hosts in Stuttgart.

    Georgia's fairytale cut short

    After pulling off a stunning victory over Euro 2016 winners Portugal in their final Group F game, Georgia came into the last 16 with another upset in mind.

    It looked like that could be possible too, as they took another early lead, all despite not having a shot in the game up to that point.

    Mamardashvili had saved 21 of the 22 shots on target he had faced prior to Rodri's goal, but he was helpless as Spain upped the pressure on Sunday.

    William Sagnol's team go out with their heads held high despite their exit, after a debut tournament to remember.

  • Pedri surpasses Ronaldo for major tournament appearance record Pedri surpasses Ronaldo for major tournament appearance record

    Spain midfielder Pedri has surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo to set a new record for the most major tournament appearances by any European player aged 21 or under.

    At the age of 21 years and 218 days, Pedri made his 13th European Championship or World Cup appearance during Spain's last-16 match against Georgia at Euro 2024 on Sunday.

    It is also the fourth game the Barcelona midfielder has started in the Euros knockout stages while aged 21 or under, the most of any such player.

    That ensured he beat Ronaldo's tally of 12 tournament outings for Portugal before turning 22, which came at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.

    Pedri made his senior international debut as an 18-year-old in March 2021, going on to enjoy a breakout tournament at the delayed Euro 2020 as Spain reached the semi-finals before suffering penalty shoot-out heartache against eventual champions Italy.

    He won UEFA's Young Player of the Tournament award for that competition, having completed more passes in the opposition half (317) than any other player.

    Only Jordi Alba, Marco Verratti (both 12) and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (11) bettered his tally of 10 open-play chances created, meanwhile.

    After playing all six of Spain's games at Euro 2020, he was also an ever present at the 2022 World Cup, ranking 12th among all players for open-play passes (426) despite La Roja exiting at the last-16 stage having only played four matches.

    In the first two matchdays at this tournament, Pedri led all Roja players for chances created (six), assisting Fabian Ruiz's goal in their 3-0 win over Croatia.

    He has some way to go to match Ronaldo's overall achievements at that tender age, though.

    Ronaldo registered two goals and two assists as Portugal finished as Euro 2004 runners-up to Greece on home soil, then helped them to a fourth-place finish at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

    Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol managed 11 major tournament appearances for Croatia (four at Euro 2020, seven at the 2022 World Cup) before he turned 22 earlier this year, putting him one behind Ronaldo but unable to draw level.

    Pedri's new record could yet come under threat from England talisman Jude Bellingham, however. 

    Bellingham drew level with Pedri on 12 earlier on Sunday when England faced Slovakia in the round of 16, having already made 11 Euros/World Cup appearances to better the tallies recorded by Spain's Cesc Fabregas, Belgium's Enzo Scifo and Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger before turning 22.

    With Bellingham not turning 22 until next June, he could yet seize the record if Spain suffer a swift exit and England go all the way at this year's competition.

    By scoring the winner in the Three Lions' opening Group C fixture against Serbia, Bellingham became the first European player to appear at three different tournaments before turning 21, featuring at Euro 2020, the Qatar World Cup and Euro 2024.

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