Day three of the knockout stages at Euro 2024 certainly did not disappoint.

France edged out Belgium in perhaps the most eagerly anticipated tie of the last 16 on Monday, but most of the drama came later on as Portugal took on Slovenia.

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Selecao team-mates survived an almighty scare to progress on penalties, with the likes of Diogo Costa and Pepe making history.

Here, we run through all the best Opta facts and stats from a thrilling day of action in Germany.

France 1-0 Belgium: Kante makes history as Bleus get lucky again

The first game of the day saw France edge out neighbours Belgium in a heavyweight clash, though Didier Deschamps' Bleus were far from their best once again.

Only a Jan Vertonghen own goal five minutes from time – forced by Randal Kolo Muani's wayward shot – secured their place in the quarter-finals, as their wait for an open-play goal at Euro 2024 went on.

Alongside Kylian Mbappe's penalty against Poland on matchday three, France have benefitted from two own goals – the other coming via Austria's Max Wober in a 1-0 win in their opening match.

There have now been five instances of a team winning 1-0 via an own goal at the Euros, with France accounting for three of them (versus Germany in 2020, and Austria and Belgium in 2024).

Aged 37 years and 68 days, former Tottenham centre-back Vertonghen became the oldest ever player to score an own goal at the European Championships.

Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku went close at the other end, but in truth, Belgium did not carve out many clear-cut chances.

They have now failed to score in five of their last six games at major international tournaments (European Championship and World Cup), despite having a combined 59 attempts on goal worth 6.85 expected goals (xG) across those matches.

France have now won all five of their major tournament meetings with Belgium (European Championship and World Cup), the joint-best 100% win rate any European nation has against another across those two competitions combined (also Italy versus Austria).

N'Golo Kante's recall to their midfield has been a major talking point at this tournament, and he won both of his tackles and created two chances in a typically tireless performance.

He has now played the most outright matches in European Championship history without ever losing (90 minutes only), winning seven and drawing five of his 12 games.

Portugal 0-0 Slovenia (aet, 3-0 pens): History for Costa and Pepe as Ronaldo's blushes spared

France will face Portugal for a semi-final place after the Selecao survived a monumental scare in their last-16 tie, beating Slovenia on penalties after a goalless draw in Frankfurt.

Much of the tie came down to a battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Jan Oblak, former rivals in LaLiga with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Ronaldo had seven shots worth 1.33 expected goals (xG) in the 120 minutes but simply could not find a way through, breaking down in tears when he had an extra-time penalty repelled by Oblak, who made six saves.

Ronaldo has now taken nine penalties in major international tournament matches, failing to score on three occasions.

He has had 20 shots worth 2.7 xG overall at Euro 2024, the most attempts at the tournament and the fifth-most without netting at any edition of the competition, after Deco in 2004 (24), Fernando Hierro in 1996 (23), Kevin De Bruyne in 2016 and Dani Olmo at Euro 2020 (both 21).

However, he atoned in the shoot-out with an accurate first Portugal kick, then it was down to Diogo Costa to save all three of Slovenia's penalties and send his team through.

He made more saves in the shoot-out (three) than in the 120 minutes preceding it, though Portugal were also indebted to him for making a huge one-on-one stop from Benjamin Sesko in the second half of extra time.

He is the first goalkeeper to ever save three kicks in a European Championship shoot-out, and the first to not concede a single kick.

There was also a piece of history for Pepe, who became the oldest player to feature in a knockout-stage match at a World Cup or European Championship, doing so at the age of 41 years and 126 days to overtake England's Peter Shilton (40 years, 292 days at the 1990 World Cup).

Cristiano Ronaldo saw an extra-time penalty saved by Jan Oblak, but recovered to convert in the shoot-out as Portugal survived a huge scare to beat Slovenia on spot-kicks following a goalless draw in the last 16 at Euro 2024.

Ronaldo had a glorious opportunity to send Portugal through in the first half of extra time, but broke down in tears when his tame kick was repelled by the Atletico Madrid goalkeeper.

He had earlier missed chance after chance in regulation time as Slovenia – chiefly thanks to the efforts of Oblak – kept Roberto Martinez's team at bay to force spot-kicks.

However, he made no mistake with his second attempt from the spot, and Diogo Costa kept out all three Slovenia kicks from Josip Ilicic, Jure Balkovec and Benjamin Verbic.

The Selecao will now take on France for a spot in the semi-finals on Friday, while Slovenia's tournament is over despite a gallant effort in Frankfurt. 

Both Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes were unable to get a touch on Bernardo Silva's inswinging cross as Portugal put Slovenia under pressure early on, the former also heading straight at Oblak when presented with another good chance 31 minutes in.

Oblak was then relieved to see Ronaldo send a dipping free-kick effort narrowly over the crossbar, before Joao Palhinha saw a low drive kiss the outside of the post on the stroke of half-time.

Ronaldo saw another free-kick beaten away by Oblak after the restart, before Benjamin Sesko squandered a huge chance on the break, dragging his shot wide after showing blistering pace to beat Pepe – now the oldest player to play in a World Cup or European Championship knockout match at 41 years and 126 days.

Ronaldo had one final chance to avoid extra time in the 89th minute, but Oblak stood firm to repel his left-footed strike at the near post, and keep Slovenia in the tie.

It was Oblak versus Ronaldo once again as the first half of extra time drew to a close, Daniele Orsato awarding a penalty when Jota was felled by Vanja Drkusic.

Ronaldo went for the bottom-right corner, but Oblak sprung across to make a brilliant stop and leave the five-time Ballon d'Or winner in tears at the interval.

It was then Costa's turn to produce the heroics at the other end, making a huge one-on-one save to deny Sesko following a mistake from Pepe to take the tie to penalties. 

Costa was unbeatable in the shoot-out, too, keeping out all three Slovenia kicks, while Ronaldo atoned for his earlier miss by converting coolly with Portugal's first kick, before Fernandes and Bernardo Silva also converted as the Selecao edged through

Portugal defender Pepe has become the oldest player to appear in a knockout-stage game at a World Cup or European Championships, surpassing the record held by Peter Shilton.

England goalkeeping great Shilton was 40 years and 292 days old when he represented the Three Lions in their third-place play-off loss to Italy at the 1990 World Cup.

At 41 years and 126 days old, Pepe claimed that record for himself when he started Portugal's Euro 2024 last-16 meeting with Slovenia in Frankfurt on Monday.

Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo are also the two oldest players to appear at the Euros, with the Selecao captain aged 39 years and 147 days when he stepped out versus Slovenia.

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.

He is also just the second player to score at both the Euros and the World Cup while under 21, after fellow Englishman Michael Owen, who netted at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. 

After Portugal ended the Euro 2024 group stage with a shock 2-0 defeat to Georgia, centre-back Pepe knows more will be required when they face Slovenia in the last 16 on Monday.

That defeat did not stop the Selecao topping Group F and landing a round-of-16 draw against Slovenia, who qualified as one of the best third-placed finishers.

However, they are now on the same side of the knockout bracket as France, Belgium, Germany and Spain, and know they will likely have to beat multiple heavyweights if they are to go all the way.

At their last major tournament, the 2022 World Cup, Portugal set the record for the biggest margin of victory in a last-16 match at the World Cup or Euros, trouncing Switzerland 6-1.

They were, however, beaten 2-0 when they last met Slovenia in a friendly in March, leading Pepe to expect a tough test. 

"Portugal were among the best teams statistically in the group stage," he said. "From the first game here in Germany to the last, the fans have always been with us. 

"We know it's going to be a very difficult game, not least because of our recent history. 

"It's about avoiding making the mistakes we made in that defeat back in March so that we can come out on top.

"We know it's going to be a very difficult journey. It's going to be tough, but we all have to be together."

This will be Slovenia's first-ever match in the knockout stages at a major tournament, and the 26th such match for Portugal. Since their triumphant Euro 2016 campaign, Portugal have lost three of their four knockout matches at major tournaments (one win).

They will once again look to Cristiano Ronaldo to carry the attacking burden, though this is the first major tournament in his career in which he failed to net in the group stage, in his 11th participation overall.

Pepe, however, has told fans not to worry about the form of their captain.

"Cristiano lives for goals, that's a fact. But have you seen his availability on the pitch to help the national team? It's incredible," the 41-year-old said.

"He's the player with the most minutes in our team, at 39 years old.

"He's doing very well. He'll do very well in the final stages of the European Championship. I'm certain he will give us a lot of joy."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Portugal – Cristiano Ronaldo 

Ronaldo has not scored in any of his last seven appearances for Portugal at major tournaments, his longest-ever drought at the World Cup and Euros. He has had 19 shots without netting in those games since scoring versus Ghana at the 2022 World Cup.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has had 12 shots worth 1.32 expected goals (xG) so far at Euro 2024, twice as many attempts as his nearest rival in the Portugal squad – Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes (six).

Nine of his shots have come from inside the box, indicating he is taking up the right positions and is likely to break his goal drought soon. 

He has also created six chances for his team, recording one assist to take the all-time European Championship record outright, with seven in his six participations.

Slovenia – Andraz Sporar

Slovenia have only netted two goals at the tournament thus far, but their strike duo Sporar and Benjamin Sesko have been a handful for defences.

They may both be awaiting their first goal at Euro 2024, but they have registered a combined 12 shots between them (seven for Sporar and five by Sesko).

Five of Sporar's seven efforts have come from inside the area, and he has a total xG figure of 0.98 in his three matches. He has also won 13 duels overall, four of them in the air, demonstrating his willingness to get through plenty of defensive work.

MATCH PREDICTION: PORTUGAL WIN

The Opta supercomputer has given Portugal a 76% chance of progressing to the quarter-finals. Ahead of the first set of knockout fixtures, only England and Spain (both 82%) were seen as more likely qualifiers.

Despite their slip-up against Georgia, which came with a much-changed starting lineup, Portugal ranked second for both possession share (67%) and total shots (53) in the group stage, behind Germany (69%, 57 shots).

Their defeat on matchday three halted a run of 12 consecutive wins in competitive action. However, they have not lost back-to-back competitive matches since Euro 2008, when they lost 0-2 to Switzerland in the group stage and 2-3 versus Germany in the quarter-finals.

Another player to watch in Selecao colours could be Vitinha, who leads all of his team-mates for line-breaking passes (29) at this tournament. 

His pass completion rate under high pressure is also the highest of any player for his country (90% - minimum 50 attempted). 

The Paris Saint-Germain man is brimming with confidence and his quality could be key against a Slovenia side likely to dig in, just as they did in group-stage draws with Denmark and England.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Portugal - 67%

Slovenia - 19.6%

Draw - 13.4%

Cristiano Ronaldo "lives for goals" and will soon find a return to form after a prolonged struggle for Portugal, says veteran team-mate Pepe.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is yet to find the net at Euro 2024, failing to score in Portugal's first three Group F games as Roberto Martinez's side topped their pool.

Stretching further back, Ronaldo has not scored in any of his last seven appearances for Portugal at major tournaments, his longest such drought across the European Championship and World Cup.

The 39-year-old has had 19 shots across the two competitions since last scoring against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup. 

However, Pepe – speaking ahead of the last-16 meeting with Slovenia on Monday – believes his team-mate will soon find his scoring touch.

"Cristiano lives for goals, that's a fact," Pepe said in Friday's press conference. "But have you seen his availability on the pitch to help the national team? It's incredible.

"He's the player with the most minutes in our team, at 39 years old.

"He's doing very well. He'll do very well in the final stages of the European Championship. I'm certain he will give us a lot of joy."

Pepe joined Ronaldo in lifting the Euro 2016 trophy, and became the oldest player in the competition's history by featuring in this year's edition, aged 41.

"I'm just happy to be part of this group, it's a privilege," Pepe said. "The secret [is] the passion I have for football. I've said several times that it's a privilege to be able to get up and do what I love most with a lot of concentration and competitiveness, which is what I have.

"The love I put into every action, so much in training as in the game. That's it."

As for any consideration of retirement, Pepe has no thoughts of hanging up his boots just yet.

"I haven't thought about it yet," the former Real Madrid defender added. "My focus is on the next training session, on the next game, which is important to me and to Portugal.

"I don't think about it much, honestly. The future belongs to God, I have many things to worry about today, such as how I will defend my team-mates in the training sessions ahead, how to recover for tomorrow's training. Those are my concerns."

With the group stages behind us, Euro 2024 now enters the business end of the tournament, when there's no more margin for error.

The favourites are all through in the main, with Croatia the biggest name to drop out in the group stage.

There are some surprise packages that have made the last 16 too, though: tournament debutants Georgia stunned Portugal to reach this stage, while Austria finished above France and the Netherlands to top Group D.

But as the tournament goes on, there are some serious questions being asked of the respective coaches when it comes to team selections, while other players nurse knocks ahead of the knockouts.

And here, using Opta data, we take a look at some of those selection dilemmas.

Should Southgate drop Foden and can Shaw stay fit?

Phil Foden came into Euro 2024 on the back of a magnificent season for Manchester City. He was named the Premier League Player of the Year, scoring 19 goals in 35 top-flight appearances in 2023-24.

Yet playing out on the left side of England's attack, with Jude Bellingham deployed centrally, Foden has failed to replicate that form for the Three Lions.

Anthony Gordon directly contributed to 21 Premier League goals for Newcastle United (11 goals, 10 assists), and appears able to offer the kind of directness that seems to be missing from England's attack.

Gordon would seemingly replace Foden if he were to start, so what is England's recent record at major tournaments without the City star?

Foden has featured in 10 games at the World Cup and Euros for England, who have won six of those games, drawing three and losing one. They score 1.8 goals per game with him in the team compared to 1.6 in the five tournament matches in which he has not featured.

Defensively, England do seem a little more solid when Foden does not feature, with their goals conceded per game dropping from 0.6 with him in, to 0.2 without the 24-year-old.

Behind Foden, though, the left-back position is an issue. Luke Shaw has not played for club or country since February, but Kieran Trippier has failed to offer the same attacking output or balance while deputising, and could be an injury doubt ahead of England's clash with Slovakia.

The sense of Southgate in taking an unfit Shaw can certainly be questioned, though when factoring in major tournaments only, you can understand why.

England have a 58.3% win percentage (7/12) when Shaw is in the team compared to a 35.3% (6/17) success rate when he is not, while conceding double the amount of goals per 90 without Shaw (1.0 to 0.5).

Does Ronaldo deserve Martinez's backing?

Cristiano Ronaldo is the record appearance maker (28) and goalscorer (14) at the Euros, but at 39, should he be spearheading Portugal's attack?

Ronaldo failed to score from 12 shots in the group stage, as for the first time at a major tournament, he did not manage to hit the back of the net in the first round.

The Al-Nassr striker scored 10 goals from qualifying, but against more resilient defences, he has found it tougher, and against Georgia he was kept quiet, though he did spurn one Opta-defined 'big chance'.

Ronaldo's appearance against Georgia marked his 50th such match at a major tournament, a European record, with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner having only sat out two fixtures at a World Cup or Euros since 2004. Portugal have a 46% win ratio with him in their team in major competitions, but is it time to cut the cord?

France need Mbappe's magic

Kylian Mbappe recovered from a broken nose to play, while donning a mask, for France against Poland last time out, and it was his penalty that put Les Bleus ahead before Robert Lewandowski equalised from the spot.

That marked Mbappe's first goal at the Euros, while he is now just one behind Michel Platini (14) in France's all-time list of record goalscorers at major tournaments.

France recorded 2.32 xG against Poland, with Mbappe accounting for 1.31 of that. In the match that he missed, a 0-0 draw against the Netherlands, Les Bleus mustered only 1.43 xG, showing how much Mbappe was missed.

Missing out

There are some big players who definitely will not be featuring in the last 16, and that is due to the fact they are suspended after picking up two yellow cards throughout the group stage.

Italy's Riccardo Calafiori has been one of the stars of the tournament, but the Bologna defender will not play against Switzerland on Saturday.

Hosts Germany will also be without a key defender in Jonathan Tah.

This campaign has been Tah's first at a major tournament, but the Bayer Leverkusen centre-back has been impressive so far and will be a miss when Germany go up against Denmark.

Turkiye, meanwhile, will have to play Austria without Hakan Calhanoglu.

The Inter playmaker has only missed one match for his country at a major tournament, though Turkiye did win that one, but facing in-form Austria without their best player is a daunting prospect. 

The Euro 2024 group stage is behind us, having provided fans across the continent with their fair share of thrills and spills.

From the emergence of Austria and Georgia as surprise packages to the below-par performances of England, France and the Netherlands, there has been plenty of intrigue. 

Now 16 teams remain and the knockout bracket is locked in, and most of the continent's leading marksmen – including Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo – will still be dreaming of lifting the trophy on July 14.

Adding the Golden Boot alongside team success would make it a dream tournament, but the established continental stars face competition for that honour from a few breakout stars.

With the likes of Georges Mikautadze, Jamal Musiala and Niclas Fullkrug staking their own claims, who will finish top of the scoring charts?

We delve into the Opta data to assess the runners and riders, as well as those bigger names who have struggled so far. 

THE FAVOURITES 

Kylian Mbappe (one goal)

Mbappe endured a dreadful time at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament three years ago, and things have not gone much better this time around.

At Euro 2020, he failed to score and missed the decisive penalty as France exited in the last 16 versus Switzerland. 

Only Alvaro Morata (six), Gerard Moreno and Kane (five each) missed more big chances (as defined by Opta) than Mbappe (four). His 14 total shots amounted to 1.7 expected goals (xG), with only Moreno (-2.25) and Dani Olmo (-1.86) underperforming their xG figures by a greater margin.

This year, a nasty collision with Austria defender Kevin Danso left him with a broken nose and forced him to miss France's second Group D match against the Netherlands, but he returned – donning a protective mask – to score from the penalty spot in their 1-1 draw with Poland.

That was his 13th goal for France at major tournaments (one at the Euros, 12 at World Cups), with only Michel Platini (14) netting more. With many backing France to go far despite landing on a stacked side of the bracket, that figure is certainly within reach.

If France are to go all the way, they will have to overcome Belgium in the last 16 and could face Portugal in the last eight and one of Germany or Spain in the semi-finals. 

They are now fourth favourites to win the tournament, according to the Opta supercomputer, with some big-game performances from Mbappe required. 

Harry Kane (one)

Like Mbappe, Kane has one goal to his name at the end of the group stage, having netted England's opener in their 1-1 draw with Denmark on matchday two.

Also like the France captain, Kane has endured a difficult tournament, starved of service in an England team that has been jeered by their own fans despite topping Group C.

Only Scotland (0.95) and Serbia (2.11) created a lower xG figure than the Three Lions (2.19) in the group stage as they toiled to five points, but a seemingly kind path through the knockout rounds has them installed as favourites once again.

Kane is a player who tends to grow into tournaments, and Gareth Southgate will be hoping his skipper does so. Kane has scored six goals in his last six appearances in the knockout stages of major tournaments for England (two in two at the 2022 World Cup, four in four at Euro 2020). 

His seven goals in tournament knockout stages overall are also the most of any Three Lions player in history.

The mood around the England team has not exactly been buoyant thus far, but with the draw opening up, do not sleep on Kane's chances of firing them to glory.

Jamal Musiala (two)

Germany made a flying start to their home tournament with a 5-1 rout of Scotland and a 2-0 victory over Hungary, with Bayern Munich man Musiala scoring in both games.

They found things more difficult in a 1-1 draw with Switzerland on matchday three and are sure to be tested by Denmark in the last 16, but if Julian Nagelsmann's men are to prolong their encouraging run, Musiala will be key.

One of just six players with multiple goals to his name at this stage, Musiala has also completed the second-most dribbles at the tournament with nine, behind only Belgium's Jeremy Doku (13).

Of the six players to net more than once, only Slovakia's Ivan Schranz (two goals, 0.39 xG) has scored his goals from a lower xG figure than Musiala's 0.48, with both of the German's strikes being rasping finishes into the roof of the net.

Playing for the team whose total of 5.1 xG is the best at the tournament, Musiala should get plenty more chances to add to his tally. 

Niclas Fullkrug (two)

Musiala is not the only home favourite in contention to top the goalscoring charts, though, with super sub Fullkrug proving the direct route can be an effective option with two goals in just 73 minutes of action off the bench.

Having found the top-right corner with a brilliant strike against Scotland, the Borussia Dortmund man spared the hosts' blushes on matchday three, as his stoppage-time leveller ensured they pipped Switzerland to top spot in Group A.

His goals have come from just three shots worth a total of 0.54 xG, and it will be interesting to see whether those figures are sustainable should he force his way into Nagelsmann's starting lineup.

A recent poll of 138,000 supporters conducted by German newspaper BILD found 90% of respondents wanted to see Fullkrug start the team's first knockout match.

Cody Gakpo (two)

The Netherlands have not exactly impressed so far, sneaking through Group D in third place following a 3-2 defeat to an inspired Austria team.

However, like England, they have landed on what appears to be the weaker side of the draw, boosting their hopes of going all the way.

The Opta supercomputer gave Ronald Koeman's Oranje a 5.1% chance of winning the trophy before a ball was kicked, and that is now up to 7% despite their struggles, due to Romania, Austria and Turkiye being the other teams in their quarter of the draw.

The fact they could reach the last four without playing a knockout game against any established heavyweights could see them put forward a Golden Boot contender in the shape of Gakpo.

The Liverpool man has two goals to his name already, also winning more duels (23) than any other player at the competition.

He could now become the sixth Dutchman to score three or more goals at a single edition of the Euros, after Marco van Basten (five in 1988), Dennis Bergkamp (three in 1992), Patrick Kluivert (five in 2000), Ruud van Nistelrooy (four in 2004) and Georginio Wijnaldum (thee at Euro 2020).

Georges Mikautadze (three)

None of the big names mentioned above are leading the way in the Golden Boot race, though, with that honour going to a surprise name.

Georgia's Georges Mikautadze, who plays his club football in France for recently relegated Metz, has three goals to his name.

His last two goals – against Czechia and Portugal – have come from the penalty spot, with his first being a clever sweeping finish against Turkiye on matchday one – his country's first goal at a major tournament as an independent nation.

Perhaps crucially, Mikautadze has also recorded an assist, meaning he has twice as many total goal involvements (four) as any other player at the tournament.

Assists are used as a tie-breaker in scenarios where two players are level in the Golden Boot race at the Euros, and it is not far-fetched to suggest he may already have done enough to claim the prize.

Spain great Fernando Torres won the 2012 award with just three goals, although five of the last seven editions of the European Championships have seen a player win the Golden Boot with five goals or more (Antoine Griezmann netted six in 2016).

If the continent's big names continue to misfire, Mikautadze could mark a breakout tournament with an individual honour.

THE OTHER CONTENDERS

With teams facing four more games if they are to reach the final, plenty of other players are not yet out of contention, even if they struggled in the group stage.

Alvaro Morata (one)

Morata made a flying start to the tournament as he slotted home Spain's opener in their impressive 3-0 demolition of Croatia on matchday one, but he has not scored since then, being rested for their final group game against Albania.

La Roja's success has been built on a solid defence, as they are just the second team to win all three of their group-stage matches to nil at the Euros, after Italy at the 2020 edition.

However, they are now expected to go far, and their skipper should get plenty of chances to add to his tally.

That being said, he has only converted one of his eight shots, so that conversion rate will certainly have to improve.

Cristiano Ronaldo (zero)

While Portugal topped Group F with a game to spare and could afford to rest players for Wednesday's 2-0 defeat to Georgia, Ronaldo has endured a frustrating time of things in front of goal.

He failed to score in the group stages of a major international tournament for the first time in his career, with this his 11th competition with the Selecao, who he has now played for on 50 occasions at major tournaments (a European record).

Still the European Championships' all-time leading scorer with 14 goals, his seven assists are also now the most on record (since 1968) at the competition. He will be keen to add to both of those tallies in the knockout rounds.

Romelu Lukaku (zero)

You could argue Lukaku has been both wasteful and unfortunate. He has failed to score from 10 shots totalling 1.67 xG at Euro 2024, with Antoine Griezmann the only player with zero goals from a higher underlying figure (1.84).

The Belgium man has also seen three goals ruled out following VAR checks, either for handball in the build-up or for offside. But for the technology's interventions, he would be level with Mikautadze at the top of the charts.

His chances of winning the Golden Boot have been made that much tougher by the draw, with France up next for the Red Devils after they finished second in Group E.

Christoph Baumgartner (one)

Ralf Rangnick's Austria have been one of the stories of the tournament, pipping France and the Netherlands to top spot in Group D to land on the more favourable side of the draw and leave fans dreaming of a run all the way to the final.

Only Germany have scored more goals (eight to six) or created a higher cumulative xG figure (5.1 to 3.84) than Rangnick's high-pressing side, and they could entertain again when they face Turkiye in the last 16.

With one goal and one assist, RB Leipzig attacker Baumgartner is the only Austrian with multiple goal involvements at Euro 2024, an instinctive finish against Poland demonstrating his coolness in front of goal.

Watch out for his team-mate Marcel Sabitzer, though, who scored a fantastic goal in Austria's 3-2 win over the Netherlands last time out.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia revealed he had been inspired by a pre-match chat with Cristiano Ronaldo after scoring in Georgia's historic Euro 2024 victory over Portugal on Wednesday.

Major tournament debutants Georgia reached the last 16 as one of the best third-place finishers as Kvaratskhelia's second-minute strike and a Georges Mikautadze penalty handed them the biggest result in their history.

They will face Spain in the next round after becoming the first European nation to progress from the group stage at their maiden tournament since Iceland reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2016.

Speaking after the game, Napoli winger Kvaratskhelia said overcoming his childhood idol made Wednesday's victory even more special. 

"I got Ronaldo's jersey and we've made it through to the next round," Kvaratskhelia told reporters.

"This is the best day in the lives of Georgian football fans. We've made history, no one would believe we'd make it happen.

"No one would believe we could beat Portugal but that's why we're a strong team; if there's even a one per cent chance, we've shown we can make it happen.

"Before the match there was a meeting [with Ronaldo] and he wished me success; I'd never imagined he would come and talk to me.

"He's a great player and a great person. That's why he's a great personality in and out of football; I have so much respect for him, he's one of the best players in the world.

"When he comes to talk to you before the match, that's amazing; that helped us believe we could do something today."

Timed at one minute and 32 seconds, Kvaratskhelia's goal was both Georgia's fastest in a tournament match and the earliest Portugal have ever conceded at the Euros.

While the in-demand 23-year-old was exceptional in Gelsenkirchen, Ronaldo struggled as he failed to score from three shots worth 0.21 expected goals (xG).

He has failed to score during the group stage of a major tournament for the first time in his career, with this his 11th such campaign.

He scored in group-stage matches at the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups and the 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 editions of the Euros.

The Euro 2024 group stage came to an end on Wednesday as knockout football awaits in Germany.

Romania, Belgium and Slovakia all progressed to the last 16 as Ukraine were the unlucky losers after Group E became the first pool in European Championship history to see all four teams finish level on points.

Group F also provided a shock as Georgia stunned Portugal to achieve their first win at a major tournament and a place in the knockout rounds, while Turkiye overcame Czechia thanks to last-gasp chaos.

As the last-16 stage looms, we unpick the best of Wednesday's action by taking a deep dive into the Opta data behind the final group-stage encounters.

Ukraine 0-0 Belgium: Woe for Rebrov in unwanted history

A battling performance for Ukraine will be scant consolation as Serhiy Rebrov's side became the first team in the competition's history to register four points in the group stage and finish bottom.

This goalless draw continued a bizarre Euros record, with Ukraine either not scoring (nine games) or scoring exactly two goals (five), after failing to score in two matches and winning the other 2-1 against Slovakia at this edition.

It could have been a different story for Belgium, though, as their struggles in front of goal persisted. They have failed to score in four of their last five group-stage games at major tournaments (W1 D2 L2).

The Red Devils had won nine group games in a row before this, scoring 21 times, and Romelu Lukaku – who has had three goals at this tournament ruled out – may apportion some of the blame.

Lukaku has now failed to score with any of his 15 shots in his last five group-stage matches at major international tournaments – in his previous five, the striker had found the net with seven of 12 attempts.

That persistent profligacy somewhat marred a landmark appearance for Lukaku, who along with Kevin De Bruyne equalled Thibaut Courtois' 25-game record for the most Belgium appearances at the World Cup and Euros combined.

The former Chelsea pair will hope to respond in their last-16 meeting on Monday against France in Dusseldorf, where Didier Deschamps' side must be wary of Jeremy Doku.

Manchester City winger Doku has registered 26 dribbles at the 2024 edition, the most by a player in the group stage since France's Franck Ribery at Euro 2012 (32).

Slovakia 1-1 Romania: Veterans on show as Wolves end 24-year wait

Romania progressed past the group stages of a major tournament for the first time since Euro 2000, doing so as unlikely Group E winners after a 1-1 draw with Slovakia in Frankfurt.

Ondrej Duda's early opener blew the group wide open and saw him become the first Slovakia player to score at two different major international tournaments, also netting against Wales at Euro 2016.

Juraj Kucka's teed up that Duda header, marking his first assist at a major tournament in 14 years and two days, since against Italy at the 2010 World Cup. It's the longest gap between assists at a World Cup/Euros on record for a European player.

Yet Razvan Marin was on hand to smash in a leveller from the penalty spot, scoring for a second time in his last three appearances across all competitions for Romania, as many as he managed in his previous 54.

Marin also became just the second Romanian to score multiple goals at a single edition of the European Championship (two), along with Bogdan Stancu, who found the net twice at Euro 2016.

It was a familiar route to goal for Romania, who have scored four of their last eight goals in this competition from the penalty spot. In fact, of all teams to net five or more goals in Euros history, Romania have netted the highest share from 12 yards (29 per cent – 4/14).

Slovakia will not be too disheartened by Marin's thumping spot-kick, though, as they have now reached the knockout rounds in three of their four attempts at international tournaments.

Experience was a key factor, too, as this was only the second match in European Championship history to see four players aged 35 or older start (Peter Pekarík, Kucka, Martin Dubravka for Slovakia, Florin Nita for Romania), after the Netherlands versus France in 2008.

Georgia 2-0 Portugal: Magic Mikautadze outshines drab Ronaldo

Georgia became the first European nation to qualify from the group stage in their first major tournament since Iceland at Euro 2016 after the magic of Georges Mikautadze.

Mikautadze slotted in a second-half penalty after teeing up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for Georgia's fastest goal and the earliest Portugal have ever conceded in the competition, timed at one minute and 32 seconds.

With his spot-kick, Mikautadze has scored in all three of Georgia's group matches, becoming only the ninth player to score in all three group matches at a European Championship.

The Georgian hero joined the likes of Michel Platini (1984), Ruud van Nistelrooy (2004) and Portugal's own Cristiano Ronaldo (2021), who has not hit his usual heights this time.

Ronaldo failed to score in the group stage of a major international tournament for the first time in his career. Prior to this tournament, Ronaldo had scored in all of the 10 group stages he had featured in since 2004.

It also marked Portugal's first competitive defeat since the World Cup quarter-final defeat to Morocco in December 2022 and coach Roberto Martinez's first such loss in charge of Portugal.

Portugal had triumphed in all 12 such matches under Martinez before that, and the Spaniard must stamp out some issues in his side.

Martinez's men have received three yellow cards already for simulation, with Rafael Leao (booked against Czechia and Turkiye) and Pedro Neto (against Georgia) the offenders.

Czechia 1-2 Turkiye: Ill-disciplined carnage in Hamburg

Cenk Tosun delivered a 94th-minute winner to seal Turkiye's progression to the knockout stages, but Vincenzo Montella's side have to improve their discipline.

Turkiye have been shown 16 yellow cards at this tournament so far, the most ever by a team in a single group stage in the tournament's 64-year history.

Some 11 of those came in this victory in Hamburg, where there were 18 cards shown in total (16 yellows, two reds), the most in a single game in the tournament's history.

Antonin Barak became the first Czechia player to be sent off at the Euros since Radoslav Latal against the Netherlands in 2000. His dismissal, timed at 19:28, was also the earliest sending-off in the tournament's history.

That left the football as somewhat of a sideshow to the chaos, with Tomas Soucek levelling after an opener from Hakan Calhanoglu, who has now made the joint-most European Championship appearances of any Turkish outfield player (eight), alongside Hakan Balta.

Soucek has also scored four goals across his last nine internationals for Czechia, and in scoring against Turkiye, he became just the fourth member of his nation's Euro 2024 squad to score a goal at a major tournament (alongside Patrik Schick, Lukas Provod and Tomas Holes).

Yet that will be no consolation for Czechia, who have won just one of their last seven Euros matches (D2 L4) and have failed to win a match in a single edition of the tournament for just the second time, after 2016.

And with that, the Euro 2024 group stages conclude on yet another dramatic day of action across Germany. 

Turkiye, Georgia, Romania, Belgium and Slovakia were the final teams to secure their place in the knockout stages of the tournament. 

Here, we unpack the best of Wednesday's social media clips from the football at the European Championship.

Germany eyeing Denmark task

Julian Nagelsmann's side now know their opponents for the knockout stages of Euro 2024 following the conclusion of Group C on Tuesday.

The hosts will travel to Dortmund this Saturday to play Denmark at the Westfalenstadion for a place in the quarter-finals. 

Having had two extra days of rest compared to their opponents, Germany will be hopeful of continuing their impressive start to the tournament. 

Varga returns to Hungary

Following a successful operation, Hungary striker Barnabas Varga has been discharged from hospital and returned home to continue his recovery. 

The 29-year-old was left with multiple broken facial bones and a concussion after colliding with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn last Sunday. 

Varga's club side, Ferencvaros, posted a picture to X of the striker waving to the camera upon his return back.

Skills on show from Zinchenko

Ahead of Ukraine's meeting with Belgium in Stuttgart, defender Oleksandr Zinchenko was seen showing off his skills. 

The Arsenak full-back was introduced as a second-half substitute against the Red Devils, but was unable to prevent his side from finishing bottom of Group E. 

Ukraine became the first side in European Championship history to fail to progress to the knockout stages of the competition after claiming four points. 

A night to remember for Kvaratskhelia

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia starred in a landmark triumph for Georgia over Portugal, and was able to grab a souvenir to remember the occasion. 

In a video posted to his Instagram, the Napoli forward managed to grab Cristiano Ronaldo's shirt at full-time.

With that memento to cherish, Kvaratskhelia will hope to power Georgia through Sunday's last-16 meeting with Spain, the only side still boasting a 100 per cent record in Germany.

Nagelsmann's future number one?

Germany confirmed top spot in Group A on Matchday 3, coming from a goal down to draw with Switzerland in Frankfurt. 

Manuel Neuer has kept one clean sheet from his three games, but could have found his future replacement in goal. 

The Bayern Munich goalkeeper was seen sharing a moment with a ball boy prior to kick-off, with the youngster approving of Neuer's throw to him with a thumbs up. 

De la Fuente thanks Spanish journalists

The relationship between footballers and journalists can often come into question but that is not the case for Spain manager Luis de la Fuente. 

La Roja's head coach met with the Spanish media to thank them for their coverage of Spain's perfect start to the tournament, even sharing food and drink with them. 

Kane ready for important part of Euro 2024

After failing to dazzle in their three group games, England captain Harry Kane insists his side are ready to shine in the knockout stages of Euro 2024. 

The Bayern Munich striker joined Josh Denzel on Wednesday's episode of the Lions' Den, discussing finishing top of Group C and controlling their destiny moving forward. 

"Got a game on Sat!"

The Azzurri face a stern test in the last-16 as they look to retain their European Championship crown. 

Luciano Spalletti's side face Switzerland in Berlin on Saturday, with Italy's social media account quick to remind them of getting back into training. 

Ferdinand backs Mainoo and Palmer to take England to glory

There were perhaps only two positives from England's draw with Slovakia; topping the group and the introductions of Kobbie Mainoo and Cole Palmer. 

The Three Lions young guns made their case for a starting spot against Slovakia in their last-16 fixture on Sunday.

And Rio Ferdinand believes Gareth Southgate must start the pair in Gelsenkirchen, and for the rest of the tournament to stand any chance of success. 
 

Georges Mikautadze stole the show with a goal and an assist to send Georgia into the Euro 2024 knockout stages with a 2-0 upset against Portugal, tarnishing a landmark appearance for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Portugal captain Ronaldo became the first European player to make 50 appearances across the World Cup and Euros on Wednesday, but this Group F meeting belonged to Georgia.

Mikautadze teed up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's second-minute opener in Gelsenkirchen before himself coolly converting a penalty after the break, sealing Georgia's first ever win at a major tournament.

Willy Sagnol's side will be rewarded with a last-16 meeting with Spain on Sunday, while Portugal must improve for Monday's clash with Slovenia in Frankfurt.

Roberto Martinez's men were stunned almost immediately when Mikautadze slipped Kvaratskhelia through to hammer into the bottom-right corner with a left-footed drive.

Timed at just one minute and 32 seconds, that was the quickest goal Portugal have ever conceded at the Euros, and Martinez's side were slow to respond.

Ronaldo tested Giorgi Mamardashvili's hands with a thunderous long-range free-kick, while Francisco Conceicao angled wide from a tight angle and Joao Felix fired an optimistic effort over.

Yet Georgia went close to doubling their lead as Kvaratskhelia's inviting free-kick narrowly evaded Giorgi Gvelesiani, before Joao Felix's fizzing effort was held by Mamardashvili at the other end.

Ronaldo was thwarted at point-blank range shortly after half-time as Lasha Dvali produced a heroic diving block to deflect over from a prone position inside Georgia's six-yard box.

Kvaratskhelia rushed a glorious chance near the penalty spot moments later and swiped at thin air, but Antonio Silva's clumsy hack on Luka Lochoshvili allowed Georgia to extend their advantage.

Referee Sandro Scharer pointed to the spot after the VAR recommended an on-field review, and Mikautadze had no problem slotting past Diogo Costa's reach into the bottom-right corner after 57 minutes.

A frustrated Ronaldo was substituted with over 20 minutes to play before Nelson Semedo and Conceicao went close in the dying stages of an unexpected defeat, as Portugal limped into the knockout rounds.

Magic Mikautadze makes Georgian history

Remarkably, Mikautadze now leads the Euro 2024 scoring charts after finding the net in each of his opening three games in Germany.

Mikautadze is the ninth player to score in all three group matches at a single Euros, joining the likes of Michel Platini (1984), Ruud van Nistelrooy (2004) and Portugal's own Ronaldo (2021).

The omens for the rest of the tournament are positive, too, considering Georgia are just the second European side, after Greece in 2004, to claim their first win at the World Cup or Euros against Portugal.

Greece were 2-1 victors in the opening match 20 years ago against hosts Portugal before taking home the title by defeating the Selecao again in the final.

Concerns for Martinez

Much has been made of Portugal's star-studded attack, with Martinez boasting the likes of the record-breaking Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and dazzling Milan winger Rafael Leao.

Yet there are defensive issues that need arresting before the knockout stage begins.

Portugal have conceded the opening goal in two of their three group-stage matches at the Euros for just the second time, with Euro 2012 the other instance.

This defeat also marked Portugal's joint-heaviest Euros loss, alongside their 4-2 reverse against Germany at Euro 2020 and a 2-0 surprise upset against Switzerland in 2008.

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first European player in history to make 50 appearances at major tournaments.

The Portugal captain hit the impressive landmark in their Group F encounter against Georgia at Euro 2024 on Wednesday.

Ronaldo made his major tournament debut at Euro 2004, helping hosts Portugal on their run to the final before the shock defeat to Greece, and has been an ever-present in Euros and World Cup action since.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner eventually got his hands on an elusive Euros trophy in 2016, winning his first major tournament honour with the national side.

Ronaldo is no stranger to making history and has already broken records at this tournament – playing in his sixth European Championship aged 39.

Despite not scoring at Euro 2024 heading into the final group matchday, Ronaldo's assist for Bruno Fernandes in Portugal's 3-0 victory over Turkiye was his seventh in the competition, the most by any player.

Ronaldo is already the record appearance-maker at the Euros, with his start against Georgia his 28th game in the competition.

Only two outings have been from the bench, with both coming at the start of Euro 2004 – he scored his debut goal in the competition as a substitute in a 2-1 defeat to Greece in Portugal's opener.

That was the first of his record 14 goals – scored from 146 shots – in the European Championships, five more than France great Michel Platini, whose nine goals all came at Euro 1984.

The delayed 2020 edition was an individual best as Ronaldo scored five goals to win the Golden Boot award for the first time, sharing it with Czechia's Patrik Schick.

Though Portugal's all-time leading goalscorer has always proved a threat to any goalkeeper, he has also created 46 chances (including assists), managing five of those in the opening two matches of this edition.

Though a European Championship trophy added to Ronaldo's impressive career haul, the veteran forward has still not managed to get his hands on the World Cup.

The closest the 39-year-old came to lifting the illustrious Jules Rimet trophy remains when he made the first of his 22 appearances in Germany in 2006, helping Portugal to fourth place.

Like at the Euros, only two of his appearances at the World Cup have been off the bench, but those came in the most recent edition as Portugal were knocked out of Qatar 2022 by Morocco in the quarter-finals.

Over the course of five World Cups, the former Real Madrid star has scored eight goals from 102 shots, but only in one edition has he found the back of the net more than once (2018 – four).

Yet FIFA's top prize will not be on his mind now as Ronaldo and Roberto Martinez's men eye European glory.

Roberto Martinez confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo will start against Georgia in their final Euro 2024 group game to make a landmark appearance.

The Portugal captain is set to become the first European player to make appear in 50 games at major tournaments in his next match, and a start against Georgia will take him to 28 caps at the Euros.

The Selecao have already confirmed their place in the last 16 as Group F winners with a 3-0 victory over Turkiye last time out, after beating Czechia 2-1 in their opener.

So, Martinez was expected to make changes to his starting line-up with one eye on the knockout stage, but the Spaniard was happy to confirm Ronaldo would not be one of them.

"I can say that the captain will be in the starting team. It's important," said Martinez. "He only played one preparation match.

"His season was very consistent, and he has played every game, has had a lot of minutes at his club. To continue with the competitive rhythm, it's not good to stop now and then reactivate in six days.

"We prepared the game to win. I believe the integrity of the tournament is essential.

"It is an important match because the result will show who will and will not be qualified. Georgia had a very interesting European Championship, could have beaten the Czech Republic in the last play of the match.

"They were very competitive against Turkey. We need to maintain the same focus and win."

Portugal were the victim of multiple pitch invaders against Turkiye as fans tried to get close to Ronaldo.

While the 39-year-old took the time to take a photo with one young fan but appeared frustrated as the trend continued.

Martinez added: "He's a very experienced player, he's been with the team for over 20 years.

"He knows the kind of support fans provide, but not just Portugal fans, football fans. I hope there won't be any pitch invasions - this is dangerous and it's not good for football, it's not a part of the game that we want to see."

Georgia know that knockout football is still within their reach as they prepare for their toughest test so far at Euro 2024 against Portugal.

Roberto Martinez's side secured top spot in Group F with a game to spare after following up a 2-1 win against Czechia with a commanding 3-0 victory over Turkiye.

Meanwhile, Georgia missed the chance to claim a maiden victory at a major tournament as they drew 1-1 with Czechia, but they did set themselves up with a chance of getting out of the group.

Here, we use Opta data to preview Wednesday's clash.

What's expected?

After their strong start to Euro 2024, Portugal are the favourites to make it three wins from three games, with the Opta supercomputer giving them a 75.8% chance of getting the job done.

While Georgia's spirited performances have earned them the plaudits, they are predicted just a 10.4% likelihood of an upset, and a 13.9% chance of taking a point.

This will be just the second-ever meeting between the nations, with Portugal coming out on top with a 2-0 friendly win in May 2008.

The Selecao look set to repeat that result, after putting a recent European Championships hoodoo behind them. Having won both of their group-stage games so far, Portugal have now won more than they had across the 2016 and 2020 editions combined (W1 D4 L1).

However, only once before have Portugal won all three of their group games in the competition (2000).

As for Georgia, they are chasing what would be a historic first major tournament win, having drawn and lost their opening two matches. Only Greece have got their first such victory against Portugal, beating them en route to lifting the trophy at Euro 2004.

Georgia have proven tough to beat in the last year - since losing three in a row between June and September 2023, they have only lost two of their last nine games (W4 D3).

Georgia aiming for a big finish

Making their major tournament bow at Euro 2024, Georgia have caught the eye with their high-intensity approach to games, pushing both Turkiye and Czechia all the way in their first two fixtures.

Georges Mikautadze etched his name into Georgia's history books after scoring their first goal at the Euros, before becoming the sixth player to net both of his nation's first two goals at the tournament, and the first since Andriy Shevchenko in 2012 for Ukraine.

After a free-flowing attacking performance in their 3-1 defeat to Turkiye, which saw Georgia have 14 shots and hit the woodwork twice, they failed to recapture that same spark against Czechia.

They did earn their first point, though, agonisingly missing out on that first victory as Saba Lobjanidze squandered a golden chance with the last kick of the game.

Across the first two matchdays of Euro 2024, Georgia faced more shots (49), more shots on target (20) and had a higher expected goals against (xGA) figure (6.1) than any other side.

Then again, Giorgi Mamardashvili made more saves (16) – 11 of which came against Czechia – and had a higher expected goals on target (xGoT) prevented figure (+3.05) than any other goalkeeper in the first two matchdays, conceding just four goals (excluding own goals) despite facing an xGoT of 7.05.

It will be a much sterner test for the Valencia goalkeeper against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, but if he can maintain that level, he will give Georgia a chance.

Ronaldo set to make more Euros history

Playing at a record sixth Euros at 39 years old, Ronaldo had seen his place in the squad debated in the build-up to the tournament.

He has started both matches in the competition so far though, and should he retain his place against Georgia, he will become the first European player in history to make 50 major tournament appearances (28 of those will have come at the Euros, while he has played 22 times at the World Cup).

Questions continued to circulate after a frustrating outing for Ronaldo in their 2-1 victory against Czechia on MD1, as he failed to score from five shots worth 0.73 xG, including missing one big chance, as defined by Opta.

However, he silenced some of those with another slice of history in their dominant win over Turkiye on Saturday, teeing up Fernandes to get his seventh assist at the European Championships - the most on record of any player in the competition's history.

Despite being the tournament's all-time top scorer, Ronaldo is yet to hit the net so far, though the Selecao are the second-highest scorers at Euro 2024 with five goals. 

Portugal have benefitted from an own goal in both of their games – only Spain in the 2020 edition have benefitted more at a single Euros (three), while no team has ever done so in three consecutive games at the finals before.

Martinez will not be too worried about that though, after two commanding performances, as they look to stay perfect heading into the last 16.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Georgia – Georges Mikautadze

Mikautadze, as things stand, is the joint-top scorer at Euro 2024, with two goals.

With the chance to continue their run into the last 16, another goal from him could be the key to setting Georgia on their way.

If he does score on Wednesday, he would be just the third player in history to net each of his side's first three goals in the competition, after Gerd Muller (Germany) and Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria). Not bad company to be keeping.

Portugal – Bruno Fernandes

The pre-match headlines are likely to be firmly focused on Ronaldo.

But on the pitch, it could be Fernandes who sets the tone for Portugal, having been directly involved in 28 goals in his last 23 appearances for the national side in all competitions, scoring 15 and assisting 13.

His strike against Turkiye was his first goal at the European Championships (in his sixth appearance), the second major tournament match he has scored in for Portugal, after his brace against Uruguay at the 2022 World Cup.