By: Adalyn Xiao

England was the top in their group after a goalless draw with Slovenia on June 25, but their performance still got booed by fans. This happened because fans showed great displeasure when the game, which took place in Cologne, ended with only a 0-0 draw.

The Three Lions (as the England men’s football team is called) were already through to the knockout stage of the tournament before the game. Some other teams they played during the group stage were Serbia and Denmark. The game with Serbia was won with a score of 1-0, and the game with Denmark was tied at 1-1.

England’s manager, Gareth Southgate, says he understands why the fans are unhappy with the goalless tie. Still, he said he is very proud of the players for how they were dealing with the fans’ use of criticizing language. Some fans might be unhappy with their performance in a draw, but there is some good news for the team entering the knockout stage.

The results mean that they will avoid many strong teams during the knockout. Spain, Germany, Portugal, and France are all in a different group, so England won’t have to play them until the finals. However, England still has to win three knockout games before qualifying for the finals.

England played Slovakia in the round of 16, with England winning 2-1, where the Three Lions struggled to win in extra time. Next, England will be playing their quarterfinal match on Saturday, July 6 at 9 am against Switzerland. Fans expect much from the England team, and they hope that they can win the Euro Cup.