Spain were the only team in the group stage to emerge with the maximum nine points from their three games and have had the far tougher knockout route to reach the final. They knocked out Germany - the best other team from the groups - in the quarter-finals, before 2022 World Cup finalists France fell in the semis. Spain also made light work of surprise package Georgia after initially falling behind. England have had a more favourable knockout route, faced with Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands, but required extra-time, penalties and a last-minute winner respectively to get through those tests.