Poppy Playtime Chapter 4

Euro 2024 is into the knockout stages! Our daily files give you the latest reporting from around the tournament as well as betting lines, what to watch for and best reads.

Check in with ESPN throughout the tournament as we bring you the latest from Germany all the way up to the final on July 14.

DONAUESCHINGEN, Germany -- Spain have found shelter from the noise ahead of their Euro 2024 quarterfinal against hosts Germany in the middle of the Black Forest in the south of the country. As the only team to win all four games at the tournament so far, they have emerged among the favourites to lift the trophy in Berlin on July 14, but the squad is not allowing itself to be distracted by the furore.

Instead, they are doing what has helped them reach this stage: cycling down to training, working hard and then relaxing by playing chess, darts, golf, video games ... and even the piano.

"The atmosphere we have down here, the quiet, it could not be better for preparing for the game," forward Mikel Oyarzabal said this week.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri says it's one of the best bases he has experienced in a tournament. The 28-year-old has taken advantage of the golf course that borders the team's luxury hotel called "Der Oschberghof," which is five kilometres outside the town of Donaueschingen and 90 minutes south of Stuttgart, where Friday's game will be played. Rodri has also picked up darts -- as has Ferran Torres, who says he adopted it from former teammate Phil Foden when at City -- and has been playing with Athletic Club defender Dani Vivián.

Joselu joked Rodri can do what he wants as long as he is fresh when match days roll around. "He is the best in his position in the world," the ex-Real Madrid striker said. "We have to take care of him. If he doesn't want to train for four days, so be it, as long as he is fresh when the games come around."

Others are finding different ways to pass the time on the banks of the Danube, Europe's second-longest river. Lamine Yamal, who learned he passed his high school exams while in Germany, is one of the players who enjoys EA Sports FC 24, along with Nico Williams; while Unai Simón and Martín Zubimendi lead the chess contingent -- Zubimendi was once a regional junior chess champion.

Defender Robin Le Normand, meanwhile, has shown off a talent for playing the piano -- while Pedri has also tickled the ivories. 

In the meantime, back in Spain there is growing optimism that this team can go all the way in Germany, even though they have never beating the hosts at a major tournament in nine previous attempts.

"Now they say we're favourites, but three or four weeks ago, nobody was saying it," Oyarzabal added. "We know we are capable of competing against anyone. We're relaxed here, working hard and trying to prepare as well as possible for Friday." -- Sam Marsden

BLANKENHAIN, Germany -- England's search for improvement in their performance level at Euro 2024 has led manager Gareth Southgate to experiment with shifting to a back three in training ahead of Saturday's quarterfinal against Switzerland.

The Three Lions have adopted a 4-2-3-1 system in their four matches to date, a shape they have largely played for several years aside from the odd tweak to a 4-3-3 when Southgate felt necessary. However, England's disjointed displays -- they had to wait until Jude Bellingham's stunning 95th-minute overhead kick for their first shot on target against Slovakia in the Round of 16 -- have led Southgate to consider shaking things up.

Centre-back Marc Guéhi has been England's most consistent player at these finals but his suspension will force a change in defence and Ezri Konsa is the most likely replacement. There remain doubts whether left-back Luke Shaw can start the game in Dusseldorf given he has not played for Manchester United or England since February due to a hamstring problem. But a three-man defence may give Southgate the feeling he has more options at wing-back given Bukayo Saka played there years ago for Arsenal (and England) while Eberechi Eze also filled in there for a spell against Slovakia during the frantic extra-time period.

England could play 3-4-2-1 or 3-5-2, raising the possibility of two strikers -- one of them being Harry Kane -- playing together. Ivan Toney was asked on Wednesday whether England had trained with two up front and replied: "We more concentrate on the opposition we're coming up against so we more do movements and repetitions on them. You'll have to ask the gaffer."

It is unclear whether Southgate will use a back three against Switzerland but any temptation will be supported by the success England previously had in that shape, exceeding expectations by reaching the 2018 World Cup semifinals. It has become more sporadically employed as time has gone on under Southgate but England started with a back three in the Euro 2020 final against Italy and one wing-back (Kieran Trippier) crossed for another (Shaw) to open the scoring after just two minutes in a match they would eventually lose on penalties. -- James Olley

Romania left their mark on Euro 2024 by finishing top of their group in their first appearance at a major tournament since Euro 2016, and Edward Iordanescu's team made sure that they didn't leave anything behind after being eliminated by Netherlands in the round of 16.

A 3-0 win for the Dutch in Munich brought the curtain down on Romania's tournament, but Iordanescu's squad took a leaf out of Japan's approach to dressing-room etiquette by leaving the locker room at the Allianz Arena spotless before heading to the airport.

And they also wrote a letter of thanks for the experience in Germany during Euro 2024.

"EURO 2024 was for each of us one of the most important football experiences lived so far and we are glad that the stage on which it took place was the German one," it read. "Every match, every emotion, every experience brought us together and made us feel the magic of football. We are leaving Germany with the thought that we gave everything for Romania and we are grateful for everything we experienced during the weeks spent here. Thank you for making us feel at home! The National Football Team of Romania!" -- Mark Ogden

Depending on your age and music taste, you might not have heard the song "Major Tom" before. But if you've watched Germany during Euro 2024, you certainly have.

It was a massive hit in 1983 and was written by Peter Schilling, now aged 68. It was inspired by Stanley Kubrick's 1969 movie "2001, A Space Odyssey," and by the David Bowie song "Space Oddity" which was also released in 1969.

The new lease of life for "Major Tom" started when Adidas used it to unveil its new Nationalmannschaft shirt back in March. And now at Euro 2024, from players to supporters, everyone is going mad for it.

Germany left-back Maximilian Mittelstädt said: "My parents told me that they danced on this song when it came out at the time," while teammate Thomas Müller admitted to the media the other day that he loves singing it.

Forty years later and "Major Tom" is very much back in the spotlight. It just remains to be seen how long Germany fans will be able to sing it. -- Julien Laurens

Portugal face France in Hamburg on Friday for a place in the semifinals, but some of their players seemed to let it slip that they'd rather be playing Belgium.

The Portugal squad was walking on the pitch at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt ahead of its round-of-16 tie with Slovenia while the early game -- France against Belgium -- was being shown on the giant screens above.

Some of the players -- including João Félix, Vitinha and Diogo Jota -- gathered in the centre-circle to watch the final minutes and caught Jan Vertonghen's own goal which sent France through. Vitinha looked particularly frustrated at the way the goal was scored, with a deflection off Vertonghen taking the ball into the net.

Portugal have good memories of facing France at the Euros, having beaten them in the 2016 final, but it was clear from the players' reactions that they think Didier Deschamps' team will prove a tougher test in the quarterfinals. -- Rob Dawson

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo has had 20 shots so far at Euro 2024 without scoring a single goal. (His penalty in the shootout vs. Slovenia doesn't count.) The tournament record was set by another Portugal international, as midfielder Deco had 24 in 2004. -- ESPN