England will desperately want to avoid Hungary should they make the knock-out stages of Euro 2024.
The Three Lions have failed to beat the side ranked 26th in the world in their last three outings, losing 4-0 in the Nations League last time they met in 2022.
This is a possible scenario if England fail to top their group and Hungary finish top of group A ahead of Germany.
England have only beaten the side, ranked 46th in the world, in one of their last eight matches.
Should Harry Kane’s team top their group, or come third, they could potentially face Romania in the last 16.
Obviously England will also be hoping to avoid France, with Kylian Mbappe’s men heavily tipped to win the tournament hosted in Germany.
Two-time champions Les Bleus defeated Southgate’s men last time out in the World Cup quarter finals in Qatar.
If England do top the group, it is likely they could meet their rivals in the semi-final.
France, ranked second in the world behind Argentina, are second favourites to lift the Henry Daulaney cup at 4/1.
The French have made the knockout stages in all but two tournaments where they have qualified, crashing out in the group stages 2008 and 1992.
Another team that England will be wanting to avoid is Spain. Of teams that regularly get to the tournament, only Spain are as successful as France in reaching the knock-out stages.
Should Harry Kane ‘s team top their group, or come third, they could potentially face Romania in the last 16
This is a possible outcome if England fail to top the group and make it through the last-16 to the quarters.
Southgate’s men will be confident of securing top spot though, with Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia joining them in Group C.
England kick off their campaign against Serbia, ranked 33rd in the world, at the Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, in what will be the first time the two sides have officially met.
This will be followed by a rematch of the 2020 semi final, which saw Kane secure the winner in a 2-1 victory over the 1992 champions Denmark.
The Three Lions will fancy their chances against the side ranked 21st in the world, with the Danes only winning four of the last 22 head-to-heads.
The final group game for England is against Slovenia in Cologne. Having beaten Matjaž Kek’s men 1-0 last time out in 2017, Southgate will be hoping his side can repeat the result against the side ranked 57th in the world.
Assuming that Group A and Group B finishes in order of the world rankings, England would play Austria, Romania or Turkey in the last-16. Switzerland or Italy could then await in the quarter-finals.
Victory in the last eight would see the Three Lions progress to the semi-finals, with France or Belgium, on paper at least, the most likely opponents.
Predicting England’s potential final opponents is tricky, but Germany, Spain or Portugal could indeed face England for a shot at European Championship glory on July 14.
If England don’t top the group, they could insead face arch-rivals Germany in the last-16, then Italy or Spain in the quarters.
That’s assuming Germany top their group ahead of Switzerland, Hungary and Scotland.
Should the Three Lions get one over the hosts, or indeed one of the other potential Group A winners, they would play the winner of Group B; Spain, Italy or Croatia, or one of the third-placed sides from Groups A, D, E or F.
Portugal or the Netherlands would then be England’s most most likely opponents in the semi-finals.
