BERLIN: England and Spain will start preparing for the Euro 2024 final in Berlin on Sunday, while the defeated semi-finalists Holland and France are heading straight home.

Unlike at World Cups, there is no match for third place at the European Championship – and this year’s tournament in Germany is no exception.

European football ruling body UEFA explained that the match for third place was abolished as part of a change in the tournament’s format from 1980 to 1984.“The match was not considered attractive and hasn’t been part of the Euros since then,” UEFA said yesterday.

There are also no plans to reintroduce such game.

In 1980, Czechoslovakia beat hosts Italy in a penalty shootout in the last match for third place at a European Championship to date, with Germany taking the title.

In recent World Cup editions, Croatia finished third in Qatar in 2022, while Belgium took bronze in Russia in 2018. — dpa