Teamwork Essential For Slovakia's Success Against England, Asserts Skriniar

Slovakia captain Milan Skriniar emphasised teamwork as crucial for their success against England in the upcoming last-16 match on Sunday. England topped Group C with five points despite lacklustre performances against Denmark and Slovenia. Slovakia advanced as one of the best third-placed teams after a draw with Romania, setting up their second major tournament clash with England in Gelsenkirchen.

Following the full-time whistle in Cologne, Southgate and his players faced boos from travelling England fans. This has increased pressure on the Three Lions' head coach and players, which Skriniar believes has already impacted them in Germany. "Even in the first match (a 1-0 win for England over Serbia), they went in with the fact that they are England, and they have to manage things in terms of results," he said.

Skriniar acknowledges that Gareth Southgate's team boasts more individual talent but believes Slovakia can cause an upset through collective effort. "In my opinion, they rely on individual quality and they know that they have players who can decide matches for them," Skriniar stated. "That's why I think we can handle them through teamwork."

The Paris Saint-Germain defender insists his team will not merely defend but will also aim to challenge England offensively. "The defensive phase will definitely be important; we have to start defending from the attackers," Skriniar said. "But the key is to play football. We have to show them that we can play."

Skriniar also noted that media and fan criticism has added pressure on England, which could work to Slovakia's advantage. "The media and fans (have been critical) after their matches, so they will be under much more pressure than us," he explained.

Romania, Belgium, and Slovakia have all progressed to the round of 16 #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/8cOMy5Fhce

Romania, Belgium and Slovakia through to the round of 16 #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/8cOMy5Fhce

— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 26, 2024

Skriniar is confident that Slovakia can demonstrate their capabilities against a team like England. "We have to show them that we can play," he reiterated. "Let them know that they are up against a team that knows what it wants."

This upcoming match promises to be a test of both skill and strategy as Slovakia aims to leverage teamwork against England's individual talents.