Cologne, 26 June 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Slovenia may not have won a game at a European Championship yet, but three draws sent them through to the knock-out stages of a major men's tournament for the first time.

Their Euro 2024 last-16 qualification as one of the four best third-placed teams was sealed via a 0-0 draw with Group C winners England.

Slovenia's players stayed on the pitch and celebrated wildly with their fans, who no doubt saw the irony of fellow former Yugoslav states Serbia and Croatia - much bigger nations - crashing out on the same night.

Slovenia coach Matjaž Kek told a news conference: "I didn't quite expect us to be going through. We showed with our play that we deserve to go through. We were playing one of the favourites for the tournament today. Thank you to all the fans and maybe there was a bit of luck involved but our fans had our back."

Slovenia qualified for the World Cups in 2002 and 2010 as an independent nation but went out in the group and also could not get out of the group stage at Euro 2000, where they failed to win.

But the switch to 24 teams means third place and three points can be enough to get through and unbeaten Slovenia have taken full advantage. They were only a fair play ranking away from second in the group as they finished with an identical record to Denmark.

"Throughout the whole day, I have felt positive and we showed mental fortitude tonight," Kek added. "I am very proud of this team."

Underlining their hard work, Slovenia midfielder Adam Gnezda Čerin
was named Man of the Match.

The England draw was only the second time in Slovenia's last 23 matches where they have failed to score. It looks like they might end up facing 2016 winners Portugal in the last 16 in Frankfurt on Monday.

Photo: EPA