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The group stage of Euro 2020 came to a close with a dramatic final round of games in Groups E and F.
The third round of group games in Group F kicked off with all four teams in contention to reach the Round of 16. Portugal opened the scoring against France and led the group, only for a Karim Benzema double to put Les Bleus on top. However, Cristiano Ronaldo's brace forced a share of the spoils for the defending champions.
In the other group game, Germany were minutes away from a shock exit as they twice trailed Hungary in Munich before Leon Goretzka saved his team's blushes. The sequence of results meant France won the group, while Die Mannschaft finished ahead of Portugal owing to a better head-to-head result. Portugal scraped through to the Round of 16 as one of the four best third-placed teams.
Elsewhere, there was not as much drama, with Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands rounding off their group-stage campaigns without dropping a point. Sweden usurped Spain to top place in Group E; Denmark qualified for the Round of 16 after losing their first two games, while Croatia left it late to join England in the knockout rounds.
On that note, let's have a look at the ten most interesting stats from the Euro 2020 group stage:
#10 Italy equal their longest winning run in all competitions in 82 years
After failing to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Italy have been on a roll under Roberto Mancini.
Following a perfect qualifying campaign to qualify for Euro 2020, the Azzurri reeled off successive wins over Turkey, Switzerland and Wales, all without conceding a goal. In the process, Mancini's men equalled their longest unbeaten streak of 30 games in all competitions recorded between 1935 and 1939.
One of two teams yet to concede a goal at Euro 2020, Italy have moved from being dark horses to being one of the legitimate contenders for the title. The Azzurri will take on Austria on Saturday for a place in the quarter-finals.
#9 Netherlands produce a perfect group-stage campaign at the Euros for the third time, most by any team
Like Italy, the Netherlands were conspicuous by their absence at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. But Ronald Koeman's men qualified for their tenth European Championship by finishing behind group winners Germany.
Despite the Barcelona-bound Koeman making way for Frank de Boer before the tournament, the Oranje made their presence felt at Euro 2020. The 1988 winners beat Ukraine, Austria and North Macedonia in a perfect group-stage campaign.
It meant the Oranje won all their group games at the Euros for the third time (also 2000 and 2008), the most by any team in competition history.
De Boer's men will take on the Czech Republic in Round of 16.
#8 England become the lowest-scoring team to top their group at the European Championship
After a strong qualifying campaign, England were touted as one of the favorites to win Euro 2020.
Despite the array of talent at their disposal, the Three Lions labored to solitary-goal wins over Croatia and Czech Republic either side of a goalless draw with Scotland.
It marked only the third time England have topped their group at the Euros. With only two goals scored in three games, Gareth Southgate's men are the lowest-scoring team to win a group in European Championship history.
England are one of two teams who are yet to concede a goal at Euro 2020. But the Three Lions will have to produce better performances at both ends in the Round of 16 against Germany. England have never beaten Germany in the knockout round of a major tournament since the 1966 FIFA World Cup final, so Southgate's men will have to up the ante to live up to their favorites tag.
#7 Euro 2020 has produced as many own goals as the previous five editions combined
Slovakia's goalkeeper Martin Duvravka put one through his own net against Spain to become the seventh player to concede an own goal at Euro 2020.
In the process, the Newcastle United custodian joined Merih Demiral, Wojciech Szczesny, Ruben Dias, Raphael Guerreiro, Mats Hummels and Lukas Hradecky to score an own goal at the tournament.
The total of seven own goals at Euro 2020 now equals the combined tally of own goals recorded at the five previous European Championships - one in 2000, two in 2004, none in 2008, one in 2012 and three in 2016.
With the knockout stage set to commence, the tally of own goals at Euro 2020 could swell further.
#6 Spain beat Slovakia 5-0 at Euro 2020 to record the joint-largest margin of victory in a European Championship game
Three-time former winners Spain kickstarted their Euro 2020 campaign with an underwhelming goalless draw against group winners Sweden in Seville.
La Roja were wasteful in their 1-1 draw with Poland before Luis Enrique's men arrived at the party with a convincing win over Slovakia.
Despite Alvaro Morata failing to score from the spot, Spain laid seize to the Slovakia goal, scoring five unanswered goals past their visitors to finish their group-stage campaign behind Sweden.
In the process, La Roja equalled the joint-largest margin of victory in European Championship history, marking it the fifth five-goal win by a team in the competition.
Spain, who are without any Real Madrid players at a major tournament for the very first time, will lock horns with 2018 FIFA World Cup finalists Croatia on Monday.
#5 Portugal-France is the first game in European Championship history to see three penalties scored outside a penalty shootout
In a blockbuster heavyweight clash, reigning champions Portugal avoided an embarrassing group-stage exit at Euro 2020 by holding world champions France in a four-goal thriller in Budapest.
After Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring for Portugal from the spot, Karim Benzema responded with a spot-kick of his own to restore parity and scored another to put Les Bleus in the ascendancy. But Ronaldo saved his team's blushes by scoring his second penalty of the night.
It marked the first instance of three penalties scored in a European Championship game, not considering penalty shootouts.
For a place in the quarter-finals at Euro 2020, Portugal will now face Belgium in another blockbuster clash, while France will lock horns with Switzerland.
#4 Most goals (18) scored in a day in European Championship history
In an exciting final day of group-stage games at Euro 2020, a staggering 18 goals were scored in four games.
Sweden survived a Robert Lewandowski double and a spirited comeback from Poland to prevail in a five-goal thriller to top Group E. In the other group game, Spain notched up their first win at the tournament by thumping Slovakia 5-0.
Later in the day, the Group of Death produced a pair of 2-2 draws. Germany twice came from behind to force a share of the spoils against Hungary to prolong their Euro 2020 campaign, while France and Portugal also played out a four-goal thriller.
That marked the most goals (18) scored in a day in European Championship history.
It remains to be seen if the goal flurry will continue in the knockout round at Euro 2020.
#3 Martin Dubravka becomes the first goalkeeper to save a penalty and score an own goal in a European Championship game
After denying Alvaro Morata from the spot in his team's final Euro 2020 group-stage game, Martin Duvravka put one through his own net to give Spain the lead.
In the process, the Slovakian custodian became the first goalkeeper in European Championship history to save a penalty and score an own goal in the same game.
Incidentally, Duvravka is not the only goalkeeper to score an own goal at Euro 2020. Poland's Wojciech Szczesny (against Slovakia) and Finland's Lukas Hradecky (against Belgium) are the other custodians to put one past their own net.
#2 Denmark become the first team to qualify for the European Championship's knockouts after losing their first two games
On a day when the result became secondary, Denmark lost by a solitary goal to Finland in their Euro 2020 opener after Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field.
Although Eriksen was later successfully revived in a Copenhagen hospital, Denmark succumbed to their second defeat at Euro 2020 when they fell 1-2 to Belgium despite opening the scoring on the night.
Without a point going into their final group game, Denmark needed to beat Russia convincingly and hope that already qualified Belgium would do them a favor by beating Finland. That is exactly what transpired on an exciting final day of group-stage games in Group B at Euro 2020.
Denmark burst into a two-goal lead against Russia, who pulled a goal back midway through the second half. However, the 1992 winners scored two more to leapfrog from fourth to second in their group, with Belgium beating Finland 2-0 in the other game.
That marked the first instance of a team advancing to the knockout rounds in European Championship history after losing their opening two games.
Denmark will now take on Wales for a place in the quarter-finals.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo scripts history at Euro 2020, goes level with Ali Daei for most international goals
Cristiano Ronaldo has been a man on a mission at Euro 2020. He scored a brace in Portugal's 3-0 win against Hungary in their tournament opener to go past Michel Platini (9) and become the most prolific scorer in European Championship history.
The 36-year-old also found the back of the net in his team's next two games. Despite Ronaldo's opener, Portugal fell to a chastening 2-4 defeat against a resurgent Germany.
On the cusp of a humiliating group-stage elimination, Ronaldo opened and closed the scoring in Portugal's 2-2 draw against France that confirmed the reigning champions' passage to the Round of 16.
With the brace, Ronaldo equalled Iranian legend Ali Daie (109)'s record of most goals in international football.
Ronaldo, who has scored a tournament-leading five goals at Euro 2020, will now look to claim the record outright when Portugal take on Belgium in the Round of 16.
