England take on Italy in the Euro 2020 final under the Wembley arch on Sunday night after both brushed aside their respective opponents in Denmark and Spain.
But with the Danes and the Spaniards out of the competition, many are left wondering if the two sides will meet in a third-place play-off, just as England did in their defeat to Belgium in the 2018 World Cup.
To put simply, the European Championships is the only major international tournament that does not have a third-place play-off.
However, the World Cup, Copa America and the African Cup of Nations all make teams play for third place, usually held the day before the final.
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Rather than viewing them as a serious fixture, teams often use third-place play-offs as an opportunity to give fringe players a chance to gain some minutes.
So, why hasn't this year's European Championships and is there any particular reason for it?
Why is there no third-place game at Euro 2020?
This year's European Championship will not have a third-place final.
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Whichever teams lose in the semi-final will be treated the same as those knocked out in any other rounds and head straight back home.
The European Championship started in 1960 and had a third-place play-off right up until 1980.
The last third-place play-off saw Czechoslovakia beat Italy 9-8 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Rome.
That year, the contest was heavily criticised for having poor attendance and low television views. This was the ultimate reason why they were scrapped.
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We can't say we blame UEFA for making this decision. Previous third-place play-offs have certainly felt like an afterthought with teams frequently rotating players in favour of those who hadn't seen much action during the tournament.
Featured Image Credit:Topics:ย Euro 2020
