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MUNICH, Germany — France goes into Tuesday’s Euro 2024 semifinal showdown against Spain hoping Kylian Mbappe can finally produce a performance worthy of his superstar status at a tournament in which he has struggled to find form and fitness.

The match in Munich is a mouthwatering prospect and a huge occasion in particular for Mbappe, in his first major tournament captaining his country and just before he starts a new chapter in his career at Real Madrid.

At 25, and having just completed his dream move to the Champions League winners, Mbappe should be in the prime of his footballing life.

But the man who won the World Cup as a teenager and scored an incredible hat-trick in the 2022 final in Qatar, has not been able to play anywhere near his best at the European Championship.

Mbappe joined up with the France squad after a difficult final campaign at Paris Saint-Germain which was marred by a slightly messy divorce from the club as his playing time was reduced.

Already floundering to some extent physically, lacking his usual explosive edge, a broken nose in Les Bleus’ opening game at the tournament against Austria has further diminished him.

He has scored just once, from a penalty, at the Euros and it may be no exaggeration to say his performance in Friday’s quarter-final against Portugal in Hamburg was the worst of his career in such a big game.

Mbappe ended up being substituted halfway through extra time — he later admitted he was simply exhausted — and so watched from the sidelines as his teammates won on penalties.

“He might not have been here at all, so we need to look at it in a positive light,” coach Didier Deschamps told broadcaster TF1 on Sunday.

“Kylian is here, even if he is not at 100 per cent, and I know that has an impact on the opposition who are forced to adapt to him.”

Whether Spain is too worried remains to be seen, with Mbappe clearly inhibited by the protective mask he has to wear over his injured nose.

There is little prospect of him challenging for a header, and he has indicated that his field of vision is reduced by the mask.

His poor form, along with that of vice-captain Antoine Griezmann, helps explain why France has scored just three goals in five games on their run to the semifinal — one being Mbappe’s penalty against Poland and the other two coming via own goals.

‘When he talks, 

we listen’ 

However, Mbappe’s teammates insist they are not worried about their captain’s performances.

“I don’t think he is going through a bad period. He had a great season. If he is not scoring goals we need to help him. The competition is not over. Apart from his little nose, he is fine,” said Randal Kolo Muani, who played with Mbappe at PSG in the last campaign, on Sunday.

Mbappe is France’s third-top scorer of all time with 48 goals in 83 appearances, but he has just two in his last nine caps.

In the meantime, he has settled into the role of captain which he was given after Hugo Lloris retired in the wake of the 2022 World Cup.

On Friday, after being substituted, television cameras caught Mbappe giving a rousing speech to his teammates just before the penalty shoot-out against Portugal.

“Kylian is the player who went through one-on-one three times in a World Cup final,” said midfielder Youssouf Fofana in reference to his hat-trick against Argentina in Doha.

“So when he talks about penalties before a shoot-out, we listen to him.”

Mbappe is also very much at ease in front of the media, and has notably used the platform given to him in pre-game press conferences to talk politics, making clear his opposition to the far-right National Rally in relation to the French parliamentary elections

He is a natural leader, but it is goals that this shot-shy France team want more than anything from him.

Mbappe will not come directly up against one of his future club colleagues against Spain, with right-back Dani Carvajal suspended after his sending-off against Germany in the quarter-finals.

Whoever replaces Carvajal, Mbappe will hope to come out on top and lead France to a third final in the last four major tournaments.

HAMBURG — Three goals scored in five games, one a penalty and two own goals, and yet Kylian Mbappe’s France is into the semifinals of yet another major tournament as Spain await at Euro 2024.

It is remarkable that any team could get to the last four of such a competition despite struggling so much in front of goal, but all the more so when that team is captained by arguably the best forward in the world.

Mbappe is surrounded by other world-class attackers, but his penalty in a group-stage draw with Poland is the only goal scored by a French player at this European Championship.

Having edged Belgium in the last 16 thanks to a late own goal, France came through a nail-biting quarter-final against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal on Friday, triumphing 5-3 on penalties after a goalless two hours of football in Hamburg.

“I have said it before lots of competitions. The most important thing is that we win,” Mbappe told reporters.

“People thought it was a wisecrack. I have only scored one goal but we are in the semifinals and I am really happy.”

In charge for 12 years and at his sixth major tournament, France coach Didier Deschamps has regularly been criticised for not playing thrilling football with an extraordinary collection of players.

But he has always got results, with France winning the 2018 World Cup and 2021 UEFA Nations League under his watch.

They lost the 2022 World Cup final on penalties to Argentina and the Euro 2016 final in extra time against Portugal.

Now they are in a fourth semifinal in the last five major tournaments despite their paltry record in front of goal.

Greece may be remembered as perhaps the least spectacular side to win such a competition, but its status as outsiders at Euro 2004 justified a more cautious approach, and they still scored seven goals in six matches.

Including their 0-0 friendly draw against Canada just before the Euros, France has gone six games without one of its players finding the net in open play, a first in 60 years according to statisticians Opta.

That record has not prevented them advancing to Tuesday’s semi-final against a Spain side which has found the net 11 times in Germany.

“I don’t want to lie. In the dressing room we were not thinking much about the fact we didn’t score,” Mbappe insisted on Friday night.

France’s captain is at the heart of the issue though.

Resisting against everything 

The new Real Madrid signing is having a poor tournament, struggling to adapt to playing while wearing a protective face mask after breaking his nose in France’s opening game against Austria.

Sports daily L’Equipe gave him two out of 10 for his performance against Portugal, when he watched the penalty shoot-out from the bench after being substituted midway through extra time.

The form of Antoine Griezmann is an ongoing problem too -- he has been shifted around various different positions and has now scored just twice in his last 33 international appearances.

“Obviously for different reasons Antoine and Kylian are not on their best form,” conceded Deschamps.

“The two of them are supposed to make us more clinical than we are. But we still have a collective strength. Others have stepped up and done very, very well.”

Their defensive strength is admirable, with France having let in just one goal so far, and that a penalty by Robert Lewandowski against Poland.

Maignan is an exceptional goalkeeper, and in front of him the back four of Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba and Theo Hernandez have got better with every game.

“They resist against everything,” was the headline in Saturday’s edition of L’Equipe.

The problem is that relying so heavily on a good defence is fine when you’re winning, but lose and there is really not much left.

“We have been lucky enough to be solid ever since the competition began, to have defended well all together,” said Saliba, of Arsenal.

“We have been saying to ourselves that if we keep a clean sheet we have a 90 per cent chance of winning the match. All we need to do now is score goals, and I am sure that will come.”

LONDON — World No.1 Iga Swiatek was dumped out of Wimbledon by Yulia Putintseva on Saturday as Novak Djokovic set his sights on making the fourth round for the 16th time.

On a dramatic, if cold and wet day at the All England Club, Andy Murray’s Wimbledon career ended with a whimper when Emma Raducanu pulled the plug on their mixed doubles plans.

Top seed Swiatek, who won a fourth French Open and fifth Grand Slam title last month, was stunned 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the third round by Putintseva, the Russian-born Kazakh.

The upset ended Swiatek’s 21-match win streak while the diminutive Putintseva goes on to face the equally fiery Jelena Ostapenko for a quarter-final place.

“Feels great, I was just so focused on just playing fast and not giving her any time and that’s pretty much it,” said 29-year-old Putintseva after her win on Court One.

“I was thinking during the match that I had already beaten a world number one on grass so I think it was meant to be,” she added, recalling her win over Naomi Osaka in Birmingham in 2019.

After winning the first set, it appeared business as usual for Swiatek, who went into Saturday’s match with a 4-0 head-to-head record over the 35th ranked Putintseva.

However, Putintseva, who stands at just 1.63m stormed back in the second set on the back of breaks in the fourth and sixth games.

She held her nerve to cruise to a double break and a 4-0 lead in the decider.

Swiatek saved two match points but was defeated on the third when she buried a forehand return into the net.

‘Cow on ice’ 

The Pole, who has never got past the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, committed 38 unforced errors to Putintseva’s 15. The Kazakh saved seven of eight break points.

Putintseva, a three-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist, extended her grass-court streak this year to eight wins after clinching the Birmingham title last month.

World No.4 Alexander Zverev put on another serving masterclass to reach the last 16 for the third time, seeing off Britain’s Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (17/15).

Zverev needed six match points to seal the deal in a third-set tiebreak which stretched to over 20 minutes.

The 27-year-old German didn’t face a single break point and clubbed 15 aces in his 52 winners.

He has only faced four break points in three matches and saved them all.

“I do feel like a cow on ice sometimes,” he said of his grass-court movement.

France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard dropped serve for the first time in the tournament, but still clinched a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 victory against Emil Ruusuvuori.

Mpetshi Perricard, who turns 21 on Monday, is the first lucky loser to make the last 16 since Dick Norman in 1995.

On a memorable day for France, Arthur Fils claimed a 4-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over 2023 quarter-finalist Roman Safiullin.

Fils, ranked 34, unleashed 57 winners and will face ninth seed Alex de Minaur for a last-eight place.

French number one Ugo Humbert defeated Brandon Nakashima of the United States in four sets to set-up a last-16 clash with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.

American 14th seed Ben Shelton beat Denis Shapovalov in five sets and will face world number one Jannik Sinner in the last 16.

‘Big dog’ 

Shelton followed in the footsteps of his father Bryan who made the fourth round in 1994.

“We’re back, big dog,” Shelton told his father on court.

Djokovic is looking to equal Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon triumphs and claim a 25th Grand Slam title in total.

Just weeks after a right knee operation, Djokovic tackles 47th-ranked Alexei Popyrin, whom he beat in four sets at the Australian Open earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Andy Murray’s 19-year Wimbledon career finished on a low.

Former world number one Murray, who will retire after the Paris Olympics, didn’t play singles after failing to recover from surgery to remove a cyst from his spine.

On Thursday, he and brother Jamie were defeated in the first round of men’s doubles.

Murray, the 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon champion, was scheduled to partner Raducanu in Saturday’s last match on Court One.

“Unfortunately I woke up with some stiffness in my right wrist so therefore I have decided to make the very tough decision to withdraw from the mixed doubles tonight,” said Raducanu.

Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, faces New Zealand’s Lulu Sun on Sunday for a place in the women’s singles quarter-finals

Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, the runner-up in the last two years, was defeated 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) by Ukrainian 21st seed Elina Svitolina, a semifinalist in 2023.

TOKYO — Japanese judo heavyweight Tatsuru Saito will be driven by the memory of his famous father when he goes for Paris Olympic gold.

Hitoshi Saito was a judo great who triumphed at consecutive Olympics in 1984 and 1988 at over 95 kilogrammes.

He died of cancer in 2015 aged 54 but his “spirit lives on” in his son, according to Yasuhiro Yamashita, a former Olympic champion who until last year headed Japan’s judo federation.

Yamashita has long been convinced of the 22-year-old Saito’s potential and said after watching him compete as a junior that they were witnessing a special talent.

“No other heavyweight can twist his hips as much as he does when he throws an opponent,” Yamashita said.

Hitoshi Saito enjoyed world and Olympic success in the 1980s, but lost to Yamashita in three consecutive finals at the open-weight All-Japan Judo Championships.

He quipped that he had “climbed Everest but never climbed Mount Fuji”, but he finally claimed the title in 1988 after Yamashita had retired.

His son did not have to wait anywhere near as long, winning the All-Japan Championships in 2022 to become the third-youngest victor at 20 years and one month.

The younger Saito now has the chance to scale the sport’s highest peak in Paris and warmed up by beating Tajikistan’s Temur Rakhimov in the final of the Grand Slam in Kazakhstan in May.

But Saito will likely have to go through 11-time world champion Teddy Riner if he is to triumph in Paris, with the Frenchman looking to win his third individual Olympic gold.

“I think I can win, I have no fear,” Saito said after losing to Riner in the final of the Grand Slam in Turkey in March.

Saito stands 191cm and weighs 170kg, but his imposing physique is in contrast to his cherubic face and sunny disposition.

His mother Mieko has described him as a “bold” child whose behaviour would surprise those around him.

While his sensitive elder brother would cry if his mother bit the head off a bird-shaped candy, Saito would gleefully gobble one down whole.

It was brother Ichiro who first showed an interest in learning judo and Tatsuru tagged along — much to the delight of their father.

He could be a harsh teacher, drilling moves over and over again in pursuit of perfection.

“If my dad were here now, as soon as he’d shaken my hand he’d be telling me what I needed to work on,” local media quoted Saito as saying after he won the 2022 All-Japan title.

Saito’s world was rocked at aged 12 when his father developed a rare but rapidly developing form of liver cancer.

He believed that his father’s strength as a judoka would see him overcome the illness, and it took around a month for the reality of his death to sink in.

“Little by little, once I started to accept it, I began to get more serious about my judo,” Saito said.

“I felt I had to repay the people who had supported me, especially my dad.”

Saito watches old clips of his father in action and wonders what advice his dad would give him in matters of technique.

Experts see close similarities between the two, although Saito plays down comparisons and protests that he is “nowhere near” his father’s level yet.

He has ambitions of getting there one day, however, and watching the Tokyo Olympics on TV three years ago only fuelled his fire.

“It made me feel more than ever that I want to win a medal whatever it takes, to stand on top of that podium,” Saito has said.

“At the Paris Olympics I want to stand in the place where my father once stood.”

DUNBLANE, United Kingdom — In a quiet corner of the peaceful town of Dunblane in central Scotland stands the unassuming tennis club that launched Andy Murray on the path to Wimbledon glory.

Photos of the British star, preparing for his final appearance at the All England Club, are on display in a corner of the humble clubhouse at Dunblane Sports Club and his name is etched on various trophies.

Andy’s brother Jamie, a doubles specialist, also features and his mother, Judy, is on the honours board along with his grandparents, Roy and Shirley Erskine.

The monuments to Murray in the town itself are low key — there is a gold post box in recognition of his Olympic singles triumph in 2012 next to a wooden bench to mark his first Wimbledon title the following year.

It is in keeping with the unflashy character of a man who went toe to toe with Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in arguably the greatest-ever era in men’s tennis, winning three Grand Slams.

But as he prepares for his final Wimbledon, where he is a two-time champion, those at the club cannot speak highly enough of their most famous export.

“He’s just a film star here, everyone loves him,” head coach Mark Walker told AFP. “Whenever he comes here it’s always so busy. And all the places are full and they follow him everywhere.

“There was an example where he came once to our summer camp — he was obviously visiting granny up the road there.

“And he just came down and wandered down and then came on the court and just said ‘I’m here to hit with all the kids’. And he made sure to hit with all the kids.”

Dunblane links 

Murray, 37, left Dunblane, a town of about 9,000 residents, as a teenager to further his career in Spain but has never cut ties with his home town, which is about 65 kilometres from Edinburgh.

He was married in Dunblane Cathedral and owns a hotel just up the road. His grandparents still live a stone’s throw from the tennis club.

“The family have been involved for 50 years — there’s been a connection with this club, which is really nice,” said Sandy Fleming, one of the coaches at the club.

The club, which has four artificial clay courts and two mini-courts, has around 500 members, half of whom are youngsters.

One of the more recent players off the production line is Ali Collins, who played doubles at Wimbledon last year.

“You walk up here and you don’t think this is a place of champions,” admits Fleming.

Membership secretary Emma Morson says Murray’s success has changed the narrative about Dunblane, which made global headlines in 1996 when a gunman killed 16 children and a teacher at the school attended by Murray and his brother.

“Before, Dunblane was only ever known for one thing and it wasn’t a positive so to have such a massively positive thing to represent is amazing,” she said.

Morson’s 12-year-old son, Alex, who shares the same initials as Murray, wants to follow in his “icon’s” footsteps.

“They [Andy and Jamie] come down quite regularly,” he said. “They come down and they play with all the kids and everyone surrounds Andy, everyone knows him, even little ones.”

Alex says he will miss Murray when he hangs up his racquet, with the Scot targeting the Paris Olympics — and a third singles gold — as his final act.

“When you go to watch Grand Slams you won’t have that excitement of knowing you are going to watch someone who grew up and played where you are playing right now,” he said.

“That will probably be the worst part of it.”

Murray legacy 

Fleming agrees that the departure of the former world number one will leave a big hole.

“After he won the Olympics [in 2012] he did a tour of Dunblane,” he said. “It was chucking it down but thousands of people came. He must have taken about five hours to walk up the high street in Dunblane and then after that came up here.

“We’re really, really proud of him here. He’s left some legacy. If you go and talk to any of the kids here, they know when he’s playing, who he’s played, when he won.

“He’s somebody who’s coming to the end of his career but he’s still really current. I’m absolutely gutted because it just seems that he’s been around forever.”

Murray, who has been plagued with injuries in recent years, last week had an operation on a spinal cyst, putting his participation in Wimbledon, beginning on Monday, in severe doubt.

But he is in the draw — due to face Czech player Tomas Machac in the first round — and is set to team up with brother Jamie, a two-time Grand Slam men’s doubles winner, in the doubles.

Members of his former club in Dunblane will be watching closely, hoping and praying he can do them proud for one final time.

LONDON — Marketa Vondrousova became the first defending women’s Wimbledon champion to lose in the first round for 30 years on Tuesday as Andy Murray ran out of time in his fitness race.

Novak Djokovic barely broke sweat as he launched his bid for a record-equalling eighth men’s singles title and women’s top seed Iga Swiatek eased through.

But it was a painful day for Czech sixth seed Vondrousova, whose time in the Wimbledon spotlight was cut short as she went down down 6-4, 6-2 to Spain’s unheralded Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in 66 minutes.

Vondrousova is only the second defending champion to lose in the first round at the All England Club in the Open Era.

The only other time it has happened was 30 years ago, when Lori McNeil defeated three-time defending champion Steffi Graf.

World number 83 Bouzas Maneiro, playing in only the third Grand Slam main draw of her career, broke her opponent five times in the match under the roof on Centre Court.

Vondrousova, who said she was wary in her first match since she hurt her hip at last month’s Berlin grass-court tournament, struggled with her serve and racked up 28 unforced errors.

“Practice was fine and everything,” said the Czech. “Today I was a bit scared because of my leg too. But I don’t think that was the reason. I felt nervous from the start.”

She added: “It’s tough to go out defending the title.”

It was a different story for women’s world number one and five-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek, who beat former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-4 with a minimum of fuss.

Elena Rybakina, the 2022 champion, cantered past Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-1 while fifth seed Jessica Pegula lost just two games against US compatriot Ashlyn Krueger in a 6-2, 6-0 demolition job.

Murray pulls out

Murray confirmed the worst fears of his loyal army of British fans, deciding he was unable to compete in the singles at his final Wimbledon because he has not recovered sufficiently from recent back surgery.

The withdrawal of two-time champion Murray means Djokovic is the only member of the fabled “Big Four” remaining in the men’s draw at the All England Club.

Roger Federer has retired and Rafael Nadal opted to skip Wimbledon to prepare for a shot at another Olympic title.

Murray, 37, is hoping to end his stellar career at the upcoming Paris Games but desperately wanted to make a final singles appearance at Wimbledon, where he was champion in 2013 and 2016.

The Scot, who has been ravaged by injuries in recent years, will still play doubles with his brother Jamie, with whom he practised on Tuesday afternoon.

“I’m disappointed, I wanted to play in the tournament,” he said. “I wanted to have a chance to go out there and walk out on my own on the Centre Court again and give it another go.

“But I also was only going to do that if I felt like I could be competitive and I didn’t feel like that today. I’m sorry for everyone that came and wanted to support and watch again.”

Djokovic, born a week apart from Murray in May 1987, had a knee operation after pulling out before his French Open quarter-final — sparking fears he would not be fit in time for Wimbledon.

Djokovic eases through

But the Serbian World No. 2, who was beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s final, dismissed Czech player Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 without facing a single break point.

He knows time is not on his side as he bids to equal Federer’s Wimbledon title record and become the first player — man or woman — to win 25 Grand Slam singles titles.

“I tried to really focus on the game and not think about the knee too much,” said Djokovic, bidding for a record 25th major.

“Everything that I could do, I have done over the last three weeks along with my team to be able to play here for you today.

“I think if it was for any other tournament I probably would not have risked it, would not have rushed as much but I just love Wimbledon, love coming back here.”

An angry Andrey Rublev, a quarter-finalist last year, exited in four sets against Argentina’s Francisco Comesana, playing his first Grand Slam match.

The Russian sixth seed repeatedly smashed his racquet against his knee in the third set in frustration but failed to turn things around and lost 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5).

Fourth seed and French Open runner-up Alexander Zverev progressed in straight sets.

DÜSSELDORF, Germany — Jan Vertonghen’s late own goal took France into the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 on Monday as it edged Belgium 1-0 in a tense tie in Duesseldorf.

France had dominated the last-16 clash but its profligate finishing looked set to force extra time until they finally found a way through with five minutes left.

Substitute Randal Kolo Muani collected the ball inside the Belgian penalty area and hit a shot that was going wide until a deflection off the unfortunate Vertonghen took it past goalkeeper Koen Casteels.

The lucky break sent the 2022 World Cup runners-up into a last-eight tie in Hamburg on Friday as they remain on course to become European champions for the third time.

France is yet to score from open play in four matches at the tournament — captain Kylian Mbappe netted once from a penalty against Poland, while their other two goals came from opposition defenders.

Crucially, however, they are rock solid in defence, having conceded only one goal, from a penalty, so far.

Their back line was outstanding against Romelu Lukaku and his fellow attackers, and Belgium bows out after what will go down as a disappointing tournament for them.

Both of these sides were looking for revenge, in Belgium’s case for a 1-0 defeat against France in the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup, a result that still hurts six years on.

France, meanwhile, had a point to prove at the Euros after going out in the last 16 three years ago on penalties to Switzerland, a deeply disappointing result in between runs to consecutive World Cup finals.

The French were widely seen as the favourites to win this tournament before arriving in Germany, but they were below par during the group phase.

The broken nose suffered by Mbappe in their opening game against Austria did not help, and the uncertain form of Antoine Griezmann has been a problem too.

Griezmann was dropped for the last group match against Poland but returned here in one of two changes, with Marcus Thuram also coming in as wingers Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola made way.

Forwards struggle to impress

Meanwhile Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco’s reaction to his own side’s unconvincing displays in the group stage was striking.

Yannick Carrasco and Lois Openda were given starts to provide as much attacking threat as possible in support of Lukaku, while skipper Kevin De Bruyne played a more withdrawn role.

The hope, for the neutrals at least, was that so much attacking talent would lead to an open game full of goals, but the reality was rather different.

Belgium was happy to sit back and thwart France, and did not test opposition goalkeeper Mike Maignan at all in the first half.

France had lots of the ball, yet often looked untidy, imprecise and rather flat, with Griezmann appearing lost on the right-wing.

But they had chances in the first half, with Thuram heading just wide from Jules Kounde’s inviting cross just after the half-hour mark and Aurelien Tchouameni twice firing off-target.

Real Madrid midfielder Tchouameni then tested Casteels with a deflected long-range strike as France upped its game at the beginning of the second half.

Mbappe accelerated inside and smashed a shot just over, and there was a sense a goal might be coming.

The breakthrough almost came for Belgium an hour in as William Saliba lost possession on halfway and De Bruyne released Carrasco, who was about to pull the trigger when Theo Hernandez arrived to make a brilliant saving block.

Maignan finally had to make a save 20 minutes from the end of normal time, to keep out a drive from Lukaku, and was called into action again to deny De Bruyne.

It was becoming clear that one goal would decide the contest, and France got it in the 85th minute as N’Golo Kante fed Kolo Muani, and his shot went in off Vertonghen to take Les Bleus through.

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany — England escaped an embarrassing last 16 exit at Euro 2024 thanks to Jude Bellingham’s overhead kick before Harry Kane struck in extra-time for a 2-1 win over Slovakia on Sunday.

The Three Lions have been hyped as one of the favourites to end a 58-year wait for major tournament glory but looked set to go out with a whimper to Ivan Schranz’s 25th minute goal.

However, Bellingham’s moment of inspiration five minutes into six added on in stoppage time breathed new life into Gareth Southgate’s reign as England boss.

Kane then headed in just a minute into extra-time to set up a quarter-final meeting with Switzerland on Saturday.

Southgate looked certain to fall on his sword after steadfastly refusing to make changes to a side that stumbled through as winners of Group C despite scoring just two goals in three games.

Kobbie Mainoo was introduced for his first competitive start in Southgate’s only change and he paid the price with another lacklustre display lacking in any speed or invention for long spells.

The one saving grace of England’s performances in the group stage was that a makeshift defence had held up well, conceding just once in three games.

However, they were torn to pieces early on by a Slovakia side ranked 45th in the world.

England did not heed a couple of warnings as David Hancko and Lukas Haraslin were wasteful with big chances.

Slovakia finally punished their more illustrious opponents when David Strelec was given acres of room to turn and play in Schranz, who confidently stroked past Jordan Pickford for his third goal of the tournament.

Despite his lack of experience, Mainoo was one of the few players that threatened to spark England into life as the Manchester United midfielder’s effort was deflected wide.

The half-time whistle was met with a chorus of boos but Southgate still stuck to his guns and did not make a change until 25 minutes to go.

England did at least improve on a dismal first half and had the ball in the net within five minutes of the restart.

Phil Foden turned in Kieran Trippier’s cross but was caught offside after a VAR review.

Kane gets winner 

Slovakia should have doubled their lead shortly afterwards when England gave away possession and Strelec saw Pickford well off his line but failed to hit the target from the halfway line.

Southgate’s hand was finally forced on 66 minutes by an injury to Trippier.

One of the major calls the England boss will come to regret is only naming one natural left-back in his 26-man squad in Luke Shaw, who has not played a minute for club or country since February.

With Shaw not match-fit, Bukayo Saka was forced to deputise at left-back to make room for the introduction of Cole Palmer.

England’s chances seemed to have gone when Kane headed wide a golden opportunity and Declan Rice smashed the post with a long-range pot shot.

Southgate was even derided by the England support for bringing on Ivan Toney deep into stoppage time with chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing”.

BERLIN — Switzerland dumped reigning champions Italy out of Euro 2024 with a stunning 2-0 victory on Saturday to reach the quarter-finals for the second time in their history.

Murat Yakin’s supremely well-drilled side outplayed the flat two-time winners in the last 16 clash in Berlin and will face England or Slovakia in the next round.

Ruben Vargas teed up Remo Freuler for Switzerland’s 37th minute opener before curling home superbly himself right at the start of the second half to deservedly double their lead.

A new-look Italy, short on star power and without many of the key figures that led them to Euro 2020 glory, offered little in response to Switzerland’s energetic display.

Former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka, arriving at the Euros after a stunning season with German champions Bayer Leverkusen, pulled the strings as the Swiss rarely looked like letting the lead slip away.

Italy coach Luciano Spalletti dropped Jorginho after his worrying group stage performances, bringing in Nicolo Fagioli in defensive midfield among a hefty six changes which failed to bring the Azzurri to life.

The 23-year-old started a major tournament match for the first time, having missed most of the season with Juventus after a seven-month ban for gambling on football matches.

Italy scraped through the first phase thanks to Mattia Zaccagni’s last-gasp strike in the 1-1 draw with Croatia and Spalletti said his team had no alternative but to improve in the knock-out rounds.

However, it was Switzerland which grew in confidence and pulled off their best display yet, making a bright start at the Olympiastadion in a sweltering Berlin, where a far more impressive Italy won the 2006 World Cup.

Former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, now Italy’s delegation head, has been regaling the squad with stories from that triumph but it did not inspire a convincing performance — apart from by his modern day counterpart, Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper, key in Italy’s Euro 2020 conquest, made a fine save to thwart Breel Embolo midway through the first half as Switzerland created the first real chance by playing him through.

Freuler opener

Donnarumma could not stop Freuler from firing Switzerland ahead after 37 minutes when the midfielder controlled Vargas’ low cross and drilled home at the near post.

Switzerland kept the ball for well over a minute in the build-up, stringing together 33 passes before Freuler, who plays for Serie A side Bologna, applied the finishing touch.

Donnarumma produced a fine save to tip Fabian Rieder’s free-kick on to the post before the break as the Swiss sought to equal their best ever Euros performance by reaching the last eight.

Host Germany needed a late leveller to avoid defeat against the Swiss in the group phase, while at the previous Euros they knocked out much fancied France in the last 16, so Italy cannot say it was not warned.

Spalletti hooked Stephan El Shaarawy at half-time for Zaccagni, but Italy gave the ball away from the kick-off and Switzerland doubled their lead just 27 seconds into the second period.

Augsburg midfielder Vargas, who started in place of the suspended Silvan Widmer but on the left of the attack, broke into the area and arced a superb curling shot over Donnarumma.

The closest Italy came to scoring in the first hour was when Swiss defender Fabian Schar misjudged a header and hit the frame of his own goal.

Substitute Mateo Retegui produced Italy’s first shot on target as the clock ticked down and the near-invisible Gianluca Scamacca hit the post from close range, but appeared to be offside.

The sides drew twice in World Cup 2022 qualification with the Azzurri failing to make the tournament but went one better in Germany, securing their first win against Italy since 1993, after 11 without victory.