- Ukraine crashed and Gary Lineker questioned the current Eurosystem
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Gary Lineker has left fans stunned after claiming the Euro 2024 qualifying system is ‘flawed’ following Ukraine’s exit from the tournament.
Ukraine held Belgium to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday evening, while the other match in Group E was a 1-1 draw between Slovakia and Romania.
Those results meant all four teams finished on four points, but Ukraine crashed out due to their inferior goal difference. Other teams who finished with fewer than four points will progress to the last 16, and Lineker claimed Ukraine had been very unlucky as he called for a reassessment of the current system.
“Well, Belgium got through it, but you feel sorry for Ukraine,” he said on the BBC after the final whistle.
“They did everything they could towards the end, probably the better team overall, but it’s heartbreak for them.
Ukraine crashed out of Euro 2024 on Wednesday despite gaining four points from their matches
Gary Lineker expressed his condolences for Ukraine and believes the current qualification process is ‘flawed’
“The first team not to get through with four points, I think this system is flawed at the moment. They’ll have to look at it at some point, I guess.”
Lineker had some sympathy for Ukraine, but fans seemed to see things differently as they struggled to understand why the Eastern European nation had been unlucky to finish bottom of their group.
‘Gary Lineker says the system is flawed because Ukraine didn’t advance after finishing bottom of their group? What is he on about?’ asked a surprised fan on X.
Another X user added: ‘Disagree with Lineker about the system being ‘flawed’. Ukraine came 4th in the bloody group!’
Fans weren’t bothered by Lineker’s protests, as one commented: ‘Ukraine finished fourth, bottom of the group. Finishing at the bottom of your group never means you qualify for the next round. They just had a difficult group, that happens.’
Meanwhile, another astonished fan wrote: ‘Gary Lineker has just said that a system where the team that finishes last in their group wins is ‘flawed’.’
Denmark and Slovenia reached the last 16 with three points, but Ukraine did not earn enough with four points
Ukraine wrote European Championship history on Wednesday by becoming the first country to score four points, but still being eliminated in the group stage since the introduction of the new European Championship format with 24 teams in 2016.
Denmark and Slovenia have risen from Group C despite taking just three points from their matches, but four points was not enough for Ukraine.