England's route to World Cup 2018 final: Three Lions to play Japan or Colombia in last 16 knockout stage

Looking ahead | Southgate's side face an easier route to the final with a second-placed finish
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Standard Sport28 June 2018

England have already gone one better than four years ago and reached the World Cup knockout stages ahead of tonight's Group G decider against Belgium.

The last time the Three Lions won a knockout game at a finals was in 2006 as David Beckham's free-kick was enough to win 1-0 over Ecuador.

Looking for better than that? We go all the way back to that semi-final loss to Germany in 1990.

The Germans will not be joining England this time around, though, and with the likes of Brazil and Argentina struggling to impress, could football really be 'coming home'?

Here's what England’s route through the knockout stages could look like whether they finish first or second...

Last 16

In Pictures | Tunisia vs England, World Cup | 18.06.2018

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England’s first opponents in the knockout stages will come from Group H. A tense final two group games saw Colombia finish top and Japan finish second.

First | England would face a knockout tie against Japan on Monday, July 2.

Second | England would then play Colombia on Tuesday, July 3.

Quarter-finals

James Corden with England's World Cup Squad on The Late Late Show

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This is where the problems with finishing top begin to crop up. Ahead of the Belgium game there is much debate over the benefits of finishing second or keeping up a winning momentum.

First | England would face the winners of Brazil vs Mexico in the quarters.

Second | England would be granted a match against either Sweden or Switzerland.

Semi-finals

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First | England would face one of France, Argentina, Uruguay or Portugal for a place in the final.

England have won just once against England in over a decade, a run stretching back over eight games. It is not good reading for Uruguay or Portugal, either but England have won their previous two encounters against Argentina.

Second | With Sweden or Switzerland navigated, England's route would still look very promising.

Spain would arguably pose the biggest threat from four possible opponents, followed by Croatia and then Russia and Denmark.

Final

Now we are in dreamland. Both paths collide and, having previously dispatched with the likes of Senegal, Brazil, France, Spain or Croatia are the most likely opponents in the final based on form and pedigree.

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