On one of the most shocking, entertaining, and memorable days of international football in recent years, Switzerland — down 3-1 to France in the 80th minute — mounted an extraordinary rally to tie the match at 3-all and then win 5-4 in penalties at Euro 2020 in Bucharest, Romania.
Switzerland advances to play Spain in the quarterfinals this upcoming weekend. France — still the reigning World Cup champion and the 2016 European runner-up to Portugal — is out of the tournament in a major-league upset.
As you might imagine, seeing a favored and formidable team blow a 3-1 lead in the final 10 minutes of regulation elicited quite a reaction on social media. The memes flowed freely during — and after — the collapse of France, whose defeat was sealed when Kylian Mbappe's penalty was stopped by Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
Switzerland and France made each of their first four penalties in the shootout. Switzerland made its fifth attempt, forcing Mbappe to convert to keep the match alive. Sommer's save ended the proceedings and unleashed a huge celebration… plus the tidal wave of memes:
France's penalty takers pic.twitter.com/EDwaAfJQF0
— FootballFunnys (@FootballFunnnys) June 28, 2021
Switzerland vs France pic.twitter.com/3MgnjQ9KLP
— Footy Humour (@FootyHumour) June 28, 2021
Switzerland-France pic.twitter.com/qfhqTfV6c4
— kyle (@knicks_tape99) June 28, 2021
France continued to be piled on:
Both France and Switzerland after watching Spain & Croatia play a thriller earlier in the day. #FRASUI pic.twitter.com/aK3RZ2l2Y1
— Prajcast (@prajwolfe) June 28, 2021
Me after editing a 5 minute France vs Switzerland highlight pic.twitter.com/b8WFfByL61
— Jack Patel (@JackPTEL) June 28, 2021
FRANCE after Switzerland missed the penalty pic.twitter.com/ItuBGRtkWh
— Soldier↪ (@PatohShanqueels) June 28, 2021
https://twitter.com/xUnknownMx/status/1409633841082290187?s=20
The hits kept coming for France:
Switzerland to France right now😂: pic.twitter.com/lggGNDJ4XA
— Gaffer (@the_FIXER06) June 28, 2021
Portugal out, France out.. I’m not watching again pic.twitter.com/Gx5Rc3Ham3
— Prince Nelson Enwerem (@PrinceNEnwerem) June 28, 2021
France are in! France are out!
HUGE save by Sommer!#EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/sYETRcVnNH
— Jon Goddard (@Jon_Goddard86) June 28, 2021
France: We need someone to keep us alive in penalties
Mbappe: pic.twitter.com/fqeWaBMWB0
— Grant Goldberg (@GrantGoldberg) June 28, 2021
Ronaldo watching Mbappe take the last penalty for France. pic.twitter.com/YHyqrTzxQn
— itsndaanotnda (@ndaavudzi) June 28, 2021
England fans when we’re 8-0 down to Germany tomorrow but we technically outlasted France https://t.co/caQYC8bNYB
— niran (@TheOfficialFNG) June 28, 2021
The stunning loss by France completed a day of football fans won't soon forget. Before Switzerland and France combined for six goals in the day's second Round of 16 match, Spain and Croatia scored eight goals in the first match in Copenhagen, Denmark.
As was the case in Switzerland versus France, a 3-1 lead in the 80th minute didn't hold up. Spain led 3-1, only for Croatia to get two late goals to tie and create extra time at 3-3. The difference in the first match was that the team which blew the lead bounced back. Spain very nearly went behind 4-3 in extra time, but a fortunate save by Unai Simon preserved the tie. Two lightning-quick goals in the next several minutes restored a two-goal advantage. Spain held on for the win and a spot in the weekend's upcoming quarterfinals against the Swiss.
Two games. Sixteen goals. Penalty kicks. Two 3-1 comebacks in the final 10 minutes of regulation. Switzerland, France, Spain, and Croatia gave the world ample drama in the second round of Euro 2020.
France will try to wash away the bitter taste of this defeat and prepare for next year's World Cup.
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