U21 Euros: Quarterfinal matchups set after intriguing group stage

The matchups are locked in for the knockout round of the European Under-21 Championship following the group stage's conclusion on Wednesday.

England's tournament came to a heartbreaking end despite securing a victory over Croatia.

Aidy Boothroyd's men, who lost their opening two matches, looked set to advance on goal differential before Domagoj Bradaric scored a brilliant goal in injury time to give Croatia the advantage.

Croatia leapfrogged England despite the 2-1 loss to finish second behind Portugal, which ended the group stage with a perfect record after beating Switzerland 3-0.

Meanwhile, Denmark is off to the knockout phase after finishing atop Group C with a 3-0 win over Russia. France will join the Danes in the quarterfinals, with Les Bleus securing the group's second spot after beating Iceland.

The Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and Italy - perennial continental powers - all booked their respective spots in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

With the participants set, here's how the final eight shapes up:

• Netherlands vs. France
• Spain vs. Croatia
• Denmark vs. Germany
• Portugal vs. Italy

The tournament will now go on hiatus for two months until the quarterfinal stage, with those four matches all scheduled for May 31.

The final is slated for June 6 at the Stozice Stadium in Slovenia.