If you want to go far at this European Football Championship, you have to play well, score goals and collect points.

But if you want to stay on the ball, you also have to be able to calculate well.

Because the mode that the European Football Union chose for the tournament with 24 teams, as in 2016, does not make it easy for anyone.

In order to reach the number of 16 teams for the round of 16, it is no longer enough if, as in the past, the first two of a group of four simply slide from the preliminary round into the knockout round.

Now the third parties can also hope.

But only four out of six progress.

Tobias Rabe

Responsible editor for Sport Online.

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    That could also concern the German national team if things don't go as smoothly against Hungary on Wednesday (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the European Football Championship, on ZDF and MagentaTV) as they did after the rousing 4-2 victory over Portugal expected and hoped for.

    But at least it has been clear since Saturday evening: The concerns of national coach Joachim Löw about progress have become a bit smaller: After the Spanish slip in the 1-1 draw against Poland in Group E, a draw against Hungary is definitely enough to make it to the round of 16.

    The reason is the complicated mode: The German national team could still end up in third place in Group F with a draw.

    With then four points and a goal difference of plus one goal, Germany would definitely be one of the four best third party groups to get a ticket for the knockout round.

    The third in groups C (Ukraine or Austria with three points each and an even goal difference before their direct duel) and E (Sweden, Slovakia, Spain, Poland) can definitely no longer reach this mark on the last group match day.

    How would it go on?

    With a win over Hungary, the German selection would even be in first place if Portugal wins or draws against France. Germany will come in second if France wins against Portugal. In the event of a draw, Germany will finish second if France wins or draws against Portugal. Even in the event of a defeat, Germany could still advance in third place if France beat Portugal.

    And how would it go after that?

    As the first in the group, Germany would meet a third party in Budapest on Monday, June 28th at 9:00 p.m.

    Which that would be results from a complicated UEFA model.

    The teams in groups A, B and C come into question. If the team finishes second in the group, the match will continue on Tuesday, June 29th at 6:00 p.m. in London against the first in group D.

    That will be the Czech Republic or England.

    Third would be the round of 16 in Budapest (Sunday, June 27, 6:00 p.m.) against the Netherlands or in Seville (Sunday, June 27, 9:00 p.m.) against Belgium, Russia or Finland.

    All constellations at a glance

    Germany is group winner:

    - with a victory over Hungary if Portugal wins or draws against France.

    Germany ranks second in the group:

    - with a victory over Hungary if France wins against Portugal.

    - with a draw against Hungary if France wins or draws against Portugal.

    Germany finished third in the group and qualified for the round of 16:

    - with a draw against Hungary if Portugal wins against France.

    - with a defeat against Hungary, if France wins against Portugal and at least two other third parties are worse.

    Germany becomes third in the group and is eliminated:

    - with a defeat against Hungary, if France wins against Portugal and at least four other third parties are better.

    Germany finished last in the group and eliminated:

    - with a loss to Hungary if Portugal wins or draws against France.