The three Lions of England were drawn in Group C against Serbia, Slovenia, and Denmark in the most recent Euro 2024 draws in Hamburg in early December.
England faced Denmark at Euro 2020 in a rugged, close-fought game. After extra-time, England managed to grind out a 2-1 victory, but not without controversy – a contentious Harry Kane penalty decision ultimately led to the winning goal. Slovenia are the least-ranked team in the group and, at least on paper, shouldn’t cause England any trouble. Slovenia and Serbia last competed in this tournament as far back as 2002. However, it’s important not to underestimate either team – upsets can and do happen in football.
England has never faced Serbia as a football team. Serbia has a formidable attacking line-up led by Dusan Tadic and Aleksandar Mitrovic. In the past, the Serbian national team competed as Yugoslavia, and they have a rich history of success in international football, finishing as runners-up in 1960 and 1968.
Serbia will come into this tournament having finished second in their qualification group 4 points behind a Dominik Szoboszlai-inspired Hungary (the Hungarians are yet to lose a game since he became their new captain). 4 wins, 2 draws, and 2 defeats across a qualification campaign with just recently split sister nations Montenegro, Lithuania, and Bulgaria making up the rest of the group.
Aside from the sure firepower offered by Al-Hilal talisman Aleksandr Mitrovic and the Old Lady’s Dusan Vlahovic, the Serbians boast a strong contingent of talented players across the squad; former Ajax Skipper Dusan Tadic and Filip Kostic supplying the necessary playmaking duties. Sevilla’s Nemanja Gudelj and league colleague Nemanja Maksimovic will be the midfield engine room spearheaded by the highly revered Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
The Serbian backline is probably where head coach Dragan Stojkovic has to up his game with just Serie A contingent Nikola Milenkovic and goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic of Fiorentina and Torino respectively providing the only assurances ahead of a grueling group stage encounter with England’s very blessed attack.
The Three Lions came within moments of winning the last European championships, enduring a sad defeat to Italy on penalties at Wembley in the Euro 2020 final following misses from Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, and Arsenal Starboy Bukayo Saka. The three lions can challenge for their first significant glory in 58 years. Gareth Southgate’s side will enter the tournament as one of the favorites, but the weight of expectation on the Three Lions is hefty, especially with the most recent triumphs of the English Women’s team. In qualification, they were unbeaten, racking 20 points spanning 6 wins and 2 draws, scoring 22 goals and conceding only 4.
The last time England played Serbia was before Montenegro gained independence from Serbia in 2006. England have only ever faced the country once, in a friendly match during the reign of manager Sven Goran Eriksson in 2003. The match ended in a 2-1 victory for England.
Match Tickets
The Arena Auf Schalke, located in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, is a state-of-the-art football stadium with a retractable roof and slide-out pitch. The arena is home to the German club Schalke 04, which has won the UEFA Cup once and the Bundesliga seven times.
The 50,000-capacity venue will host the England vs. Serbia game on June 16, 2024 at 20:00.
Serbia vs England tickets are available on the UEFA website for fans who want to attend in person. For those who can’t make it to the stadium.
Team News
Line-ups
Stojkovic will rue any injury to key players ahead of the tournament. Since his appointment in 2021, after a 5-year shift in Guangzhou, he has now pushed them up to as far as 34th place in the current FIFA rankings (as of the time of writing) working with a core of players who are now nearing the twilight years of their football career.
Finding worthy partners on either side of Nikola Milenkovic in his preferred back 3 and figuring a way to accommodate the striking services offered by Aleksandr Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic will be a heavy determinant of how the Serbians fare in this tournament.
Serbia XI: Milinkovic-Savic; Pavlovic, Gudelj, Milenkovic; Zivkovic, Maksimovic, Milinkovic-Savic, Kostic; Tadic; Mitrovic, Vlahovic.
Gareth Southgate has a massive selection headache on his squad list. There are continued red flags around the fitness of Reece James and John Stones, the renewed form of Ollie Watkins and Callum Wilson under Unai Emery and Eddie Howe, respectively, his continued favoritism for Kalvin Phillips who rarely gets playing time at City and former Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson, the dilemma amongst the very occupied England right-back spot and the choice of forwards to provide support for Harry Kane is puzzling.
With Jude Bellingham’s stroke of form at Madrid, Alexander-Arnold’s reinvention as an inverted full-back, and Phil Foden’s game-dictating ability pushing them for a slot in England midfield, the three Lions gaffer will be on the best of his tactical onus as a matter of necessity.
England XI: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire; Trent, Rice, Bellingham, Trippier; Saka, Kane, Foden.
Prediction
The fixture certainly bodes to be very entertaining, with the offensive arsenal boasted by both sides. It will boil down to which side wants it the most.
Serbia 1-2 England