England enters the European Championship as a strong contender, aiming to end their long wait for a major trophy, their last triumph being the 1966 World Cup. Gareth Southgate’s team kicks off their campaign against Serbia in Group C on Sunday. Their hopes could rest heavily on the shoulders of Jude Bellingham, who has just completed a dream debut season at Real Madrid, winning the Spanish title and the Champions League. Excluding penalty shootouts, England has maintained a strong record in the European Championship, losing only one of their last 18 matches. However, they suffered a heartbreaking loss on penalties to Italy in the final of the last edition in 2021 at Wembley Stadium.
Despite their recent success, England faces a tough test in the group stage, particularly against Serbia. The match could offer valuable lessons for both teams, as Serbia has previously defeated England at Wembley in front of 80,000 fans. “Their last friendly showed us that no one is invincible. We watched the match against Iceland, and there is definitely something to learn from them because they have beaten England at Wembley in front of 80,000 people. Anything is possible,” said a Serbian coach.
Manager Gareth Southgate acknowledges the challenges ahead: “I’m a better manager than I was six months ago and a year ago, but time will tell if that’s going to translate into results. We’re here to win which we know is a complicated journey and the first objective is to qualify.”
The match promises an intriguing clash, with both teams fielding strong lineups. Serbia will look to their star players, including V. Milinkovic-Savic, Tadic, and Mitrovic, while England will rely on the likes of Bellingham, Kane, and Saka to secure a victory.
