Key events
Barney Ronay on Gareth Southgate
Yet the talk, the chat, is once again about a hand of talent that is “the envy of the world”, about righteous attack, about not just releasing the handbrake but wrenching it off and hurling out of the window, “overwhelming” other very competent football teams who also have good players. For all the mannered humility, the process, the care taken along the way, this is basically a reboot: Golden Generation 2: This Time We’re Convinced We’re Not Really Like That.
On this day in 1984… Michel Platini scores the first of his back-to-back hat-tricks as the hosts France thrash Belgium. More importantly, look at the kit.
Also on this day in 1996…
Jurgen Klinsmann opens his legs and shows his class.
On this day in 1996…
“Da-vor Suker! Brilliant!”
(VAR would have ruled that goal out btw.)
Hungary manager Marco Rossi didn’t take their defeat to Switzerland too well
We play Germany in four days. I dare anybody to bet one Hungarian forint on us. As of today that looks impossible. Germany are a different team than the last Euros, they proved it against Scotland. In my opinion they are the biggest favourite of the European Championship.
England team news: Alexander-Arnold and Guehi expected to start
John Stones and Bukayo Saka are reportedly fit, so this is the probable XI that will start against Serbia.
England (4-2-3-1) Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Alexander-Arnold, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane.
For all the talk of England’s youngsters, that’s a pretty experienced team. Marc Guehi is the only player who doesn’t have at least 25 caps.
Football: the working man’s madeleine
I plotted England major tournament defeats alongside my descent into middle age…from vague childhood memories to getting shitfaced in giant screened bars to parenthood… it was cathartic I think… https://t.co/wWtE8s6Yat
— Max Rushden 💛🖤 (@maxrushden) June 15, 2024
Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the Netherlands’ 2-0 win over Uruguay in Hanover, their first game of a legendary World Cup campaign.
Well?
Serbia are managed by the great Dragan Stojkovic, and he couldn’t care less who they’re playing against.
I am here to talk about Serbia, not England. They are a team that tries to be the champion of Europe, but to achieve that they have to do it on the pitch… I think the game is going to be very open. Serbia will not just wait and watch England play. On the contrary we will try to create as many problems for them. If we score first, the order is going to be score the second. It’s very simple.
Harry Kane on England’s chances
It is a fantastic squad. I think it is hard to say if it is the most talented, we have had talented squads throughout the whole of England’s history. But it is probably the most in-form squad we have had when you look at the players and the seasons they have had for their clubs, I think everyone is really ready.
We have all had great seasons so time will tell, you have to turn club form into international form and that is what we will be looking to do and we have had a couple of weeks now to prepare with each other and we have got to go and show that.
Serbia v England
Tonight’s game has been categorised as “high risk” by German police, who are unsure how the travelling Serbia and England fans will behave.
“Morning Rob,” says Andrew Benton. “I think this new England team will be collectively quite fragile as a playing unit, and if they get pooped today they’ll have less confidence for the next game… and so on. Let’s hope for a set of brilliant individual performances a la Michael Owen 1998 so they don’t need to worry.”
Six months ago I was convinced England would win the tournament. Now I’m not so sure, mainly because of the defence. If I was an England fan I’d also be worried about the lack of width in the team, especially when they come up against a low block.
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Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Nicky Bandini, Dan Bardell and Nick Ames as day two of Euro 2024 provides goals, goals, goals.
Ukraine begin their campaign against Romania tomorrow, and they have an unlikely sensation in their ranks.
And now for something completely different, a tale of missing grundies and sauna etiquette.
Gareth Southgate on Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to play as a midfielder – pure bred, no hybrid – tonight. Many pundits have criticised his lack of defensive nous, most notably Wayne Rooney and Roy Keane, and Gareth Southgate was asked the question during his press conference.
Everybody’s more than entitled to opinions. I spoke to Trent about playing in this role over a year ago. It’s not something he’s been doing for the last five years. There is an element of the unknown. But I think it’s an opportunity that’s worth grasping because he could be incredibly special.
And here’s Jonathan Liew on the very same subject.
With Alexander-Arnold the pass is never simply played, but measured. The difference here is roughly akin to that between a bartender and a mixologist.
England’s squad is full of players who are at their first major tournament. Ed Aarons looks at what they will bring to the party.
So, England. You can read all our preview pieces on our dedicated Euro 2024 site, but we’ll dot them here throughout the day as well. Let’s start with David Hytner on Harold Kane esq.
Kane made the point that the squad stood apart from previous vintages because of the form that many of the players were taking into the finals. Phil Foden, for example, is the player of the year in England; Jude Bellingham in Spain. Kane also backed himself to win the Golden Boot, which he secured at the 2018 World Cup. “There is no reason why I cannot be the top scorer,” he said. “If we do well, I expect myself to be up there. That confidence is still there.”
Slovenia v Denmark
Three years ago, Christian Eriksen almost died during Denmark’s game against Finland. Now he is preparing for the start of another European Championship.
Germany are basking in the afterglow of their impressive performance against Scotland on Friday. Here’s what Kai Havertz had to say about it.
I hope there is more to come. Obviously when you win 5-1 it is a statement but it is just the start and you can see how much quality there is in the team, how many good players that we have.
Although Scotland were a very good team with a great coach, the opponents are going to get tougher. It was actually a tough match. But as you go further and further into a tournament, the matches get harder and harder. We keep on going, train good, sleep good. And play with confidence.
Hungary 1-3 Switzerland
The other game yesterday was in Scotland’s group, where Switzerland survived a wobble to deservedly beat Hungary. Granit Xhaka was majestic in midfield.
Spain 3-0 Croatia
In the other Group B game, the astonishing 16-year-old Lamine Yamal put on a show as Spain hammered Croatia despite having less than 50 per cent possession. The last time that happened in a competitive game was in 2008, when Yamal was a couple of weeks short of his first birthday.
Italy 2-1 Albania
It’s been a really good start to the tournament, with 16 goals in the first four games. Three of those came in Dortmund last night, where the reigning champions Italy conceded the fastest goal in European Championship history before recovering to beat Albania.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to our live blog for day three of Euro 2024. It’s the big one, the day when our heroes enter the tournament. Denmark play Slovenia at 5pm, hoping to emulate the boys of 1984, 1992 or even 2021.
England are also involved: they meet an attacking Serbian side in Gelsenkirchen tonight. And first up, Poland play the Netherlands in Hamburg. That game is in an intriguing Group D, which also includes France and a fast-improving Austria. I was going to say the Netherlands can’t afford to slip up, but it didn’t do them any harm when they lost their first game of the last European Championship to be played in Germany.
If you prefer these things in list form, here are today’s games.
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Poland v Netherlands (Group D, 2pm)
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Slovenia v Denmark (Group C, 5pm)
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Serbia v England (Group C, 8pm)
