Serbia vs England LIVE RESULT: Jude Bellingham’s solitary strike earns three points but Three Lions far from best
ENGLAND won their opening game of Euro 2024 - but the Three Lions were far from their best against Serbia.
Jude Bellingham powered home a header after just 13 minutes and Gareth Southgate's side were impressive in the first half.
But Serbia were the much better side after the break and England struggled, just about getting over the line after withstanding long periods of pressure.
- Kick-off time: 8pm BST
- Stream/TV: BBC One/iPlayer
Serbia 0-1 England
14. England have lift off at Euro 2024 - and it comes courtesy of their golden boy, Jude Bellingham.
On the right, Trent Alexander-Arnold releases Bukayo Saka to the byline from where the Arsenal forward's cross is deflected up off the sliding challenge of Strahinja Pavlovic.
The touch off the defender takes the ball above Harry Kane, but arriving at the back post is Bellingham, beating Andrija Zivkovic to head powerfully into the roof of the net.
It's the perfect start for the Three Lions!
Hey Jude!
Serbia 0-0 England
11. Some classic Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The Serbia captain is back in his own box to defend a free-kick, and ends up winning a foul despite giving as good as he got from John Stones.
Serbia 0-0 England
9. Rice looks to release Saka down the right, but the Arsenal teammates are denied a smart link-up by the tracking of Kostic.
Serbia have been uncompromising in their defensive start to the game.
Serbia 0-0 England
7. Foden isn't happy after taking a heavy challenge from Zivkovic, and limps away from the scene in frustration.
Meanwhile, Guehi has had some confidence-boosting early touches.
Serbia 0-0 England
5. Bellingham finds Foden in space with a clever pass inside the box, but the Manchester City star is unable to bring it under control on the turn.
"For once it just didn't stick," bemoans Guy Mowbray on BBC commentary duties.
Serbia 0-0 England
4. Trent Alexander-Arnold has spent the opening minutes roaming up and down the right flank.
I hope he hasn't forgotten where he's supposed to be playing.
Serbia 0-0 England
2. England have taken early control of the ball with Bellingham showcasing some nice touches.
Meanwhile, reporter Charlie Wyett further explains the reasons for the booing of BOTH national anthems:
"Both sets of fans whistle and jeer the national anthems. Serbia's booing of God Save the King was pre-planned in protest at England's part in the NATO bombing of Serbia during the 1999 Kosovo War."
From Charlie Wyett in Gelsenkirchen
Both sets of fans whistle and jeer the national anthems. Serbia's booing of God Save the King was pre-planned in protest at England's part in the NATO bombing of Serbia during the 1999 Kosovo War.
Kick-off - Serbia v England
1. Italian referee Daniele Orsato blows his whistle, and England - all in white - get this Group C encounter underway.
As a nice contrast, Serbia are kitted out all in red.
Here come the two teams!
It's time!
There's a steely focus on the faces of the England players as they make their way through the coal-carved tunnel at the Arena AufSchalke.
There perhaps isn't quite the excitable atmosphere that has greeted the arrival of other teams beginning their Euro 2024 journey this weekend, but expectation inside this stadium is as high as anywhere.
The travelling England masses belt out the national anthem before the predictable boos ring out for the Serbian version.
As the camera pans across the grizzled features of each tough-looking player in the opposition, I can't help but think these are the guys we want to wind up before kick-off.
Still, there's plenty of smiles among the players as they share handshakes and high fives, but now it's all about the action.
Kick-off in Gelsenkirchen comes next.
England fans buzzing
Here are the scenes at Boxpark in Croydon as England fans prepare for the big kick off:
England fans are buzzing at Boxpark Shoreditch ahead of Euro 2024 clash vs SerbiaCountdown to kick-off
There are just ten minutes until England's Euro 2024 campaign gets underway, and the atmosphere is heating up inside Arena AufSchalke.
Milestones for England's main men
Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford and Jude Bellingham were arguably the first three names on Gareth Southgate's team sheet for tonight's game.
And with their selection, each player reaches a notable record as an England player.
Kane will make his 23rd appearance at a men's major tournament, more than any other player has ever managed for England.
Pickford, meanwhile, is set to start his 20th game for the Three Lions at a major international tournament tonight - a joint record for an England goalkeeper along with Peter Shilton.
And as for Bellingham, he will become the first European player to make an appearance at three different major international tournaments before the age of 21, having played at Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup and now Euro 2024.
- Pre-Match Brief: Tom Barclay gives early team news for England vs Serbia as fans flood into stadium
How the sides shape up
While Gareth Southgate has been praised for an adventurous approach in selecting Trent Alexander-Arnold over a holding midfielder, Dragan Stojkovic has sprung a surprise by dropping captain Dusan Tadic.
The Serbia head coach has also opted Predrag Rajkovic in goal over Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.
Rice: Trent is raring to go
Declan Rice insists England arrive in Gelsenkirchen for their opening match with Serbia fully prepared and ready to win.
"I think the most important thing in any opening game at a tournament is to win," he told BBC.
"That has been the total objective since we landed in Germany."
The Arsenal man was also asked about his blossoming midfield partnership with Trent Alexander-Arnold, who he will play alongside as a central two for just the fifth time.
We have had so many good conversations just between the two of us this week. I think you're going to see a different side to Trent. He's raring to go. He's got so much energy and enthusiasm when he plays in midfield, he loves to get around the pitch.
Declan Rice on Trent Alexander-Arnold
All square in Stuttgart
The final whistle has just been blown at the Stuttgart Arena where Slovenia have pegged back Denmark for a 1-1 draw.
As a result, the two countries are off the mark in Group C with a single point each, meaning that the winner of Serbia against England in Gelsenkirchen this evening will take a huge stride towards qualification.
Credit: uefa.com Pundits split on Trent
While Pearce thinks Trent could be a difference maker in midfield, other former England stars are split on the Liverpool man - with Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney believing he should be playing in his natural position at right back.
Neville told ITV: "Against Serbia, they're going to play deep and we're going to need to find a way to cut them open, so I can see why Trent in there works for this particular match.
"But as the tournament goes on, I don't think it will remain that way — other players will come into the fold.
"What Trent playing there does is basically allow Kyle Walker to stay back almost as a third centre-back.
Trent can go out to the right-hand side then and deliver, almost like a right-back.
"I can see why it works but I'm not sure it will be the solution as the tournament moves on."
Rooney said on The Overlap: "Defensively, he's all over the place," he explained.
"He can't defend [as a midfielder]. I wouldn't have him anywhere near the middle of the pitch.
"I'd have no problem with playing him here [at right-back]. I think in here [midfield], I wouldn't have him anywhere near there."
But Jamie Carragher says Southgate must find a place for him in the team.
"I just think that Trent is that good a player you have got to find a place for him in the team and that happens at different levels of football," he said.
"Sometimes a player has that much quality you can’t have him sitting on the bench and England have a big hole in midfield. Trent, I wouldn’t say he is not a midfield player but he is 50 per cent a midfield player.
"You might have a problem if Trent was playing against Germany and Jamal Musiala is running at him but when you talk about Trent I think playing him in midfield alleviates some of those problems that he might get at right-back defensively."
Credit: Getty Captain Mitro spearheads Serbia frontline
Serbia (3-5-2): 1 Rajkovic; 13 Veljkovic, 4 Milenkovic, 2 Pavlovic; 14 Zivkovic, 20 S. Milinkovic-Savic, 6 Gudelj, 22 Lukic, 11 Kostic; 7 Vlahovic, 9 Mitrovic
Subs: 12 Petrovic, 23 V. Milinkovic-Savic, 3 Stojic, 5 Maksimovic, 8 Jovic, 10 Tadic, 15 Babic, 16 Mijailovic, 17 Ilic, 18 Ratkov, 19 Samardzic, 21 Gacinovic, 24 Spajic, 25 Mladenovic, 26 Birmancevic
Credit: @FSSrbije on X England starting XI as expected
England (4-2-3-1): 1 Pickford; 2 Walker, 5 Stones, 6 Guehi, 12 Trippier; 8 Alexander-Arnold, 4 Rice; 7 Saka, 10 Bellingham, 11 Foden; 9 Kane
Subs: 13 Ramsdale, 23 Henderson, 3 Shaw, 14 Konsa, 15 Dunk, 16 Gallagher, 17 Toney, 18 Gordon, 19 Watkins, 20 Bowen, 21 Eze, 22 Gomez, 24 Palmer, 25 Wharton, 26 Mainoo
Credit: @England on X
Heads up on Serbia main threat
With the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic in their attacking ranks, it is no surprise that Serbia possess an impressive aerial threat.
In fact, 33% of their goals in European Championship qualifying were headers (5 of 15) - the highest ratio amongst any team that have reached the finals in Germany.
This evening could prove to be something of a tournament baptism of fire for centre-back Marc Guehi.
Trent the key
England hero Stuart Pearce knows Declan Rice will be a key man for the Three Lions in Germany.
But the hardman left-back believes Trent Alexander-Arnold could be key to unlocking his best traits.
"Dec can do a bit of everything. I think even on the show tonight we might even talk about if there is a role in this tournament for Declan to play further up the pitch like he does for Arsenal," Pearce told talkSPORT.
"I think he can offer a lot more but the balance has got to be right and if he’s got Trent in there, getting the balance right, he’s got to be the quarterback with his passing range."England set for first Serbia showing
This evening's encounter in Gelsenkirchen will mark England's first ever match with Serbia since they re-emerged as an independent state in 2006.
In fact, since the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, the Three Lions have only faced Serbia and Montenegro - and that was once in 2003.
Sven-Goran Eriksson's side prevailed 2-1 in an international friendly at the Walkers thanks to a goal from Steven Gerrard and a late winner from Joe Cole.
John Terry made his international debut that night as a half-time sub for one Gareth Southgate.
Bad MemRoories
England haven't played at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen since 2006 - and will have bad memories of that night.
It was at the World Cup and England were playing in the quarter-final against Portugal.
But it was a bad night all round for the men in white, with Wayne Rooney sent off for his stamp on Ricardo Carvalho and huge fall out after Cristiano Ronaldo's infamous wink.
The game was drawn 2-2 with David Beckham and Darius Vassell missing penalties as England went crashing out.
