EURO 2024: Will Serbia overcome perennial favourites England?

EURO 2024: Will Serbia overcome perennial favourites England?

Eric Munene 14:40 - 16.06.2024

England will begin their Euro 2024 campaign against Serbia who are likely to test them to the limit on Sunday night.

As Serbia prepare to embark on another major tournament journey, they're eager to shake off their 'surprise package' label.

Under the tutelege of Dragan Stojkovic, hopes soared during the last World Cup, only to be dashed with just one point.

Yet, a convincing 3-0 victory over Sweden in their last warm-up match has injected confidence into the Serbian camp.

With lethal strikers like Luka Jovic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Dusan Vlahovic, Serbia boast an enviable attacking prowess.

However, their tendency to falter after promising starts leaves fans cautiously optimistic.

Yet, history suggests that even a solitary win might be enough to propel them through the group stage, drawing on Ukraine's progression with just three points in Euro 2020.

Their first hurdle? England, the perennial 'favourites' led by Gareth Southgate. Despite a mixed bag of friendly results, England's squad brims with talent, featuring stars like Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.

Southgate, eyeing his "last chance" for silverware as England's manager, aims to replicate their impressive group stage performance from the last tournament, where they didn't concede a goal.

The spotlight will be on Mitrovic, who played a pivotal role in Serbia's qualification, and Kane, who neared Bundesliga's all-time goal record owned by Robert Lewandowski by only five goals. Expectations are tempered, considering England's recent trend of low-scoring Euro matches.

As anticipation builds for their maiden encounter, all eyes are on the clash between Serbia's firepower and England's ambition, setting the stage for a captivating showdown in the European Championship.

With the match already under sharp surveillance from the German authorities, will the Serbian and English fans who are known for their spirited riot-like support cause chaos on Sunday?