That’s all on a - yep - historic day for England, who have won their opening game at a European Championship for the first time. I’ll leave you with Jacob Steinberg’s player ratings and David Hytner’s match report. Night!
Gareth Southgate’s verdict
“It’s lovely to have given our fans and our country a really enjoyable afternoon. Huge credit to the players - I thought they dealt with a big occasion really well. The heat was incredible. There were moments where the tempo dropped but for the majority of the game we were in control. We didn’t give them many opportunities and we looked dangerous.
“Kalvin is a player who is so understated. He’s had a fantastic start to his international career and I thought he was immense throughout that game, as they all were. I’m so pleased for Raheem to get the goal. He’s had this hex, if you like, in tournaments... I thought he was dangerous all day, right from the start [when he set up Foden to hit the post].
“He’s a good player and his [overall] goalscoring record suggests we should have faith in him. He was motivated to show his value today. We know we’ll need all our attacking players through the tournament. We can make changes and we’ll need to.
“I thought the defence coped very well. I think the key is to get pressure on Croatia’s midfield players and we managed to do that during the game. That limits some of the supply, but the back four dealt with the longer balls well, read the game well and were composed.
“This is a tough group. They’re different sorts of challenges - Scotland and the Czech Republic are good sides. You want to get a good start because it takes some of the tension out of the preparation for the next game. But we’ve still got to get more points to qualify and that’s our first objective.”
And here’s the infectiously perky Mason Mount
“It was a good game, a very good game. We were on it from the first whistle and we could have had a few goals early on. We’ve really tried to work on our counter-press and it was brilliant in the first 20 minutes. Then the sun kicks in, we get a bit tired and they have a bit of the ball. But that’s natural with the players they have, and I thought the way we managed the game today was brilliant.
“It was brilliant to have the fans in - the national anthem was really special, and something I’ll remember for a long time. It gives us that extra bit of energy, especially at the end when you’re tired. We want to make them proud.
“It’ll be a good game to analyse. I thought we were calm on the ball, which is something we’ve looked at. It’s all about stepping up on the big stage and I felt like we did that today.”
He really is a gem of a human being, never mind a footballer.
David Hytner has filed his report from Wembley, and here it is.
Here’s Kalvin Phillips, who can’t stop smiling
“It was very enjoyable. It was really warm! That took its toll towards the end of the game. It was a great result and I’m very happy with my performance. I know there’s two more group games left and I need to perform just as well again, if not better.
“It’s a nice feeling [to make the goal]. When we finished celebrating, Raheem said it’s the first time I’ve found him with a pass since I’ve been coming to England! I’m laid-back, that’s the type of person I am. Whatever’s thrown at me I try to take in my stride and relax as much as possible. If I didn’t have the team and the coaching staff supporting me, I don’t think it would be possible.
“I love playing with Declan and having a bit of licence to get forward. I know that he’s behind me, backing me up if I lose the ball. There was a lot of talk about us fighting for one position but I think we play really well together.”
Here’s Tyrone Mings
“It’s a dream come true to play in a major tournament for England, and I loved every second of it. It’s probably the hottest game I’ve played in, but the team showed a lot of grit, determination and quality, and we’re over the moon with the start.
“They’re a top team and it was good for us to repel their threat. Equally we always have the quality to trouble teams. I can’t even remember the goal if I’m honest! I know Kalvin put in a lot of good work and Raz has got the quality and composure in front of goal, as he’s showed many times.
“As a defence, we felt in good shape. The back four is only as good as the players in front giving protection. Full credit to the whole team: the subs were brilliant as well, they gave us a new lease of life. That’s going to be important for us, using the whole squad. The Scotland match will be a hell of an occasion. We know their threat and that we need to focus on the game rather than the occasion.”
Both these teams play again on Friday: Croatia play the Czech Republic in Glasgow, then England meet Scotland at Wembley. Oh yes.
Raheem Sterling speaks
“I always said that if I ever play at Wembley in a major tournament, I’m going to score. It’s my back garden, I had to score. There’s a lot of different reasons why I haven’t scored for my club, and that’s totally irrelevant now. I’m here with England, I’m enjoying my football and I’m just delighted to score. It was a lovely weighted pass from Kalvin.
“[Have you justified your selection?] Have I justified my selection? [Long pause, then a half smile] I’m trying. It’s great to start with a win and hopefully we can build on it. As I said to you, it’s been a long season for me. I couldn’t wait to get here and get started with England because I knew it would be a positive experience.”
It’s been a really good day for Gareth Southgate. Sterling, whose selection was ridiculed, scored the goal, while Kieran Trippier was excellent at left-back. The change from 4-2-3-1 to 4-1-4-1 also worked perfectly, and had a direct impact on the goal with Phillips further up the field.
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They’re playing Three Lions on the tannoy. It’s over, forget it.
Raheem Sterling’s goal, made superbly by Kalvin Phillips, gives England a deserved victory. There wasn’t much in it, and it wasn’t a great game, but England’s young midfield - Rice, Phillips, Mount - righted the wrongs of 2018 by keeping Croatia at arm’s length. Tyrone Mings also had a very good game, but those three midfielders, all aged 25 or under, were the stars.
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There was a slight scare at the end. Perisic’s long throw was headed away to the edge of the area, where Pasalic spanked a half-volley into orbit. And that was the last kick of the game.
Full time: England 1-0 Croatia
Peep peep! For the first time in their history, England have won their opening game at a European Championship!
90+3 min A long, straight ball is headed across the area towards Petkovic, and Pickford is quickly off his line to claim. That was good goalkeeping.
90+2 min Another England change: the goalscorer Raheem Sterling, whose selection was widely ridiculed, is replaced by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
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90+1 min Apart from that great chance for Rebic, Croatia haven’t really created anything of note.
90 min There will be four minutes of added time.
89 min A nasty clash of heads between Vida and Bellingham leads to a break in play. They both seem okay. The players take the opportunity to enjoy a Gatorade chaser or two.
87 min This would be, in the face of almost no competition, England’s best result in the opening match of a major tournament since they beat France 3-1 in 1982.
86 min “If you are going to sub in Rashford,” says Mary Waltz, “shouldn’t he be on the left side?”
I agree, I think he’s a bit lost on the right (so does your beloved Jose Mourinho). I don’t mind him up front, where he’s playing now, if you are holding onto a lead.
85 min Croatia bring on Mario Pasalic for Mateo Kovacic.
84 min Perisic’s mishit cross is claimed by the backpedalling Pickford. Croatia are having more of the ball now, as you’d expect, but England look relatively comfortable. In the 2018 semi-final you could see the equaliser coming for maybe five or six minutes before Perisic scored it. That’s not the case here, at least not yet.
82 min What a moment this is: Jude Bellingham, 17, becomes the youngest player ever to appear at the European Championship. He has come on to replace Harry Kane, with Mount moving to the right and Rashford going up front.
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80 min Nobody will really care about the negatives if England win, BECAUSE IT’LL ONLY JOLLY WELL BE COMING HOME, but I suppose Kane’s anonymity is a slight concern - especially as he was similarly quiet in general play at the World Cup, even though he won the Golden Boot. Ach, who cares, I don’t know what I’m on about, he’s Harry Kane FFS.
79 min That’s Rebic’s last touch - he is replaced by Bruno Petkovic.
78 min Rebic turns smartly and finds Vrsaljko, whose cutback is coolly intercepted by Rice. He’s had a really good game. In fact England’s three central midfielders have been excellent, which is significant as that’s where the World Cup semi-final was lost.
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77 min “I was just thinking how few shirtless men I’d seen in the crowd even with this heat,” says Sean Boiling. “Then Raheem pops up and the shirts fly off.”
Heaven knows what state of undress Ian Copestake is in by now.
76 min Actually, I think it’s just cramp. He’s going to continue.
76 min There’s a break in play while John Stones receives treatment. This doesn’t look great, actually, and Ben White is warming up.
75 min England have never won their opening game at a European Championship. But they have thrown away a lead before. In 1980, and 1996, and 2000, and 2004, and 2012, and 2016.
74 min: Sterling misses an excellent chance! Trippier’s deep, driven free-kick is headed back smartly by Mings towards Sterling, who lashes it over the bar with his left foot. That was a really good opportunity.
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73 min A cross from the right is headed on by Rebic towards Perisic, and Walker does really well to get between him and the ball to shepherd it through to Pickford.
Goals. The striker’s currency. Sterling! pic.twitter.com/TQV3no4efq
— mark butcher (@markbutcher72) June 13, 2021
71 min And a change for England: Phil Foden, who had a decent game and hit the post early on, is replaced by Marcus Rashford.
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70 min Two changes for Croatia: Nikola Vlasic and Josip Brekalo replace Brozovic and Kramaric.
70 min Modric drives it flat to the edge of the D, where Brozovic charges onto the ball but volleys well wide.
69 min Croatia win a corner on the left. Walker wasn’t happy with the decision...
67 min Mount whips the free-kick just over the bar. Livakovic had it covered but it was sweetly stuck. Mount has been his usual perky, purposeful self.
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66 min Brozovic fouls Mount 22 yards from goal and is booked. This free-kick is in a great position, and Mount will surely take this one.
65 min: Rebic misses a great chance! Croatia should be level. Kovacic’s long-range snapshot was blocked by Stones on the six-yard line. But he could only divert it straight to Rebic, who dragged well wide from 15 yards. That was a really flustered attempt.
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Never forget where it started #BoyfromBrent pic.twitter.com/3eftHHCWW5
— Raheem Sterling (@sterling7) June 13, 2021
64 min The goal has re-energised England, for richer and poorer. Foden is booked for a slightly overzealous tackle on Gvardiol.
63 min Kane is back on his feet and seems okay.
61 min: Sensational defending from Gvardiol! Phillips and Foden combined to find Mount on the left of the area. He clipped a superb cross towards Kane, who was about to score at the far post when Gvardiol stretched around him to clear. Kane’s momentum took him into the post, and he is still down.
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60 min Now it suits England to play at a slow pace, because they have a precious advantage.
It’s Raheem Sterling’s first goal at a major tournament. But it also belongs to Kalvin Phillips, who made it with a superb, surging run. He beat two players in the inside-right channel and angled a perfect through ball to Sterling, who was on the move as always and forced a first-time shot through Livakovic. That’s a lovely moment for Sterling, who has had such a bad time at major tournaments, and also for the outstanding Kalvin Phillips.
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GOAL! England 1-0 Croatia (Sterling 57)
England take the lead against the run of play!
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55 min Modric’s long-range shot is easily saved by Pickford. Croatia kept the ball for a long time beforehand, and if I was an England fan I’d be reaching for the Jaws soundtrack.
55 min Broadly speaking, the slower the game, the more it suits Croatia. At the moment it’s being played at a snail’s pace.
54 min Kane turns Vida smartly, 25 yards from goal, but his through pass to Sterling is intercepted. I thought he was going to hit that.
52 min “I’m watching in America at a bakery,” says Jenn Sykes. “In a lot of places here you can’t sell alcohol on Sundays until the afternoon so the bars won’t open. It’s a bit jarring to watch a game surrounded by pink boxes and cupcakes, but they have a TV and cable subscription so I’ll take it!”
50 min A dodgy backheader from Trippier almost puts Rebic through on goal, but the alert Pickford charges out of his area and boots the ball clear. Croatia have started the second half well.
48 min Kovacic is booked for a crunching tackle on his clubmate Mount. He did win the ball but the referee decided his challenge was irresponsible, reckless or whatever the word is.
46 min Mings’ attempted pass to Stones is blocked by Perisic, with the ball looping into the arms of Pickford. For a split-second it looked like it might drift over him into the net, which would have registered about 9.2 on the Gualtierifarceometer.
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46 min Peep peep! Croatia kick off, hoping to put some second-half hurt on England once again.
“An impressive first five minutes,” high-fives Chris Harrison, “followed by lots of aimless sideways and backwards tiki-taka, Sterling huffing and puffing but ultimately either tripping over the ball, giving it away or nearly hitting the corner flag when your average U.12 would have found it easier to test the keeper. And Harry who?”
You must have loved the second half against Switzerland in 1996.
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“If it is so hot there, the game will only get slower in the second half,” says John Burrell. “Is that a bad omen for England?”
Not necessarily, especially as both teams can use five substitutes. England have some good attacking options – Grealish, Rashford, Grealish, Calvert-Lewin, Grealish, Saka, Grealish, Grealish and possibly even Grealish.
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Half time: England 0-0 Croatia
Peep peep! An intriguing half - that’s not a euphemism - ends goalless. Phil Foden hit the post early on, and for a while it looked like England’s young team might overrun Croatia. But as the half went on Croatia came into it and started to slow the game down in the heat.
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45 min Perisic plays a smart give-and-go on the edge of the area, but Mings steps across to make an important challenge. He’s had a good half.
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43 min And Trippier cracks it into the wall.
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43 min Mount and Trippier are over it...
42 min Sterling runs onto another long ball forward, forcing Caleta-Car to handle the ball just outside the area. He is booked and England have a free-kick in a great position: 22 yards out, slightly to the left of centre.
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41 min “Hi Rob,” writes Paris Goddard. “It’s 01:35 on Monday morning here in Wellington (New Zealand, not Somerset). If this goes badly it’ll be the earliest my week has ever been ruined.”
Now that’s what I call optimism.
40 min Not much is happening. Kyle Walker, who has had an iffy first half in possession, spanks a cross straight out of play.
38 min “Would you have picked Pickford in goal today?” writes our old MBM friend Eleanor Ward.
I would, mainly because he has tournament experience. I suspect Sam Johnstone might be the best of the three keepers, but it would be too big a risk to throw him in.
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37 min Sterling, who has been erratic but lively, zips infield from the left and finds Foden on the edge of the area. He tries to twist away from a couple of defenders and is firmly tackled.
36 min While it’s too early to start playing the theme from Jaws, Gareth Southgate will be slightly uneasy with how the game has drifted in the last 10-15 minutes. The tempo is a lot slower, which surely suits Croatia’s geriatricos.
34 min Phil Foden shows his class with a dainty first touch to kill Phillips’ clipped pass while in mid-air. I don’t know what else to tell you.
32 min “5:07am in Vancouver off to The London Pub and the beer will be flowing,” wrote Dan Mulligan shortly before kick-off. “Love these strange KO times while away.
Come on England.”
I haven’t done that enough, but I did watch the 2018 semi-final at 2am in Perth. I got drunk on my own about four times in a 24-hour period, and because of the different time zones they were all guilt free!
31 min One slight concern in what has generally been a good start is that I can barely remember Harry Kane touching the ball. It’s actually the inexperienced players - Phillips, Rice and Mount in particular - who have been most impressive.
29 min “Vindaloo, Vindaloo ...!” shouts Ian Copestake, whipping off his fake 1982 Admiral kit and swinging it about his head.
28 min England have had 60 per cent possession overall, but Croatia have definitely been on the ball a lot more in the last 10 minutes or so. Modric is seeing too much of the ball for Gareth Southgate’s liking.
27 min A half chance for Perisic, who slashes over the bar from 17 yards. Vrsaljko’s cross from the right was missed by everyone at the near post and drifted across the area to Perisic, who twisted his body for the shot but couldn’t get over the bouncing ball.
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26 min Sterling runs onto Trippier’s throw, 22 yards from goal, but wallops the bouncing ball miles wide. That looks like a deliberate tactic, with Sterling running infield, into space, to receive Trippier’s throws. A similar move led to Foden hitting the post early on.
24 min Vrsaljko’s cross is headed away by Mings at the near post. It’s been an unexpectedly comfortable start for England’s slightly makeshift defence.
23 min Croatia are slowing the game down at every opportunity. They know their experience will become more of an advantage if they can take the game deep.
20 min Sterling again gets behind the Croatia defence, this time on the left side of the area. He turns and flips a cross to the far post that is headed away. At the moment, England’s youth is trumping Croatia’s experience. But then we said the same in the first half of the World Cup semi-final.
19 min Foden tries to snake around the outside but is dispossessed by the diligent Kovacic. England are playing with a really impressive energy and purpose.
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17 min Phillips is fouled 35 yards from goal. Trippier flips the ball over the defence towards Kane, who is offside, the end.
16 min “In this searing heat Croatia will regret their black kit in the last 20 minutes,” says Mary Waltz. “Their aging side will melt.”
Literally.
15 min Sterling went to the last World Cup in great form and had a bit of stinker, so maybe this will be the reverse. He has been really bright so far. One thing Sterling doesn’t get enough credit for is his irrepressibility - he never hides, even if he’s having a rough time. That attitude, combined with his speed and movement, mean he will always be a threat.
13 min Thanks for all your emails, with which I am doggedly failing to keep up. It’s been a pretty frantic start to the game, faster than I expected in this heat.
11 min Kalvin Phillips has started the game really well, with and without the ball. It took four or five minutes for them to settle down, but since then England have been dominant.
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9 min The resulting corner is headed away as far as Phillips, whose crisp volley from 20 yards is pushed away by the sprawling Livakovic. This is terrific stuff from England.
8 min Caleta-Car makes a vital tackle on Sterling, although I think he was offside as he ran into Phillips’ clever pass. He tried to turn back inside Caleta-Car, who ensured neither Sterling or the ball would pass.
7 min “Like I always say,” says Mike Mackenzie, “a tournament doesn’t really start until the English fans are annoyed by the manager’s starting XI!”
6 min: Foden hits the post! Almost a dream start for England. Sterling broke through midfield, running onto a clever long throw from Trippier, and found Foden just outside the area. He controlled the ball on the stretch, teased Gvardiol and shaped a lovely left-footed curler towards the far post. It beat the diving Livakovic and bounced off the inside of the post.
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4 min It’s been a slightly nervous start from England, with a few loose touches. Croatia, whose team are much more experienced, look pretty assured.
2 min England are indeed playing with Trippier at left back. But the formation is slightly different, 4-1-4-1 rather than 4-2-3-1. Declan Rice is playing in front of the back four, with Phillips and Mount ahead of him.
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1 min Peep peep! England kick off from right to left.
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The England players take a knee... and there is a lot of booing. It’s soon drowned out by cheers and applause, but that’s not really the point.
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England are in their snazzy home strip, Croatia are wearing a very stylish black change kit.
The Croatia anthem is briefly booed. Tremendous stuff. Then the England playersand fans belt out God Save the Queen, some with more gusto than others. This is it, the start of another emotional spin cycle.
Harry Kane leads England onto the field. Then Luka Modric, England’s nemesis on this ground in 2007 and in Russia in 2018, strolls on with the Croatia team. They’re all wearing tracksuits, despite the heat, possibly to shoe how hard they are.
The players are in the tunnel. The 22,500 fans at Wembley are making a rare old noise. Here we go!
A suited Gareth Southgate speaks
“We’re very focussed on today’s game. We’ve prepared tactically. We know everybody around us is hugely excited and the players and staff are as well, but we have to focus on the performance and forget the noise.
“Kieran is a very experienced player, a good one-v-one defender to stop crosses coming in. His communication and leadership will be a help because we’ve got changes in the back line. It’s unfortunate that we can only name 23, and we’ve had to cover several positions. I don’t like that we have to leave players out of the squad at a major tournament - it’s not fair on them.
“The front six is the same as we had in our games in March. We had some continuity through those matches, and I think they have an understanding. We’ve got fabulous depth and we know that Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish are really pushing for starting places. With the heat today, substitutes are going to be more important than ever.
“We know we’ll have great support during the game. What happens before is for individual people to decide. We know what we’re doing and our focus is entirely on the football. We hope Christian Eriksen is recovering well and our thoughts are with him. I thought his teammates were incredible. Thankfully the news sounds positive.”
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“Somehow, something doesn’t feel right about this match,” says Chris Evans. “Could be the team selection, could be the booing, could be Covid. Not sure. Feeling uneasy.”
Wait until England win their first corner. You’ll be straight up on the roof singing Atomic Kitten.
Half an hour to kick off. It’s boiling at Wembley, just below 30 degrees. It’s not ideal gegenpressing weather.
“The Sancho omission is a bit odd,” says Seth Ennis. “I thought the whole squad are available as substitutes.”
Not at this tournament. Each team is allowed 26 players in their tournament squad, then 23 in each matchday squad. Two of the 12 substitutes must be goalkeepers. The three England players missing out today are Sancho and Ben Chilwell, who were fit and available for selection, and Harry Maguire.
Some of you have suggested England could play with a back three. I’d say that’s highly unlikely, as it would mean Raheem Sterling or Phil Foden playing as a left wing-back. Stranger things have happened, but not many.
The pre-match thoughts of Mason Mount
“I’m very excited. We know how big the game is but we’re confident and in a good state of mind. We’re looking forward to the game. I’ve had a little bit of experience playing against [Modric], which always helps, but it’s a different game today. We’ll be doing everything we can to stop them as a team and then focus on what we can do when we have the ball. It’s gonna be a tough game today, with the heat as well, so it’ll give us a massive boost to have a crowd at Wembley.”
Tubthumping department
“Nice to see we’re keeping up tradition by selecting blatantly unfit key players, picking others out of position, and inexplicably leaving some of the form players on the bench (or in the stands, in the case of Sancho),” says Dave Adams. “For all that Southgate talks a different game to previous England managers, does anyone seriously doubt that Grealish and Sancho would be in the XI today if the played for City or Liverpool? Can’t see anything ahead but disappointment, finger pointing, and a scrappy win over Scotland.”
Though I disagree with parts of the team, I think that’s pretty harsh. He was always likely to pick Sterling or Rashford for their pace, and if he had left out Foden (as I would have done) or Mount he would have been slagged off for that. Trippier at left back is a little bit strange, but Southgate trusts him.
I’m away to grab a coffee for the next 10 minutes or so. I’ll leave you with this terrific piece, which I suspect speaks for a few of you.
“Is Jadon Sancho’s non-selection partly because he plays in Germany and hasn’t played too much in England?” asks John Burrell. “I can’t understand why he wouldn’t at least be in the bench.”
I can’t see that being the reason, but I’m as surprised as you that he isn’t among the subs. I’d have had him in the XI, never mind the XXIII.
There are no big surprises in the Croatia team. Andrej Kramaric is preferred to Bruno Petkovic, which should mean Ante Rebic starting up front. The talented Nikola Vlasic, who is still feeling his way back from injury, will come off the bench at some stage.
“I have opted out of following England (decided not to get a ticket or a tattoo) but have allowed myself peeps at the MBM,” says Ian Copestake. “There is such a bad taste in the mouth from how the crowd reacts to the team and to how the press will gladly throw Southgate to the ‘lions’. I just don’t feel the love.”
Wait until they win their first corner; you’ll be straight up on the roof singing Vindaloo.
England’s route to glory/failure
“It’s worth pointing out,” begins Simon Bromley, “that while finishing second in the group would mean an easier last 16 game for England, they would then have to play the Group of Death winner in the quarters - without home advantage.”
The teams in full
England (4-2-3-1) Pickford; Walker, Stones, Mings, Trippier; Phillips, Rice; Foden, Mount, Sterling; Kane.
Substitutes: D Henderson, Johnstone, Shaw, Grealish, J Henderson, Rashford, Coady, Calvert-Lewin, White, James, Saka, Bellingham.
Croatia (4-3-3) Livakovic; Vrsaljko, Caleta-Car, Vida, Gvardiol; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Kramaric, Rebic, Perisic.
Substitutes: Kalinic, Sluga, Brekalo, Vlasic, Budimir, Pasalic, Skoric, Badelj, Petkovic, Juranovic, Bradaric, Ivanusec.
Referee Daniele Orsato (Italy)
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England team news
That leaked England team has been confirmed. Jadon Sancho isn’t even on the bench, which is weird, while Jordan Henderson has been included in the matchday squad so that he can do a few card tricks in the dressing-room at half-time.
Team news is in!
— England (@England) June 13, 2021
Your #ThreeLions to face Croatia in our opening game at #EURO2020... 👊 pic.twitter.com/HxYXprXtex
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“Very much feeling the hope and despair vibe,” says Lizz Poulter, “but right now I feel this is a lose/lose match. If England win, the chances are they’ll top the group and have a harder time going forward. If England lose, ENGLAND LOSE!, which is a terrible way to start the tournament. Still, at least we’re all feeling the love for Christian Eriksen and Denmark.”
It’s a very good point. If England win the group they stay at Wembley for the last 16 – but they would have to play the team that finishes second in the France/Germany/Portugal/Hungary group. If they finish second they should have an easier game, but they would lose home advantage. If they finish third, you can do your own wallchart because I haven’t a clue what happens then.
Croatia If you want to know more about how their team has evolved since they reached the World Cup final, Aleksandar Holiga is your friend.
This isn’t going to end well, is it
Atomic kitten being sung with a new depth and pathos at wembley. Can confirm Southgate still turning people on. A healing moment.
— Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) June 13, 2021
Croatia’s recent form is poor, with seven defeats in the last 13 games. But they are still a dangerous, streetwise team, and you don’t need to read between too many lines to know how much they would love to do a number on England today.
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We have a separate liveblog for all the other Euro 2020 business. I’m happy to report that the news on Christian Eriksen remains positive.
Early team news/pre-match mellow-harshing
The word on the social media street is that Jack Grealish won’t start for England. This is the reported team, in the popular 4-2-3-1 formation: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Mings, Trippier; Phillips, Rice; Foden, Mount, Sterling; Kane.
Thoughts? I think the security of Phillips and Rice is essential, but I would have played Grealish and probably Jadon Sancho ahead of Sterling and Foden. Kieran Trippier at left-back is also an interesting decision.
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Preamble
Dear reader, meet Hope and Despair. If you’re an England supporter, they’ll be staying at your place for the next few weeks. They’re a well-meaning pair, if a little high maintenance, and they’ve already invited a few of their friends round for the England games: Giddiness, Hype, Anger, Hubris and even Racism, though you don’t have to answer the door to that particular clown.
Yep, it’s time for a new series of everyone’s favourite tragicomedy: England’s attempt to win a second major tournament. This is their 20th attempt at glory since 1966, not including the tournaments they failed to reach, but only the second in which they have had home advantage. IT’S ONLY JOLLY WELL COMING HOME
They start with a tricky game against their old friends Croatia, who put England out of their optimism at the last World Cup; then it’s Scotland on Friday and the Czech Republic a week on Tuesday. One way or another, it’s going to be emotional.
Kick off 2pm.
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