Euro 2024

JUDE BELLINGHAM was England’s head boy as Gareth Southgate’s side made a winning start in Germany.The Real Madrid superstar oozed class throughout and broke the deadlock with only 13 minutes played thanks to an excellent header, dispatching Bukayo Saka’s deflected cross.Jude Bellingham was the star of the show for EnglandCredit: EPAThe midfielder scored a brilliant headed winnerCredit: GettyPhil Foden was far from his bestCredit: PAIt was a repeat of the World Cup in Qatar, when Bellingham netted England’s first goal of the tournament – also with a header.That match was against Iran and Southgate’s men ended up comfortably seeing them off 6-2.But it was a bit nervier here in Gelsenkirchen as Serbia exerted significant pressure in the second half, with a few narrow escapes for Southgate’s men.England dropped back deeper and deeper and lost the control they had had in the first half.READ MORE ON ENGLANDBut ultimately they got the three points required – and just their third clean sheet in their last eight games.Here is how SunSport rated England’s display in their opening game of the Euros.Jordan Pickford – 7Did not have too many saves to make, in truth, but then was alert to cracker of a strike from Dusan Vlahovic late on. Marshalled his defence throughout with his usually vocal approach. His distribution, particularly with long balls, continues to be an asset.Most read in Euro 2024EURO 2024 LIVE: KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM GERMANYBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSEngland were in control of the match throughoutKyle Walker – 7Delicious ball in behind from England’s vice captain released Saka in the build-up to our opener. The Manchester City man probably should have had a goal of his own too when racing in behind, but he tried to tee up one of Harry Kane or Phil Foden instead and found neither.John Stones – 6England fans go crazy as Jude Bellingham puts Three Lions 1-0 up vs Serbia in Euro 2024 openerOK display from England’s most experienced centre-back, who just about cleared a dangerous cross late deep into first-half stoppage time. Had missed training on Wednesday due to a stomach bug, confessing he felt utterly dreadful, but this result will have perked him right up.Marc Guehi – 7Looked anything but the weak link in England’s defence that many had portrayed him to be in the build-up. Crystal Palace man Guehi was sharp against two top strikers in Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic, fully justifying Gareth Southgate’s faith in him.Kieran Trippier – 7The Newcastle man may not be the tallest but he still won plenty of high balls with some brave headers. He offered real width at times, flying up the left-hand side, despite naturally being a right-back.Declan Rice – 8A mature and disciplined performance from one quarter of England’s leadership group that also includes Harry Kane, Walker and Bellingham.Rice played in front of the defence, unlike the No8 role he has had of late for Arsenal, and was a calming presence when mopping up throughout.Trent showed he’s a central character for England… he deserves to keep spot, says Wilshere
THIS game felt a bit like an audition for Trent Alexander-Arnold in centre midfield, writes SunSport columnist Jack Wilshere.
I think he passed it and deserves another chance to show all the qualities that he can bring to the role.
I was pleased when I saw Trent in the starting line-up.
It’s a little bit braver than we have normally seen from Gareth Southgate and I like that.
It was: ‘Go on, go and play!’ It didn’t necessarily work out like that but that wasn’t Trent’s fault.
Southgate was experimenting with him in there, seeing if it worked.
If we get later in the tournament against the big teams, you will need someone who has played in there a few times and understands the position a bit.
The combination between Trent, Kyle Walker and Bukayo Saka is a promising one.
You see Trent naturally drift over to that right side and receive it almost like a full-back.
It’s interesting what happens then with Walker.
He was still getting involved in and around the outside, which was good to see, and it was Walker who got forward to help create the Jude Bellingham goal.
That link-up is something we need to exploit more. We should probably have used it more last night as well.
At the start, he was a little bit shaky. He gave the ball away a couple of times, and one of them led to that decent chance for Aleksandar Mitrovic.
When he plays for Liverpool he comes inside. But it’s different when you’re in there from the start. It’s 360 degree pressure, from all sides.
I always found international football that bit quicker. You’ll often receive it with your back to the game and you’ve scanned, but you need to get more on the half turn to see what’s coming.
But it was difficult for Trent, especially in the first half, for him to show his range of passing. When you’re playing against a back five, with four in front, and they’re stubborn and just waiting . . . it is very hard.
There’s no space in behind, they’re very tight and organised.
And when the ball is going over your head, your job then becomes jumping on second balls, disrupting and trying to shield the big two up front.
Trent’s positioning was good and he made some good interceptions. I think he can — and should — hold on to the ball a bit more, draw the pressure, and then play the ball forward.
If someone comes to him, that frees up space for  someone else. And he and Declan Rice have the ability to find Bellingham and Phil Foden through the lines. I would like to have seen more of that. As the game opens up, Trent is a player who can pick the right pass.
Especially in transition, like he did with a lovely one down the side for Saka in the first half and another early in the second.
It was also good to see him get forward for a decent long-range shot.
But Trent was not helped by England’s performance in the  second half. We weren’t aggressive enough, we didn’t press well enough.
Trent’s audition lasted just under 70 minutes in the end. I believe  it is something Gareth should  persist with.
He is more than intelligent enough to work it out. And as the tournament goes on, I’m sure he will be fine in there.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7An all-action display from Liverpool’s hybrid full-back, who started in the middle of midfield. One particular first-half interception almost sparked a goal for Kyle Walker – though Trent was also a tad fortunate at one pont when his miscontol was not punished by Mitrovic who fired wide.Jude Bellingham – 9What a player and what a privilege it is that we get to call him ours. Starting his third major tournament aged just 20, the Real Madrid superstar proved he belongs on this stage with a masterful performance which included a brilliantly brave header to give England the lead.Bellingham is becoming England’s talismanThe Real Madrid star was the difference between England winning and losingBukayo Saka – 8England’s best player on the night after Bellingham, Saka was electric down the right hand side, having his opposing defender on toast several times.It was his deflected cross which assisted Bellingham’s opener. Was taken off with 15 minutes to go, having recently come back from a groin injury.Harry Kane – 5England’s captain – and darling of Germany after his incredible impact with Bayern Munich this season – had a quiet game. He must have thought he had killed the game off when rising for a late header, but it was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar.Harry Kane was quiet but saw a header touched onto the crossbarCredit: GettyPhil Foden – 5Not at his sharpest. The Premier League footballer of the year had a few moments where if his touch and passing had been on point then it could have led to something, but they were not. The curious case of how to translate his Manchester City form to England continues.SubsConor Gallagher (for Alexander-Arnold, 69) – 6Came on to try to shore things up after sustained Serbian pressure in the second half.READ MORE SUN STORIESJarrod Bowen (for Bukayo Saka, 76) – 7Surprisingly it was the West Ham man given the nod when an impressive Saka was replaced. But Bowen made an instant impact teeing up Kane for a header, which was brilliantly tipped onto the bar.Kobbie Mainoo (for Jude Bellingham, 86) – 6Manchester United youngster, like Gallagher, came on to help see it out. More

WE used to compare Jude Bellingham to other English footballers. To Wayne Rooney in 2004, to Paul Gascoigne in 1990. Jude Bellingham heads England in front on 13 minutesCredit: ReutersBellingham produced his trademark celebrationCredit: EPABut now we’re beyond all that. Bellingham is beyond comparison with any other player who has worn the Three Lions in the last half-century. If you’re old enough to have seen Bobby Charlton or Stanley Matthews then have a chat among yourselves. But watching Bellingham is more like witnessing Muhammad Ali or Tiger Woods in their pomp. A man who is so much better than anyone else he is competing with – and with the self-awareness to know it. READ MORE IN FOOTBALLIf Bellingham didn’t have such swaggering arrogance, he wouldn’t be the game-changer he is. His thumping early header set up an opening-night victory over Serbia just as his thumping early header had set up a thrashing of Iran in the first match of England’s World Cup campaign in Qatar.It was a classic centre-forward’s goal. But then Bellingham can be a centre-forward, he can be a No10, he can play on the left, he can play deep. This fella has more guises than Mr Benn.Still a fortnight shy of his 21st birthday, Bellingham is the on-field leader of Gareth Southgate’s England team.Most read in Euro 2024BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSHe’s their best passer, their best ball-winner, their best creator and since moving to Real Madrid, he’s challenging Harry Kane for the mantle of England’s best finisher too. There has been debate about moving Bellingham from a No10 role to accommodate Phil Foden, the Footballer of the Year and Premier League perma-champion who rarely sparkles for England.Watch Pickford’s passionate antics live on BBC as England kick off Euro 2024 campaign with Carragher left in stitchesEURO 2024 LIVE: KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM GERMANYBut you build teams around Bellingham; everyone else falls into line. England were not entirely convincing here – Kane was largely a spectator, Foden was unimpressive and Serbia gave their defence some nervy moments. Yet they won their opening match of a tournament for a fourth consecutive time under Southgate – and they are as good as through to the knock-out stages as a result.  Gelsenkirchen was the place where Rooney stamped, Cristiano Ronaldo winked, England lost another penalty shoot-out and the Wag circus packed up and left town at the 2006 World Cup. But forget the bad old days of the ‘Golden Generation’. England are a serious team under Southgate. Much of the optimism surrounding their chances seemed to have dissipated in recent weeks.How England rated vs Serbia… as Bellingham shines but TWO big names get 5s
JUDE BELLINGHAM was England’s head boy as Gareth Southgate’s side made a winning start in Germany.
The Real Madrid superstar oozed class throughout and broke the deadlock with only 13 minutes played thanks to an excellent header, dispatching Bukayo Saka’s deflected cross.
But, despite the brilliant start, it was a nervy affair here in Gelsenkirchen.
Serbia exerted significant pressure in the second half, with a few narrow escapes for Southgate’s men.
Harry Kane barely had a kick and the Premier League’s player of the year Phil Foden struggled to have any influence on the left of the Three Lions’ front three.
Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay rated England’s stars… with TWO stars getting just a 5.

Harry Maguire used to be seen as a problem but no Harry Maguire was a bigger problem still. Southgate’s excessive loyalty to his favourites had been holding England back but when he axed several of those favourites, his squad lacked experience.Trent Alexander-Arnold was too good not to play but then when he turned up in central midfield there were questions over his lack of gametime in the engine room. Still, all the fretting since the friendly defeat by Iceland had not taken into account one thing – England are a different team when Bellingham is playing. He takes a sad song and makes it better, as England’s supporters sang with their mass rendition of ‘Hey Jude’ after his goal. England’s fans had colonised the vast majority of the 62,000-capacity Veltins Arena, there had been a blast of Football’s Coming Home in the warm-up and the traditional booing of national anthems and then we were off. Southgate’s team were patient for 13 minutes, pawing at their opponents, casing the joint. It all felt too slow – but then Kyle Walker thrust a pass through the inside-right channel, Bukayo Saka darted onto it and his deflected cross was met by a close-range header from Bellingham, who had timed his charge perfectly.He cupped his ears at the Serbian fans behind the goal. He doesn’t give a stuff. After scoring at Hampden Park last autumn, he stood and stretched out his arms like Christ the Redeemer, he’s done similar in a Clasico in Barcelona.   He doesn’t just enjoy beating people, he likes to rub their noses in it. Like Ali standing over a stricken Sonny Liston. It’s not a typical English trait but it’s beautiful to see. Why not show arrogance when you have so much to be arrogant about? There was a minor scare when Alexander-Arnold lost possession deep in England’s half but Aleksandar Mitrovic drilled his shot into the side-netting.  The Liverpool man soon won a fine tackle and Saka – in effervescent form – fed Walker, who bore down on goal but chose to cross when he should have shot. Bellingham celebrates with Trent Alexander-ArnoldCredit: APThe England star put himself about in GelsenkirchenCredit: GettyThen came a moment when Bellingham pinged a first-time pass 30 yards across field to Walker.The ball had gone backwards but the technique was so delicious that the crowd broke into spontaneous applause, the sort you’d expect to greet a crisp drive to the cover boundary at Lord’s or a backhand down the line at Wimbledon.  Soon Bellingham was beating his man with a swivel and a shuffle on the edge of his own box, driving forward and winning a free-kick – the kid from the city of the Bull Ring, shaping up like a matador.  Kane had touched the ball just twice in the first half and after the interval it was Serbia doing much of the attacking. Jarrod Bowen replaced Saka and instantly centred for Kane, whose header was pushed on to the bar by Predrag Rajkovic.Then Pickford tipped over a fierce drive from Dusan Vlahovic. READ MORE SUN STORIESBellingham was often defending deep but occasionally he popped up on the left, performing step-overs and feints. If England are to win this tournament, Bellingham will be the chief reason why.Trent showed he’s a central character for England… he deserves to keep spot, says Wilshere
THIS game felt a bit like an audition for Trent Alexander-Arnold in centre midfield, writes SunSport columnist Jack Wilshere.
I think he passed it and deserves another chance to show all the qualities that he can bring to the role.
I was pleased when I saw Trent in the starting line-up.
It’s a little bit braver than we have normally seen from Gareth Southgate and I like that.
It was: ‘Go on, go and play!’ It didn’t necessarily work out like that but that wasn’t Trent’s fault.
Southgate was experimenting with him in there, seeing if it worked.
If we get later in the tournament against the big teams, you will need someone who has played in there a few times and understands the position a bit.
The combination between Trent, Kyle Walker and Bukayo Saka is a promising one.
You see Trent naturally drift over to that right side and receive it almost like a full-back.
It’s interesting what happens then with Walker.
He was still getting involved in and around the outside, which was good to see, and it was Walker who got forward to help create the Jude Bellingham goal.
That link-up is something we need to exploit more. We should probably have used it more last night as well.
At the start, he was a little bit shaky. He gave the ball away a couple of times, and one of them led to that decent chance for Aleksandar Mitrovic.
When he plays for Liverpool he comes inside. But it’s different when you’re in there from the start. It’s 360 degree pressure, from all sides.
I always found international football that bit quicker. You’ll often receive it with your back to the game and you’ve scanned, but you need to get more on the half turn to see what’s coming.
But it was difficult for Trent, especially in the first half, for him to show his range of passing. When you’re playing against a back five, with four in front, and they’re stubborn and just waiting . . . it is very hard.
There’s no space in behind, they’re very tight and organised.
And when the ball is going over your head, your job then becomes jumping on second balls, disrupting and trying to shield the big two up front.
Trent’s positioning was good and he made some good interceptions. I think he can — and should — hold on to the ball a bit more, draw the pressure, and then play the ball forward.
If someone comes to him, that frees up space for  someone else. And he and Declan Rice have the ability to find Bellingham and Phil Foden through the lines. I would like to have seen more of that. As the game opens up, Trent is a player who can pick the right pass.
Especially in transition, like he did with a lovely one down the side for Saka in the first half and another early in the second.
It was also good to see him get forward for a decent long-range shot.
But Trent was not helped by England’s performance in the  second half. We weren’t aggressive enough, we didn’t press well enough.
Trent’s audition lasted just under 70 minutes in the end. I believe  it is something Gareth should  persist with.
He is more than intelligent enough to work it out. And as the tournament goes on, I’m sure he will be fine in there. More

ENGLAND fan Andy Milne has been spotted at the Three Lions’ clash with Serbia, sending social media users into a frenzy.The Three Lions super-fan, whose looks have been compared to those of Steve McClaren, went viral after appearing during a broadcast of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.England super-fan Andy Milne was spotted on live TVCredit: BBC via X formerly TwitterThe Steve McClaren lookalike has been following the Three Lions for over 40 yearsCredit: GettyMilne clutched a replica World Cup in the standsCredit: GettyHe has since been spotted at further England matches, including the clash with Italy last year.Ahead of tonight’s match, Milne appeared on camera in the front row, pumping his fists.Spotting him, one fan wrote on social media: “LOOK WHO IS BACK!”While a second gushed upon seeing him: “We’re winning it all.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLA third joked: “One more game and he will be eligible for celebrity big brother.”And another added: “Heeesss BACKKK.”Milne is a member of the England Supporter’s Club and has been following the Three Lions for over 40 years.On his experiences following his country, he told the i in 2022: “Normally, I would end up travelling with a group of fans to the next game after England got knocked out.Most read in Euro 2024BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”I’ve been saving for four years. This was the only full World Cup I could come to, because Qatar is so small, so it’s something I’ve planned for 12 years.”I’m quite good on football tipping on Asian handicaps, so I’ve made quite a lot of money through that.England’s new Wags set to take Euro 2024 by storm”If you walk into my dining room at home, there’s a pile of 20 or 25 phones, because you need a new phone for each new account.”The number of accounts I’ve had is ridiculous. The most I’ve ever had an account closed at is £15,000, the lowest £1,200.” More

JUDE BELLINGHAM unveiled a new celebration after scoring England’s Euro 2024 opener against Serbia.And after the game the Real Madrid wonderkid revealed what the celebration was in tribute to.Jude Bellingham showed off a new celebration against SerbiaCredit: ReutersTrent Alexander-Arnold joined in with the celebrationCredit: GettyBellingham scored England’s opening goal of the tournamentCredit: AFPThe midfielder showed great desire to head the Three Lions in frontCredit: GettyHarry Kane was quiet but almost scoredCredit: GettyThe midfielder stormed in at the back post to head the Three Lions in front after just 13 minutes, which proved to be the winner in a 1-0 England victory.Bukayo Saka’s cross took a helpful deflection that fell to Bellingham, who beat the defender to the ball as he headed into the top corner.He then showed off a never-before-seen celebration with team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold.The pair both took a knee and placed their palm over their face, with some fans saying it reminded them of WWE star Booker T.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut it was in fact a nod to the card game Werewolf.The 20-year-old explained: “When we play Wolf, one of the staff loves loves that face when he doesn’t have a clue what’s going on.”That was a group celebration for the Wolf, the Wolf crew.”It is a card game which requires strategic thinking to come out on top and the objective of the game is to identify and kill the werewolves amongst the villagers.Most read in Euro 2024CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSEURO 2024 LIVE: KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM GERMANYBellingham beamed from ear to ear as he got back up to his feet, and he wasn’t finished there.The Real Madrid star turned to the crowd and pulled out his trademark celebration – stretching out his arms as he soaked up adoration from the travelling hoards of England supporters.England fans go crazy as Jude Bellingham puts Three Lions 1-0 up vs Serbia in Euro 2024 openerHow England rated vs Serbia… as Bellingham shines but TWO big names get 5s

JUDE BELLINGHAM was England’s head boy as Gareth Southgate’s side made a winning start in Germany.
The Real Madrid superstar oozed class throughout and broke the deadlock with only 13 minutes played thanks to an excellent header, dispatching Bukayo Saka’s deflected cross.
But, despite the brilliant start, it was a nervy affair here in Gelsenkirchen.
Serbia exerted significant pressure in the second half, with a few narrow escapes for Southgate’s men.
Harry Kane barely had a kick and the Premier League’s player of the year Phil Foden struggled to have any influence on the left of the Three Lions’ front three.
Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay rated England’s stars… with TWO stars getting just a 5.

Bellingham had a busy first half as he showed off the other side to his game.After dispossessing Filip Kostic of the ball he celebrated in the Serb’s face before shoving his opponent.The Juventus ace did not take kindly to the incident, and could be seen having a pop at Bellingham as he walked off.But England’s talisman got away with his act of petulance as he avoided the referee’s book.What is Werewolf and how do you play it?
WEREWOLF is a card game which requires strategic thinking to come out on top and the objective of the game is to identify and kill the werewolves amongst the villagers.
Werewolf takes place over a series of game rounds and each round has two phases – day and night.
During the day, the village discusses who they think is guilty and during the night, players can use special powers while the werewolves make their kill.
Players start by shuffling and dealing out the game cards, making sure to include two werewolves, a Doctor, and a Seer card.
There are also wild cards that can be played such as the Drunk, the Witch, and the Alpha Werewolf.
It starts off in the night phase where the moderator has the werewolves choose a victim, the Doctor is allowed to save one person, and the Seer gets to make a guess on the person they suspect of being a werewolf.
When the night round concludes, the day round starts and the players discuss their characters before taking a vote on who they believe is a werewolf.
That player is then killed and the night round begins again. The game continues until either the werewolves or the villagers win. More

JACK GREALISH posted a classy five-word message to England stars ahead of their Euro 2024 victory against Serbia.Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions won 1-0 against their tough opponents in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday night.Jack Grealish posted a classy message to England ahead of their Euros win over SerbiaCredit: GettyGrealish was axed from the Three Lions squad in a shock move by Gareth SouthgateCredit: GettyGrealish’s message was full of positivity before England’s 1-0 winJude Bellingham scored the only goal of the game in a brutal 90 minute clash.But England were without Manchester City star Grealish entirely after he was dropped from the final 26-man squad after a dismal end to his domestic season.The 36-time England international’s absence came as a surprise to many, with Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon and Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze preferred.However, Grealish accepted Southgate’s decision with grace after featuring for just 10 minutes in City’s final five league matches, while also being left on the bench for the FA Cup defeat to Man Utd.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd he showed total class as England kicked off against Serbia as he posted a brilliant message of support to his pals in Germany.Grealish reacted to England’s official Instagram page announcing the starting XI for tonight’s Serbia game.The line-up included City teammates Kyle Walker, John Stones and Phil Foden.While Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold was selected in midfield.Most read in Euro 2024EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSAnd Grealish fired out a classy message to the team, saying: “Good luck to the lads.”Grealish will be hoping to bounce back next season after netting just three goals and bagging one assist in 20 games.Jack Grealish and Harry Maguire left out of England’s Euro 2024 squad as Gareth Southgate’s 26-man shortlist is revealedAfter his England axe, the former Aston Villa captain jetted to Dubai for a holiday in the sun.Grealish shared a massive apartment with brother Kevan and a group of pals, and watched England’s game from there.He will also enjoy a holiday with long-term partner Sasha Attwood, with a source saying: “Jack intends to enjoy the unexpected time off.”As for England’s game, they got off to a flyer when they went 1-0 up against Serbia thanks to a header from Bellingham.The Real Madrid latched onto a deflected cross from Bukayo Saka to head home.But England were unable to find a second goal and were instead forced to defend against a tough Serbian outfit for the second half.READ MORE SUN STORIESSouthgate injected energy late on with subs including Connor Gallagher and Jarrod Bowen.And it was enough for England to grind out the victory, sealing a vital three points in the process.EURO 2024 LIVE: KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM GERMANYMeet England’s Euro 2024 Wags
England Wags range from childhood sweethearts to recently blossoming love stories.
Katie Goodland (Harry Kane’s wife)
The fitness instructor has been married to the England captain since 2019 and joined him in Germany with their four children after he joined Bayern Munich.
Laura Celia Valk (Jude Bellingham’s girlfriend)
The stunning Dutch model, 25, has more than half a million Instagram followers and is said to be absolutely smitten with the Real Madrid star.
Rebecca Cooke (Phil Foden’s girlfriend)
Foden’s childhood sweetheart and the mother of his two kids tends to keep out of the spotlight, but is a regular at England games.
Dani Dyer (Jarrod Bowen’s girlfriend)
England’s most famous Wag, former Love Island winner and daughter of Eastenders’ Danny Dyer.
Iris Law (Trent Alexander-Arnold’s girlfriend)
Dani Dyer isn’t the only actor’s daughter dating an England star. Iris’ dad is Hollywood legend Jude Law.
Megan Davison (Jordan Pickford’s wife)
Megan has been with Pickford since he was 14 years old. The couple married in 2022 and have one son.
Olivia Naylor (John Stones’ girlfriend)
The 33-year-old former beautician has stepped back from her role after giving birth to a baby son.
Read more about the Wags who will be supporting England at Euro 2024 here More