Euro 2024 LIVE: Latest reaction after Jude Bellingham gives England win over Serbia

England have won their opening game in all four of their major tournaments played under Gareth Southgate (Euro 2020 and 2024, World Cup 2018 and 2022) – that is just one less than the number of victories the Three Lions have achieved in opening matches across their other 23 major tournament appearances (W5 D11 L7).

England have also kept a clean sheet in each of their last five group-stage matches at the European Championship finals – the longest such run in the competition’s history.

Kieran Trippier has pledged to be the ultimate team player in England’s bid to win the Euros, whether that means playing out of position, offering experience or even starting matches on the sidelines.

The 33-year-old has been part of all four of Gareth Southgate’s major tournament squads and looks set to start Sunday’s Group C opener against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen.

But right-back Trippier will line-up on the opposite side as England wait for their sole out-and-out left-back Luke Shaw to return from four months out with a hamstring injury.

It only took Luka Modric 18 years. In 2006, the summer before Lamine Yamal was born, he was an unused substitute against Brazil at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. He didn’t quite get on the pitch then – blame manager Zlatko Kranjcar for that one – but a remarkable longevity took him back to Berlin, into historic company. For the Croatia captain, playing in a ninth major tournament meant he joined only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lothar Matthaus among Europeans. A few months before his 39th birthday, he became the oldest ever player at European Championships; though perhaps only for a few days, until Ronaldo and Pepe go past him.

A day of record-breakers, however, became an advertisement for youth, rather than experience. Lamine Yamal, the youngest footballer ever at this level, some 22 years Modric’s junior, delivered a star turn. Croatia lost 3-0 to Spain. It wasn’t quite as dramatic a case of a glorious career ending at the Olympiastadion as Zinedine Zidane’s, later in the 2006 World Cup, but it was a day to prompt questions. Are Croatia, finally, too old? Will time eventually catch up with the timeless Modric, boyish as his physique remains, baggy as the shorts are?

There will be concern that England lost their way and showed unsettling similar signs of some of their previous disappointments at major tournaments under Southgate, allowing Serbia to slowly creep into the game, but Guehi’s display alongside John Stones in defence was a major positive of the evening. Without one of their Southgate stalwarts in Harry Maguire, the Crystal Palace centre back may have solved a problem position.

Mbappe was not included in a 25-man preliminary squad for the Olympics earlier this month, though head coach Thierry Henry left the door open.

Mbappe addressed the French people during a pre-match press conference following Emmanuel Macron’s shock announcement to call a snap parliamentary election. Macron suffered heavy defeats by Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (NR) party in last week’s European Union vote.

By half-time in Gelsenkirchen, Harry Kane was doing his best Erling Haaland impression. Not in terms of goalscoring feats, but by standing on the periphery, waiting for his moment. If Haaland has cracked the code to produce the displays of the most ruthless efficiency since arriving in the Premier League, averaging a goal a game while barely having a touch for dominant Manchester City, England, it seems, have a similar plan for their captain.

Except when Kane comes away from England’s Euro 2024 opener against Serbia having touched the ball just 24 times, including just twice in the first half, the logic of isolating the tournament’s leading striker can come into question. Kane was largely anonymous against Serbia as Gareth Southgate’s side held on to claim a narrow and nervy 1-0 win, having the fewest touches and passes (nine from 12 attempts) in England’s starting line-up. That, however, does not necessarily mean it is a bad thing.

The defender made over 600 appearances for the Reds between 1977 and 1990 and also won 26 Scotland caps before going on to a successful broadcasting career, becoming Match of the Day’s most recognisable pundit after spending more than 20 years as a regular on the programme.

It’s almost time for the first Euro 2024 match of the day as the Group E commences with Romania taking on Ukraine. Team news for this one has just dropped and kick off is right around the corner.

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