Pre-Match facts (credit – full match page at www.uefa.com, link opens in a new tab)
Serbia make their long-awaited return to the UEFA European Championship with a game against 2020 runners-up England at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen as UEFA EURO 2024 Group C kicks off.
While Serbia have not featured in the final tournament since 2000 – when they reached the last eight only to bow out after a record-equalling defeat – England are making their fourth successive appearance. Gareth Southgate’s side enjoyed their most successful campaign at EURO 2020, reaching the final for the first time only to lose on penalties to Italy at Wembley.
Slovenia and Denmark – beaten in extra time by England in the semi-finals at EURO 2020 – complete the Group C line-up.
Previous meetings
Played 15
Serbia wins 4
England wins 6
Draws 5
Serbia goals 21
England goals 25
This is the sides’ first fixture since a friendly in Leicester on 3 June 2003, a match England won 2-1. Steven Gerrard gave Sven-Göran Eriksson’s side a 35th-minute lead only for Nenad Jestrović to equalise ten minutes later for a Serbia and Montenegro side coached by Dejan Savićević before substitute Joe Cole scored England’s winner seven minutes from time.
That in turn was the sides’ first fixture since another friendly, at Wembley on 13 December 1989. Two Bryan Robson goals gave Bobby Robson’s England the win against a Yugoslavia side coached by Ivica Osim and whose goal came from Haris Škoro.
England have won the last four fixtures between the teams, recording a 2-0 victory in London and a 4-1 success in Belgrade in qualifying for the 1988 European Championship.
England are unbeaten in six matches against Serbia (W4 D2), since the sides’ only previous EURO finals fixture, in the 1968 semi-finals in Florence. Dragan Džajić scored the only goal with four minutes remaining.
That was Yugoslavia’s fourth win in the first nine games between the teams, compared to two England victories.
EURO facts
Serbia
Serbia last appeared at a EURO as part of Yugoslavia in 2000 when, having finished second behind Spain in their section, they lost 6-1 to co-hosts the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
Yugoslavia were runners-up against the Soviet Union (1-2 aet) and Italy (1-1 aet, 0-2 replay) in the European Championship finals of 1960 and 1968 respectively.
Serbia’s EURO 2020 qualifying campaign ended in a 5-4 penalties loss to Scotland after a goalless draw in their play-off final. Third in Group B behind Ukraine and holders Portugal, a side coached by Ljubiša Tumbaković had beaten Norway 2-1 after extra time in their play-off semi-final before defeat by Scotland.
Now under Dragan Stojković, Serbia successfully negotiated EURO 2024 qualifying, ending Group G as runners-up to Hungary with 14 points, four behind the section winners. Their record was W4 D2 L2, a finals place secured by a 2-2 draw at home to Bulgaria in their last game.
Serbia have played twice previously at the Arena AufSchalke, losing both matches. As Serbia and Montenegro they were beaten 6-0 in Gelsenkirchen by Argentina in the 2006 FIFA World Cup group stage before Germany beat Serbia 2-1 in a friendly on 31 May 2008.
England
The Three Lions are making their 11th appearance at the final tournament and a ninth in the last ten editions of the competition, missing out only in 2008.
EURO 2020 proved to be England’s most successful EURO campaign as they finished first in Group D ahead of Croatia, Czechia and Scotland before knockout wins against Germany (2-0), Ukraine (4-0) and Denmark (2-1 aet) took them into the final for the first time.
Luke Shaw’s second-minute goal gave them the lead against Italy at Wembley, but after the Azzurri levelled Southgate’s side ultimately lost 3-2 on penalties.
In charge since 2016, Southgate oversaw an unbeaten qualifying campaign for EURO 2024, his side winning six of their eight games, scoring 22 goals and conceding only four, to finish six points clear at the top of Group C. England reached a fourth successive EURO with two matches to spare thanks to a 3-1 home win against Italy on 17 October.
England’s only previous game at the Arena AufSchalke ended in elimination from the 2006 World Cup, Portugal winning 3-1 on penalties after a 0-0 quarter-final draw, a match in which England’s Wayne Rooney was sent off.