Big hopes again for England at Euro but will there be a happy ending?

We have been here before.

Expectations are at an all-time high. Several English players have had outstanding campaigns with their clubs as England head into Euro 2024 as tournament favourites with the bookmakers. Every Englishman and Three Lions fan across the globe is ready to belt out the iconic It’s Coming Home anthem.

It is fever pitch as England are gunning to end a 58-year wait for a major trophy, having come close in recent years under manager Gareth Southgate.

The pain of losing a penalty shoot-out to Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley and the quarter-final exit to France at the 2022 Qatar World Cup will still be fresh on players’ and fans’ minds when England start their campaign in Germany. They aim to navigate an easy way out of Group C, which also contains potential dark horses in Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia.

The English faithful will hope that along with the scars that may remain, lessons have also been heeded.

Critics have long slammed Southgate for being too cautious with his tactics and team selection.

But there are now more reasons than ever for the English manager to ditch the tactical straightjacket and unleash his team’s true attacking potential. It is hard to argue with the notion that his squad will be unsurpassed in terms of quality in Germany even though the Three Lions’ Achilles heel could be their backline.

Premier League Player of the Year Phil Foden and Young Player of the Year Cole Palmer combined for 54 goals and 27 assists in all competitions in the 2023-24 season for Manchester City and Chelsea respectively. Bayern Munich’s elite marksman Harry Kane has won the European Golden Shoe for the first time, having scored 36 goals in his debut term in the German top flight. Champions League and La Liga winner Jude Bellingham contributed 23 goals and 13 assists from an attacking position for Real Madrid.

Perhaps Southgate has already set the tone for a change, albeit on the touchline. In an interview with British GQ magazine, the England manager said that he will swop his formal attire for more short-sleeved knits during the summer tournament to create a more relaxed mood for young players at the Euro.

Former Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United boss Harry Redknapp believes that with the likes of Kane, Bellingham, Foden, Bukayo Saka, Kyle Walker and Declan Rice at Southgate’s disposal, no other team at the European Championship is as well-equipped as England to lift the trophy on July 14.

Redknapp told the PA news agency: “This is a fantastic group of players, we should win this tournament. No one has better players than England. I will be disappointed if we don’t win it. Don’t fear anyone, let’s show what we can do, let’s go and rip them to pieces with the fantastic attacking ability we have got.”

Still the Great Danes?

After crashing out in the group stage at the 2022 World Cup and only topping their Euro 2024 qualifying Group H on goal difference ahead of Slovenia, Denmark’s stock has dipped in recent years.

But the Euro 92 champions will head to Germany knowing that they have what it takes to upset the odds.

At the last edition, the Danes recovered from a harrowing incident – when midfielder Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during their opening match against Finland – to reach the semi-finals, where they were eliminated by England.

But the view among many in Denmark is that Kasper Hjulmand has not rejuvenated the squad, which still contains senior players who have not had much game time at club level, including 35-year-old captain Simon Kjaer and talisman Eriksen.

Former Real Madrid and Denmark midfielder Thomas Gravesen slammed Hjulmand’s selection, telling Danish magazine Tipsbladet: “He has again selected players who are not in shape, do not have rhythm and do not play on a daily basis...

“Many of the players are sitting on the bench. They don’t play football. They are not in shape. Is Christian Eriksen at 80 per cent? Or is he at 70 per cent? Or 50? Or 20?”

Serbs bank on beginner’s luck

After ending their 24-year European Championship wilderness, Serbia will hope to finally deliver on their promise when they make their first appearance since becoming an independent nation in 2006.

Aside from “beginner’s luck”, the Serbs also need goals to overcome their deficiencies at the back.

Serbia conceded eight goals in three games in a dismal 2022 World Cup campaign that ended at the group stage.

They kept just two clean sheets during their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.

While hoping to keep it tighter at the back, they will turn to forwards Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic for the goals to see them through.

The year of the dragons?

Slovenia will arrive in Germany not short of ambition.

They are yet to lose a game in 2024 and enjoyed a surprise 2-0 win over Portugal in an international friendly in March. In fact, they have lost only once in their last six matches.

But history often outweighs form. The Slovenians are making only their second European Championship appearance and first since 2000, when they failed to get past the group stage.

Having been playing as an independent entity since 1992, they have been to only three major tournaments – including the 2002 and 2010 World Cup. A 1-0 victory over Algeria in South Africa in 2010 remains their sole win at a major tournament.

So unlike England, expectations are low but the underdogs tag suits them just fine.

England

Bellingham has already been the talisman for one team that has triumphed in Europe this season as the 20-year-old La Liga player of the season played a pivotal role to help Real Madrid achieve a league and Uefa Champions League double.

England fans will hope Bellingham’s club form will be replicated on the international front and the attacking midfielder could hold the key to England’s success this summer, whether it is supplying front man Harry Kane or by popping up in the box with the crucial goal himself.

Denmark

After his reported £64 million (S$110.2 million) transfer to Manchester United, much was expected of Rasmus Hojlund and despite his new side enduring a disappointing season overall, the 21-year-old Dane forward still managed to be the club’s top scorer with 16 goals in all competitions.

The tally included five strikes in just six champions league matches. So Denmark – for whom Hojlund has a healthy record of seven goals in 12 matches – will hope that Europe is where he ticks.

Serbia

The former Fulham marksman Aleksandar Mitrovic, scored five goals from seven games in qualifying and has averaged a goal per game in the Saudi league this season so he comes into the European Championships in top form.

The 29-year-old goal machine has netted 40 goals in 43 matches and propelled Al Hilal to the Saudi Pro League title. His eight goals in 10 Asian Football Confederation Champions League matches also saw his side reach the semi-final. Serbia and Stojkovic will hope Mitrovic can at least fire them into the next round.

Slovenia

Compared to Manchester City’s goalscoring sensation Erling Haaland due to their similar physical statures, threat in the air and electrifying pace, RB Leipzig frontman Benjamin Sesko is one of the most sought after young forwards in the world for good reasons.

Clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have been credited with interest this summer after the 1.95m striker hit 18 goals in his debut season in Germany. Slovenia’s chances of getting out of the group will rest on his young shoulders.