England will attempt to go one better this time out in the European Championship than they managed three years ago on home soil, when they were beaten by Italy in the final. This time around Gareth Southgate has a much-changed squad and much-changed expectations on the team, as the Three Lions look to triumph at Euro 2024.
Injuries, late pushes for inclusion and a few bold choices all affected Southgate’s approach, and England now look ready to peak with an attack-minded outlook.
Before thoughts turn to the knockouts, though, they must navigate a solid-looking group stage. Alongside them will be Denmark, Slovenia and Iceland, each having real hopes of qualifying through the groups and each presenting different and difficult challenges to break them down in 90-minute encounters.
Denmark were at the centre of several talking points at the last Euros, not the least of which was Christian Eriksen collapsing on the pitch - he’s back in the squad this time after a full recovery.
Here’s everything you need to know about Group C and what England are up against.
Squads for Euro 2024
Slovenia
Goalkeepers: Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid), Vid Belec (Apoel), Igor Vekic (Vejle)
Defenders: Zan Karnicnik (Celje), Jure Balkovec (Alanyaspor), David Brekalo (Orlando City), Jaka Bijol (Udinese), Erik Janza (Gornik Zabrze), Petar Stojanovic (Sampdoria), Vanja Drkusic (Sochi), Miha Blazic (Lech Poznan)
Midfielders: Jon Stankovic (Sturm Graz), Benjamin Verbic (Panathinaikos), Sandi Lovric (Udinese), Timi Max Elsnik (Olimpija Ljubljana), Jasmin Kurtic (Sudtirol), Tomi Horvat (Sturm Graz), Adam Gnezda Cerin (Panathinaikos), Adrian Zeljkovic (Spartak Trnava), Nino Zugelj (Bodo/Glimt)
Forwards: Andraz Sporar (Panathinaikos), Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig), Jan Mlakar (Pisa), Zan Vipotnik (Bordeaux), Josip Ilicic (Maribor), Zan Celar (Lugano)
Denmark
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Anderlecht), Mads Hermansen (Leicester), Frederik Ronnow (Union Berlin)
Defenders: Joachim Anderson (Crystal Palace), Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester), Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Joakim Maehle (Wolfsburg), Andreas Christensen (Barcelona), Mathias Jorgensen (Brentford), Victor Kristiansen (Leicester), Alexander Bah (Benfica), Rasmus Kristensen (Roma)
Midfielders: Mathias Jensen (Brentford), Thomas Delaney (Anderlecht), Christian Eriksen (Manchester United), Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford), Christian Norgaard (Brentford), Morten Hjulmund (Sporting CP), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham)
Forwards: Rasmus Hojlund (Manchester United), Andreas Skov Olsen (Club Brugge), Kasper Dolberg (Anderlecht), Jonas Wind (Wolfsburg), Yussuf Poulsen (RB Leipzig), Anders Dreyer (Anderlecht), Jacob Bruun Larsen (Burnley)
Serbia
Goalkeepers: Predrag Rajkovic (Mallorca), Djordje Petrovic (Chelsea), Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (Torino)
Defenders: Strahinja Pavlovic (Red Bull Salzburg), Nemanja Stojic (Red Star Belgrade), Nikola Milenkovic (Fiorentina), Nemanja Gudelj (Sevilla), Milos Veljkovic (Werder Bremen), Srdan Babic (Spartak Moscow), Uros Spajic (Red Star Belgrade), Filip Mladenovic (Panathinaikos)
Midfielders: Nemanja Maksimovic (Panathinaikos), Dusan Tadic (Fenerbahce), Filip Kostic (Juventus), Andrija Zivkovic (PAOK), Srdan Mijailovic (Red Star Belgrade), Ivan Ilic (Torino), Lazar Samardzic (Udinese), Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Al Hilal), Mijat Gacinovic (AEK Athens), Sasa Lukic (Fulham), Veljko Birmancevic (Sparta Prague)
Forwards: Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus), Luka Jovic (AC Milan), Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham), Petar Ratkov (Red Bull Salzburg)
England
Goalkeepers: Jordan Henderson (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)
Defenders: John Stones (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)
Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Ivan Toney (Brentford)
Fixtures
16 June
Slovenia vs Denmark (Stuttgart)
Serbia vs England (Gelsenkirchen)
20 June
Slovenia vs Serbia (Munich)
Denmark vs England (Frankfurt)
25 June
England vs Slovenia (Koln)
Denmark vs Serbia (Munich)
Four players to watch
Slovenia: Benjamin Sesko
The in-form and in-demand Leipzig man will shoulder the biggest burden: finding a route to goal to give his nation a chance to earn their first-ever win at a European Championship. He ended last season scoring in seven straight Bundesliga games and hit 14 in 17 starts across the campaign. If Jan Oblak saves them at the other end, Sesko might be the difference-maker to give Slovenia a real chance.
Denmark: Rasmus Hojlund
Another striker, but another who could finally be a missing link for his nation. Hojlund has seven goals in 13 caps at senior level; in a team which is solid, well-organised and has depth in central areas but has long lacked a real goalscorer, adding that ingredient could be transformative. Not a stretch to suggest his form could be the difference between a group-stage exit and a shock knock-out win en route to the last eight.
Serbia: Strahinja Pavlovic
They have loads of talent in forward areas and enough power and technical ability to go far. Whether they have the mentality and purpose is a bigger question, and part of that is holding a defensive line which doesn’t collapse. That makes Pavlovic a cornerstone: capable of going far in the game, an absolute giant, strong aerially and likes to move forward in possession. Might sum up Serbia by being rock solid...or a calamity. Has tendencies towards both.
England: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Set to be the first major international tournament he finally plays a notable part in and how well he performs might actually dictate a lot of how England play and how far they can go. From midfield he can be a creative force and a neat foil for Declan Rice, but is the organisation enough? Are they a defensively-aware enough pairing for the biggest games? Will he end up at right-back?! Lots to sort still and he has the talent to be a match-winner from anywhere - as long as he’s picked.
Odds to win Group C
England 2/5
Denmark 5/1
Serbia 8/1
Slovenia 20/1
Prediction
England to top the group - does that count?! Anything less would be indicative of immense disappointment. Denmark should have enough to progress too and then it’s about whether Serbia actually turn up to this tournament. They are possessed of plenty of power and quality to win games, but their mentality and speed of play will determine whether they do...or flop again, as at the 2022 World Cup. Last time we backed them, this time we won’t.
