Venue: Wembley Stadium
Finally opened to the public on 9 March 2007 after almost a decade of delays, spiralling costs and legal disputes, Wembley Stadium was rebuilt for an incredible final price tag of over £800m and signalled the end of the England team’s popular experiment of playing their home internationals in various grounds around the country during their period of enforced homelessness.
England vs Croatia: Line-ups
England
Croatia
England Unlikely Favourites
#1
The Three Lions had their 2018 World Cup dream shattered in the semi-finals against the same opposition, and must put those memories to one side in order to get off the mark with a win at this delayed European Championship.
#2
The big debate ahead of this tournament has been whether Southgate will go with the three-man defence that served him so well in Russia, or something more progressive like the 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations we’ve seen recently. Either way, Jordan Pickford is his preferred goalkeeper and enters the Euros following a solid end to the season with Everton, which should boost his confidence after a tough couple of years.
#3
Harry Maguire is almost certain to miss this game, so Southgate has a decision to make at centre-back. With Trent Alexander-Arnold pulling out of the squad with a thigh injury, Brigton centre-back Ben White has been called up – and he could even make a surprise start.
#4
The Croatian personnel may have changed somewhat but Dalic will stick with the 4-3-3 system that has served him so well in recent years, allowing him to cram in as many of those world-class midfielders as possible. A starting trio of Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic is as good as any in world football and has enough quality to take a stranglehold on any match if the opposition aren’t careful.
#5
England head into the Euros as one of the favourites thanks to their blend of youth, established stars and immense technical talent. And while Croatia are by no means out of the running, indeed remaining dark horses for this tournament, there’s no doubting they’re weakened by the loss of quality and tournament experience once offered by the likes of Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic. It’ll undoubtedly be a close affair.
DPP Verdict
Southgate will have a number of key players available for selection though, but it remains to be seen whether the team will have real cohesion yet. Croatia had England’s number in the World Cup semi-final three years ago, but the Three Lions should have enough – especially on home soil – to pick up three valuable points.
