Originally Posted by BBC News
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England’s Euro 2024 campaign starts in what was once known as the “City of Thousand Fires”, with manager Gareth Southgate knowing his fourth major tournament in charge cannot be a slow burner.
Gelsenkirchen earned its label in the era when it was built on coal mining, and it is here in Germany’s industrial heartland that both England and Southgate get to work on their latest quest to banish the accusations that they fall short when it matters.
And as England begin the quest to justify their tag as pre-tournament favourites against Serbia at the Arena AufSchalke (20:00 BST kick-off), the mood around the camp is one of composure and cautious optimism, as reflected in the words and demeanour of Southgate and captain Harry Kane at their pre-match news conference.
Southgate is well aware of the significance of a fast start, especially as Germany and Spain have made significant early mission statements with outstanding performances in victories against Scotland and Croatia.
He said: “In terms of our standing, we have already seen how Germany and Spain have played. There are some exceptional teams here. We have to be exceptional to progress through the group and our main focus is our first game. It is obvious how important that is.”
The England fans making their way to Gelsenkirchen are doing so with high expectations fuelled by the world-class reliability of Kane and the emergence of Jude Bellingham, the new golden boy and a Champions League winner with Real Madrid. Read Full Article
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