GUWAHATI: Day 3 of the European Championships kicks off with a bang on Sunday as England take on Croatia in a rematch of the 2018 World Cup semifinal at Wembley Stadium.
England come into this one with the usual hype ahead of every tournament they play, but this time they might actually be able to live up to it. The Three Lions have never had a collection of young talent quite like this one when it comes to technical ability, and the likes of Mason Mount, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham provide hope not only for Euro 2020 — but the future.
If England have the young stars, Croatia have the experience. The only key player from the run to the World Cup Final that is not playing in this one is Barcelona legend Ivan Rakitic, who announced his retirement from the national team last year. But Luka Modric is still there, and the rest of a very talented midfield and attack is also there.
This promises to be a fantastic Group D opener, and England will hope that playing at home will give them the advantage to beat a very good Croatian side and make a statement of intent in this tournament.
Date/Time: Sunday, June 13, 2021, 6.30pm IST (India)
The second match of Group C will take place on Monday as the Netherlands will battle it out with Ukraine to start their Euro 2020 campaign on a positive note. Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam will play hosts as home team Netherlands look to take advantage of the conditions against Ukraine. Netherlands have a strong team with the likes of Memphis Depay, Frenkie de Jong, Stefan de Vrij, Matthijs de Ligt and Georginio Wijnaldum looking to fire their country to the trophy. They face a tough side in Ukraine, which can surprise any opposition on their day.
The UEFA EURO 2020 match between the Netherlands vs Ukraine begins at 12:30 AM IST on Monday (June 14)
