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• Serbia 0-1 England: Bellingham gives Three Lions winning start at Euro 2024

  Jude Bellingham was the hero as England launched their Euro 2024 campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Serbia in Gelsenkirchen.

  The Real Madrid midfielder's stooping header opened the Three Lions' account in the 13th minute of Sunday's Group C clash.

  England ultimately held on to make it four wins from four opening matches at major tournaments under Gareth Southgate, though Serbia were by far the better side in the second half.

  That being said, Harry Kane almost doubled England's lead, with Predrag Rajkovic tipping brilliantly onto the crossbar from the striker's header, with his opposite number Jordan Pickford making a fine save from Dusan Vlahovic to keep Serbia at bay at the other end.

  Euro 2020 runners-up England quickly settled into their rhythm and their positive start was rewarded when Bukayo Saka's cross deflected up and into the path of Bellingham, who duly powered home.

  The Three Lions survived a scare seven minutes later when Aleksandar Mitrovic fired narrowly wide of Pickford's left post after a mistake from Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield.

  However, they went close to doubling their lead soon after as Kyle Walker raced in behind the Serbia defence on the counter, but he dragged off target. 

  England did not flow as freely after the break, and Serbia swiftly established their dominance, albeit without overly testing Pickford.

  Dusan Tadic's introduction only increased the pressure on England's defence, and fellow Luka Jovic snatched at a good chance, though Southgate's team would have had a second if not for Rajkovic's wonderful reflex stop from Kane in the 77th minute.

  The Three Lions had Pickford to thank for pushing Vlahovic's snapshot over eight minutes from time, before Kane made a vital block, but England got the job done.

  Three points for Three Lions, but too close for comfort

  England's last visit to Gelsenkirchen ended in penalty shootout heartbreak, when Sven-Goran Eriksson's team were knocked out of the 2006 World Cup in the quarter-finals by Portugal.

  Bellingham had only just celebrated his third birthday. Fast forward nearly 18 years, and the Madrid superstar ensured the Three Lions' next visit to Arena AufSchalke provided happier memories with his thumping header eventually proving enough to seal the points.

  England's dominant start faded and they were holding on a little towards the end.

  Nevertheless, they managed to see out a 12th victory at major tournaments since the start of the 2018 World Cup, the joint-most by any nation during that time (level with France).

  Meanwhile, the Three Lions became the first team in European Championship history to keep five consecutive clean sheets in the group stages of the competition.

• Eriksen: Nothing else but football was on my mind

  Christian Eriksen paid little mind to the traumatic events of three years ago, as he opened Denmark's account at Euro 2024.

  June 12 marked the third anniversary of Eriksen collapsing on the pitch in Denmark's opening match of Euro 2020, with the midfielder having suffered a cardiac arrest.

  Thanks to the heroic work of the medical staff in Copenhagen that day, Eriksen survived, and ultimately returned to professional football within seven months, as he signed for Brentford.

  And rather fittingly, the 32-year-old scored Denmark's opener against Slovenia in Stuttgart on Sunday, netting his first goal at the Euros in the process.

  Eriksen became his nation's oldest player to score at a major tournament, albeit Denmark could not hold on, as they were pegged back to a 1-1 draw by Erik Janza's deflected strike.

  Asked if the events of 2021 were on his mind when he prodded home against Slovenia, Eriksen said: "I was very pleased.

  "I did have in mind that I hadn't scored at a Euros, so obviously that was on my mind - but nothing else but football was on my mind.

  "This time at the Euros, my story is very different to last time. Luckily there's been a lot of games since it happened. I felt confident going into this game and I was just happy to be playing."

  Eriksen was hugely influential for Denmark against Slovenia, creating seven chances and attempting 14 crosses.

  Next up for the Danes is a clash with England on Thursday.

• Bellingham makes more history with England opener against Serbia

  Jude Bellingham became the second player to score at the World Cup and European Championship before turning 21, with the opening goal against Serbia at Euro 2024.

  The Real Madrid midfielder opened the Three Lions' account in Germany, heading home Bukayo Saka's cross in the 13th minute of the Group C clash.

  Bellingham followed in the footsteps of compatriot Michael Owen, who found the net at the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship before turning 21.

  The first European player to make an appearance at three major international tournaments before turning 21, the 20-year-old is also the first Three Lions player to score at both tournaments while playing his club football outside England.

  His strike, timed at 12 minutes and 11 seconds, was also the quickest Serbia have conceded at a European Championship, since Frank Arnesen scored seven minutes and five seconds into their match against Denmark in 1984.