England’s EURO 2024 campaign kicked off with a smooth yet modest victory over Serbia, where midfielder Jude Bellingham emerged as the standout performer.

Despite being heavily favored before the match, the actual proceedings at the Veltins-Arena didn’t fully reflect England’s pre-match superiority. After Bellingham’s 12th-minute goal put the Three Lions ahead, Serbia managed to apply significant pressure at various points.

However, Gareth Southgate’s squad managed to secure their first three points of the tournament, relying on a mix of grit and a bit of luck. Here are the five key highlights from the match:

1. Difference in Superstars

Bellingham was undeniably one of the match’s major highlights. Even amidst a “forest of stars” within the Three Lions squad, the Real Madrid midfielder stood out with a standout performance. His goal showcased his knack for penetrating the penalty area, a skill he has refined after a season of football at Real Madrid.

The Veltins-Arena turned into Bellingham’s stage. The 20-year-old midfielder, who led and orchestrated England’s attacks, completed 67 out of 70 passes (96% accuracy) in almost 86 minutes of play. His long passes were 100% accurate, and he won 8 out of 14 duels. Whoscored rated him the highest in the match with a score of 7.9.

2. Declan Rice’s Impact

Apart from Bellingham, Rice also deserved commendation for his performance. The 25-year-old was a beacon in the midfield with his impressive ability to maintain tempo and distribute the ball effectively.

Throughout the match, Rice matched Bellingham’s passing accuracy rate of 96%. Additionally, he successfully made two tackles and blocked two shots, mitigating the threаt posed by Serbia’s forward Dušan Vlahović.

Rice had a solid game overall.

3. A Tale of Two Halves

Although Serbia wasn’t initially seen as a formidable opponent, England found themselves in a challenging match. In the first half, Southgate’s team played slowly and conservatively, yet managed to deliver a decisive blоw. However, in the last 45 minutes, the billiоn-dollar stars of the Three Lions seemed to lose their cohesion, especially in the midfield, allowing Serbia to press forward.

The England defense appeared vulnerable at times, with central defenders Marc Guehi and John Stones failing to coordinate effectively, leaving dangerous gaps behind them.

4. Questions about the Attаck

Southgate fielded an attacking quartet valued at nearly 600 million euros, but apart from Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, and Harry Kane all had lackluster performances.

Kane played below his usual level against Serbia. The quartet lacked close connections and relied on individual breakthroughs rather than coordinated efforts to break through Serbia’s defense. Foden, particularly, struggled, with his influence hampered by Bellingham’s dominance. Kane was starved of the ball as the midfield and surrounding players failed to work effectively.

5. Southgate’s Risƙ with Alexander-Arnold

One of the most anticipated questions before the match was who would play alongside Rice in the midfield, which Southgate answered with Trent Alexander-Arnold.

However, this proved to be an ineffective experiment for the 53-year-old coach, as Alexander-Arnold struggled with the unfamiliar position compared to his role at Liverpool. The 25-year-old appeared exhausted in duels, placing all the defensive pressure on Rice.

During the match, Alexander-Arnold was encouraged to move freely and mainly operate behind Bellingham, but he clearly did not meet the requirements. With his poor defensive ability, allowing him to play high exposed a lot of space in England’s midfield. While he repeatedly launched dangerous long passes, this tactic presented a double-edged swоrd for Southgate.