Harry Kane says England start Euro 2024 with ‘the most in-form squad we’ve had’
England captain Harry Kane during a visit by the Prince of Wales to St George’s Park ahead of Euro 2024 (PA) (PA Wire)
Harry Kane has called on England’s in-form players to carry their club performances into Euro 2024 and get the tournament off to a flying start against Serbia on Sunday night.
Hosts Germany impressed in victory over Scotland in the opening game in Munich on Friday, while Spain’s first-half showing against Croatia also caught the eye.
Attention now switches to another of the continent’s heavyweights as England look to begin their Group C campaign with a win over Serbia in Gelsenkirchen.
As captain, Kane will lead the team out on the back of a first domestic campaign at Bayern Munich which saw England’s all-time record goalscorer hit 44 in 45 appearances across all competitions.
Add to that the goals and assists racked up by the likes of Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka and it shows Gareth Southgate boasts an embarrassment of riches in attack.
“It is a fantastic squad,” Kane told 5Live’s Football Daily podcast.
“I think it is hard to say if it is the most talented, we have had talented squads throughout the whole of England’s history.
You have to turn club form into international form and that is what we will be looking to do
Harry Kane
“But I think what I would say about this one is that it is probably the most in-form squad we have had when you look at the players and the seasons they have had for their clubs, I think everyone is really ready.
“We have all had great seasons so time will tell, you have to turn club form into international form and that is what we will be looking to do and we have had a couple of weeks now to prepare with each other and we have got to go and show that.”
Thousands of fans will journey to Gelsenkirchen in western Germany to cheer for England in their opening game.
Charity fundraiser Russ Cook, known as Hardest Geezer, is also expected to be in attendance after a 352-mile run which began at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday.
The endurance athlete made headlines after running the length of Africa for charity, finishing his trek of more than 10,000 miles in April after 352 days.
The Foreign Office said up to 500,000 British supporters are expected to travel to support their team over the course of the tournament.
Police in Germany have deemed the game as a “high-risk” meeting, with reports earlier in the week of travelling Serbian ultras making their way to the region.
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham has backed England fans to behave, while it has also been arranged for only low-alcohol beer to be sold in the vicinity of the Veltins Arena.
Back home, supermarkets say they are ready for one of their busiest periods of the year as football fans stock the fridge to watch the games from home.
Tesco said it expected to sell 33 million packs of beer and cider over the coming month but is also predicting it will sell 5.5million bottles and cans of “no” and “low” alcohol options – a record for a major football tournament.