England kick off their Euro 2021 campaign against Croatia. Check out our useful information and tips for England vs Croatia.
When Is England Vs Croatia?
England take on Croatia in their opening Euro 2021 match at 14.00 on Sunday 13 June.
Where Is England Vs Croatia Being Played?
The match between England and Croatia at Euro 2021 is being played at Wembley Stadium.
When Are England’s Other Group Games At Euro 2021?
After playing Croatia on Sunday 13 June, England will also play Scotland at Wembley at 20.00 on Friday 18 June and the Czech Republic at Wembley at 20.00 on Tuesday 22 June.
What TV Channel Is England vs Croatia On?
You can watch England vs Croatia on BBC1.
What Are The Best Odds For England To Beat Croatia?
England are a best-priced 4/5 (1.80) to beat Croatia. The best odds for the England vs Croatia draw is 37/13, while Croatia are available at 26/5 to beat England.
England Vs Croatia Head-To-Heads
England and Croatia have played each other six times in competitive matches since 2004, with England winning four matches, Croatia winning one, and one draw.
England won 4-2 at the 2004 European Championships, before winning their Euro qualification matches in 2008/2008 4-1 and 5-1.
The two teams didn’t meet again until the 2018 World Cup semi-final, when England led 1-0 at half-time before the match ended 1-1 at full-time. Of course, Croatia went on to qualify for the final.
The next installments of England vs Croatia came in the 2018 Nations League. The two teams drew 0-0 in Croatia, before England staged a late rally to win 2-1 at Wembley to book their place in the Nations League Finals in Portugal.
England Form
England should be coming into their match with Croatia full of confidence after six straight victories over Iceland (4-0), San Marino (5-0), Albania (2-0), Poland (2-1), Austria (1-0), and Romania (1-0).
England manager Gareth Southgate will be especially pleased to have conceded just one goal in England’s build-up to Euro 2021, but there’s not getting away from the fact that none of these six opponents are top-class teams.
Prior to that, England struggled in the 2020 Nations League, losing 2-0 away to Belgium and 1-0 at home to Demark, while also only drawing away in Denmark (0-0). However, they did beat Belgium 2-1 at Wembley after going behind in the 16th minute.
Croatia Form
Croatia also lost their last friendly to Belgium 1-0, but they’re a team that don’t take friendlies that seriously, highlighted by their 1-1 draw with Armenia in their build-up to Euro 2021.
Croatia also struggled in the Nations League, losing to Portugal, France, and Sweden. The score-lines for those matches make for interesting reading, with their six matches producing 25 goals, with both teams scoring in all six.
What Team Will England Play Against Croatia?
England’s starting XI for their opening Euro 2021 match against Croatia is open to much debate, but Gareth Southgate is likely start cautiously.
Pickford is fancied to be the first-choice keeper, with a defence of Walker, Chilwell, Mings, and Stones given the job of protecting him. Rice looks sure to be given the job of trying to stop Croatia’s creativity, with Phillips and Mount playing alongside him in midfield. Kane will be England’s talisman upfront once more, while Southgate is also likely to bank on the attacking experience of Rashford and Sterling in a 4-3-3 formation.
What Team Will Croatia Play Against England?
Dejan Lovren is the only reported first-choice player that Croatia will be missing in their opening Euro 2021 game against England. Croatian manager ZlatkoDalic is likely to replace Lovren Duje-Caleta Car, alongside Livakovic, Vida, Vrsaljko, Brozovic, Barisic, Modric, Kovacic, Rebic, Petkovic, and Perisic.
Will England Beat Croatia?
With both England and Croatia fancied to progress from Group D at Euro 2021, the winner of this match may well go on progress as winners of the group. Whether that’s a good thing remains to be seen, as the winner will go onto play the runner-up in Group F, a group that includes Germany, France, and Portugal.
Meanwhile, the runner-up in Group D plays the runner-up from Group E in the opening knockout stage. If favourites Spain win Group E, that means the runner-up in Group D could face an easier game than the winner, with either Poland, Sweden, or Slovakia being the potential opposition.
Assuming both managers will have considered this possibility, they face the dilemma of whether to let the other team win this opening match, knowing that they should beat Scotland and the Czech Republic in their remaining matches.
However, the Croatia players have been talking as though nothing would give them greater pleasure that beating England at Wembley, while England will surely want to rise to the occasion and win their opening match at home in front of a watching and expectant nation.
With the potential for a cat and mouse scenario, and the fact that both managers know they should beat the other two opponents in the group, it’s likely that both managers will adopt a cautious approach. Picking up needless injuries and bookings at this stage could jeopardise both teams’ chances and that makes the outright market a difficult one to call.
England many well rise to the occasion but, as the result of this match should not stop either team progressing to the knockout stage, a win for Gareth Southgate’s men makes no appeal at odds-on.
Best Bets For England Vs Croatia
Croatia’s recent matches in the Nations League suggest this match could be a high-scoring affair but, as winning the group could be a disadvantage and both managers likely to take a cautious approach to their opening game, a draw appeals most in the outright market.
But if the theory that both managers will adopt a cautious approach is correct, then it may pay to skip the outright betting and play low in the over/under markets. Under 2.5 goals at around 6/10 (1.60) makes the most appeal.
England Vs Croatia Tip
Under 2.5 Goals
