England fans are celebrating tonight after Jude Bellingham’s first-half goal proved to be enough for the Three Lions to beat Serbia 1-0 in the opening game of their Euro 2024 campaign in Germany tonight.
Gareth Southgate‘s men battled through a nervy second-half to hold on in Gelsenkirchen – with tens of thousands of fans in the stadium and millions more watching from home breaking into ‘Sweet Caroline’ at full-time.
The nation erupted when 20-year-old Bellingham gave England a 1-0 lead just 13 minutes into the match with a sublime flying header into the top corner.
England fans showed their appreciation for the country’s golden boy by singing a rendition of The Beatles‘ hit Hey Jude after launching their pints into the air in celebration.
In stark contrast, anxious England fans were biting their nails and holding their breath in the second-half as a determined Serbia threatened to ruin the night. Supporters could finally breathe a sigh of relief when the referee blew for full-time, paving the way for the celebrations to start up again.
The star-studded squad were supported by their families, WAGs and the whole nation as they won their first game of the Euros in their bid to go one better than three years ago when they lost on penalties against Italy in the final at Wembley.
The Euro 2020 final was marred by ugly scenes as ticketless fans forced their way into Wembley – and the scourge of football hooliganism made a shameful return this afternoon as England and Serbian fans clashed on the streets before kick-off.
Despite the violence and travel delays sparking chaos, tens of thousands of excited fans made it to the Veltins-Arena, while millions of England supporters packed out bars and fan zones at home.
More than 30,000 England fans – only 20,000 of whom had tickets – were in Gelsenkirchen for the clash which was designated as ‘high risk’ due to the reputation of the two fanbases.
Only low-alcohol beer was being served in the stadium in an attempt to reduce the potential for problems.
After the tight victory, the England players joined the WAGs in the stands. Among those in the crowd was Jordan Pickford‘s wife, Megan Davison, who arrived early wearing a cropped England shirt with her husband’s number one on.
Jude Bellingham‘s parents, Mark and Denise, and footballer brother, Jobe, took selfies with the crowd, while the partners of Harry Kane, Luke Shaw, Bukayo Saka, Ollie Watkins and Conor Gallagher were all in attendance.
England’s golden boy Jude Bellingham smiles and points at the crowd after England’s win
Jude Bellingham wheels away in celebration after giving England an early lead in Germany
England fans celebrate at full-time after Gareth Southgate’s side held on 1-0 in a nervy opening game
It is the perfect start for England – but they did little to justify their billing as tournament favourites
Real Madrid and England star Bellingham celebrates after putting England 1-0 up in Germany tonight
The Real Madrid star’s flying header went straight into the top corner
England’s WAGs were all smiles in the stands after England took an early 1-0 lead against Serbia
England fans at home in London celebrate Jude Bellingham scoring their side’s first goal of the game
Fans celebrate England’s first goal of the game at the 4theFans Central Park in Brighton
England’s Euros 2024 campaign got off to the best start as the Three Lions took all three points
England’s Jude Bellingham, right, celebrates with his teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold
Tension was building in the second half as the Serbs finally found their feet
After England launched their Euros campaign in style, the Serbs were dominant in the second half
Jordan Pickford’s wife smiles and waves from the crowd, wearing her husband’s number 1
An England fans waves a St George’s flag in front of German riot police ahead of kick-off
An English fan is seen on the ground after being attacked by rivals ahead of the game between Serbia and England
After both countries belted out their respective national anthems, the highly-anticipated clash finally got underway at 8pm – with fans on both sides raising the roof in Germany.
The WAGs were seen smiling, waving and cheering as England captain Kane led the squad, playing in their traditional white strip, out to the pitch.
The Three Lions made an assured start, seeing plenty of the ball while Serbia were sitting deep.
And the pressure paid off as just 13 minutes into the game, Bellingham met a cross from Bukayo Saka with a stunning header to give England the lead – sending fans in Germany and at home wild.
Moments later, Serbia’s star striker Aleksandar Mitrović almost levelled as he tried to capitalise on a poor error from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Midway through the first half, the pacey Kyle Walker stormed through on goal, nearly doubling England’s lead, but firing narrowly wide.
Ten minutes before half-time, Bukayo Saka breezed past the Serbian defence and searched for Phil Foden with a cutback but he couldn’t quite find his team-mate.
England’s early dominance faded in the minutes before half-time, but Southgate’s side were in a strong position at the break thanks to Bellingham’s thumping header.
Fans were seen launching pints into the air and singing ‘Its Coming Home’ in fan zones across the country.
Boxpark venues at London’s Wembley, Croydon and Shoreditch were rammed – while supporters forgot about work on Monday as they flocked to bars in Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol and Newcastle.
Early in the second half, the England fans tried to make their voices heard as Serbia managed to get a foothold in the game.
Despite the Serbian pressure, England nearly doubled their lead again when Alexander-Arnold tested the goalkeeper with a thumping effort from outside of the box. Moments later, Bellingham weaved into the box and went down under a challenge but play was waved on by the referee.
At the 65-minute mark, the Serbs missed a crucial opportunity to level as substitute Dusan Tadic played Luka Jovic in – but the striker failed to control the ball and the chance passed him by.
England reacted to the Serbian dominance by bringing on Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who replaced Alexander-Arnold after 68 minutes, and Jarrod Bowen who came on for Saka shortly after.
The changes almost paid off as Kane – who had barely touched the ball all night – towered over the Serbian defence to smash a header against the crossbar via an incredible fingertip save by goalkeeper Predrag Rajković.
With less than 10 minutes to go, England keeper Pickford matched Rajković with an equally impressive save as he kept out a long-range strike to keep his side’s lead intact.
In the closing minutes, England fans serenaded Bellingham as he was replaced by youngster Kobbie Mainoo – before they broke into a rendition of God Save The King in a bid to rally the Three Lions on.
The gutsy England squad managed to hold on in the end, securing three points on the board – but the win will do little to justify their billing as the tournament favourites.
Harry Kane poses for a photo with his wife Katie Goodland after the England victory
Conor Gallagher, who looked bright when he came on as a substitute, embraces Áine May Kennedy
Lewis Dunk joins his family in the stands after England’s opening win of Euro 2024
England’s Euro 2024 campaign is underway as Gareth Southgate ‘s men take on Serbia in their first game of the tournament
England’s Jude Bellingham, whose family are in attendance, is challenged by Serbia’s Milos Veljkovic
Megan Pickford, wife of England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, looks on prior to the game
Katie Goodland (left), the wife of England captain Harry Kane, watches
Jude Bellingham’s parents, Mark and Denise, and brother Jobe, are also in attendance to watch their son. They took selfies with the crowd
Jobe Bellingham, brother of England’s Jude Bellingham, watches on
Luke Shaw’s partner Anouska Santos donned a pair of glasses as she prepared for the big game
Bukayo Saka’s partner Tolami Benson supports her partner who starred for England tonight
Ellie Alderson, the partner of Ollie Watkins, is pictured in the stands before the match
Aine Kennedy, the partner of England’s Conor Gallagher and Megan Davison, the wife of Jordan Pickford, are pictured in the stands
Adam Wharton’s girlfriend is pictured in the crowds, wearing his number 25 shirt
Olivia Naylor, John Stones’ girlfriend, is pictured supporting the Three Lions
Captain’s Aleksandar Mitrovic of Serbia and Harry Kane of England join Referee Daniele Orsato for the coin toss prior to kick-off
England defender John Stones celebrates after keeping a clean sheet in England’s first game
Jude Bellingham poses for photos after winning the man of the match award
England manager Gareth Southgate is seen embracing Kieran Trippier at full time
Fans at the Trabrennbahn Gelsenkirchen racecourse fan park celebrate – some covered in booze
Fans at the Trabrennbahn Gelsenkirchen racecourse fan park in Germany celebrate at full-time
Fans at the Trabrennbahn Gelsenkirchen racecourse fan park celebrate
England fans cheer on the Three Lions at the Greenwich Fan Zone
England fans in Germany, including one child wearing a Bellingham shirt, celebrate
Passionate England fans go wild after England won their first game of the tournament
The England fans were loud throughout the game as they tried to carry their side home
An England fan climbs on the back of his pal amid the celebrations
Fans at the Trabrennbahn Gelsenkirchen racecourse fan park celebrate
Fans at the Trabrennbahn Gelsenkirchen racecourse throw their beers in the air as England score
An England fan in good spirits with a flag draped over his back as the Three Lions’ Euros campaign got underway in style
Jude Bellingham does his trademark celebration after putting England in front
England fans in the stands ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen
Serbia fans are escorted through the city centre by German police officers after scuffles earlier broke out between rival groups of fans
England supporters dressed head to toe in England gear flocked to pubs ahead of kick off
England fans cheer with a cardboard cutout of Gareth Southgate ahead of the Three Lions’ Euros opener
Southgate has encouraged supporters to enjoy their time in Germany and Three Lions fans were certainly enjoying themselves tonight.
Many were dressed head to toe in England colours as supporters flocked to bars for German steins.
England fans in Newcastle danced to Sweet Caroline as they watched their side kick off with a win.
Chants of ‘please don’t take me home’ and ‘Bowen’s on fire’ blared across the concourse as The Three Lions edged towards victory.
Patriotic fans wore England bucket hats and retro shirts as they nervously watched a tense second half.
Thrilled Derek Elder, 64, a retired photographer, said: ‘The first half was fantastic and it’s a great win.
‘The team was under pressure on the second half but the win was the most important thing.
‘I think we can go on and win the whole thing, there’s no reason why not. I’m not Southgate’s biggest fan but if we win the whole thing I will change my mind for sure.’
Derek’s daughter Beth, a 24-year-old hospital worker, said: ‘Southgate is definitely the one.
‘We really enjoyed the game and I think we can get far in the Euros. It was a really good atmosphere and hopefully we can bring it home.’
A fan zone in Essen, Germany had only 25 people as the final whistle blew to signal England’s victory. It can hold around 2,000 people but had charged a seven euro entry fee.
England fans Andrew and Joanne Patterson from Bishop Auckland were seen celebrating in the empty fan zone at full-time.
Some England fans in Germany have been heard chanting a Second World War-related song, ‘Ten German bombers’, despite pleas against doing so by police and the FA.
Yet many more fans have been good-humoured as they raised pints with fellow fans and German hosts.
Tens of thousands of England fans started drinking early in the glorious sunshine in Germany before the heavens opened hours before kick off.
Excited fans were spotted downing booze as the atmosphere for England’s opener ramped up.
At home, England fans also flocked to boozers – despite the awkward timing of the game, with many in work on Monday morning.
Men, women and children were spotted draped in St George’s flags as they support Southgate’s squad on their quest to end 58 years of hurt.
Sunday’s game marks a return to Gelsenkirchen 18 years after Wayne Rooney saw red there as England crashed out of the World Cup yet again on penalties.
The Three Lions, managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson and captained by David Beckham, lost their World Cup quarter-final shoot-out to Portugal in June 2006.
OnlyFans stars Astrid Wett and Leah Ray pose for a photo at the end of the match
A nervy England fan watches on in the closing stages of the opening game
Bellingham is surrounded by three Serbian players as he battles on in the second half
Declan Rice attempts to win the ball back off Dusan Tadic
England fans in the stands hold up a banner of the late Queen Elizabeth II
Fans gather in front of Arena AufSchalke (Veltins-Arena) ahead of EURO 2024 Group C football match between Serbia and England in Gelsenkirchen
Riot police escort Serbia fans at Hauptbahnhof main railway station prior to the Group C England v Serbia match. There has been delays on public transport
England fans were on the beers early ahead of the highly-anticipated Euros opener
Fans have dressed up for England’s first game of the Euros
Serbia fans are seen ahead of their opening Euros clash with England
An England fan tucks into some food at the Fan Zone in Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Fans wearing St George’s face paint pack out the fan zone ahead of the clash tonight
Two young England fans drape themselves in flags
Excitement has reached fever pitch in Germany and at home
Star striker Wayne Rooney was sent off for a stamp on opposing centre-back Ricardo Carvalho, with the England man’s then-Manchester United clubmate Cristiano Ronaldo caught on camera winking after leading protests for a red card.
Stay-at-home fans were predicted to down a 30million pints in pubs and in their homes for the opening confrontation with Serbia – with an audience of about 17million expected to tune in the BBC One’s coverage.
England’s 35,000 pubs were braced for ‘Super Sunday’, with more than 14million pints expected to be sold – and another 16million tucked into at home.
An estimated 40,000 England supporters are believed to have descended this weekend on Gelsenkirchen and neighbouring cities such as Dusseldorf and Cologne.
But many faced issues reaching the stadium after a broken down train caused public transport delays.
At home, fans have also packed out pubs and bars, including this female supporter at Boxpark Croydon
Football fans gather to watch England’s Euro 2024 opening Group C match against Serbia on a big screen at BOXPARK Croydon
Pubs are set to rake in millions as English punters take to bars across the UK
England fans gather in the Fan Zone at Devonshire Green in Sheffield City Centre
A Three Lion fan shows off his England crest tattoo on his back
England fans pose for a photo on the outside of the stadium
Fans faced travel chaos on the way to the stadium this evening
An England fan wearing St George’s face paint
England fans chant and sing as the atmosphere builds
Some 20,000 England fans have tickets to the crucial Euro opener
Frustrated fans reported waiting more than half an hour for a train, while sports writer Oliver Kay described the situation as a ‘total mess’.
He wrote on social media: ‘For any England or Serbia fans who are still in the middle of Gelsenkirchen (or worse still not there yet), I’d recommend you set off on foot if you can. It’s about three miles but the public transport situation is a total mess.’
German police have been working with authorities from London and Belgrade to try to avoid ugly scenes in the areas around the stadium and during the game itself.
Hours before kick-off, England and Serbian football fans clashed in ugly scenes in Gelsenkirchen.
Shocking pictures showed supporters covered in blood after violence broke out ahead of kick off.
German riot police quickly descended on the scene this afternoon, with police sources telling MailOnline at least six people have been arrested.
There was speculation over which supporters were involved in the vicious brawls, with reports initially suggesting the violence was sparked by Serbia’s arch-rivals Albania attacking Serbs.
However, Gelsenkirchen police have now said it was English and Serbian fans who were involved in the fighting.
‘It was an altercation between English and Serbian fans, who were separated by the police,’ a spokesman said. ‘Further measures are underway and the background is currently being clarified.’
Officers moved in after trouble erupted between fans outside a restaurant-bar just after 3.30pm. Video shows a group of thugs – some hooded and masked – launching bottles, chairs and tables – while some supporters were seen fleeing the area for safety as tension boiled over.
German police officers grapple with a fan after violence broke out ahead of a match between the Three Lions and Serbia
Two officers grapple with a fan after chasing attackers through the streets of Gelsenkirchen
An English fan is seen with blood pouring from his head after being caught up in clashes today
One group of fans was seen throwing chairs at another, although it is unclear who started the violence
A football fan is seen covered in blood following an altercation between Albania and Serbia fans on Sunday
One English fan is believed to have suffered a head wound in the fracas, with one other injured.
Earlier, the UK’s dedicated Football Policing Unit released a statement saying a ‘number of arrests’ have been made, but it is believed those detained are Serbian.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Football Policing Unit said: ‘We are aware of an issue in Gelsenkirchen ahead of the England v Serbia match.
‘Our German colleagues have made a number of arrests of what we currently believe to be Serbian supporters.
‘At this stage we do not believe that any UK nationals have been arrested but enquiries are ongoing.
‘Our officers are at the location speaking to German colleagues.
‘Our investigation team is now reviewing footage of the incident and if any UK nationals have been involved, football banning orders will be sought.’
