Euro 2020: England vs Croatia Preview

Euro 2020: England vs Croatia Preview

For the first time in 25 years, England will face Scotland at a major tournament tonight at Wembley. The outcome of this match will have huge implications on both nations’ European Championship hopes.

The three lions will qualify with a win, while Scotland will be hoping to keep their hopes of progressing out of the group stage alive after falling to a 2-0 defeat to Czech Republic on Monday.  The Scots had 19 attempts on goal against Czech Republic on Monday, failing to convert any of them.

England came out 1-0 winners in their tournament opener against Croatia, with Raheem Sterling scoring the deciding goal.

England predicted XI: Pickford; James, Stones, Mings, Shaw; Phillips, Rice, Mount; Sterling, Kane, Foden 

Scotland predicted XI: Marshall; Hendry, Hanley, Tierney; O’Donnell, McTominay, Armstrong, McGinn, Robertson; Dykes, Adams

We’ve got history.

Tonight, we meet again! pic.twitter.com/y2VIURR7zd

— England (@England) June 18, 2021

There will be 22,500 fans inside Wembley to watch the match tonight, which is 25% of its full capacity (due to coronavirus restrictions). It will be the 1115th time the sides have faced each other, and the 100th competitive meeting between the two.

In Euro 96, when England and Scotland last met one another at a major tournament, England came out 2-0 winners with a memorable goal scored by Paul Gascoigne.

If the Scots fail to win tonight and Czech Republic don’t lose to Croatia, they will be unable to finish in the top 2, meaning they would have to get a good result against Croatia to stand a chance.

The top 2 teams from each of the 6 groups qualify, along with the 4 best third-place teams.

The most expensive defender in the world Harry Maguire has been confirmed to be available for England after recovering from an ankle injury he sustained back in May. As for Scotland, they are boosted by the return of Arsenal full-back Kieran Tierney, who was able to take part in training this week.

Ready to go.#EURO2020 | #SCO pic.twitter.com/FeSADiSMIj

— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 18, 2021

Match Facts

Head-to-head

• Out of the 115 times England and Scotland have faced off against one another, England have came out victorious 48 times. While Scotland have managed 41 wins.
• The last time the 2 nations met was back in 2017, where the game ended in a 2-2 draw. Harry Kane scored a late equaliser after Griffiths scored 2 magnificent free kicks to put the Scots ahead.
• The rivalry between England and Scotland is the oldest in the world with the first match between the two teams taking place 129 years ago in 1872.
• Scotland have not won a game against England for nearly 22 years. England are unbeaten in their last 11 games against their neighbours.

With this being the first time a lot of younger England and Scotland fans watching their national teams facing one another at a major tournament, it looks set to be a mouthwatering fixture where the emotions of the game could make it sway either way.

We hope you enjoyed the article ‘Euro 2020: England vs Croatia Preview.’ What are your predictions for the match? Let us know!

Read more on football here:

• The best goals in European Championship History
• The impossible job of an England Under 21 Manager
• Euro 2020 Team Guide