Group C

The Denmark squad featured in qualifying Group H, finishing with a 7-1-2 record and tying Slovenia for the top spot with 22 points. Manager Kaspe Hjulmand tinkered with the squad quite a fair amount, with goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, midfielder Pierre Hojbjerg, and midfielder Jonas Wind playing in all 10 matches. Forward Rasmus Hojlund led the squad with seven goals in his eight appearances and is primed for a breakout international run. The 20-year-old hopes to inject young energy into a Denmark squad that has plenty of experience and veteran leadership, anchored by the netminder Schmeicel who is 37 years old and reached his 100th appearance for Denmark this March. Denmark try to control tempo and switch between a 3-4-3 formation and a 4-3-3 formation depending on how aggressive Hjulmand wants to be.

Serbia is a much-improved squad and finished 2nd in Group G in qualifying, going 4-2-2 in eight games and securing 14 points. Led offensively by forward Aleksandar Mitrović with five goals, midfielder Dušan Vlahović with three goals, and midfielder Dušan Tadić with two goals and four assists, the Serbs mix up their formation quite often, aligning anywhere from a 3-4-3 to a 3-4-2-1 to a 3-5-2 depending on how defensive their opposition is. They are a physical side, focusing on imposing their will on the other team, and the experience in their squad is evident. The physicality of the back line, led by defender Nikola Milenković, will surely be a point of focus for the likes of Kane, Saka, and other English attackers. Historically, Serbia has never qualified as an independent entity as Serbia alone – and the last time they qualified, as Yugoslavia in 2000, they reached the quarterfinals. They will look to play the role of dark horse in Group C this summer and you can bet your money that they will not back down from Slovenia, Denmark, and especially England.

The Slovenia men’s national team, much like Serbia, have not featured at the Euros since 2000 – their one and only appearance which saw them draw twice and lose once, failing to advance past the group stage. After going 7-1-2 and tying Denmark in Group H with 22 points, Slovenia has qualified for just the second time ever. Their key players are led by young standout forward Benjamin Šeško, who at just 20 years of age led the Slovenian squad in qualifying with five goals and also tallied two assists. Šeško towers over defenders and stands at a staggering 6’5” – his size and finishing prowess will need to be a focal point for Harry Maguire and the rest of the England defense. With a strong defense and disciplined midfield, Slovenia utilize counter-attacking to gain an edge over their opponents. The mix of national pride and a similar fearlessness to Serbia gives Slovenia the ability to punch above their weight this summer and England can not take their lack of past international tournament results as a sign of weakness when they square off.