Gareth Southgate’s England, despite unconvincing performances in their first two matches, lead the group with four points. A win in the England vs Slovenia match would secure their place as group winners, but they face a stubborn Slovenia side unbeaten in their last eight matches.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has called for calm amid criticism of the team’s performances. “We could have done better in the game [against Denmark], but we’re still top of the group, it’s still in our hands, so there’s no worry and no panic,” he told EURO2024.com.
Southgate acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, “We’ve been able to have more meetings and training time, but also talk with the players about the state of play at the moment: where we are, where our performances are, and we’re all working together to try to improve that.”
Slovenia, ranked lowest in the group, have surprised many with two 1-1 draws against Denmark and Serbia. Coach Matjaž Kek remains confident about their chances.
“We are still masters of our destiny, with all due respect to England, who are an outstanding team. This will be the biggest challenge for this generation of players,” he said.
Key Players to Watch
For England, all eyes will be on captain Harry Kane and youngster Jude Bellingham to spark their attack. Slovenia will rely on goalkeeper Jan Oblak to keep England at bay, while forward Benjamin Šeško could pose a threat on the counter.
Possible Line-ups
England: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guéhi, Trippier; Gallagher, Bellingham, Rice; Foden, Kane, Saka
Slovenia: Oblak; Karničnik, Drkušić, Bijol, Janža; Stojanović, Elšnik, Gnezda Čerin, Mlakar; Šporar, Šeško
Historical Context
England have dominated past meetings, winning four of their last five encounters. The most recent clash in 2017 saw England secure a narrow 1-0 victory in a World Cup qualifier.
The England vs Slovenia match kicks off at 20:00 Nigerian time on Tuesday, June 25, with French referee Clement Turpin officiating and Jerome Brisard as VAR.
As England seek to silence their critics and top the group, Slovenia aim for a historic upset that could see them through to the last 16.
With high stakes for both sides, this final Group C encounter promises to be a captivating contest.
