Dec 10, 2022; Al Khor, Qatar; England midfielder Jude Bellingham (22) dribbles during the first half of a quarterfinal game against France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Al-Bayt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports
- England’s quest for its first even Euro championship begins with a match against Serbia on Sunday (3:00 pm ET)
- The The Three Lions are heavy favorites to start the group stage with a victory
- Below, see the Serbia vs England odds, predictions, and best bets for June 16
Zero for its first 15 attempts at winning the European Championship, England heads into Euro 2024 as a heavy -250 favorite to win Group C against Denmark (+400), Serbia (+750), and Slovenia (+1200).
England begins its campaign on Sunday, June 16, with a match against Serbia at Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, at 3:00 pm ET. Just they’re big favorites to win the group, England is also a fairly heavy favorite to take the full three points from its opening match.
Serbia vs England Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Serbia | +550 | Over 2.5 (-110) |
| England | -209 | Under 2.5 (-110) |
| Draw | +350 | N/A |
The Serbia vs England odds list the Three Lions at -209 to win with Serbia a +550 longshot and the draw priced at +350. The over/under is sitting at 2.5 goals with -110 odds both ways.
All four games in the tournament to date have gone over 2.5 goals, and three of the four went over 2.5 goals in the first half.
Odds as of June 15 at bet365. Learn how to claim bet365 free bets for Euro 2024.
England enters Euro 2024 ranked fourth in the world, while Serbia has dropped from 21st in the world in October 2022 all the way to 36th as of April 2024.
Serbia vs England Recent Results
Both teams had mixed results in their tune-up games last week. England easily handled Serbian neighbor Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-0 on June 3rd, but lost in stunning fashion to Iceland (1-0) at Wembley Stadium four days later. England controlled 64% of possession and fired 13 shots at goal but only one was on target in a truly lackluster offensive performance that featured about half of the starting lineup we’re likely to see on Sunday.
The loss to Iceland was England’s second defeat in its last four matches, having also fallen to Brazil 1-0 back in March. The downturn came as a surprise after England easily dispatched a tough Euro qualifying group that included Italy, Ukraine, North Macedonia, and Malta. The Three Lions posted an unbeaten 6-2-0 record in their eight qualifiers, finishing six points clear of second-place Italy with a +18 goal differential.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane had eight of England’s 22 goals in qualifying while Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka added four.
Last Five England Matches
| Opponent | Opp. FIFA Rank | Date | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iceland | 72nd | Jun 7, 2024 | London, ENG | L 1-0 |
| Bosnia & Herz. | 74th | Jun 3, 2024 | London, ENG | W 3-0 |
| Belgium | 3rd | Mar 26, 2024 | London, ENG | D 2-2 |
| Brazil | 5th | Mar 23, 2024 | London, ENG | L 1-0 |
| N. Macedonia | 69th | Nov 20, 2023 | Skopje, N. MAC | D 1-1 |
Serbia played its best game in recent memory in its final tuneup, crushing Sweden 3-0 in Stockholm on June 8. That came on the heels of a tough 2-1 loss to Austria in Vienna when they conceded twice in the first 15 minutes.
Serbia punched its ticket to Euro 2024 with a runner-up finish in a lackluster Group G, finishing four points back of Hungary and three ahead of Montenegro.
Aleksandar Mitrovic led the team with five markers in qualifying and also tallied once in the win over Sweden. The longtime Fulham striker, who now plies his trade in the Saudi league is Serbia’s all-time leading goalscorer with 58 for his country, which is 37 more than any other player. (Dusan Tadic is second with 23.)
Last Five Serbia Matches
| Opponent | Opp. FIFA Rank | Date | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 27th | Jun 8, 2024 | Stockholm, SWE | W 3-0 |
| Austria | 25th | Jun 4, 2024 | Vienna, AUS | L 2-1 |
| Cyprus | 124th | Mar 25, 2024 | Larnaca, CYP | W 1-0 |
| Russia | 35th | Mar 21, 2024 | Moscow, RUS | L 4-0 |
| Bulgaria | 83rd | Nov 19, 2023 | Leskovac, SRB | D 2-2 |
Serbia vs England Prediction
England has only gone over 2.5 goals in six of its last 12 matches, and just twice in its past six. However, Serbia’s recent results have been higher scoring. Eight of Serbia’s last ten matches have gone over 2.5 goals, including each of their last five Euro qualifiers. Each of their last six competitive fixtures saw both teams score at least one goal.
Serbia vs England Picks: Over 2.5 goals (-110)
Euro 2024 Picks Record: 1-1 (+0.24 units)
All wagers one unit unless expressly stated otherwise.
Sascha was a hockey player in his youth, a lawyer in his capricious mid-20s, and has been with SBD since 2014. He specializes in football, basketball, politics, baseball, and hockey.