England vs Croatia: 5 players to watch out for

England begin their Euro 2020 campaign with a high-octane Group D clash against Croatia at the Wembley Stadium in London.

Harry Kane and co. were knocked out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia by the same opposition in the semi-finals. So there will be added incentive for the Three Lions to get one over the Croatians.

Croatia themselves will be desperate to begin their Euro 2020 campaign with a victory, as they haven't had a decent stretch of wins in quite some time now. Although they will fancy themselves a lot more against relatively easy opposition in the matches to come, a positive result against England in the Euro 2020 tournament opener would be a massive morale-booster.

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On that note, let's have a look at five players who could be key in the outcome of this game.

#5 John Stones (England)

What a turnaround it has been for John Stones! Axed from the England team after a string of lacklustre performances for Manchester City, the 27-year-old defender has roared back to form this season.

Most people had written off the former Everton man, and his Manchester City career seemed all but over. However, Stones never stopped believing in his abilities and chose to fight for his place. As things stand, he is England's best defender at Euro 2020, and there will be a lot of responsibility on his shoulders.

Especially in the absence of his usual partner Harry Maguire, Stones will have to step up and marshall his troops well against a Croatia team that has plenty of good ball-playing players.

#4 Bruno Petkovic (Croatia)

Bruno Petkovic played a key role as Dinamo Zagreb knocked out Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League.

Expected to start up front for Zlatko Dalic's men, Dinamo Zagreb forward Bruno Petkovic will have a key role to play for Croatia at Euro 2020.

The 26-year-old has scored 14 goals for his club across all competitions this season. However, it is his playing style that makes him key for club and country. He is a no. 9 who loves to involve his fellow offensive players in attack and isn't just a regulation goalscorer.

Petkovic uses his strength to good effect and is good in hold-up plays. His partner up front - Ante Rebic - will likely benefit from the same. Petkovic is central to the way Croatia play in the final third.

Their midfield is up there with the very best in the international arena. So there is unlikely to be any dearth of service for their forwards. If Petkovic is at his best, he could give England plenty of problems.

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#3 Mason Mount (England)

Mason Mount was instrumental in Chelsea's UEFA Champions League win.

England's Mason Mount went from strength to strength in 2020-21, playing a key role in Chelsea's Champions League triumph.

The 22-year-old made huge strides in various aspects of his game, and his decision-making improved manifold as the season progressed. He is steadily becoming a complete midfielder. Mount can not only find a pass and score the odd goal, but he can also put in a crunching tackle to win the ball in the middle of the park.

Mason Mount has quickly become the glue that binds the Chelsea team together. He's one of the first names on the teamsheet for Thomas Tuchel, so Gareth Southgate will hope Mount can make a similar impact for England at Euro 2020. When Mount has a good game, his team usually comes away with a win. England would hope that's the case against Croatia.

#2 Luka Modric (Croatia)

Croatia are heavily dependent on Luka Modric to come up with a moment of magic or two.

Luka Modric was the star man for Croatia at their last major international tournament - the 2018 FIFA World Cup - where they made the final. Now 35, Modric will once again have to lead by example if Croatia are to make a deep run at Euro 2020.

One of the best midfielders of his generation, Modric is the true star turn in a Croatian team filled with many talents. Even though Modric is seemingly past his prime, he remains a genuine showstopper and can decide the outcome of matches on his own.

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England may decide to field two holding midfielders to counter the threat of Modric and his similarly-abled partner Mateo Kovacic. That in itself gives one an idea of how dangerous the Croatian pair is. If England can numb Modric's influence in the game, they will fancy their chances of winning their Euro 2020 opener.

#1 Harry Kane (England)

Harry Kane had a stellar season with Tottenham Hotspur, but that may have been his last with the London club.

Just like his counterpart Modric, star striker Harry Kane will also have to lead England from the front. Kane is the biggest name in a hugely talented England squad brimming with a plethora of young and experienced players. But Kane is often the one Southgate turns to when he is in dire need of a goal, and that should be no different at Euro 2020.

While there is a lot of transfer talk surrounding the man of the moment, Harry Kane has his priorities set straight. His future at the club level should hardly have an impact on how he performs at Euro 2020.

Kane enjoys the responsibility of carrying the hopes of a nation desperately in need of an international title, so he can be expected to turn on the heat against Croatia.