ED SHEERAN IS IN HIGH SPIRITS AS HE JOINS ENGLAND FANS FOR THE THREE LIONS' KNOCKOUT MATCH AGAINST SLOVAKIA - BUT THINGS GET OFF TO A LACKLUSTRE START AS THEY FALL BEHIND
- Follow MailOnline's live blog as England take on Slovakia at Euro 2024 here
Ed Sheeran was among thousands of England fans in attendance for the Three Lions' Euro 2024 last-16 tie against Slovakia on Sunday.
The singer, who had previously been spotted in the stands during their 1-1 draw against Denmark, was in high spirits as he joined fans for the crucial knockout match.
As millions back home prepared to cheer on England, Ed joined the teams' nearest and dearest in Gelsenkirchen to watch the tense game unfold, after what's been deemed a lacklustre performance by the team so far.
And things got off to a lacklustre start for England as they fell 1-0 behind to Slovakia after just 25 minutes, thanks to a goal by Ivan Schranz.
There were early clashes and a flurry of yellow cards at the Arena AufSchalke, after manager Gareth Southgate made one change to his starting XI following last Tuesday's underwhelming goalless draw with Slovenia.
He picked Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo in place of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, as England chase a place in the Euros quarter-finals in Germany.
Supporters have been thronging into the German city today and calling for Southgate's team to play without fear and silence critics with a thumping victory - while back home in England bars and fan parks are brimming with excitement, and expats tuned in from holiday resorts such as Magaluf in Spain.
Only 6,500 tickets were officially available for the Round of 16 encounter, but hordes more than that number have already converged on Gelsenkirchen and started raising their beer glasses six hours before kick-off.
Crowds belted out 'Football's Coming Home', tribute songs to Jarrod Bowen and Phil Foden and the national anthem, as hopes grew for manager Southgate's men to perform like potential European champions.
More than 30,000 England fans are expected to be inside the 60,000-capacity Arena AufSchalke to cheer on captain Harry Kane and his team-mates, full of hope despite lacklustre performances in the group stages.
England beat Serbia 1-0 in Gelsenkirchen in their opening Group C game, thanks to a goal by Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, followed by a 1-1 draw with Denmark and a goalless stalemate against Slovenia.
If Southgate's side win today's match which kicks off at 5pm, they would then face Switzerland in the quarter-finals next Saturday at the same time.
Switzerland yesterday progressed by triumphing 2-0 over reigning champions Italy, who previously beat England on penalties in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.
Today's Gelsenkirchen clash comes one day short of 18 years since England were knocked out of the 2006 World Cup in the same Arena AufSchalke venue, defeated on penalties in a quarter-final against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.
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