Serbia v England player ratings: Bellingham 8, Kane 5; Milenkovic 8, Mitrovic 6

Three Lions get their Euro 2024 campaign underway with a 1-0 victory in Gelsenkirchen

Predrag Rajkovic 6/10

SERBIA RATINGS: A solid showing. No chance with Bellingham's opener. Decisive punch clear from an out-swinging Alexander-Arnold corner. Great reaction save to deny Kane late on. AFP

Milos Veljkovic 7/10

Neat, tidy and composed with great physical presence. A solid brick in Serbia's defensive red wall. AP

Nikola Milenkovic 8/10

Had a running battle with England striker Harry Kane throughout and shaded the contest overall. Particularly strong in their aerial duels. A big component in a very well-drilled back three. AP

Strahinja Pavlovic 7/10

Given a torrid time in the first half by the pace and trickery of Saka but grew into his battle with the England right winger. Good interception to deny Alexander-Arnold. Much more energy and threat gShow more

Andrija Zivkovic 6/10

Energetic first half, played the high press well. Good cross into the box just after the half-hour. Did well to create space for Lukic to send dangerous cross into the box. Faded as the game wore on aShow more

Filip Kostic 5/10

Showed good pace and control to beat Walker and whip an early cross in. Snuffed out a potential Saka break on the wing early on but later struggled to live with the England winger. Went off injured juShow more

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic 6/10

The Al Hilal man played a sweet threaded pass to set Vlahovic clear early in the game and generally linked play well in Serbia's midfield. AP

Nemanja Gudelj 5/10

Left standing by Bellingham for the opener. Then picked up a yellow card for clattering the England lynchpin. Showed the occasional flash of class with his touches but was hooked at half-time. PA

Sasa Lukic 6/10

Showed plenty of physical presence. Dumped Bellingham on his backside to stop one attack. Wasted a ball into the box just before half time. EPA

Dusan Vlahovic 6/10

Wasted a chance when he shot straight at Stones with Mitrovic better placed. Great burst of pace and cross into the box early in the second half. Showed what he is capable of with a superb turn and stShow more

Aleksandar Mitrovic 6/10

Al Hilal's star striker used his nous in his own area to win a free kick against Stones. Perhaps should have done better with sharp chance after 20 minutes. Not his best work. Replaced by Tadic on theShow more

Filip Mladenovic 7/10

SERBIA SUBS: (for Kostic, 43'): Brought energy and intent as Serbia stepped up their game in the second half. Brought good pace, sharp turns and a couple of dangerous crosses. AP

Ivan Ilic 6/10

(for Gudelj, 46'): Brilliant tackle to pickpocket Bellingham in the box. Added impetus to the Serbian midfield. Getty Images

Luka Jovic 5/10

(for Mitrovic, 60'): Couldn't bring Tadic's pass under control when through on goal. AP

Dusan Tadic 7/10

(for Lukic, 60'): The veteran added guile to the midfield. Always probing for weaknesses with his passing. He played a lovely ball to Jovic in the area, which was wasted; Veljko Birmancevic (for ZivkoShow more

Jordan Pickford 7/10

ENGLAND RATINGS: Untroubled in the first half and gave an unfussy performance, keeping risks to a minimum. Produced an unconvincing punched clearance in the second half but then pulled off a brilliantShow more

Kyle Walker 7/10

His pass found Saka in the build-up to England's goal and he made a surging run into the box in the first half but no-one got on the end of his cross. Unruffled for the most part in his defensive respShow more

John Stones 6/10

Elegant as ever with his usual silky distribution. After a slightly nervy start his composure on the ball transmitted itself to rookie partner Guehi. Came under pressure more in the second half but heShow more

Marc Guehi 7/10

Looked comfortable stepping into Harry Maguire's shoes. He showed a good reading of the game and sound decision-making. Made some well-timed tackles and threaded some nice passes to Bellingham. An impShow more

Kieran Trippier 6/10

The right-back stuck to his task on the left manfully. Teed up Foden with a nicely weighted pass early on. Vital block to deny Mitrovic a scoring chance. Didn't generate a great deal of threat with FoShow more

Declan Rice 7/10

An excellent outing in the holding role. Gave cover to his defence and kept the engine room ticking over. Showed a good understanding with Stones. An unselfish performance, playing simple passes and mShow more

Trent Alexander-Arnold 6/10

A mixed bag. Produced a couple of poor deliveries at free kicks and hit some wayward passes when England were under pressure. Great reading of the game to cut out a cross-field ball and launch a lightShow more

Phil Foden 5/10

Supposedly started on the right wing but was given licence to drift into the centre and even out to the left in a very fluid system. His touch let him down with early chance in the box. Quiet first haShow more

Jude Bellingham 8/10

A masterclass in the first half. He started the move that led to his opening goal as he ghosted into the box with a perfectly timed run and finished with a brave and powerful header. Popped up all oveShow more

Bukayo Saka 7/10

Brilliant in the first half as Serbia couldn't live with his movement and livewire running. Somehow squeezed a cross in for Bellingham's opener. He was almost unplayable for 45 minutes. Much quieter aShow more

Harry Kane 5/10

Only touched the ball once in the first half. Stayed patient and kept his position to maintain England's shape as a focal point up front. Looked a little rusty when he did get a couple of touches earlShow more

Conor Gallagher 6/10

ENGLAND SUBS: (for Alexander-Arnold 69'): Brought on to crank up England's midfield energy levels as Serbia grew into the game. Did what was asked of him. EPA

Jarrod Bowen 6/10

(for Saka 76'): A brilliant cross for Kane whose header was parried against the bar by the keeper. Looked sharp. Getty Images

Kobbie Mainoo N/A

Mainoo (for Bellingham, 86'): No time to show what he can bring to the party. Getty Images

Jude Bellingham gave England a dream start in their Euro 2024 clash with Serbia but the Three Lions were made to sweat for their Group C victory.

Real Madrid's young superstar Bellingham put the Three Lions ahead after just 13 minutes as he finished a move he had started with a thumping header.

At that stage, Gareth Southgate's team looked in total command, with Bukayo Saka, who supplied the cross for Bellingham's opener, tormenting Serbia's defence.

But the Serbs started to grow into the game towards the end of the first half and put England under intense pressure in the second half, with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford forced into making a superb save from Dusan Vlahovic late in the game.

After the game, Bellingham said that securing the three points in Gelsenkirchen was all that mattered.

La Liga's player of the season told the BBC: "I thought they are a very tough side. Very robust, strong and a big group of lads and it was important that we prepared well.

"The staff got it right. We prepared all week very well. We knew the roles we had to do. We try to keep to our own standards and try to do our own job. It's important that we got off to a good start. Positive inside the camp and onto the next one.

"I have got used to getting into the box, getting wide and trying to do that. I got into that habit at Madrid and I wanted to carry my form into the Euros. It's a great start for me personally to get my confidence up and to help the lads get the win is the most important thing."

England's record goalscorer Harry Kane, who had a quiet night but did force a superb save from Serbia keeper Predrag Rajkovic late on, said: "We knew it was going to be a tough game, Serbia pose a lot of threats and have some good players. They will make it a battle for you and I think we dealt with it really well. There was a spell in the second half where we got camped in our box and we found it hard to get out but it was an important win tonight.

"It's a tough game. They are a tough team and have good players. We stood up to it well and it is good to get the three points and [for us] to progress. It's good that we got the win today."

Manager Southgate said: “Today was just the finishing and a good save from the goalkeeper from the Kane header at the end.

“But that will come. I’m confident we will score goals. You’re playing against a back five. It’s not easy to create chances, but we did and in the end one was enough.”

Southgate said it was good to see his side come through after they “had to suffer a bit”.

“That’s the reality of tournaments,” he said. “They’re a strong team. We had to suffer a bit, which I think is really good for us, to come through and defend our box the way we did. The pressure was important for the group.

“We had good chances to extend the lead and kill the game, which we didn’t manage to take. So I was really pleased with a lot of the play, especially the first half, I thought we used the ball really well.

“Second half, we didn’t keep it quite as well as we need to, but to get the win and the start we have is really important.”

England next face Denmark, who drew 1-1 with Slovenia on Sunday, in Frankfurt on Thursday.