England vs Croatia: 5 players to watch out for | Euro 2020

#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.

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#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.

Luka Modric has more assists than any other Real Madrid player in the #UCL this season (2). Both have come against Atalanta. pic.twitter.com/PJuPaOIJ0N

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) March 16, 2021

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.

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.

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#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.

Training hard in the sun 💪☀️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/IhvAhcJd8r

— Harry Kane (@HKane) June 9, 2021

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.