England boss Gareth Southgate admits his side’s World Cup opener with Tunisia will bring back fond memories for him.
Southgate was part of the Three Lions team who opened up the 1998 World Cup against the same opponents and picked up a 2-0 win thanks to a Paul Scholes double.
And now he leads his country into action next June against the north African nation, after England were drawn out alongside them, Panama and Belgium.
“It’s great to know who we’re playing, when we’re playing and where we’re playing,” Southgate told the official England Instagram account.
“For me, the game with Tunisia is a memory of France in 1998 when we played the first game down in Marseille.
“It was a fantastic occasion and that’s a game which stays in my memory for a good few years.
“We don’t know so much about Panama at the moment, but of course we have a couple of months now to catch up on it.
“Of course, Belgium is an exciting one for us.
“I know Roberto [Martinez] really well and I’ve been friends with him for quite a while so it really is a fantastic game for everybody.”
England will kick-off in Volgograd against Tunisia on Monday 18 June before facing World Cup debutants Panama on Sunday 24 June in Nizhny Novgorod. The group stage concludes with Belgium in Kaliningrad on Thursday 28 June.
“We can start to plan now, look to improve and in terms of the group we start a little later than the others,” he explained.
“That will have an impact on our training camps and when we get together and we can now look at everything and plan where we need to be.
“Now, to be able to lead my country into the World Cup is a very special feeling.”
If you fancy watching England in Russia this summer, then join the England Supporters Club and Travel Club. Click here for more details on that, or click here for our World Cup Q&As
