Serbian Mitrovic is in top form and ready to shock England

Aleksandar Mitrovic has been one of the Saudi Pro League’s most successful imports and the Serbian striker believes he can carry that form through to Euro 2024 to shock England on Sunday.

Mitrovic spent eight years in England at Newcastle and Fulham before forcing a move to the riches and sunnier climes of Saudi Arabia 12 months ago.

Amid a flurry of star names heading to the Gulf kingdom, including Al Hilal teammate Neymar, Mitrovic’s decision went largely unnoticed.

But Neymar’s serious knee injury left the Serbian leading an unbeaten season as Al Hilal won the treble of league, Super Cup and Copa del Rey – with victory in the latter’s final leaving Cristiano Al Nassr’s Ronaldo in tears.

The 29-year-old has scored 40 goals in 43 games and, far from retiring in the Middle East, believes the decision has conditioned him to be in the best shape of his life in time for the Euros.

“So far I have felt the best I can in my life, physically and mentally,” he told the Times.

“I’m playing a lot more games than before at Fulham and here I’m playing in the best team and I’m scoring a lot of goals. I’m playing almost every game. If you add that to a lot of wins I can keep playing like this for my country.”

Already Serbia’s all-time top scorer by far, Mitrovic has scored 58 times in 91 caps.

His partnership with Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic will be key to how far Serbia can go in Germany in their first ever European Championship as an independent nation.

England manager Gareth Southgate admitted his side lacked a dominant presence in the air in the absence of injured Harry Maguire, a weakness Mitrovic’s powerhouse looks set to exploit.

– England, the “most difficult match” –

But based on Serbia’s performance in qualifying, the Three Lions have little to fear.

Dragan Stojkovic’s side won just four of their eight qualifying matches, finishing far behind Hungary and just three points ahead of neighbors Montenegro.

Mitrovic is aware of the scale of the task facing his country in Gelsenkirchen.

“If you had to pick the toughest game to play, I think it would be England,” he said.

“Consider the talent, their history. It’s the toughest match anyone could hope for but it’s a challenge for us. We’re looking forward to it. We have nothing to lose.”

Yet he also knows the physical toll a Premier League season can take, which is one of the factors behind England’s 58-year wait to win a major tournament.

Mitrovic said he had “nothing left to give” after attracting criticism for the manner in which he managed to leave Fulham 12 months ago.

“When you play many years in the best league in the world, you are just exhausted mentally and physically.

“A year in England is like two or three years in another league in the world.”

Refreshed and filled with confidence by his Saudi stay, Mitrovic now hopes to become a national hero and atone for Serbia missing out on the Euros three years ago.

He missed the decisive penalty in a penalty shootout defeat to Scotland which saw Serbia miss out on Euro 2020.

They also lost in the group stages of the last two World Cups, which could be a last chance to make an impact at an international tournament for the talented trio of Mitrovic, Fenerbahce’s Dusan Tadic and former Serie A star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

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