Expect the temperature to soar high tonight when the European giants France and England go head to head in the opening group D matchup. It is expected to be a cracker of a match and none of the teams start as clear favorites owing to the kind of players they have at their disposal.

Both the teams will give out everything and would like to start the tournament on a high note. The match would see some great names from the World of football clashing against each other and here are some of the players to watch out for from the match:

Players to watch out for:

France:

Patrice Evra: He is one of the best players for Manchester United in their defence and France would want him to do the same at the international stage as well. His skills and English Premier League experience would come handy in this first match as he knows the game of the most of the English players very well.

Samir Nasri: He is skillful and was an integral part of the Manchester City side that won the Premier League this season. He is coming off a great season and would like to maintain his good run. And if he can maintain his good run, he not only can create a magic in the midfield but can give some tense moments to England’s defenders as well.

Frank Ribery: He has been one of the most prolific strikers of the World, and has had a great season with Bayern Munich. His capabilities are something that England would know, but then his inefficiency with the national team has something that has put him down on several occasions. He would be looking forward to change that and create an influence on the World stage as well.

Karim Benzema: He is the number one striker for France and this Real Madrid striker is one of the forces to reckon to when it comes to attacking. His is a great finisher and his credibility doubles up due to his playmaking skills as well.

England:

John Terry: He has been hit by controversies off field which took his captain’s armband from him. Terry’s selection in the squad has been a matter of intense debate, but then this Chelsea defender is one of the most experienced players of the team and he would like to shut his critic with his performance. He would hold the key to English defence and lot would defence as to how he counters the likes of Ribery and Benzema.

Steven Gerrard: With Frank Lampard missing, Steven Gerrard would be the key player for England in the midfield. He has done it lot of times and he would be a key player to watch out for in this match.

Andy Carroll: Liverpool striker was completely out of form in EPL, but still had been selected into the team. With Wayne Rooney serving a ban, Carroll would be the number one striker for the team and his co-ordination with Gerrard might help him in the match.

Indian Sports News Network