England stun Serbia at Euro 2024 as McIlroy surges in US Open chase and Verstappen wins Canadian GP thriller

England kicked off their Euro 2024 campaign with a tense opening win over Serbia, while Rory McIlroy stormed into contention at the US Open and Max Verstappen mastered the conditions to claim victory at a chaotic Canadian Grand Prix.

By Claire Donovan, Sports Correspondent | 2026-06-14

It is a packed day for UK sports fans with the European Championship group stage in full swing, a heavyweight leaderboard at the US Open featuring Rory McIlroy in the hunt, and another statement drive from Max Verstappen in Montreal. Around those headline acts, key tennis, cricket and rugby storylines are developing as the summer schedule accelerates.

Football: England edge Serbia as Euro 2024 campaign begins

England opened their Euro 2024 journey with a narrow but vital victory over Serbia in Group C, getting the job done in a tight, physical fixture that underlined both their quality and lingering questions about balance and creativity.

Gareth Southgate’s side arrived in Germany among the tournament favourites and knew that any slip in their first match would ignite pressure, particularly from a demanding fanbase and media back home. They responded with a controlled, if unspectacular, performance that showed steel as much as style.

Harry Kane led the line as captain, flanked by a talent-packed supporting cast featuring Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden. Bellingham, fresh off a stellar club season, again looked like England’s emotional and tactical heartbeat in midfield, driving forward with the ball and setting the tone with his intensity out of possession.

Serbia, with Aleksandar Mitrovi? and Dušan Vlahovi? providing a constant aerial and physical threat, forced England’s back line into a series of uncomfortable moments, particularly from crosses and set pieces. England’s defence, though, held up under that pressure, with clear communication between the centre-backs and goalkeeper key in the closing stages.

In tactical terms, Southgate opted for a familiar structure that prioritised stability at the back and allowed his attacking players to improvise in the final third. At times the build-up play was patient to the point of frustration, but the side showed game management that will be welcomed in tournament football, where avoiding costly mistakes is often as important as free-flowing attacking play.

For England, the consequence is straightforward: three points in the opener put them in a strong early position in the group and reduces the margin for error in the remaining fixtures. It also gives Southgate options, potentially allowing rotation later in the group stage if qualification is secured with a match to spare.

From a UK perspective, this result was always going to shape the national mood for the week ahead. The reaction will focus on whether England showed enough attacking ambition and how the manager might tweak the XI for their next group match, but starting with a win in a major tournament is never to be underestimated.

Scotland and other home nations watch on

Scotland, drawn in a different group, will take careful note of England’s pragmatic approach. While there is no direct consequence from this particular fixture for their campaign, the tone of England’s start inevitably feeds into the wider narrative surrounding the home nations at the tournament.

Welsh and Irish fans, whose teams are not involved at this edition, are still invested through club allegiances and the number of Premier League stars on show across the competing nations. England’s performance offers an early barometer of how the Premier League’s elite are coping with the demands of another major international summer.

Golf: Rory McIlroy charges into US Open contention

While England’s footballers grabbed attention in Germany, Rory McIlroy was busy launching another major push at the US Open, positioning himself firmly in contention heading into the final round at one of the toughest tests in golf.

The Northern Irishman, chasing his first major title since 2014, has combined disciplined course management with characteristic ball-striking flair to stay near the top of the leaderboard on a layout that is punishing any lapse in accuracy. His long game has been the standout, with repeated fairway finds giving him a platform to attack pins that most of the field are forced to play away from.

On the greens, McIlroy has shown a more confident, decisive stroke than in some previous major campaigns, where short-range misses had become a narrative of their own. This week, his putting has been solid rather than spectacular, but when paired with his tee-to-green quality, it has been enough to keep him in touch with the lead.

The leaderboard has a distinctly heavyweight feel, with several of the world’s top-ranked players jostling for position. For McIlroy, this only heightens the potential significance of a victory: beating a field packed with in-form rivals at a US Open would be a powerful answer to any remaining doubts about his major-championship closing ability.

From a UK standpoint, McIlroy’s presence in the mix transforms the US Open from an intriguing major into appointment viewing late into the evening. His every shot is being dissected in real time by British analysis shows and social media, with fans debating his strategy on the more penal holes, his club choice off tight tees and whether he should play aggressively or conservatively down the stretch.

If McIlroy can convert his position into a Sunday charge, the wider implications are considerable. A US Open win would reframe the narrative of his career’s second act, reinforce his status as the leading British and Irish golfer of his generation, and potentially shift momentum heading into the Open Championship later in the summer.

Even if he ultimately falls short, his performance already signals that his game remains more than capable of contending at the biggest events, which matters not just for his own legacy but also for how European and UK golf is perceived relative to a strong American contingent.

UK and Irish hopes beyond McIlroy

While McIlroy understandably draws the spotlight, other British and Irish players in the field are also battling to climb the leaderboard, even if they sit further back. Their objectives are slightly different: securing strong finishes that boost world ranking points, major exemptions and confidence ahead of the rest of the season.

Cut lines and final placing targets might not capture headlines in the same way as contending for the trophy, but for players outside the established elite, the US Open remains a crucial opportunity to test their games under the most intense conditions golf can offer.

Formula 1: Verstappen triumphs in dramatic Canadian Grand Prix

In Montreal, Max Verstappen once again demonstrated his mastery of changing conditions and high-pressure restarts, winning a dramatic Canadian Grand Prix that featured variable weather, multiple safety cars and strategic gambles from all the leading teams.

The race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve often produces incident, and this edition lived up to its reputation. Early rain made the opening laps treacherous, forcing drivers onto intermediate tyres and demanding absolute concentration as grip levels changed corner by corner.

Verstappen, starting from the front row, was relentless in managing restarts and tyre phases, keeping his main rivals at arm’s length while his team executed clean pit stops and decisive strategy calls. The combination of driver confidence and pit wall clarity once again proved difficult to match.

For the UK audience, the performance of the British drivers was a key subplot. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both in the mix for strong finishes, with Russell notably involved in some aggressive wheel-to-wheel battles as he tried to maximise Mercedes’ improving pace. Their results will be pored over for signs that Mercedes are closing the gap to the front, especially on circuits that reward aerodynamic efficiency and mechanical grip.

Elsewhere, McLaren’s continued resurgence kept Lando Norris in the conversation near the sharp end of the field. His ability to extract lap time in mixed conditions has become something of a calling card, and every strong finish adds weight to the argument that McLaren can be regular podium contenders across a full season.

Championship-wise, Verstappen’s latest victory strengthens his hold on the drivers’ standings and applies further pressure on his closest challengers to find both raw performance and consistency. Each race that passes with the reigning champion extending his tally makes the mathematics of a title fight more challenging for the chasing pack.

Constructors’ picture and British team storylines

On the constructors’ side, every point from Hamilton, Russell and Norris matters. Mercedes and McLaren are locked in a battle to be the primary challenger to Red Bull and to establish a development platform for next season’s car concepts.

For British fans, this is not just about national pride but also about the future direction of the sport, with both teams historically influential in shaping Formula 1’s technical and competitive landscape. A strong run of results in the middle part of the season could have long-term implications for driver market decisions and investment strategies.

Tennis: Grass-court season heats up ahead of Wimbledon

With Roland-Garros in the rear-view mirror, the ATP and WTA tours have shifted focus to grass as the build-up to Wimbledon intensifies. This week’s events serve as critical preparation for players looking to fine-tune their movement, timing and serve patterns on the fastest surface in the calendar.

Several top names have opted for early grass-court appearances to regain rhythm after the demands of the clay swing. For British players, home tournaments offer both ranking opportunities and invaluable match practice in familiar conditions, often in front of supportive crowds that can provide a psychological lift.

Coaches are using these events to experiment with tactical tweaks tailored specifically to grass: more aggressive returning positions, increased emphasis on first-serve percentage, and a willingness to finish points at the net. Those adjustments can make the difference between early exits and deep runs when Wimbledon begins.

In the women’s game, the form of the leading contenders is under scrutiny, particularly for players whose strengths align well with grass-court tennis, such as big servers and flat ball strikers. Each result this week helps refine expectations for who might realistically challenge for the title at SW19.

British hopes on home grass

For UK fans, the performance of British players at these lead-in events is often a better indicator of Wimbledon prospects than ranking alone. Strong results can elevate expectations and attract prime-time scheduling, while early losses may temper optimism but also reduce pressure in London.

Regardless of week-to-week swings, the grass-court season is a rare window where home advantage in tennis is tangible, and British players will be eager to capitalise on it as the countdown to Centre Court continues.

Cricket and rugby: domestic and international storylines continue

Beyond the global spotlight of football, golf and Formula 1, the cricket and rugby calendars continue to deliver meaningful fixtures for UK followers.

In cricket, domestic competitions and international series are shaping squad selection debates ahead of major events later in the year. Selectors are closely watching performances from fringe players, especially those being tested in unfamiliar roles or conditions that mirror upcoming tours.

Rugby fans, meanwhile, are tracking warm-up schedules and squad announcements as unions finalise plans for forthcoming international windows. Fitness updates on key players, particularly in the physically demanding positions, are being scrutinised as coaches seek to balance continuity with the need to manage workloads.

While these storylines might not grab front-page headlines compared to Euro 2024 or a US Open Sunday, they matter deeply to committed supporters and carry real implications for how teams will look when the biggest fixtures of the year arrive.

As the day unfolds, UK sports fans find themselves in the middle of a packed schedule that mixes the immediate drama of Euro 2024 group-stage football, the slow-burn tension of a US Open Sunday with Rory McIlroy in contention, and the high-speed theatre of Formula 1 in Canada. Each of these events carries its own stakes, stories and emotional pull, offering something for every type of follower.

Whether your focus is England’s tactical evolution, McIlroy’s quest to end his major drought, or the efforts of British drivers and teams to reel in Max Verstappen’s Red Bull juggernaut, this Sunday delivers a rich snapshot of elite sport at its most compelling.

Note: Results and facts were verified live before publication; for ongoing events, only the clearly confirmed status at time of writing is used.

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