A little over seven weeks after their Euro 2024 triumph, Spain heads to the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade to kick off their 2024-25 UEFA Nations League A campaign against Serbia on Thursday.
La Furia Roja are gearing up for their first match since their 2-1 victory over England in the Euro 2024 final at Berlin's Olympiastadion on July 14. The win marked Spain's fourth European Championship title, making them the first nation to achieve this feat.
La Roja were the standout team of the tournament, securing their place in history. They became the first European team to win all seven matches at a major competition, whether it's the Euros or World Cup. Additionally, they netted more goals (15) than any other team in Euros history.
On the other hand, the Eagles, making their debut as an independent nation at the European Championship for the first time since 2000, had high expectations for advancing past the group stage this summer. However, they fell short of those hopes.
Under the management of Dragan Stojkovic, Serbia has yet to secure a victory in any of their six major tournament matches. At Euro 2024, the Eagles ended up at the bottom of Group C, having earned only two points from their encounters with England, Denmark, and Slovenia.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
How to watch Serbia vs Spain online - TV channels & live streams
In the United States (US), the UEFA Nations League A match between Serbia and Spain will be available to watch and stream online live through Fubo, DirecTV Stream, FS2 and ViX.
Globally, fans can catch the live action on GOAL.
How to watch anywhere with VPN
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.
Serbia vs Spain kick-off time
| Date: | Thursday, September 5, 2024 |
| Kick-off time: | 2:45 pm ET/ 11:45 am PT |
| Venue: | Stadium Rajko Mitić |
The UEFA Nations League A 2024 opening game between Serbia and Spain will be played at Stadium Rajko Mitić in Belgrade, Serbia.
It will kick off at 2:45 pm ET/ 11:45 am PT on Thursday, September 5, 2024, in the United States (US).
Team news & squads
Serbia team news
Serbia will miss a host of key players Aleksandar Mitrovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic due to injuries, while Dusan Tadic has retired from international duty. Notably, striker Dusan Vlahovic and versatile winger Filip Kostic are also absent from Stojkovic's 25-man roster.
Five new faces have been called up by Stojkovic, including Aston Villa right-back Kosta Nedeljkovic, Sunderland midfielder Milan Aleksic, and Millwall forward Mihailo Ivanovic, all of whom are eager to make an impact in Thursday’s match.
In the absence of Mitrovic, Luka Jovic is set to lead the attack. In midfield, Sasa Lukic will likely partner with either Marko Grujic or Ivan Ilic.
Serbia possible XI: Rajkovic; Veljkovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic; Nedeljkovic, Lukic, Ilic, Zivkovic; Samardzic, S. Mitrovic; Jovic
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Petrović, Rajković, Jovanović, Ilić |
| Defenders: | Pavlović, Milenković, Simić, Eraković, Nedeljković, Veljković, Babić, Terzić |
| Midfielders: | Samardžić, Živković, Ilić, Lukić, Grujić, Maksimović, Mitrović, Belić, Aleksić |
| Forwards: | Jović, Ratkov, Birmančević, Ivanović |
Spain team news
Spain faces several injury concerns ahead of their match, with Unai Simon (wrist), Mikel Merino (shoulder), Alvaro Morata (thigh), and Fermin Lopez (muscle) all sidelined. Moreover, 38-year-old Jesus Navas has retired from international duty.
Midfielder Rodri, who has yet to feature for Manchester City this season, is fit and ready to play. Valencia's 26-year-old Pepelu has received his first call-up to the senior squad and could make his debut.
With Simon out, Arsenal's David Raya might step in as the goalkeeper. Upfront, Mikel Oyarzabal is expected to lead the attack in Morata’s absence, supported by wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams.
Spain possible XI: Raya; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Fabian; Yamal, Olmo, Williams; Oyarzabal
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Raya, Simón, Remiro |
| Defenders: | Carvajal, Cucurella, Laporte, Le Normand, Vivian |
| Midfielders: | Pedri, Rodri, Williams, López, Olmo, Grimaldo, Ruiz, Merino, Zubimendi, Baena, Pérez |
| Forwards: | Yamal, Torres, Joselu, Morata, Oyarzabal |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 26/05/12 | Spain 2-0 Serbia | International friendly games |