Marseille - Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy was left on the bench as England manager Roy Hodgson handed no fewer than five Tottenham players their major finals debut in the opening Euro 2016 Group B match with Russia on Saturday.
England will be desperate to put a positive spin on the first day of the tournament at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille after scenes of sickening fan violence in the port city.
But Vardy's stunning season was not enough to reward the Leicester striker with his first start for England at an international tournament.
The 22-year-old Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier will play at the heart of England's three-man midfield, with England captain Wayne Rooney, who has lately played in midfield for Manchester United, to his left and Dier's Spurs teammate Dele Alli on the right.
Dier and Alli have never played at a major finals for England, although their recent performances for club and country symolise England's recent renewal under the 68-year-old Hodgson.
Up front, Spurs striker Harry Kane leads England's attack, with Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling to his left and Liverpool's Adam Lallana to his right.
Russia's recent injury crisis has left coach Leonid Slutsky with a selection dilemma and he deployed a 4-5-1 formation that will see German-born Roman Neustader make his major finals debut for his newly-adopted country.