And now for ‘Euros Hangover Monday’! Bosses warned to expect mass sickies after England fans party late into the night celebrating Jude Bellingham-inspired 1-0 win over Serbia

More than a million England fans are expected to pull sickies on ‘Hangover Monday’ today – and eight million will work form home – after Jude Bellingham dragged the team to a nervy 1-0 win over Serbia at Euro 2024 in Germany last night.

A diving header from Real Madrid’s Jude was the difference in Gelsenkirchen as Gareth Southgate’s side started their campaign with a victory – only their second ever win in an opening game at the European Championships.

Inside the Arena AufSchalke the majority of the 54,740 supporters inside were from England, including the WAGs and families of the team. The city’s fanpark was also rammed with 40,000 fans.

While back home millions watched on TV at home as well and supporters packed pubs and hundreds of fan zones, with thousands of pints of beer being sent airborne as Bellingham put his country ahead in the the 13th minute.

More than a million English fans are expected to skip work today, after 30 million pints were downed in pubs and homes. Another eight million will likely work from home, experts said. 

BrightHR, which monitors absence among more than a million employees at 50,000 companies, projected a repeat of the 128 per cent sickness increase the day after England’s Euro 2020 Sunday group game.

Chief executive Alan Price said: ‘England fans are preparing to nurse sore heads following the Serbia match, with “Hangover Monday” on the way.

‘Businesses should brace for a wave of questionable sick-leave submissions, unexpected absences, lateness and last-minute holiday requests.’

England’s football heroes beamed as they were reunited with their wives and girlfriends following the Three Lions’ nervy 1-0 victory against Serbia at Euro 2024 last night.

Captain Harry Kane was seen cuddling and smiling with his wife Kate Goodland in the stands after England’s narrow win.

Others wives and girlfriends were also seen snuggling up to their boys and cheering them onto victory throughout last night’s game, including Jordan Pickford and his wife Megan Davison. Dani Dyer also looked in great spirits as she was joined in the stands by boyfriend Jarrod Bowen.

Superstar Jude Bellingham provided the goal to calm the country’s nerves in last night’s opener against Serbia – with a diving header in the 13th minute proving to be the difference in Gelsenkirchen as Gareth Southgate’s men started their campaign with a gritty victory.

The goal was a rare ray of sunshine after a day of blustery wind, cloud and rain left just 600 hardy souls watching the match on a giant screen at the 40,000-capacity Trabrennbahn Racecourse fan zone on the edge of the German city.

Before kick-off, Pickford’s wife waved to fans as she took her seat wearing a cropped England shirt with his No 1 on the front.

Bellingham’s parents, Mark and Denise, and footballer brother Jobe, took selfies with the crowd, while the partners of captain Harry Kane and injured full-back Luke Shaw were also seen in the 50,000-capacity Arena AufSchalke.

Around 300,000 England fans are expected to travel to Germany during the month-long tournament. An estimated 40,000 were in Gelsenkirchen and nearby Essen and Dusseldorf – where accommodation is more plentiful and cheaper – for last night’s match, but only 10,000 had tickets to the Serbia match.

Back home, supporters packed hundreds of fan zones, with thousands of pints of beer being sent airborne as Bellingham put his country ahead.

More than a million English fans are expected to skip work today, after 30 million pints were downed in pubs and homes. Another eight million will likely work from home, experts said.

Megan could be seen waving at fans in the stadium alongside Kane’s wife Kate, who shares four children with the star. 

Among those gathered to cheer on their significant others were Aine Kennedy, Conor Gallagher’s partner, Luke Shaw’s partner Anouska Santos and Ollie Watkins’ partner Ellie Alderson.

Kyle Walker’s wife Annie Kilner also sat in the stands and was pictured chatting to the footballer. 

The players’ families arrived in full force in Gelsenkirchen yesterday evening to cheer on their loved ones as they hoped to get off to a winning start – after painfully losing out in the final to Italy in 2021. 

Bukayo Saka’s partner Tolami Benson was spotted in the stadium. Tolami is 23 and works in PR. 

She has been dating Saka since November 2021, with their romance confirmed during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

Elsewhere, Anouska Santos paid a double tribute to her partner, Luke Shaw, on Instagram.

In the sweet image, Luke, and his eldest son Reign, four, smiled for the camera in an England kit.

Meanwhile, their newborn daughter, Lumie, perched on her father’s lap and their middle child, Storie, two, sweetly stroked her sister.

Anouska wrote: ‘Happy Father’s Day Luke Shaw. You make these three babies lives so happy, we’re forever proud, but today, just a little more. Love you so much.’

Luke and his long-term partner, Anouska Santos, 33, are believed to have started dating before May 2017.

The couple likes to keep their relationship private and is not accustomed to regularly posting updates on their activities.

Anouska, though, has been seen accompanying her footballer boyfriend at various Man United-related events.

In June last year, Shaw and Santos threw a lavish party to celebrate the first birthday of their daughter Storie.

England fans are also hoping to see Trent Alexander-Arnold’s girlfriend Iris Law makes an appearance in Germany. The model’s parents are A-listers Jude Law and Sadie Frost.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Iris Law were first spotted together in early May, and have enjoyed a budding romance ever since.

When paparazzi first caught the pair catching coffee in London two months ago, the attention was barely a drop in the ocean compared to the limelight and glamorous lifestyle she’s grown accustomed to.

Dubbed the new ‘it couple’, sources close to The Sun said the duo first met at a photoshoot in April for Guess Jeans, of which they are both ambassadors.

The budding couple then arranged an impromptu coffee date and a walk around Portobello Market, clearly wanting to spend as much time as possible getting to know each other.

The stunning fashion model made her Paris Fashion week catwalk debut for Miu Miu and has gone on to establish herself as one of British fashion’s ‘it girls’. She has been the face of Burberry, is a beauty ambassador for Dior and has featured in campaigns for Marc Jacobs.

Meanwhile, Man United defender Luke Shaw’s girlfriend Anouska Santos, and Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s wife Megan were spotted arriving for their flight on Saturday ahead of yesterday’s game. 

Anouska made sure comfort was key for the short haul flight in a pair of oversized blue jogging bottoms and a slouch T-shirt.

She carried her essentials in a Mulberry Bayswater bag, which retails at over £1,300, and appeared to go makeup free for the flight.

Meanwhile, Megan – who gave birth last year – flashed her toned abs in a black crop top and leggings, teamed with a chic oversized beige blazer.

The mother-of-two completed the look with chunky trainers, while carrying her belongings in a silver handbag.

Megan met Everton ace Jordan Pickford when they were teenagers. The childhood sweethearts have been dating since she was 14 and he was 16 after meeting at school and share a son, Arlo, five, and baby daughter Astara.

The couple went out on their first date to the cinema while he was a pupil at St Robert of Newminster Catholic School in their native Washington, Tyne and Wear.

Megan, now 28, graduated from university in 2019 while supporting her beau. She even made the move cross country from Sunderland to Liverpool when he signed for Everton for a cool £30million.