ENGLAND FANS HAVE reportedly been involved in violent scenes ahead of their Euro 2024 opener against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen.

Videos on social media show trouble brewing on a side street, with tables, chairs and bottles thrown before riot police arrived.

Some people were injured, with former England striker Stan Collymore posting a picture of a man covered in blood on the social media site X accompanied by the message: “Police vans en masse in Gelsenkirchen centre now. Kicking off in tiny groups.”

In a statement to the PA news agency, a Gelsenkirchen police spokesman said: “We can confirm that there was a physical altercation between several people in the south of the city of Gelsenkirchen.

“The police are on site with sufficient personnel and have the situation under control. We cannot confirm at this point whether the altercation was football related or which nationalities were involved.”

There have also been further reports and videos circulating of England fans singing ’10 German bombers’, defying warnings from German police.

Written by Press Association and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.