Wednesday 8 June 2016 11:52, UK
As Friday's Euro 2016 kick-off draws ever closer, history dictates that it is crucial to get off to a fast start.
In the past 26 years of major international tournaments - European Championships and World Cups - only one of the previous winners in recent times have gone on to triumph after losing their first game.
The past six teams to have been crowned champions of Europe have got off to an unbeaten start, with four out of six sides since 1992 winning their opening fixture.
Striking World Cup statistics paint a similar picture. Six of the last seven champions won their first game, including 2014 victors Germany, who went onto glory after a convincing opening-game win which saw them put four past Portugal.
Only Spain, during the 2010 World Cup, have lost their first match in a major international tournament and still managed to become champions. Gelson Fernandes gave Switzerland a shock 1-0 win in South Africa but Spain bounced back to win their group.
England are preparing to participate in their ninth European Championships but surprisingly - with four draws and four defeats - are yet to record an opening-game victory.
The Three Lions will hope previous outings will not act as a bad omen and will look to replicate their fine run of form from their qualifying campaign, where they were the only side to maintain a 100 per cent record.
But England fans should not surrender all hope if Roy Hodgson's side fail to take home all three points in their European championship opener against Russia on Saturday.
Reigning champions Spain started off the pace at Euro 2012 when they were held to a stalemate against fellow titans Italy, but it was business as usual in their second match with an emphatic 4-0 win over the Republic of Ireland, which laid the foundation for them to retain the trophy.
The introduction of the new format will also enhance England's chances of qualifying for the knock-out rounds.
There will be 24 teams spread across six groups; after the group stages have been played the top two from each will move into the knockout stage (last 16), along with the four best third-place teams.
