EAGLES SO TUNED UP FOR OPENER

FORMER Tunisia star Abdelhamid Hergal reckons the Eagles can shock England in Russia.

Hergal, one of Tunisia’s greatest-ever players, once lobbed Peter Shilton from 35 yards in a friendly against the Three Lions (including a young Paul Gascoigne, above) before the 1990 World Cup. And the 59-year-old former winger insists that Gareth Southgate’s men could be in for a surprise in the Group G opener on Monday.

Hergal said: “I have been really impressed with the Tunisia team. They have the means to surprise England and Belgium.

“Former Tunisia players who have been around at a high level are often not complimentary about the current national team but at a time when the domestic league is not in great shape, everyone is taking comfort from a national team that is world class.

‘And the credit has to go to head coach Nabil Maaloul, who has got great performances out of a team composed mainly of players operating overseas.

“Those players have been exposed to high-level, professional demands.”

Until Spain beat them at the weekend, Tunisia had not lost for a year.

Hergal went on: “Every player in the squad is enterprising, they all believe in themselves, and all know what to do with the ball. ‘I think we can pick a team to get a result against

England and we will have strong substitutes who can make a difference.”