Phil Neville
Former England & Man Utd defender on BBC One

England have obviously prepared for the small flies in the stadium, and have sprayed themselves with insect-repellent. It looks uncomfortable and Jesse Lingard was trying to get one out of his ear during the warm-up, but once the game starts, that will take priority.

Panama coach Hernan Dario Gomez said: "It would have been terrible if they had scored more. No-one likes losing but considering our opponents and our history it is a normal result and they could have scored more.

"It is not a positive result - we lost 3-0 - but they could have won by a landslide and there were people that thought we would lose by seven goals.

"You are not really happy when you lose but I told them we played with dignity. Now we have to concentrate on the next game and that is going to be just as tough and we have to make a huge effort.

"We are not as fit as the European players. We will keep growing and learning."

Is a young, inexperienced side a good thing or a bad thing?We may be about to find out. But I can't think of any massively experienced players who should be getting a game...

England's starting XI has a cumulative total of 248 caps between them; the lowest by an England starting XI in an international tournament since June 1962 (246 caps v Bulgaria).

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Volgograd Arena

Jesse Lingard seems to have found an insect down his ear. At this stage I am absolutely obliged to say it is the same for both sides. England players now dousing themselves in insect repellent.

A blatant attempt from Bournemouth forward Callum Wilson to try and get a call-up...

We asked you to pick your England XI over the past few days. Of those of you who chose 3-5-2, this was your team.

Three differences to Gareth Southgate's side - you wanted Danny Rose, Gary Cahill and Marcus Rashford instead of Ashley Young, Harry Maguire and Raheem Sterling.

Image source, .

You can still pick your team here and share it on social media.

Gary Flintoff
BBC Radio 5 live producer at Volgograd Arena

Good news about the flies so far... I may be speaking too soon, but at this same time last time we were here we were fighting them off with our microphones inside the stadium. They are around, but they don’t seem to be hassling as many people, so far...

Alan Shearer
Former Newcastle striker on BBC One

Image source, Getty Images

Gareth Southgate has done all he can mentally and physically to prepare the team, it’s over to the players. They need to embrace this chance, not be fearful. Express themselves, this is what they dreamed of as young boys. Millions at home would love to be in this position, so they should enjoy it.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Volgograd Arena

He won't be the first - and he won't be the last. Some frantic arm-waving from England's Raheem Sterling to brush away Volgograd's now famous insects.

If you haven't seen this documentary which they are playing a snippet of now WATCH IT as soon as.

It will be on iplayer. It's ace.

England

Speaking to BBC Sport, England manager Gareth Southgate said: "It's similar emotions as a manager to being a player, and it's very exciting. You think of coming home early from school to watch the game when you're young, and and now I’ve got the chance to lead the team out.

"We have got some really good characters in the starting team and the squad as a whole. It is not just about tonight, it's about the squad to get us through the group stages.

"I expect Tunisia to play 4-5-1. They were very well organised in the last game against Spain and they use the ball well so they’ll be a threat. It will be me who delivers the final message in the training room but the time for talking is finished and we have got to put on a performance on the pitch."

Dion Dublin
Ex-Aston Villa striker on BBC Radio 5 live in Russia

Image source, Getty Images

I believe Gareth Southgate has done enough on the training pitch to win this game. I think he is the man to take England forward and he will give the players the right instructions. I want to see these young players take the reins off and take this World Cup by storm. It's time people started to fear England again.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Volgograd Arena

Scorching temperatures and cloudless skies greet England on the banks of the Volga River to face Tunisia in their opening World Cup game.

The wide avenues near the stadium have been closed off and have become pedestrianised, the atmosphere outside here more akin to a holiday than a crucial World Cup game as fans and locals take a leisurely stroll in the sun.

One unexpected complication has been the plague of small insects that appears to have hit Volgograd.

We left the stadium at 9pm local time last night (kick-off time tonight) and there was an extraordinary amount of insects in the air. It will be interesting to see if this effects both sets of players and if any measures have been taken to combat it.

Image source, BBC Sport

We'll have VR coverage available for this game via the BBC Sport VR app. For everything you need to know about downloading the app and watching the games, head here.

The VR BBC lounge is beautiful. There are even virtual cushions.

Image source, Reuters

Another purpose-built stadium for the World Cup, the Volgograd Arena has been constructed on the site of the demolished Central Stadium, which had been there since 1958.

With its meshed, lattice-like exterior and cabled roof, it is one of the more distinctive venues for the competition. According to the Fifa website, "the special way in which the stadium's roof has been constructed, with cables reminiscent of the spokes of the wheel on a bicycle, lends the arena an extra element of airiness".

After the World Cup, the stadium will be reduced to 35,000 capacity and will become the new home of Russian top-flight side Rotor Volgograd.

And here's how Paul Scholes made it 2-0 just before the end.

Dele Alli, serve us one of these up please.

It is 20 years since England met Tunisia in the opening game of Group G in the World Cup.

It was Marseille, not Volgograd on that occasion though. Another scorching day, and here's how Alan Shearer put England ahead...

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Volgograd Arena

So how will England manager Gareth Southgate have spent today?

This is what he told BBC Sport: "Hopefully there will be somewhere to go for a run or to get out and do some exercise. We might cover some set plays at some point during the day with the players but really we feel well planned and ready for the game."