ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson says Thursday's Euro 2016 clash with Wales will be more special than recent games against Scotland because of what's at stake.
Hodgson led his team to consecutive friendly wins against the Scots in 2013 and 2014, but admitted they were 'tough games.'
However, he doesn't believe any similarity in playing style means those matches provided good preparation for facing the Welsh, as there is much more to play for.
Read more: Gareth Bale stands by claims Wales have more pride and passion than England
The former Fulham and Liverpool boss was asked if he thought playing Scotland and Ireland recently would help his team in tomorrow's Group B encounter.
"I don't think so," he said. "Tournament matches are something very special. There was a lot of hype around the Scotland game, like there is of course around this one, but this is more special because this is in a tournament.
"Both Wales and ourselves have worked very, very hard to qualify and it's one we've been looking forward to for a very long time.
"They've been good games, those games against Scotland and Ireland, and tough games for us, but the game tomorrow is very different because this is a tournament and there are such important points at stake here, whereas all that was available to us when we played Scotland, for example, was the bragging rights."
The buildup to the game has been dominated by jibes from the Welsh camp, particularly Gareth Bale's questioning of England's pride and passion.
"I think they (Wales) will play like they have been playing for quite a long period of time now with Chris Coleman," said Hodgson.
"They've been playing very successfully that way too. We are not anticipating that there will be any vast changes in their style of play or in the personnel that they've been using.
"I don't think we'll be surprised particularly by either their line-up or what they try to do when they've got the ball or when they don't have the ball.
"We might not be able to spring surprises either as they know our players and they know the type of football that we play. The talking, I've got to say, surprises me that people are focusing so much on it."
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