It’s been nearly 60 years since England brought home the World Cup trophy in 1966, but the Three Lions have had their share of memorable performances on the international stage since then.
From thrilling victories to heartbreaking defeats, England has had its ups and downs on the pitch.
This blog post will look at some of the best England performances since their historic World Cup win. From gutsy comebacks to dominant displays of footballing prowess, these matches have left a lasting impression on Three Lions supporters.
1975: England 2-0 West Germany, (Friendly)
On June 14, 1975, England faced West Germany in the UEFA European Championship (Euro 1975) at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt. The match ended in a 2-0 victory for England, with goals from Mick Channon and Kevin Keegan propelling the team to a crucial win.
The match started evenly, with both teams looking to take control. In the 25th minute, however, England took the lead when Mick Channon scored from close range after a cross from Alan Ball. The goal boosted England’s confidence, and they began to dominate possession and create chances.
During the second half of one of the best England performances, the team continued to push forward and added a second goal in the 67th minute, with Kevin Keegan scoring from the penalty spot after a foul in the West German box. West Germany tried to mount a comeback in the match’s closing stages, but England’s defense held on to secure a decisive victory.
1987: Yugoslavia 1-4 England (Euro 88 Qualifier)
On October 14, 1987, England traveled to Yugoslavia for a UEFA European Championship (Euro 1988) qualifier. The match ended in England’s 4-1 victory, with goals from Gary Lineker, Peter Beardsley, and John Barnes propelling the team to a crucial win.
The match started evenly, with both teams looking to take control. In the 29th minute, however, England took the lead when Gary Lineker scored from the penalty spot after a handball in the Yugoslavian box.
However, Yugoslavia responded well and equalized in the 38th minute through a goal from Zlatko Vujovic.
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In the second half, England came out with renewed energy and regained the lead in the 50th minute through a goal from Peter Beardsley. John Barnes added a third goal for England in the 57th minute, and Lineker scored his second goal in the 70th minute to give England a 4-1 lead.
Yugoslavia tried to mount a comeback in the match’s closing stages, but England’s defense held firm to secure a decisive victory.
The victory helped England to qualify for the Euro 1988 tournament, where they reached the semi-finals before being eliminated by the Netherlands.
1990: England 4-2 Czechoslovakia (Friendly)
One of England’s best performances happened on November 15, 1990, when England faced Czechoslovakia in a UEFA European Championship (Euro 1992) qualifier at Wembley Stadium in London.
The match ended in a 4-2 victory for England, with goals from Paul Gascoigne, Gary Lineker, and David Platt propelling the team to a crucial win.
In the 14th minute, England took the lead when Paul Gascoigne scored from long range with a stunning free kick that curled into the top corner of the net.
Czechoslovakia equalized in the 28th minute through a goal from Tomas Skuhravy, but England regained the lead in the 37th minute through a goal from Gary Lineker.
In the second half, England continued to push forward and added a third goal in the 63rd minute, with David Platt scoring from close range after a cross from Chris Waddle.
Czechoslovakia pulled a goal back in the 70th minute through a goal from Jozef Chovanec, but England sealed the win in the 82nd minute through a goal from Lineker, who scored his second of the match.
1996: England 4-1 Holland (Euro 96)
On June 15, England faced off against the Netherlands in the group stage of the UEFA European Championship (Euro 1996) at Wembley Stadium in London. The match ended in a convincing 4-1 victory for England, with goals from Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham, and Steve McManaman propelling the home side to victory.
The match started evenly, with both teams creating chances but struggling to find the back of the net. In the 16th minute, however, Alan Shearer scored the first goal of the match, heading in a cross from Darren Anderton to give England an early 1-0 lead.
The Netherlands equalized in the 41st minute, with Patrick Kluivert scoring a well-placed shot past England goalkeeper David Seaman.
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England took control of the match in the second half and began to dominate possession. They regained the lead in the 57th minute, with Teddy Sheringham scoring from close range after a cross from Steve McManaman.
England continued to push forward and added two more goals in the match’s closing stages, with Steve McManaman scoring in the 84th minute and Alan Shearer adding his second goal of the game in the 89th minute.
The 4-1 victory was one of best England performances. The win helped build confidence in the England squad, who went on to reach the tournament semi-finals before being eliminated by Germany on penalties.
1998: Argentina 2-2 England (4-3 pens), (World Cup second round)
On June 30, 1998, Argentina faced off against England in the second round of the FIFA World Cup at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne, France. The match ended in a 2-2 draw after extra time, with Argentina winning 4-3 in a penalty shootout.
The match started evenly, with both teams looking to take control. In the 20th minute, however, Argentina took the lead when Gabriel Batistuta scored from close range after a cross from Diego Simeone.
England responded well and equalized in the 30th minute through a goal from Michael Owen, who scored a stunning solo effort after dribbling past several Argentine defenders.
In the second half, Argentina regained the lead in the 51st minute through a goal from Javier Zanetti.
England again responded well and equalized in the 85th minute through a goal from David Beckham, who scored a long-range free kick that curled into the top corner of the net. The match ended 2-2 after 90 minutes, and the teams went into extra time.
In the extra time, both teams had chances to score the winning goal, but they could not find the back of the net. As a result, the match went to a penalty shootout, where Argentina ultimately came out on top, winning 4-3.
2001: Germany 1-5 England (World Cup 2002 Qualifier)
One of the truly best England performances happened on September 1, 2001, when the Three Lions faced Germany in an international friendly match at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt. The game ended in a convincing 5-1 victory for England going completely against the predictions of luotettavat kasinot, with goals from Michael Owen (3), Steven Gerrard, and Emile Heskey propelling the team to victory.
The match started nervously, with both teams attempting to maintain possession. However, after just six minutes, Germany took the lead when Oliver Neuville headed down a lofted pass, and Carsten Jancker tapped the ball past the England goalkeeper David Seaman.
England responded well and equalized in the 12th minute through a goal from Michael Owen, who scored from a free kick by David Beckham.
Both teams had chances to score in the first half, with Sebastian Deisler going close for Germany and Seaman and Oliver Kahn making some good saves. Just before halftime, England took the lead through a goal from Steven Gerrard, who scored from long range.
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England took control of the match in the second half and scored three more goals to extend their lead. Michael Owen scored twice, with his second goal coming in the 66th minute to complete a hat-trick.
Emile Heskey added a fifth goal for England in the 74th minute, finishing off a counter-attack with a low shot past Kahn.
The final 20 minutes of the match were quiet, with Germany beaten and England not needing to create any more chances. The 5-1 victory was a strong performance from England, who outplayed their opponents and recorded their biggest away win since 1993.
It was a rare defeat for Germany, who had not conceded five goals or more in a match since 1958 and had not lost by four or more.
2021: England 2-0 Germany (Euro 2021)
England defeated Germany 2-0 in a highly anticipated match at Euro 2021.
The match started with a quick tempo, as both teams aimed to assert themselves early on. England had the first good chance of the game in the 10th minute, but striker Harry Kane could not convert from close range.
Germany responded with a flurry of attacks but could not break through a solid England defense. The first half’s best chance fell to Germany’s Timo Werner in the 35th minute, but England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saved his shot.
The second half began with England coming out with more intent, and they were rewarded in the 54th minute when Kane scored from the penalty spot after being brought down in the box. Germany tried to mount a comeback, but they could not find a way past Pickford.
England sealed the win in the 89th minute with a well-placed shot from Raheem Sterling, who had come on as a substitute earlier in the second half. The final whistle blew soon after, with England coming away with a deserved 2-0 victory.
It was certainly up with some of the best England performances in recent times from England, who controlled the match for significant periods and deservedly came away with the win.
