May 7th 2024.
Last time, England had a heart-wrenching defeat in the European Championship. It's no secret that England has faced disappointment numerous times in their history with the tournament. From Paul Gascoigne's emotional tears in Euro 96 to the devastating loss to Italy on penalties three years ago, supporting the Three Lions in the Euros is never dull.
But this summer, Gareth Southgate's team has a chance to finally put an end to their supporters' long-suffering. As they prepare for the Euro 2024, which will be held in Germany from June 14 to July 14, the expectations are high. England is considered the favorites to win the tournament, but in order to do so, they must overcome the emotional baggage of their past failures.
Let's take a look at some of the most agonizing moments in England's complicated relationship with the Euros. Get ready for some heartache.
England came close to lifting the trophy in the Euro 2020 final against Italy. The night started off perfectly, with Luke Shaw scoring a goal just two minutes into the game, sending Wembley Stadium and the whole country into a frenzy. But despite their dream start, England was unable to capitalize, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. The dreaded penalty shootout followed, and England's poor record in this department continued as they lost to Italy, who went on to lift the trophy for the second time.
In 1996, during the Euro fever that swept the nation, England had another heartbreaking loss in the semi-finals against Germany. Just like in the Euro 2020 final, England took an early lead through Alan Shearer's goal, but Germany equalized later on. The game went into extra time, and England came close to winning with a shot that hit the woodwork and a missed tap-in. But in the end, it was Germany who emerged victorious on penalties, with Gareth Southgate missing the crucial penalty that broke English hearts.
The Euro 2004 quarter-final between England and Portugal was another rollercoaster of emotions. England took an early lead, but Wayne Rooney's injury changed the course of the game, and Portugal equalized in the dying minutes. The game went into extra time, and England's goal was disallowed due to a controversial call. The game eventually went to a penalty shootout, where Portugal's goalkeeper, Ricardo, made a bizarre move by taking off his gloves and then saving a penalty before scoring the winning goal for his team.
In 2016, England faced Iceland in the Round of 16, and it was expected to be an easy win for the Three Lions. But things didn't go as planned, and England found themselves down 2-1 within the first 15 minutes of the game. Despite having plenty of time to turn things around, England couldn't break through Iceland's defense and lost the game, causing national embarrassment. The then-manager, Roy Hodgson, resigned immediately after the match, and it remains one of the most shameful performances in England's history.
The Euro 2012 quarter-final between England and Italy was a tightly contested match. But as the game progressed, Italy's Andrea Pirlo started to dominate, while England resorted to long balls up the field. The game went to penalties, and England took an early lead, but Pirlo's "Panenka" penalty changed the momentum, and England lost on penalties once again.
These are just some of the heartbreaking moments that England has faced in their history with the Euros. But as they prepare for Euro 2024, the hope and expectations are still high, and the Three Lions will be looking to finally put an end to their agonizing relationship with the tournament.
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