England
Why Has England Not Won a Major Tournament Since 1966?
Euro 2020 is now well underway, with action everywhere you look in the group stage matches. For fans, the tournament has been worth the extra wait, as a festival of football has descended right across the continent.
Media outlets across Europe are talking about little else and we’re seeing the usual frenzy of promotions from brands that try to cash in on the competition. Supermarkets are decorated with bunting and are selling everything from car flags to football-themed inflatable chairs.
Bookmakers are, of course, getting involved too. All of the biggest brands across the continent are offering special promotions and deals for fans that place wagers on Euro 2020. The excitement isn’t reserved only for Europeans though major US sportsbooks like Bet365 are also getting involved by offering free bets that can be used on the tournament. While there isn’t quite the same level of excitement here in India, Sony TEN will be providing coverage of all the games too so the nation’s football fans can follow every second the world’s second-biggest international tournament.
This year, England are one of the favourites to win. This is a rarity in international football as despite being the birthplace of the sport, the country has struggled at major tournaments.
1966 — England’s Lonely Gold Star
England football shirts contain a crest of three lions and a single gold star. The star is to represent its 1966 FIFA World Cup victory, a feat that it hasn’t been able to replicate.
That year’s competition was held in England, meaning the nation could make full use of their home-team advantage.
The team topped its group, with five points from two wins and a draw. They then progressed to the quarter-finals where they beat Argentina 1-0 thanks to a goal from Geoff Hurst in the 78th minute. This then saw them take on Portugal in the semi-finals, winning 2-1.
The team then faced West Germany in the final, who took first blood with a 12th-minute goal. An 18th-minute goal by Hurst and a 78th-minute goal by Martin Peters put England in the lead, but West Germany responded with an 89th-minute goal that pushed the game into extra time. The home crowd dug deep and cheered England on to score two more goals in the 101st and 120th minutes, securing them their first and only World Cup.
Close, But Not Close Enough
Since then, the closest England have got is the semi-finals, first in 1990 when they took on West Germany again, and the second in 2018 when they played Croatia.
In 1972, 1976, 1984, and 2008, the team failed to even qualify for the UEFA European Championship. The best it’s ever managed was third place in 1968 and again in 1996 when the tournament was played at home.
The pain experienced by England fans was immortalised in the lines “thirty years of hurt, never stopped me dreaming” in the song Three Lions by David Baddiel, Frank Skinner, and The Lightning Seeds.
But why has the country that’s home to the Premier League, the biggest domestic league on the planet, performed so poorly on an international level?
Penalty Shootouts
When England won the World Cup in 1966, a penalty shootout had never been used in a major tournament before. Instead, tied games were decided by replays and coin tosses. This was seen as unfair, so the shootout was introduced by the early 1970s.
England have been notoriously bad at penalty shootouts, something that now creates a psychological problem as much as a sporting challenge for players. After losing to Germany in the 1996 European Championship, England lost five straight penalty shootouts.
Refereeing Decisions
Being a football referee is hard. It’s even harder when hundreds of millions of people are watching you live on TV.
In 1986, a decision to allow a handball goal by Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup saw England knocked out. This was one of the most famous incorrect decisions made against England, another was a disallowed goal in the 2004 Euros.
The Premier League
The Premier League contains hundreds of incredibly talented players, but most of them (61.4%) are from other nations. This is great for the league, it means fans get to watch the most talented players in the world compete every week.
For England, it means home players aren’t afforded as many opportunities to gain the experience needed to excel. In Germany, the Bundesliga has strict requirements on how many locally-trained players each team must have. This works well for them, having won four World Cups and three European Championships.
Bayern Munich
Georgia Stanway Gives Update on Future, Post Bayern Munich Amidst Arsenal Rumours as England Midfielder Says She is Very Close to Announcing New Club
England midfielder Georgia Stanway has given more details about her plans after she leaves Bayern Munich this summer. The 27 year old has spent four years in Germany and is now linked with a move back to the Barclays Women’s Super League, having announced her intention to depart the Frauenbundesliga at the end of her contract.
Ahead of the Lionesses’ meeting with Ukraine in Turkey on Tuesday afternoon, Stanway said she was very close to announcing her new club. “I’m very close. I’ve had lots of talks with people, also talks with Sarina, and you’ll find out sooner or later,” she told journalists.
Enjoyed Successful Seven Year Stint at City
Stanway enjoyed a successful seven year stint at Manchester City before joining Bayern, but she has been repeatedly linked with Arsenal this year. The Gunners are believed to be front runners for her signature as they look to strengthen their midfield options ahead of next season.
Stanway also reflected on how much she had enjoyed her time at Bayern and how challenging it had been to make the decision to leave. “It was really difficult. I’ve absolutely loved my time at Bayern. Honestly, joining the club has probably been one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. From the moment I got there, it felt like home.”
Never Want to Get Over It
The England international continued, “It was a really difficult decision to tell them that I wasn’t going to be re-signing, and that’s because I still love it there. I’ve kind of come to the conclusion that I want to always have good memories at Bayern. I never want to get to the point where I’m not enjoying something, or I’m a little bit over it.”
Bayern face Manchester United in the quarter finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League later this month, with Stanway hoping to end her German adventure on a high note.
England
England Women to Make Hill Dickinson Stadium Debut Against ‘This’ Team in Final World Cup 2027 Qualifier as Lionesses Head to Everton’s New Home
England Women will play their final FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 qualifier against Ukraine at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday, 9 June 2026. The Lionesses will make their first ever visit to the new stadium since it officially opened last year, with kick off scheduled for 8pm in what promises to be a special evening for women’s football in the North West.
Sarina Wiegman’s side kick off their qualifying campaign away to Ukraine on neutral territory in Antalya, Turkey, next Tuesday, before the return fixture brings the group stage to a close at Goodison Park’s replacement. This represents a crucial opportunity for England to finish their qualification campaign strongly on home soil in front of passionate supporters.
Wiegman Excited About Playing at New Everton Venue
The England boss expressed her delight at taking the team to Everton’s state of the art facility for the first time. “It is very exciting for us to be playing for the first time at Everton’s new stadium,” Wiegman said. “We have always said that taking this team around the country is so important, and we’re really looking forward to playing in front of fans in the North West.”
Wiegman highlighted Liverpool’s rich football history and its many connections to the Lionesses over the years, promising it will be a very special evening. The Dutch manager stressed that every game matters, and England will give their very best to play at the highest level.
Tickets Go On Sale Next Week
Tickets for England’s fixture against Ukraine go on sale to My England Football members from 27 February 2026, with general sale opening on Thursday, 5 March 2026. Fans can sign up for My England Football membership to access the priority window before tickets become available to the wider public.
The number eight shirt is worn by box-to-box midfielders with a sharp eye for goal and here we learn about the top 10 best number 8 football players of all time.
The number 8 soccer shirt isn’t as well-known as the numbers 7 (wings or second strikers), 9 (centre striker), or 10 (goalkeeper) (playmaker). However, everybody who wears this shirt has a significant role to play in the game. These midfielders are eager to create scoring opportunities for the club. Other soccer players have worn the number 8 shirt in positions other than the midfield.
10. Marco Tardelli
During his tenure with Juventus, the former midfielder is one of the few players in history to have won every major European title as well as everything there is in Italy. In addition, Marco Tardelli led Italy to victory in the 1982 World Cup. Tardelli, one of the most decorated players in football history, began his career with Pisa in Serie C and subsequently moved to Como in Serie B before joining Juventus in 1975.
Before joining Internazionale in 1985, he spent most of his career with the Turin club, collecting several titles. Tardelli is largely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in history. Tardelli was a versatile midfielder who could play in a variety of positions. He was a hard-tackling midfielder who was also technically skilled.
9. Juninho Pernambucano
Juninho was a fantastic playmaker who went on to become one of Olympique Lyon’s all-time greats, giving countless assists and scoring over 100 goals throughout his career. He was hailed as the most stylish player of his team.
Juninho’s arrival rejuvenated the Lyon team, which had never won a domestic title previously. Juninho would go on to lead his team to seven straight Ligue 1 victories. He was chosen to the Ligue 1 team of the year three times and earned the player of the year award once.
8. Ian Wright
Ian Wright is a television personality and former soccer player. Following his playing career, he became heavily involved in soccer-related media. He is presently a BBC Sports and ITV commentator.
During his career, he played for Crystal Palace, Arsenal, West Ham, Celtic, Burnley, and Nottingham Forest. He was able to win the Premier League while at Arsenal.
His finishing ferocity, quickness, and agility have made him a household name. Wright is Arsenal’s second-highest goal scorer and Crystal Palace’s third.
Wright scored nine goals in 33 appearances for England at the international level.
7. Gennaro Gattuso
On the field, the no-nonsense, uncompromising former AC Milan midfielder was an utter menace. His all-action, tough-tackling approach made him a fan favourite at San Siro. Gattuso was clearly identifiable by his number eight. In the mid-2000s, he was a vital player of the Rossoneri squad, which was very successful.
6. Hristo Stoichkov
Hristo was a productive forward, earning him the nickname El Pistolero (The Gunslinger), but he was also a fiery player, earning him the moniker “The Dagger.” Hristo competed in the FIFA World Cup for Bulgaria in 1994. Despite his team’s fourth-place result, he was awarded the World Cup Golden Boot for scoring the most goals in the tournament and the World Cup Bronze Ball for being the tournament’s third-best player.
Hristo earned the European Golden Shoe in 1990 as the highest scorer in Europe while playing for CSKA Sofia. He became a member of the Barcelona club that won four straight La Liga titles after arriving later in 1990. He presently works as a football analyst for TUDN.
5. Steven Gerrard
For many years, the ex-England star was the soul of his childhood club, Liverpool. While wearing his legendary number 8 shirt, the great Reds bestrode the Anfield turf. During his tenure at Liverpool, Gerrard was an inspirational captain who scored many key goals. Despite the fact that he did not win any league titles, he was able to lead his side to a UEFA Champions League victory in 2005.
4. Lothar Matthaus
Lothar Matthaus is regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time, having participated in five FIFA World Cups with Mexico’s Rafael Marquez. In 1990, Matthaus guided West Germany to World Cup victory. In his club career, he has represented Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayern Munich, and Inter Milan.
In 1990, he was voted European Player of the Year, and in 1991, he won the inaugural FIFA Player of the Year title. At the age of 38, he even received the German Footballer of the Year award in 1999. That only goes to demonstrate how reliable a performer he was on stage.
Matthaus is known for his marauding runs from midfield when his exceptional control and acceleration leave opponents for dead. The German legend has exceptional positional awareness, vision, and the ability to smash the ball into the back of the net from any distance. He was also a fantastic tackler and an all-around midfielder.
3. Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos is a World Cup champion and one of the best midfielders of his generation. He has been Real Madrid’s number eight for over a decade. Before joining Real Madrid in 2014 and wearing the number 8, he won the World Cup with Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich.
Toni Kroos is a deep-lying playmaker who has led Real Madrid’s attacking squads for the past seven or eight seasons. Kroos, unlike many of the other players on this list, does not wow football fans with his ability, but he is the team’s beating heart, connecting the defensive line to the attack and beginning build-up play.
2. Frank Lampard
The Chelsea icon is widely regarded as one of the best English midfielders of all time. When he played for the Blues and England, the all-action goal-scoring box-to-box midfielder was known for wearing the number 8 shirt. Lampard has exceptional skill and vision, which enabled him to assist and score several goals throughout his illustrious career.
1. Andres Iniesta
The former Barcelona midfielder was one of the finest number 8 players in contemporary history. For rival defenders and midfielders alike, the twinkle-toed ex-Spanish international was a nightmare to face. His dribbling skill and penchant for always finding a way out of tight circumstances made him one of football’s most dangerous opponents.
He established a deadly midfield triangle with Xavi Hernández and Sergio Busquets that helped Barcelona win several La Liga, Copa Del Rey, and UEFA Champions League trophies. Andres also demonstrated his knack for scoring crucial goals. Take, for example, a crucial goal that helped Spain win the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Not to mention his two goals in the 4-0 thrashing of fellow finalists in the 2012 Euro final in Italy. He has been one of the best footballers in history. Iniesta was the greatest player of Spain during his days.
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