UEFA European Championship
15 June 1996
Wembley Stadium
England 2 Scotland 0

"Gazza came into the game under enormous pressure," recalls TV analyst and former Arsenal and England striker Alan Smith. "His ability and fitness had been questioned. There was a great weight of expectation."

Gascoigne had been heavily criticised in the press following the team’s antics on the pre-tournament trip to Hong Kong, and the Daily Mail had written, "England must sling Paul Gascoigne out. They must devise a way to play without this playboy relic." But Gascoigne was about to make the press eat their words.

"Scotland had just missed a penalty, but were fighting back," remembers Gascoigne. "Darren Anderton had the ball out on the wing and passed it to me on the corner of the box, between two defenders.

"Colin Hendry was moving to close me down. I went to look like I’d try to go round the outside, but I changed direction and flicked it over his head with my left foot.

"Hendry tried to get back to me, but ended up on the deck and I volleyed the ball with my right into the corner, past my then Rangers team-mate, Andy Goram. Hendry was still on his knees when the ball hit the net."

England coach Terry Venables remembers the goal well. "Brilliant, superb, a goal in a million, the goal of the championship," recalled Venables.

"Gazza went berserk. This was his match. This was the answer to all the doubts. To score a goal like that at pace was incredible."

Gazza’s effort was voted Goal of the Century in a TV poll. "I was pretty pleased," he says, adding: "the third choice was mine, as well."