World Cup memories

Any England fan will be able to tell you about the 4-2 win over West Germany at Wembley in 1966, but what do we know about The Three Lions' other ten campaigns?
TheFA.com takes a stroll down memory lane, starting in Brazil in 1950...

1950 - Brazil
First Round
Manager - Walter Winterbottom

England's long-awaited first appearance in the World Cup began well with a 2-0 win over Chile. Stan Mortensen and Wilf Mannion scored the goals. But elation soon turned into humiliation when England succumbed to the USA, although the Americans had their fair share of luck during their 1-0 win. Desperately needing a win to keep their World Cup dream alive, England gave everything in their do-or-die meeting with Spain. But in front of 74,462 fans in the Maracana stadium, England went down 1-0 to a second half goal.

1954 - Switzerland
Quarter-finals
Manager - Walter Winterbottom

An England side that included Billy Wright, Stanley Matthews, Nat Lofthouse and Tom Finney found their scoring touch in the first group game against Belgium, but unfortunately, so did their opponents. The result, a thrilling 4-4 draw after extra-time, was probably the game of the tournament. Two strikes from Ivor Broadis and Lofthouse should have been enough, but a Jimmy Dickinson own goal meant Walter Winterbottom's side had to settle for a share of the spoils. England put the disappointment behind them, beating the hosts 2-0, despite injuries to the influential Matthews and Lofthouse. Uruguay, the holders, were a different proposition in the quarter-final and in another highly entertaining game, England lost 4-2 - a score that would become famous 12 years later.

1958 - Sweden
First Round
Manager - Walter Winterbottom

The World Cup which launched the astonishing career of Pele did not hold so many fond memories for England, despite Walter Winterbottom's side fighting out a thriller against the USSR in their opening game. Having drawn in a friendly with the Soviet Union less than three weeks prior to their World Cup meeting, the pair battled out another draw, although England, having been 2-0 down, would have considered the result a moral victory. Derek Kevan and Tom Finney were on target. A stalemate with eventual winners Brazil and a 2-2 draw with Austria meant England had to beat the USSR in a group play-off to progress to the quarter-finals. They failed, narrowly losing 1-0, although it was not due to a lack of application.

1962 - Chile
Quarter-finals
Manager - Walter Winterbottom

With a young Bobby Moore playing in only his second game for his country and manager Walter Winterbottom in his fourth World Cup - the most by any England manager, The Three Lions began life at the 1962 finals with a disappointing 2-1 loss to Hungary. Ron Flowers had netted an equaliser from the penalty spot after Jimmy Greaves' goalbound shot had been handled, but Hungary scored a late winner. An improved display brought a 3-1 win over Argentina and a draw against Bulgaria - the first time the two countries had met - was enough to see England through to the quarter-finals. There, they ran into holders Brazil who, despite not having Pele, still had too much for Walter Winterbottom's side, eventually winning 3-1.

1966 - England
Winners
Manager - Sir Alf Ramsey

A glorious homecoming and year that will give every England fan goosepimples. However, after all the pre-match ballyhoo and an opening ceremony concluded by the Queen, the hosts served up a damp squib, drawing 0-0 with Uruguay in their opening game. But England improved, beating both Mexico and France 2-0, the former included a trademark blockbuster from Bobby Charlton. The quarter-final against Argentina will be best remembered for a handful of unsavoury incidents, culminating in the visitors' captain Antonio Rattin being sent-off. Geoff Hurst's magnificent header 13 minutes from time settled the battle. Portugal and the prolific Eusebio stood in the way of England reaching the final, but a determined Nobby Stiles shackled the goal-scoring maestro and the hosts' path was secured with a brace from Charlton. The final against West Germany, played in front of 96,924 screaming fans at Wembley, was pure drama. After Hurst had equalised and Martin Peters given England the lead, Bobby Moore had one hand on the Jules Rimet trophy before the West Germans snatched a sensational leveller. Cue arguably the most contested goal in history, when Hurst's shot on the turn bounced down off the underside of the crossbar and onto the line. Tofik Bakhramov, the Russian linesman, indicated it went over the line, amid much debate, although there was nothing the Germans could do about Hurst's third goal, blasted into the top corner which was the cue for Kenneth Wolstenholme to utter possibly the most famous line in commentating history.

1970 - Mexico
Quarter-finals
Manager: Sir Alf Ramsey

Geoff Hurst began where he left off from the previous World Cup by scoring the only goal as England, the holders, edged past Romania in their first outing. But Sir Alf Ramsey's side came unstuck against Brazil in a game made famous for Gordon Banks' gravity defying save, Bobby Moore's tackle on Jairzinho and the latter's wonderful goal. The sight of Pele and Moore exchanging shirts is still one of the most enduring images in World Cup history. Despite the defeat, England got back on track with a 1-0 win over Czechoslovakia, courtesy of debutant Allan Clarke's penalty. West Germany, perhaps smarting from four years of hurt, proved a step too far, the arch executioner Gerd Muller volleying the holders out of the competition in extra-time.

1982 - Spain
Second Round
Manager: Ron Greenwood

England made a sensational start to their World Cup campaign when Bryan Robson scored the second fastest goal in the tournament's 52-year history - a 27 second strike in the 3-1 win over France. Qualification to phase two was secured thanks to a 2-0 win over Czechoslovakia, Trevor Francis and an own goal doing the trick. A narrow 1-0 win over Kuwait meant England won all three group games for the first and only time in their history. But after six goals in three games, England's scoring touch deserted them in the second phase and 0-0 draws against West Germany and Spain brought their adventure to an end.

1986 - Mexico
Quarter-finals
Manager: Bobby Robson

Gary Lineker rescued England in their group with all three goals against Poland after they had been beaten 1-0 by Portugal then held to a goalless draw by Morocco. Lineker followed up that performance with a brace against Paraguay in the second round, Peter Beardsley also netting in another 3-0 scoreline. But Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal against Peter Shilton sent them back home after the quarter-finals, the Argentinian scored a quite brilliant second and Lineker’s response was not enough to take them through.

1990 - Italy
Semi-finals
Manager: Bobby Robson

Bobby Robson’s team topped their group, ahead of the Republic of Ireland, Holland and Egypt, and David Platt’s 119th minute strike carried them through against Belgium in the second round. Then, Gary Lineker converted two penalties in a 3-2 success against Cameroon in the quarter-finals. But, in a match made famous for Gazza's tears, there was more heartache as Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle missed in a penalty shoot-out, which West Germany won 4-3. England lost 2-1 to Italy in the match to decide third and fourth places in the competition.

1998 - France
Second Round
Manager: Glenn Hoddle

Victories by 2-0 over Tunisia and Colombia – sandwiched by a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Romania - took England into the second round, where an eventful match against Argentina in St Etienne ensued. Michael Owen announced himself on the world stage with a magnificent individual goal, but David Beckham was sent-off early in the second half. The match ended 2-2 after extra-time, with England losing 4-3 on penalties after Paul Ince and David Batty failed from the spot in another dramatic penalty shoot-out.

2002 - Japan and South Korea
Quarter-finals
Manager: Sven-Goran Eriksson