1960 European Championship

It’s hard to believe that the birth of the "European Nations Cup" was so low-key. More than half of UEFA’s 31 member associations were required to enter the new competition in 1958 in order to make it viable.

But vigorous canvassing and an entry fee of less than 100 Swiss Francs failed to persuade the likes of West Germany, Italy, Sweden and England to take part.

The USSR won the first final, played in Paris’s Parc des Princes in July 1960, 2-1 after extra-time against Yugoslavia.

1964 European Championship

England did enter the second tournament but lost 6-3 on aggregate to France in the Preliminary Round.

The away leg in Paris in February 1963 was notable for being Alf Ramsey’s first match in charge of the side.

Though Ramsey played with five strikers and the hosts were without the mercurial Raymond Kopa, France still won the game easily with Wisnieski and Cossou both scoring twice.

Results

First Round

03 Dec 62 England France 1-1
27 Feb 63 France England 5-2
Wisnieski 2 Smith
Cossou 2 Tambling
Douis

1968 European Championship

With all 31 teams entering the third tournament (1966-68), now re-christened "The European Championship", UEFA decided to adopt a qualifying-group format with the winner of each group disputing the quarter-finals.

England's 1-1 draw with the Scots in Glasgow attracted a 134,000 crowd, still a record for the competition.

England eventually lost 1-0 to Yugoslavia in a bruising semi-final in Florence but recovered to beat the USSR 2-0 in the Match for Third Place in Rome, Bobby Charlton and Geoff Hurst scoring.

Results

Qualifying Campaign (Group 8)

22 Oct 66 N Ireland England 0-2
Hunt
Peters

16 Nov 66 England Wales 5-1
Hurst 2 W Davies
J Charlton
R Charlton
Hennessey (og)

15 Apr 67 England Scotland 2-3
Hurst Law
J Charlton Lennox
McCalliog

21 Oct 67 Wales England 0-3
Peters
R Charlton
Ball

22 Nov 67 England N Ireland 2-0
Hurst
R Charlton

24 Feb 68 Scotland England 1-1
Hughes Peters

Quarter-Finals

03 Apr 68 England Spain 1-0
R Charlton

08 May 68 Spain England 1-2
Amancio Peters
Hurst

Semi-Final

05 Jun 68 Yugoslavia England 1-0
Dzajic

Third Place Match

08 Jun 68 England USSR 2-1
R Charlton Rome
Hurst

1972 European Championship

West Germany were by far the strongest team in the fourth tournament and the eventual winners beat England 3-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

A German team inspired by the midfield artistry of Gunter Netzer but also including Beckenbauer, Muller and Maier were just too good in the first leg at Wembley.

Results

Qualifying Campaign (Group 3)

03 Feb 71 Malta England 0-1
Peters

21 Apr 71 England Greece 3-0
Chivers
Hurst
Lee

12 May 71 England Malta 5-0
Chivers 2
Lee
Clarke (pen)
Lawler

13 Oct 71 Switzerland England 2-3
Jeandupeux Hurst
Kunzli Chivers
Weibel (og)

10 Nov 71 England Switzerland 1-1
Summerbee Odermatt

01 Dec 71 Greece England 0-2
Hurst
Chivers

Quarter-Finals

29 Apr 72 England West Germany 1-3
Lee Hoeness
Nietzer
Muller

13 May 72 West Germany England 0-0

1976 European Championship

Don Revie’s England didn’t make to the finals as Czechoslovakia won the fifth edition of the tournament on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the Final against the Germans.

The campaign got off to a good start as the Three Lions beat the Czechs 3-0 at Wembley but a draw at home to Portugal and defeat in Prague were enough to seal England’s fate.

Malcolm Macdonald scored a record five goals in a match when he went on the rampage against Cyprus.

Results

Qualifying Campaign (Group 1)

30 Oct 74 England Czechoslovakia 3-0
Channon, Ball 2

20 Nov 74 England Portugal 0-0

16 Apr 75 England Cyprus 5-0
Macdonald 5

11 Jul 75 Cyprus England 0-1
Keegan

29 Oct 75 Czechoslovakia England 2-1
Nehoda, Galis Channon

England finished second in the group and failed to qualify

1980 European Championship

The sixth tournament heralded a significant change, with eight qualifiers disputing the 1980 finals in two groups of four.

England were one of the qualifiers but didn’t progress beyond the Group matches in Italy.

After taking the lead through ray Wilkins, Ron Greenwood’s team stumbled to a 1-1 draw against outsiders Belgium before their tournament was ended with defeat against Italy – Marco Tardelli scoring a late goal.

The Three Lions did recover to beat Spain in their final match but by then England were out.

Results

Qualifying Campaign (Group 1)

20 Sep 78 Denmark England 3-4
Simonsen 25 pen Keegan 17, 23
Arnensen 28 Latchford 50
Roentved 86 Neal 85

25 Oct 78 Rep of Ireland England 1-1
Daly 27 Latchford 8

07 Feb 79 England N Ireland 4-0
Keegan 24
Latchford 46, 63
Watson 49

06 June 79 Bulgaria England 0-3
Keegan 33
Watson 53
Barnes 54

12 Sep 79 N Ireland England 1-5
Moreland 50 pen Francis 18, 62
Woodcock 34
J Nicholl 74 og

22 Nov 79 England Bulgaria 2-0
Watson 9
Hoddle 68

6 Feb 80 England Rep of Ireland 2-0
Keegan 34, 74

Finals (Group 2)

12 Jun 80 Belgium England 1-1
Ceulemans 38 Wilkins 32

15 Jun 80 Italy England 1-0
Tardelli 80

18 Jun 80 England Spain 2-1
Brooking 18 Dani 48 pen
Woodcock 62

1984 European Championship

England missed out again in ‘84, when a home defeat to Denmark in the qualifiers proved to be critical.

Allan Simonsen stroked home a first-half penalty at Wembley to deny England a place in France.

A stylish French team coached by Michel Hidalgo and captained by the brilliant Michel Platini was unstoppable in the 1984 finals.

Results

Qualifying Campaign (Group 3)

22 Sep 82 Denmark England 2-2
Allan Hansen 69pen Francis 7, 80
Olsen 89

17 Nov 82 Greece England 0-3
Woodcock 2, 63
Lee 68

15 Dec 82 England Luxembourg 9-0
Moes 17 og
Coppell 21
Woodcock 34
Blissett 43, 63, 86
Chamberlain 72
Hoddle 88

30 Mar 83 England Greece 0-0

27 Apr 83 England Hungary 2-0
Francis 31
Withe 70

21 Sep 83 England Denmark 0-1
Simonsen 39 pen

12 Oct 83 Hungary England 0-3
Hoddle 14
Lee 19
Mariner 40

16 Nov 83 Luxembourg England 0-4
Robson 11, 56
Mariner 39
Butcher 50

England failed to qualify

1988 European Championship

England qualified for the ‘88 finals in West Germany by dropping only one point and were confident of success.

However it proved to be a disappointing tournament for Bobby Robson’s charges. All three matches were lost, though luck was against England all the way.

The woodwork was struck twice in the Holland match and Robson’s side were even more unfortunate not to register at least a draw with Ireland.

Results

Qualifying Campaign (Group 4)

15 Oct 86 England N Ireland 3-0
Lineker 33, 80
Waddle 78

12 Nov 86 England Yugoslavia 2-0
Mabbutt 21
Anderson 57

01 Apr 87 N Ireland England 0-2
Robson 19
Waddle 43

29 Apr 87 Turkey England 0-0

14 Oct 87 England Turkey 8-0
Barnes 1, 28
Lineker 8, 42, 71
Robson 59
Beardsley 62
Webb 88

11 Nov 87 Yugoslavia England 1-4
Katanec 80 Beardsley 4
Barnes 17
Robson 20
Adams 25

Finals (Group 2)

12 Jun 88 England Rep of Ireland 0-1
Houghton 5

15 Jun 88 England Holland 1-3
Robson 53 van Basten 23, 71, 75

18 Jun 88 England USSR 1-3
Adams 16 Aleinikov 3
Mikhailichenko 28
Pasulko 72

1992 European Championship

The talking point of the ‘92 finals was the suspension of war-torn Yugoslavia and the eleventh-hour invitation for Denmark to join in the fun in Sweden.

Famously Denmark went all the way to the final where they registered a glorious win over Germany.

Graham Taylor’s England had managed to qualify, thanks to Gary Lineker’s late goal in Poznan, and hopes were high of success.

After 0-0 draws against Denmark and France – a game which saw Stuart Pearce hit the crossbar with a venomous free-kick – England scored after four minutes of their final group game against the hosts.

But Sweden came back and goals from Jan Eriksson and Tomas Brolin saw Taylor’s side go home early.

Results

Qualifying Campaign (Group 7)

07 Oct 90 England Poland 2-0
Lineker 39 pen
Beardsley 89

14 Nov 90 Rep of Ireland England 1-1
Cascarino 79 Platt 67

27 Mar 91 England Rep of Ireland 1-1
Dixon 9 Quinn 27

01 May 91 Turkey England 0-1
Wise 32

16 Oct 91 England Turkey 1-0
Smith 21

13 Nov 91 Poland England 1-1
Szewczyk 32 Lineker 77

Finals (Group A)

11 Jun 92 England Denmark 0-0

14 Jun 92 England France 0-0

17 Jun 92 Sweden England 1-2
Eriksson 51 Platt 3
Brolin 82

1996 European Championship

England hosted a brilliant tournament in 1996 that will be remembered for the drama of its penalty shoot-outs.

The first round was a memorable rollercoaster for England as, after a poor display in the 1-1 draw with Switzerland, Paul Gascoigne scored a brilliant solo effort in the 2-0 win over neighbours Scotland.

In the final match of the group, a near-perfect display saw England beat the mighty Dutch side 4-1, with Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham scoring a brace apiece.

After penalty success against Spain, the hosts reached the semis for only the second time in history.

Alan Shearer’s goal on three minutes against Germany was equalised by Stefan Kuntz before England bowed out on penalties after a pulsating period of extra-time.

Results

Qualified as hosts

First Round

08 Jun 96 England Switzerland 1-1
Shearer Turkilmayz (pen)

15 Jun 96 England Scotland 2-0
Shearer
Gascoigne

18 Jun 96 England Holland 4-1
Shearer 2 (1 pen) Kluivert
Sheringham 2

22 Jun 96 England Spain 0-0
(England win 4-2 on pens.)

26 Jun 96 England Germany 1-1
Shearer Kuntz
(Germany win 6-5 on pens.)

2000 European Championship

England only qualified for the 2000 championship after play-off success over Scotland and even that was far from convincing.

Having gone 2-0 up inside 18 minutes against Portugal, Kevin Keegan’s side conspired to lose 3-2 before some pride was restored with a 1-0 win over the Germans.

However that was to be in vain as England lost 3-2 again, even though they led 2-1 at half-time. Viorel Ganea’s penalty a few minutes from time sealed England’s elimination from the tournament.

Results

Qualifying Campaign

05 Sept 98 Sweden England 2-1
A Andersson 30 Shearer 2
Mjallby 33

10 Oct 98 England Bulgaria 0-0

14 Oct 98 Luxembourg England 0-3
Owen 19
Shearer 39p
Southgate 89

27 Mar 99 England Poland 3-1
Scholes 11, 21, 70 Brzeczek 28

05 Jun 99 England Sweden 0-0

09 Jun 99 Bulgaria England 1-1
Markov 18 Shearer 15

04 Sept 99 England Luxembourg 6-0
Shearer 12p, 27, 33
McManaman 29, 43
Owen 89

08 Sept 99 Poland England 0-0

First Round

12 Jun 00 Portugal England 3-2
Figo 22 Scholes 3
Joao Pinto 38 McManaman 18
Nuno Gomes 60

17 Jun 00 England Germany 1-0
Shearer 53

20 Jun 00 England Romania 2-3
Shearer 40p Chivu 22
Owen 45 Munteanu 48
Ganea 88p