England fans have been through it all over the last three decades. Heartbreak in shootouts, joy in extra time, and a few games everyone would rather forget. But there have also been some genuinely great nights.
We went back through every knockout match England has played in major tournaments since 1998 and ranked them. From the low points to the high points and everything in between.
The Worst of the Worst
Let’s start with the ones nobody wants to rewatch. England’s 2010 World Cup loss to Germany sits near the bottom. Frank Lampard’s ghost goal might have changed things but probably not. Germany wiped the floor with them in South Africa. Thomas Muller and Lukas Podolski were everywhere. David James still has nightmares.
Euro 2012 wasn’t much better. Roy Hodgson’s first tournament ended in a penalty shootout loss to Italy. Andrea Pirlo chipped a panenka past Joe Hart like it was nothing. The performance was flat and the memory stings.
Then there’s the 2006 World Cup quarterfinal against Portugal. Three missed penalties out of four. Cristiano Ronaldo’s wink became the lasting image. Painful stuff.
The Missed Opportunities
The 2018 semifinal against Croatia still hurts. Kieran Trippier scored a free kick and the whole country started believing. Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic flipped it around. That one feels like the one that got away.
The Euro 2020 final at Wembley was supposed to be different. Luke Shaw scored after two minutes. Then Italy took over. A shootout loss at home. Still too soon for most fans.
And that 2022 quarterfinal against France? England played genuinely well. Harry Maguire lost Olivier Giroud on the winner. Harry Kane skied a penalty over the bar. Fine margins decided it.
The Ones That Almost Were
Euro 2004 against Portugal had everything. Crunching tackles, disallowed goals, and a young Wayne Rooney running riot until he got hurt. Penalties ended it. Again.
The 1998 World Cup clash with Argentina featured Michael Owen’s legendary run from midfield. The hype around that teenager was real. The game delivered. The shootout didn’t.
Even the Colombia match in 2018 had that classic England twist. Yerry Mina equalized in the 94th minute. Penalties. Eric Dier stepped up and smashed the winner. Pints flew at Boxpark. For one night it was all worth it.
The High Points
England’s 3-0 win over Senegal in 2022 was a statement. Jude Bellingham ran the game from midfield and the team looked dangerous. Same for the 4-0 demolition of Ukraine in 2021. Harry Kane, Jordan Henderson, and Harry Maguire scored. Quarterfinals suddenly felt routine.
The 2018 semifinal run included a dominant 2-0 win over Sweden. Harry Maguire and Dele Alli scored. Back home people climbed bus shelters and sang Atomic Kitten unironically. It was a moment.
But the best knockout result since 1998 has to be the 2-0 win over Germany at Wembley in Euro 2020. Germany had haunted England for years. Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane scored. The nation got its first real post-COVID party. That one meant something.
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