Euro Top 5 – From Gazza’s goal to Germany losing on penalties
THE European Championships haven’t tended to offer England football fans a long reel of highlights to relive – in fact it’s true to say that they have failed to qualify for more tournaments than they have made an impact on.
(This could be the year though.)
(Although probably not.)
But there have been moments and games that have etched themselves on the collective footballing memory, and here’s our top five.
[VIDEO: 947] The Panenka Penalty (1976)
Very few sportsmen have the honour of having their method of performing an action named after them. Among them are the Fosbury Flop, the Cruyff turn – and the Panenka penalty.
It wasn’t just any old penalty, it was the one that enabled Soviet-controlled Czechoslavakia to beat West Germany in a penalty shoot-out and win the 1976 tournament.
A deft chip down the middle, after seeing the German goalkeeper commit to a dive, and the trophy, as well as fame, belonged to Antonín Panenka.
[VIDEO: 946] Van Basten’s volley (1988)
Not since the last pub discussion of Geoff Hurst’s 1966 “was it over the line?” goal had angles so fascinated football fans. And then unexpectedly Marco van Basten smashed a volley over the head of a surprised USSR goalkeeper in the 1988 final, and the Dutch were delighted in Deutschland.
[VIDEO: 950] Danish triumph that took the bacon (1992)
Forget Leicester City being outsiders, Denmark caused the biggest upset in football history by winning a tournament they had failed to qualify for.
Thanks to the break-up of Yugoslavia they got in through the back door and a squad that included Peter Schmeichel and Torben Piechnik (perhaps historians will one day note that as the real change in Manchester United and Liverpool’s fortunes at the start of the Premier League era) knocked out England in the group stage, the Dutch holders in the semi-finals and beat Germany in the final.
Who needs Jamie Vardy when you’ve got John Jensen?
[VIDEO: 945] Gazza’s Dentist Chair (1996)
It can be hard to remember that for the first game and a half of England’s Euro 96 campaign, the host nation was not exactly setting the world on fire. A draw against Switzerland and a goalless first half against Scotland was getting the Wembley crowd a bit anxious…then Alan Shearer scored before That Goal from Paul Gascoigne. And That Celebration.
From that moment we began to believe that 30 years of hurt could be over.
Until the Germans intervened.
[VIDEO: 948] Stuart Pearce Screaming (1996)
England haven’t always been rubbish at penalty shoot-outs – or at least Spain in the 1996 quarter-finals is the exception that proves the rule.
Immortalised by its reference in the re-write of football anthem Three Lions for the 1998 World Cup, “Psycho Screaming” has become part of England football history.
Altogether now: “We can dance Nobby’s dance, we could dance it in France. It’s coming home, it’s coming home…”
