A far cry from games of recent times, but my earliest memories of watching England are good ones.
Euro 96, on home soil, is the first major competition I remember watching. And England were good – very good in fact.
Beating old rivals Scotland with the help of a midfield magician in the form of Paul Gascoigne and dismantling the Dutch with our very own brand of Total Football. What moments to be alive for Three Lions fans.
And then came Spain in the Quarter-Final – and salvation from the spot. After the heartache of the 1990 World Cup semi-final, and the penalty exit at the hands of Germany, it was our turn to be on the right side of the lottery.
In the context of today, what a wonder that night was for England when you consider what has gone on since. Indeed, the very next game saw Germany again knock England out on penalties. And then came Argentina at France 98, Portugal at both Euro 2004 and the World Cup two years later, and more recently Italy at Euro 2012. Not a single shootout success – there was even defeat in the lesser known King Hassan II International Cup against Belgium, held in Morocco, after a 0-0 draw.
It’s why victory over Spain at Euro 96 is fondly remembered. That, and it came in the middle of a fantastic summer when football threatened to come home - before Germany intervened.
Of course, it wasn’t the Spain of modern times. The slick, tiki-taka stars who swept to success in three consecutive major tournaments, with the 2010 World Cup sandwiched by back-to-back European Championship wins.
However, similarly to England, it was a nation with so much expectation but many years of hurt. The nearly men who were always considered among the favourites but could never show it when it mattered. However, Fernando Hierro, Julio Sanilas, Kiko and their keeper/captain Andoni Zubizarreta presented a formidable challenge for Terry Venables’ England and their own leading lights Gascoigne, Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham.
On the crest of a wave following the Dutch demolition, England were confident. But after a strong start in which Shearer was denied by Zubizarreta, it was Spain who largely controlled proceedings. A final 0-0 scoreline, even after the potential drama of a Golden Goal deciding matters for the first time in extra-time, points to a rather drab affair. And it was on the whole. However, Spain had two disallowed goals – one of them a dispiuted offside call – and saw England keeper David Seaman in good form.
Gascoigne presented Shearer with the game’s outstanding chance towards the end of the second half, but the eventual Golden Boot winner somehow missed from close range. Penalties was the only way of sorting which side would be the first semi-finalists.
Memories of 1990 were on the minds of every England fan looking on at a packed Wembley, and on TV screens across the country. But surely no more than on left-back Stuart Pearce, who had cost England with his missed penalty six long years before.
He was undeterred, and stepped up to right his wrong and exorcise his demons in dramatic style, leading to one of the most iconic of England celebrations. It was already advantage England thanks to Shearer and Platt goals and Hierro smashing his penalty against the bar. Guillermo Amor had pulled it back to 2-1 when ‘Psycho’ stepped up.
Ron Atkinson, co-commentating alongside Brian Moore on ITV, began Pearce’s long walk to the penalty area with the words: “Whatever happens nobody in the world wants to see this fella miss.” Then came the sweetest left foot strike beyond Zubizarreta’s dive into the bottom corner. Pearce erupted, years of pain draining from his face as he screamed in delight with every sinew stretched and emotion bursting through his veins. His own salvation, and England on their way.
Pearce was one hero, but after Alberto Belsue made it 3-2 and Gascoigne 4-2, Seaman became the next. After a stunning stop to deny Scotland’s Gary McAllister in the group stages – leading directly to Gascoigne’s clincher - Seaman was at it again. This time he kept out Miguel Nadal’s spot kick and England were finally, breathlessly, through.
The memories of this game are as vivid as if it was played yesterday. England v Spain at Euro 96 also happened to be the occasion of my eighth birthday. Young, but already football obsessed, and already desperate for England to win.
The pain was very much to come, but for that night only, penalty shootouts were the best thing in the world.
