Famous Matches

Relive iconic England football matches that shaped the nation's sporting history and defined unforgettable moments on the pitch.

1920 England: Spain

England's first defeat to a continental team came in 1920 when Spanish football was still finding its feet, shaped partly by English coaches abroad.

1934 England: Italy

England faced Italy in a brutal 1934 friendly at Highbury that became known as the Battle of Highbury.

1937 England: Czechoslovakia

England faced a resurgent Czechoslovakia at White Hart Lane in 1937, having lost to them three years earlier and struggling against continental sides.

1947 England: Portugal

England faced a tough Swiss side in 1947 as they built a new attacking team after the Second World War.

1948 England: Italy

England pulled off one of their greatest away performances by beating the reigning World Cup champion Italians in 1948.

1953 England: Hungary

How Hungary's 1953 victory over England shattered the nation's belief in football superiority.

1966 World Cup: England vs Germany

How England beat West Germany 4-2 to win the 1966 World Cup in an unforgettable Wembley final.

1970 England: Brazil

England faced Brazil in the 1970 World Cup group stage as the two best teams in world football, with England confident in their defending champion status.

1973 England: Poland

England's comfortable 1973 assumption about beating Poland in a World Cup qualifier turned out to be completely wrong.

1986: England: Argentina

How Maradona's hand of God goal sent England out of the 1986 World Cup in one of football's most controversial moments.

1990 England: Cameroon

England faced a spirited Cameroon side in the 1990 World Cup quarter-finals, with the African underdogs looking to upset Bobby Robson's improving squad.

1996 England: Scotland

Scotland and England faced off in their first competitive match since 1984 at Euro 96, reigniting football's oldest rivalry.

2000 England: Germany

England's final Wembley match ended in disaster against Germany as tactical blunders and early mistakes cost them the game.

2001 England: Germany

England faced a resurgent Germany in Munich seeking redemption after back-to-back defeats and a humiliating Wembley loss.

Euro 2000 England: Germany

How England's rivalry with Germany shaped Euro 2000, with decades of World Cup heartbreak building to their group stage showdown.

World Cup 1950 England: USA

England's shock 1-0 loss to the USA at the 1950 World Cup remains one of football's greatest upsets.