Fifa.com
To describe England’s FIFA World Cup quarter-final experiences as turbulent would be something of an understatement.
There has been some good amid the bad, with three memorable and much-celebrated wins in 1966, 1990 and 2018.
It is, however, the defeats that stand out, with iconic figures such as Garrincha, Franz Beckenbauer, Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho and Cristiano Ronaldo having helped serve up some of the most memorable – and for the Three Lions, painful – matches in World Cup history.
1954 vs Uruguay in Basel L 2-4
England won through to their first FIFA World Cup quarter-final after a draw with Belgium and 2-0 win over hosts Switzerland. Just as this year, they found in their path the defending champions, a Uruguay team that had beaten them 2-1 in a Montevideo friendly 12 months earlier. After falling behind early, Nat Lofthouse equalised yet Uruguayan goals either side of half-time left Walter Winterbottom’s men on the ropes.
Tom Finney restored hope and Stanley Matthews then struck a post but Javier Ambrois’ goal after 78 minutes settled the outcome. Matthews, writing later in his autobiography, lamented the “soft” first goal conceded by a “rattled” Gil Merrick at his near post.
1962 vs Brazil in Vina del Mar L 1-3
England’s stay in Chile featured challenges that must sound prehistoric to the 21st century footballer: the squad stayed in lodgings in a hill-top mining camp, as guests of an American copper company, and missed key centre-back Peter Swan due to dysentery.
Second in their group, they faced holders Brazil in a quarter-final that proved to be Walter Winterbottom’s final game as manager. After falling behind to a Garrincha goal, Gerry Hitchens equalised before half-time by turning in the rebound after Jimmy Greaves had struck the woodwork.
But two Brazil goals early in the second half sent England home: against the run of play, goalkeeper Ron Springett – deceived by the swerve of the lighter ball – spilled a Garrincha free-kick and Vava scored before Garrincha struck again.
1966 vs Argentina in London W 1-0
Alf Ramsey’s team had got through the group stage without conceding and there was a fourth clean sheet for Gordon Banks in a tempestuous Wembley quarter-final. Temperatures rose when Argentina had their captain, Antonio Rattin, sent off before half-time for dissent – a decision that Rattin initially refused to accept, spending several minutes on the field protesting.
Against the ten men, England did not find a way through until the 78th minute as they profited from the understanding between West Ham United colleagues Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst. The former crossed from the left and Hurst – only playing because of Jimmy Greaves’ gashed shin – headed in at the near post. Tempers spilled over again at the final whistle, and Ramsey stopped George Cohen from swapping shirts with an Argentina payer.
1970 vs W Germany in Leon L 2-3
England’s footballers topped the pop charts with their World Cup song ‘Back Home’ but they fell from the football pinnacle after a painful loss to West Germany. After finishing second in their group behind Brazil, Ramsey’s men faced the Germans in a rematch of the 1966 final.
The absence of goalkeeper Gordon Banks, who had food poisoning, would prove crucial, though it initially seemed less significant when Alan Mullery and Martin Peters both scored from crosses by Keith Newton cross.
However, in the 68th minute the Germans grabbed a lifeline when Franz Beckenbauer’s shot went under Bonetti. And when Ramsey replaced Bobby Charlton moments after, it was their cue to take control as Beckenbauer - freed from having to worry about England’s star man - began to dictate proceedings. Uwe Seeler flicked a header over Bonetti to force extra time and Gerd Muller volleyed the winner.
1986 vs Argentina in Mexico City, L 1-2
England had started slowly in Mexico but came alive in their third group game with Gary Lineker’s hat-trick against Poland. Two more Lineker goals followed in a 3-0 defeat of Paraguay but now Argentina stood in their way at the Estadio Azteca.
What followed was one of the World Cup’s most famous quarter-final matches, stamped by the mark of Diego Maradona: his ‘Hand of God’ goal and then that magnificent slalom from halfway which FIFA declared as Goal of the 20th century.
England rallied, with substitute John Barnes crossing for Lineker to score. It was the sixth goal for the Golden Boot winner, who so nearly snatched an equaliser from another Barnes centre only for Julio Olarticoechea to flick the ball clear.
1990 vs Cameroon in Naples, W 3-2
“Inventors of football remove joy from the cup,” declared the Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo after England rode their luck to beat Africa’s first quarter-finalists. “You lucky lot!” said the Daily Express rather more bluntly.
David Platt, the round of 16 hero against Belgium, headed England in front but Cameroon stormed back to lead through Emmanuel Kunde’s penalty penalty and Eugene Ekeke’s strike. They had chances for a third – notably when Francois Omam Biyik attempted a backheel finish when free in front of Peter Shilton – yet Bobby Robson’s team equalised with eight minutes left as Gary Lineker won and then converted a penalty.
Sent clear by a Paul Gascoigne through-pass, he did just the same in extra time too. After no penalty for four-and-a-half years, England had prevailed thanks to two in swift succession.
2002 vs Brazil in Shizuoka, L 1-2
David Beckham was the focus of so many Japanese flashbulbs and, despite doubts over his recovery from a metatarsal fracture, had been the hero of a 1-0 win over Argentina in the group stage. After a 3-0 round of 16 victory against Denmark, English hopes intensified after 23 minutes in Shizuoka when Lucio’s poor touch let in Michael Owen and he lifted a shot over Marcos.
The lead lasted until first-half stoppage time when Ronaldinho danced through the middle and fed Rivaldo, who equalised. The decisive goal came five minutes after half-time when Ronaldinho caught out David Seaman with a free-kick some 40 yards from goal on the right. Seaman initially came out then backpedalled in vain as the ball floated beyond him and inside the far corner.
“It was a freak goal… a cross that ended up in the net,” said David Beckham. Whether intentional or not, it was enough as Brazil held on comfortably despite the subsequent sending-off of their matchwinner.
2006 vs Portugal in Gelsenkirchen, L 0-0 (1-3 PSO)
As with Beckham four years earlier Wayne Rooney’s race for fitness after suffering a broken bone in his foot dominated the pre-finals countdown in a campaign whose other talking points included Peter Crouch’s robot dance. Unlike Crouch, Rooney would not score in Germany but his red card after 62 minutes of the quarter-final against Portugal, for a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho, was a pivotal moment.
Against Portugal at the EURO two years earlier he had gone off injured and England lost on penalties. They suffered the same fate here, perhaps explaining Cristiano Ronaldo’s wink to Portugal’s bench as his then Manchester United colleague was dismissed. Ronaldo it was who hit the winning spot-kick after Ricardo had made saves from Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.
2018 vs Sweden in Samara, W 2-0
England arrived in Samara, former home of the Soviet space programme, following a last-16 win over Colombia which had felt like a lift-off moment as they finally won a World Cup penalty shoot-out. With that demon slain, they made light work of opponents who had troubled past England sides in tournament football down the years.
From their first corner Harry Maguire headed England’s fifth set-play goal of the finals on the half-hour; just before the hour Dele Alli nodded in Jesse Lingard’s cross to the back post. England were through to a first semi-final in 28 years.
