England slash records in Euro 2020 finals... take a look back at their Euro history

A disappointing end to the championship for England at Euro 2020. Times have been tough for the England national football team (and even tougher for the fans) as we look into the history of our performance in the Euros. But this year, despite the loss against Italy, the English made history.

The 11th July 2021, the male English football team played the finals for the first time in an international championship since 1966. Needless to say, the team, fans and all Englishmen and women were ecstatic and the scenes of fans celebrating way before the final started showed the love the English have for their team and the pride they got to the final.

The Three Lions players had kept no less than seven consecutive clean sheets for the first time in our history. Not only that, they have become the first team ever not to concede a goal in their opening five games at a European Championship finals. The finally conceded to Denmark in the semifinals which was a tough one to beat.

Kane's goal in the game against Ukraine was in the fourth minute (03:32 to be exact) and this was England's earliest goal in a Euros match since Michael Owen played Portugal in 2004.

England fans everywhere shouted with glee when Jordan Henderson scored his first goal for the national team in the match against Ukraine. His face said it all. But did you know that he completed more passes than any other midfielder (43 passes) and he only came on in the 56th minute!

The English are really turning out to support their national team. The BBC has confirmed that England’s win over Ukraine pulled in a peak TV audience of 20.9m with a further 5.2m tuning in to the broadcast across BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport online. Ukraine v England on the BBC was the most-watched live TV event of the year... Until the semi final; which pulled in 25.8 million.

Many fans have reacted on social media to the England games and spoken about the incredible performance England delivered. Some called it faultless, but England's history in the Euros hasn't always been so successful. The England squad has had a magnificent, yet shocking, journey in the Euros with many remembering song, joy, pain and tears as we supported our national team throughout the good times and the bad.

England never made it to the first Euros in 1960. The fact that two World Wars had finally come to an end, there were many wounds that still needed healing. Germany and Italy also declined to take part.

The first year the England team entered the Euros, they played their first matches against France in 1964. They kicked off the proceedings at Hillsborough which ended in a draw but a French 5-2 win in the second leg, played in Paris, meant England's dream of going any further in the competition had ended.

The English national team came third in the competition in 1968. They lost out to Yugoslavia in a 1-0 loss in the semi finals and then won against the Soviet Union to then pick up third place, but was it a positive year for the England squad? Bobby Charlton and Geoff Hurst were the only two Englishmen to score goals that year, both in the third place play-off.

Alan Mullery was the first England player to be given the red card by a referee in an international competition.He told BBC Sport what happened:

"Bobby Moore rolled me a ball to the halfway line and I had my back towards their goal. I knocked it back to him but this fella came in and caught me on the left calf.

"Whatever he had on his studs it wasn't very nice and as I looked round the back of my sock it was red, the blood was pouring out and my heart was beating really fast.

"In sheer anger I turned round and kicked him in the groin, and down he went like a sack of spuds."

The referee immediately told him to get off the pitch.

England were bitterly disappointed in 1972. The came through as victors of all their qualifying matches and were ready to take on West Germany at Wembley Stadium. They suffered a devastating loss (but, unfortunately, deserved; as West Germany really were the better side) of 3-1 and couldn't get a single goal in during the second leg. They were, once again, sent packing.

England played Czech Republic in 1976 and were left fuming at the referee and his decisions. The Czech team ended up coming from behind and winning the match 2-0. The second leg wasn't any better (3-0) and once again England didn't make it past the qualifying stages. A second time in a row in an international tournament the team had to pack their bags and head home.

England were ready in 1980 and stormed through all the matches, winning seven out of their eight qualifying games. An early goal against Belgium could have led them to victory, until a few minutes later an equaliser was scored.

But that's not the worst of it. Fighting broke out in the stands and tear gas was thrown by police to break up the ruckus. Goalkeeper Clemence briefly lost vision due to the spray and then the match was put on hold for five minutes. Manager Greenwood was furious. England couldn't recover and they never made it out of the group stage.

England faced the Danish team who were, by far, the better team, but managed to come out the other end with a 2-2 draw. ‘England are lucky to escape defeat’ was the headline in The Times. Even the new manager admitted it would have been a “travesty of justice” had they won. The second leg saw another feeble attempt and the England team were knocked out after a 1-0 win to the Danes.

This was to be the year for England. They played some outstanding football and stormed through the qualifiers. But what happened then? 3 losses, 2 goals and seven conceded saw England repeat history and get sent home from the Euros.

All in all, the lead up to the Euro 88 was a positive one; as the England team had just reached the quarter finals of the previous World Cup (which they lost thanks to Diego Maradona's 'handy work'). They faced the Republic of Ireland, Holland and the Soviet Union but left the competition after the group stages with a 100% defeat record. Officially the worst year for the England team.

Taylor, the manager, was under speculation and the nerves pretty much got the better of him and the team in the build up to the Euros 1992. There were also some key injuries and the team wasn't quite itself. It didn't stop the English, however and they soared through unbeaten in the group stage.

It is difficult to recall a year when England was so troubled by injury as in 1992. Paul Gascoigne hadn't played for a year, Rob Jones, Lee Dixon and Gary Stevens were all lost one by one, and then finally John Barnes went down with an injury and was ruled out of the Euros. Two uneventful draws and a loss to Sweden saw England pack their bags once more.

England hosted the 1996 Euros and it was a great year for football. The England team finished top of the group, beat Spain in the quarter finals and lost out to Germany in the semis... Not bad for a team that had struggled in the past. Although, this was the beginning of the penalty curse for England.

What a year for English football. There was such optimism, such hype and a huge rallying from the people to support their national side. Everyone can still sing along to "Three Lions" which went immediately to the Chart number one spot just two weeks before the tournament began. "Three Lions on a shirt; Jules Rimet still gleaming; Thirty years of hurt; Never stopped me dreaming."
"Football's coming home"!

England vs Switzerland kicked off the first of the qualifiers in the group and England were penned to easily win. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. It would have been the same result for England v Scotland in the second game, but Seaman saved a penalty in the 78th minute. At that moment, penalties were in the English team's favour.

Gasgoine scored a belter of a goal but popping it over the defender's head then volleying it into the net. They reenacted 'The Dentist's Chair' - a celebration where Gasgoine lay on the ground as the other players squirted water into his mouth. After the match, they went to celebrate in a local bar named, 'The Dentist's Chair'. Coincidence?

England won on penalties against Spain in the quarter finals and made it to the semis - facing Germany on the 26th June. The game was a nail biter with a 1-1 result which then went to penalties. All goals scored... until Gareth Southgate himself took the final penalty. That saved penalty meant Germany would then go on to win the Euro 96.

Despite beating Germany in the group stages, the England team couldn't manage to get into the knock-out phase, losing out to both Portugal and then Romania. An end to another optimistic beginning.

England 2 - 3 Romania in the Euro 2000 group stage. Still in the groups, there were no 'deciding' penalties - or so it would seem. But Phil Neville made a crazy tackle in the 89th minute which gave Romania a penalty and sent Kevin Keegan's side home.

France and England went through the group stages in 2004, taking Croatia and Switzerland out.Rooney was the stand out player, with some incredible performances and professional football. Rio Ferdinand isn't take part, due to missing a drugs test previously so was therefore banned from the competition.

Wayne Rooney had made such an impact on the England team that he lead his fellow team members to a real positive start. This was the first time England had made it outside the group stages on foreign soil. All thanks to the forward to brought power, motivation and pride to his team and country.

England 2-2 Portugal in the Euro 2004 quarter final. Campbell made a late header and popped the ball in the net as the final minutes were ticking. But the goal was harshly disallowed and the game went to penalties. Not surprisingly, England lost the penalty shoot out. Even Beckham, England's legendary player, missed the first penalty.

The English team didn't even qualify when the pre-tournament games were being played in 2007. Croatia and England were at a 2-2 draw but 13 minutes before the end of the game, Croatian Petric scored a dramatic winning goal.

McClaren was in disbelief and everyone remembers 'Wally with the Brolly' the Daily Mail headline which accompanied the photo of McClaren sheltering from the rain with his infamous umbrella. He was quickly sacked.

Unbeaten in the group stages, yet again! This could have been the year for England. Euro 2012 quarter finals saw England battle it out against Italy - a rather awkward game to watch as Italy were completely dominating the whole way through.

The England team held on and made it to the penalty shoot out. And here of course, history repeated itself, and England lost to penalties - most notably ending with a Panenka from Andrea Pirlo that had Joe Hart hang his head in embarrassment.

Everyone remembers Wales dominating the Group B of the Euros 2016, with England close behind: making it out of the group stages. But then there was the Round of Sixteen when England faced Iceland...

Roy Hodgson immediately resigned after the first game of the knockout phase in the Euro 2016 when England played Iceland. An early goal for Rooney kept optimism high but shortly after, Joe Hart had a bit of a nightmare. He failed to save a goal that was just popped in from a long throw-in; and then a second goal trickled in slow motion past the goalkeeper, as the English watched in horror.

Well, England has never won the Euros. Not without trying. England has put forward a number of great squads and, despite the lack of trophies, are always within the bookies favourites to win. Perhaps it is the British positivity and the faith we have in our team.