England ended the last century looking like a football nation in decline, crawling to Euro 2000 qualification via the play-offs under Kevin Keegan after being forced to sack Glenn Hoddle for a controversial newspaper interview. But as the 21st century ends its 25th year, the Three Lions are in much better shape, boasting one of the most talented squads in world football and with a far better record in major tournaments, having reached successive European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final in their last four showings.
And yet on some levels, the events of the first quarter of the century bear some similarities to the end of the 20th century: another manager was sacked due to the work of a newspaper; the team’s last major triumph remains the 1966 World Cup; there is a worrying lack of quality English coaches, leading the FA to look outside of its usual talent pool to appoint Thomas Tuchel – just as they did in the first year of the 21st century when they hired Sven-Goran Eriksson.
England still head to major tournaments thinking they are going to win them, although now their confidence is justified, though the pressure from the media is still unbearable. Watching the national team also still often feels like a thankless task. England were uninspiring for much of their Euro 2024 campaign, if we’re being kind. If we’re being more brutal, as Gary Linker was, they were “sh*t”. But that run to the final, in keeping with the last 25 years, gave us some unforgettable goals and moments of unbridled joy, even if it ended with the familiar feeling of heartache and a missed opportunity.
With tears in our eyes and high blood pressure, GOAL looks back on the 25 best England moments of the 21st century…