Remembering England's Performances in the Four Tournaments Immediately Preceding Gareth Southgate's Reign

So, England's UEFA Euro 2024 campaign ended in heartbreak once again, a pain that most fans have become accustomed to over the last 58 years. For the second straight European Championships, the Three Lions went on to reach the final, somehow. Late goals against Slovakia, Switzerland, and the Netherlands somehow put Gareth Southgate’s side on the path to Berlin but in the showpiece, an impressive Spain team ultimately had too much for England to handle, running out 2-1 victors thanks to Mikel Oyarzabal's 86th-minute winner. 

For manager Southgate, the tournament will ultimately be his last. England has been made an early +700 contender by online sports betting odds to win the next World Cup, but they will have to do so without their longtime manager who announced his resignation 48 hours after the final defeat following a tirade of abuse in recent years. The fact remains that he will go down in history as one of England's greatest-ever managers, reaching two finals, a semifinal, and a quarterfinal in his four tournaments in charge. 

Many fans and pundits have called for his head in the last few weeks, but as the four tournaments immediately proceeding with his reign will show you, football supporters should be careful about what they wish for. 

The Icelandic Nightmare

The most recent tournament England featured in without Southgate at the helm was Euro 2016, and to see the tournament as a disaster would be an understatement. The Three Lions headed into the clash filled with optimism following a friendly match victory over Germany in Berlin just a couple of months prior. However, once things got underway, it was clear to see that the team was a million miles off the mark.

Roy Hodgson's squad entered the tournament with high hopes and with plenty of young talent such as Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Ross Barkley coming through the ranks. However, it was clear that things wouldn't go as planned when they slumped to a 1-1 draw in their opening game against Russia in Marseille thanks to Vasili Berezutski's injury-time equalizer. They would have a moment to celebrate, coming back from 1-0 down to beat rivals Wales thanks to Daniel Sturridge's 92nd-minute winner. 

But that was as good as it got. A goalless draw against Slovakia in England's final game set them up for a second-round clash against lowly Iceland, a clash that they were heavily favored to win. But then, disaster struck. Wayne Rooney netted an early opener, but defensive lapses saw Iceland equalize almost immediately through Ragnar Sigurdsson, followed by another goal from Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. England couldn't respond and the 2-1 defeat saw the hapless Hodgson lose his job. 

Group Stage Exit

If Euro 2016 was a nightmare, the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was a sobering reality check. Drawn into a challenging group with Italy, Uruguay, and Costa Rica, expectations were tempered, yet there was hope that the team could advance.

England's campaign started with a spirited but ultimately unsuccessful effort against Italy, losing 2-1 thanks to goals from Claudio Marchisio and Mario Balotelli. The second match against Uruguay then became a must-win, but a returning Luis Suárez put the English defence to the sword, netting twice to eliminate the country in which he was residing at the time after just two games. 

Costa Rica considered the underdogs of the group, had already shockingly secured their place in the knockout stages when they faced England. The final match ended in a goalless draw, which sealed England’s fate at the bottom of their group. Somehow though, Hodgson remained in a job. 

Penalties Rear Their Head Once More 

England headed to Euro 2012 with the lowest of expectations, a stark contrast to the tournament that Southgate has just provided over. The departure of manager Fabio Capello just weeks before the action getting underway saw Hodgson appointed, much to the dismay of the public who wanted to see Harry Redknapp in charge. 

To be fair, England performed admirably. They topped a difficult-looking group ahead of France, Sweden and Ukraine, defeating the latter two and drawing with Les Bleus. However, in the quarterfinals, the dreaded penalty shootout reared its head following a goalless draw with Italy. Pirlo duly scored a Panenka and England was sent home while the Azzurri went on to reach the final. 

Humbled by the Germans

South Africa 2010 is another chapter in England's book of disappointments. Despite a favorable draw in the group stage, Fabio Capello's side stuttered through, managing only uninspiring draws against the USA and Algeria before edging out Slovenia to advance as runners-up to the Stars and Stripes. 

That left England at the mercy of old rivals Germany. This was a Die Mannschaft side at the beginning of a new era, with the likes of Mesut Ozil and Manuel Neuer making their tournament debuts. While many hoped an England team consisting of Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, and Frank Lampard could get the job done, what ensued was a humbling 4-1 mauling that brutally exposed England’s defensive frailties. 

Miroslav Klose, Lukas Podolski, and a second-half Thomas Müller brace orchestrated Germany’s dominance, while England’s solitary goal came from Matthew Upson. But despite the drubbing, England still had a right to complain after Lampard had a goal not given after his delicious lob from the edge of the area clearly crossed the line. The Three Lions lost their heads after that and were duly taken apart in the second half.