World Cup 2018: England's 5 most memorable World Cup moments

While it’s now been a massive 52 years since England actually won the World Cup – and in fact they’ve only made it past the quarter-finals once since – the Three Lions have still provided both their fans and neutrals with some of the most memorable moments in tournament history.

Whether it’s been with amazing highs, near misses or shocking lows, England are never far away from the headlines when it comes to the World Cup. Here are their five most memorable tournament moments.

#5: England vs. Brazil – World Cup 1970

England went into the 1970 edition of the World Cup as reigning champions after their victory in 1966, and many people believed that they actually had a stronger side heading out to Mexico thanks to the addition of newer talent like Alan Mullery and Colin Bell to go along with proven world-class players such as Bobby Moore and Bobby Charlton.

The most point of most interest going into the tournament? England were drawn in the same group as hot favourites Brazil, who had a phenomenal team featuring the likes of Jairzinho, Rivelino, Tostao and of course Pele.

In the end, the match lived up to all the hype – a true clash of the titans. And while Brazil ended up winning the game 1-0 thanks to a Jairzinho goal in the second half, both sides had chances to win it and it’s probably better remembered today for two of England’s greatest moments in the World Cup.

First, Bobby Moore’s amazing struggle to keep Pele quiet – something he managed outside of the play that carved out Brazil’s goal – as well as his incredible tackle to rob Jairzinho of the ball. And secondly, perhaps the greatest save in World Cup history, as Gordon Banks somehow managed to keep Pele’s downward header out even when the Brazilian legend was screaming “goal!”

England were eventually eliminated in the quarter-finals by West Germany, while Brazil went on to win the tournament – but for a lot of people, the true final happened in the group stages in this famous game. The post-match photo of Pele and Moore embracing remains iconic some 44 years on.

#4: Michael Owen’s goal against Argentina – World Cup 1998

Coming into the 1998 World Cup in France, all English eyes appeared to be on one player – teenage striker Michael Owen, who had plundered 18 Premier League goals in 1997/98 for Liverpool to win that season’s Golden Boot.

Owen had only made his England debut that February – becoming the youngest player in England history to that point at 18 years and 59 days – but it seemed like destiny that he’d have a part to play at the World Cup and was duly selected in Glenn Hoddle’s final squad.

England started the tournament with a win over Tunisia with Owen only making a cameo appearance from the bench, but in their second group game, they found themselves a goal down against Romania. Hoddle sent Owen on and he equalized almost instantly, becoming England’s youngest ever scorer in the World Cup, although they went on to lose the game 2-1.

A win over Colombia took them into the knockout stages, and Owen was now firmly part of the starting line-up, ready to make another mark against one of England’s hottest rivals, Argentina.

Make a mark he did. With Argentina 1-0 up, Owen earned a penalty when he was fouled in the box, and minutes later he scored one of the most memorable goals in England World Cup history.

Collecting the ball from a David Beckham pass just beyond the halfway line, Owen used his phenomenal pace to burn past Roberto Ayala before sprinting beyond Jose Chamot, too. Drawing goalkeeper Carlos Roa out of position, Owen fired a shot across him and into the net, giving England the lead.

The Three Lions would go on to lose the game on penalties after Argentina found an equaliser, but for Owen, the game was a launching pad to stardom, as he returned from the tournament a hero and went on to score goals for England in three further tournaments. The goal remains arguably the best England goal ever scored in a World Cup.

#3: David Beckham’s redemption – World Cup 1998 and 2002

When England were defeated by Argentina after a penalty shoot-out in World Cup 1998, most fans placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of one man – young midfielder David Beckham, who was sent off following a petulant flick at Diego Simeone early in the second half.

The red card left England at a massive disadvantage and from that point on they struggled hugely to contain the Argentine attack before succumbing to the dreaded shoot-out.

Returning to England, Beckham was met with hate from the majority of fans, who even burned effigies of him at points. Even when he played well for England, such as during Euro 2000, he was still met largely with a chorus of boos.

That all changed when Beckham was made captain of the side in late 2000, and really began to perform at a high level – particularly when Sven-Goran Eriksson took over as England boss in 2001.

As captain Beckham took England to the cusp of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup – something that had looked impossible at one point – and then guaranteed their place with his legendary last-minute free-kick goal in a qualifier against Greece.

With the love of the fans once again secured, Beckham just needed redemption against Argentina. It would come during the group stages of the 2002 tournament. With the game on a knife-edge with both sides having missed chances, Michael Owen was fouled in the box by Mauricio Pochettino and ref Pierluigi Collina awarded England a penalty.

Up stepped Beckham to take it, and somehow showing zero nerves, he drilled it down the centre and into the back of the net. Wild celebrations followed, as it was clear how much the goal meant to England’s captain.

England went on to win the game thanks to the goal, and after the final group matches, Argentina were eliminated while England progressed. Beckham had his revenge and England fans were given one of their most memorable moments – as well as a redemption story good enough for any Hollywood film.

#2: Gazza’s tears – World Cup 1990

Going into the 1990 World Cup, England fans weren’t expecting a lot of their side. They’d crashed out of Euro 1988 with three losses, and manager Bobby Robson had become somewhat maligned by a disillusioned press.

What they certainly didn’t expect was that the Three Lions would make it all the way to the semi-finals – only losing to eventual winners West Germany via a penalty shoot-out, making it their best tournament showing since 1966.

After a slow start – a dull draw with the Republic of Ireland – England switched systems, using Mark Wright as a sweeper and Paul Parker and Stuart Pearce as wing-backs, but what the change really did was take the shackles off midfielder Paul Gascoigne.

Blessed with ball skills considered unusual for an English player, ‘Gazza’ simply didn’t care who he was up against, and in astonishing performances against Holland, Egypt and Belgium, he shot to stardom thanks to his dribbling, passing range, and ability to slice through a defence.

After setting up winning goals for Wright and David Platt in the games against Egypt and Belgium respectively, it quickly became apparent that Gascoigne was England’s most important player, and their possible success could hinge on him.

After dispatching of Cameroon in the quarter-finals, England faced off with old rivals West Germany in the semi-finals. After scoring one goal apiece, the game headed into extra-time, when Gascoigne produced one of the most iconic – and heartbreaking – moments in England football history.

Lunging in at Thomas Berthold, Gascoigne missed the ball and took the player instead, resulting in the referee producing a yellow card. As he’d already been booked previously against Belgium, the booking meant that he’d miss a potential final should England make it there.

He was simply unable to compose himself and as his bottom lip began to wobble, tears were visible in his eyes. And the watching fans at home in England pretty much cried along with him. It was clear that to ‘Gazza’, the World Cup meant everything.

In the end, England lost a penalty shoot-out and so Gascoigne never would’ve had an opportunity to play in the final anyway. But with such a showing of emotion, ‘Gazza’ cemented himself as a true hero in the eyes of all England fans, and the fact that he never managed another World Cup with the Three Lions remains a true heartbreaker.

For some fans who witnessed the 1990 tournament, Gazza’s tears remain the most iconic England World Cup moment.

#1: Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick – World Cup 1966

Like Spain and France, England have only ever won the World Cup once, way back in 1966. Unlike those two countries though – who won largely unmemorable finals – England’s triumph came in one of the best World Cup finals of all time, a 4-2 win over West Germany following drama in extra-time.

The most memorable part of England’s win? The fact that striker Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick. Over 50 years on, he remains the only player to manage the feat in a World Cup final, and the craziest part is that going into the tournament, he wasn’t even expected to be starting for the Three Lions.

Prior to the World Cup England’s key striker was Tottenham’s Jimmy Greaves – a man with a truly astonishing goals-to-games ratio; coming into the World Cup he’d scored 43 goals in just 51 international games.

But he sliced his shin open in a group game against France, and so in came Hurst, who scored in the quarter-final and performed so well that he kept Greaves out of the side for the final.

Of course, everyone knows what happened in the final. West Germany opened the scoring only for Hurst to equalise soon after. England thought they’d won the game when Martin Peters scored in the 78th minute, only for the Germans to find an equaliser on 89, sending the game into extra-time.

From there Hurst’s legendary controversial goal followed – debates rage to this day whether the ball was over the line, but history says that it was – and finally the West Ham hitman scored his third goal in the last minute of extra-time, sealing the victory and completing his hat-trick as the crowd went wild.

As it remains England’s only World Cup victory, it’s always going to be their most memorable World Cup moment – but the fact that the victory came in such style, with such a historic feat from Hurst makes it even better. Will England ever repeat the feat? Only time will tell!

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