Iconic Euros Moments: Throwback to England v Scotland (1996)
It's time to explore another iconic Euros moment.
Let's throwback to Euro 96. This was the first time England and Scotland had met in a major competition in seven years.
A tactical analysis
Terry Venables' 4-4-1-1 from the previous match gave way to something a little different. Manchester United's Gary Neville, who had just won the double with other members of the 'class of 92' was to join Stuart Pearce in flanking Tony Adams in a back three.
Gareth Southgate stepped into midfield alongside Paul Ince, with Paul Gascoigne tasked with being a central creative outlet. Teddy Sheringham was to work off Alan Shearer up front. Darren Anderton and Steve McManaman would be rotated frequently between the wings throughout this match and the rest of Euro 96.
A brief match report
After a scrappy, nervous first half, England stepped up a gear, and a peak-form Alan Shearer scored his second goal of the tournament with a superb header from a Gary Neville cross in the fifty-second minute.
There was a dramatic, unforgettable sequence of play eleven minutes from the end that captured just why soccer is such a magnetic game. David Seaman saved magnificently from a Gary McAllister penalty, and moments later, the ball was at the other end of the field where Paul Gascoigne conjured a gem of a goal. He looped the ball over the head of Colin Hendry and then hammered it on the volley deep into the Scottish net.
He celebrated by going to a chosen spot at the side of the Scottish goal, and as he lay down, England team-mates poured bottled water down his throat in a send-up of the dentist's chair incident. The crowd loved it.
An incredible summer for many England fans
Buoyant England needed just a point against Holland to clinch a place in the quarter-finals. They managed this with a 4-1 over Holland and it started to shape up to be a truly memorable summer for so many England fans. It would ultimately end up in heartbreak after a defeat in the semi-final against Germany.
Liam, an England fan, remembers watching the match on TV in the summer of 1996. He said: "Euro 96 is often remembered with a lot of mythology and hype, especially England's performance during their home tournament. However, Terry Venables' team only managed to win two of the five matches they played in the initial 90 minutes and were lucky to beat Spain in the quarter-finals. Nevertheless, it was a rare post-1966 period when the national team gave the nation a sense of collective pride and optimism. Gascoigne played a significant role in this. He created a truly memorable moment, just like the tears of Turin at Italia 90. This time, it was a wonder goal at Wembley that left a lasting impression on everyone."
