England’s greatest World Cup qualifiers
What has been the best England World Cup qualifier?
Let's explore some memorable moments from this stage of the competition.
Author | Mark Lee
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| England's recent qualifier against Andorra wasn't exactly a classic |
Of course, qualifying for the World Cup should be the absolute minimum for England. However, there have been some classic moments along the way.
Italy 0 - 0 England | Qualification is secured
England only needed a point from their final match to qualify for the following summer's World Cup. Easier said than done when that final match is Italy away.
A battling and sometimes heroic display from the Three Lions earned them a 0-0 draw and qualification was secured. Not a lot of flair from the attacking players but the point was well deserved. Watch some of the highlights from the game in the video below.
Germany 1 - 5 England | Even Heskey scored
Germany had beaten England at the start of the end of the qualifying campaign. A disappointing end to the reign of Kevin Keegan and an awful way to say goodbye to the old Wembley Stadium. England gained their revenge though.
Before this game, Germany had only ever lost one World Cup qualifier at home. They had also never been beaten in Munich until Sven Goran-Eriksson's side destroyed that record.
READ MORE: A throwback to Sven's finest night as England manager
Despite the convincing scoreline and performance, England found themselves trailing just over five minutes into the game after Carsten Jancker hit home at his club's home ground. What happened next was simply unforgettable
England 2 - 2 Greece | Beckham the hero
David Beckham secured England’s place at the 2002 World Cup finals in the most dramatic of circumstances at Old Trafford.
Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side had trailed Greece 2-1 deep into stoppage time and seemed bound for a tense play-off with Ukraine. Beckham, who had already missed with five earlier free-kick attempts, struck in the 93rd minute to rescue qualification for Japan and South Korea.
The then Manchester United midfielder’s right-footed effort flew beyond the goalkeeper just as news emerged that Germany had been held by Finland in Group 9. A truly incredible match. You can watch the best clips of the match in the video below.
England 2 - 0 Wales | Beckham returns to Old Trafford after Real Madrid move
A lesser spoken about Beckham moment at Old Trafford. His spectacular goal helped England a comfortable World Cup qualifying victory over Wales.
This was one part of a journey that led them to the 2006 World Cup in Germany. More penalty heartbreak was to await them.
San Marino 1 - 7 England | A match that became memorable for all the wrong reasons
The World Cup in 1994 was the last World Cup that England didn't qualify for. Going into last game, England needed a heavy win against San Marino to stay alive in the competition. It didn't get off to the best of starts and England were ultimately knocked out despite a 7-1 victory.
