European Super Football

 England 0 - 1 Iceland England wrapped up their preparations for Euro 2024 with a dismal defeat against Iceland at Wembley. Manager Gareth Southgate made several changes following Monday’s win against Bosnia-Herzegovina at St James’ Park in Newcastle, but he will have been deeply disappointed with the team's lacklustre performance. Iceland, notorious for their victory over England at Euro 2016, easily exploited England's poor defending. Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who replaced Jordan Pickford, might have done better with Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson’s low shot after 12 minutes. Harry Kane missed a great chance for England, while Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, one of the brighter performers, also had opportunities. However, Southgate’s side looked rusty as they finalised plans for their opening Euro 2024 match against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on 16 June. England appeared vulnerable at the back throughout the match, with Iceland creating chances to extend their lead after the break. Interna

Ahead of England's upcoming World Cup qualifiers, let's take a look at some of England's most memorable moments at this stage of the competition. This article was originally posted on News Ball UK. Click here to read. Italy 0 - 0 England - Qualification for France 98 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,

 Scotland 1 - 3 England In a raucous Hampden Park friendly, England continued their modern-day superiority over Scotland.  Scots last won this fixture in 1999, but hopes of a 42nd win appeared ominously faint as Phil Foden's opener silenced the stadium before Jude Bellingham added a second. A shaken Scotland eventually awoke the home crowd as Harry Maguire sent Andy Robertson's cross screeching beyond Aaron Ramsdale. A mesmerizing Bellingham assist enabled Harry Kane to score England's third as a result of England's classy play and intricate movement. Top of their European Championship qualifying group with five wins from five and facing an England team held by Ukraine on Saturday , Steve Clarke spoke before the match about the desire to see how much his team had narrowed the gap between themselves and England. An almost ruthless first half from Gareth Southgate's team offered a sobering reply. After a slick, composed and controlled performance, the visitors des

England U21 1 - 0 Spain U21 England won the European Under-21 Championship for the first time in nearly 40 years. James Trafford's dramatic last-minute penalty save ensured the Young Lions beat Spain. The young goalkeeper, who is set to join Burnley from Manchester City in a deal that could be worth up to £19m, kept out Abel Ruiz's low spot-kick in the 99th minute. The 20-year-old then produced another brilliant stop on the follow-up before being mobbed by his team-mates. More England news from every level can be found here. You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below.  England U21 1-0 Spain U21 | Heroic James Trafford Makes Young Lions European Champions! | Highlights - YouTube England just about had enough to overcome Spain The winning goal came with virtually the last kick of the first half when a Cole Palmer free-kick deflected off team-mate Curtis Jones and wrong-footed goalkeeper Arnau Tenas to find the bottom corner. Spain had a Ruiz goal ruled out f

England 2 - 2 Belgium Jude Bellingham late on to secure a draw for England in a friendly against Belgium, preventing a second consecutive defeat at Wembley. More reaction to #ENGBEL coming up on https://t.co/kHngVy25Il https://t.co/SFvnhfj4d4 — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) March 27, 2024 Having lost at home to Brazil, Gareth Southgate's reshuffled side was a mixed bag. They displayed good potential at times in attack but they were vulnerable at the back, and this was ruthlessly exploited by Belgium before Bellingham's dramatic intervention seconds from time. England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made a rare error, his first to cost a goal in 60 international appearances, when his poor clearance led to Youri Tielemans putting Belgium ahead after 11 minutes. Ivan Toney scored his first international goal on his first England start, equalizing from the spot just six minutes after he was brought down by Jan Vertonghen. Click here to read more news and stories

Hungary 1 - 0 England In this Nations League match, England produced one of their worst performances of recent time.  Southgate’s team were strangely passive, lacking bite in the areas that mattered, especially the final third, and they came to threaten too late, playing with the bit between their teeth only after they fell behind to Dominik Szoboszlai’s 66th minute penalty. The award was soft, but it was correct and punishment for a moment of clumsiness from Reece James, who had only just entered as a substitute. 🇭🇺 Hungary beat England for the first time since 1962! 👏👏👏 #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/62Y3bS88X8 — UEFA Nations League (@EURO2024) June 4, 2022 James touched a cross back towards his goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, and worried that he had not put enough on it. And so he stepped across Zsolt Nagy to make sure that the Hungary wing-back could not give chase. Nagy went down theatrically and England had a sinking feeling. Szoboszlai once told Neymar before he took a p

England 0 - 0 Nigeria England won 4-2 on penalties Despite a red card from Lauren James, England made it to the quarterfinals of the Women's World Cup. Georgia Stanway fired wide with the opening penalty but Nigeria missed their next two efforts and the European champions secured their spot in the last eight when Chloe Kelly smashed in the winning kick. After losing possession, James stamped on Michelle Alozie's back in the 87th minute and was rightfully shown a red card by the video assistant referee (VAR). England were given an almighty scare but face Colombia or Jamaica next on Saturday. England stumble over the line but ultimately succeed England stumbled to the end of normal time lacking the fluidity they showed in abundance in the impressive display against China and held on to seal the deal in a shootout. Only 24 hours earlier, back-to-back champions the USA were knocked out of the competition, and England were forced to show resilience to overcome arguably the most

England 1-0 Australia Ollie Watkins made a triumphant return to the England national team by scoring the winning goal in a friendly match against Australia at Wembley. The Aston Villa striker turned in Jack Grealish's shot from very close to the goal line just before the one-hour mark, creating one of the few bright moments in an otherwise unimpressive performance by the English team. Watkins made up for a missed opportunity in the first half when he hit the post. Australia couldn't capitalize on several chances before halftime. Sam Johnstone, who was given the opportunity to play as the goalkeeper, made an excellent save against Keanu Baccus, and Mitchell Duke narrowly missed with a volley.  UK and Republic of Ireland announced as Euro 2028 hosts (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Lewis Dunk also came to the rescue, clearing a shot off the line from Ryan Strain. After Watkins scored, Australia had a late opportunity to level the score, but Connor Metcalfe hit the post with a

England 6 - 2 Iran England's World Cup campaign opened in a thoroughly convincing fashion as they outclassed Iran during an incident-packed match in Doha. Brief match report Gareth Southgate's side strolled to victory, with Iran's hopeless plight made worse by the early loss of goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand to concussion after a clash of heads with team-mate Majid Hosseini. Jude Bellingham got England off the mark in this World Cup with a soaring header from Luke Shaw's cross 10 minutes before the break and the game was wrapped up before half-time thanks to Bukayo Saka's fine strike and Raheem Sterling's classy volley with the outside of his foot from Harry Kane's cross. A few weeks ago, we asked whether Jude Bellingham could shine for England? It's starting to look like he can. How far can he and England go in Qatar? World Cup preview: Could Jude Bellingham shine for England? (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Saka got his second before Iran's support

 China 1 - 6 England England won their group and qualified for the last 16 of the Women's World Cup as Lauren James delivered a sensational performance. The world was watching and will be concerned about England's display. It was a performance worthy of their status as European champions, and James once again starred with two goals and three assists. The 13,497 people in attendance on Friday were treated to a masterclass from Chelsea's James, who scored the match-winner against Denmark. Women's World Cup: England start with a win (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) More football news from across England James was on fire throughout this match. She helped England get off to the perfect start when she teed up Alessia Russo for the opener, and later slipped the ball through to Lauren Hemp to place it into the bottom corner. The game was largely one-way traffic as England dominated and overwhelmed. James struck first time and into the corner to make it 3-0 before a further

Ahead of Euro 2024, we will start looking back at some iconic moments from previous competitions.  First up is a recap of the final of the last tournament.  You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below. What were your memories of that memorable night?  HIGHLIGHTS | More penalty pain for England as Italy win Euro 2020 (youtube.com) England's hopes of ending a 55-year wait for a major trophy were crushed heartbreakingly as they lost 3-2 on penalties to Italy in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley.  On a night of incredible tension played in a feverish atmosphere, England looked on course for their most joyous day since the 1966 World Cup final when Luke Shaw gave them the dream start after only two minutes. Italy eventually edged their way back into the game and were level in the 67th minute when Leonardo Bonucci pounced after England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford turned Marco Verratti's header onto the post. More news from across Italy England look ahead to Euro

Gareth Southgate's England have arrived in Germany, facing a crucial test to determine if they are genuine contenders or simply a team that falters when it matters most. Southgate’s tenure – whether it concludes at the end of Euro 2024 or continues beyond – should always be assessed against the chaos he inherited.  Appointed permanently in November 2016, Southgate has since led England to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, the Euro 2020 final, and the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals. World Cup 2022: How England's journey came to an end  As the England players settle into their base in Germany, there is much to be hopeful about. Southgate has fostered a positive atmosphere within the squad, with players now enjoying representing their country without the heavy burden of expectations. He has also rekindled a sense of goodwill from the fans and the wider public towards the team and himself. This tournament carries a sense of urgency – a ‘now or never’ moment – following the World C

 England 2 - 1 Colombia As they came from behind against a dangerous Colombia side, England set up a  Women's World Cup semi-final with co-hosts Australia. Despite not playing their best football in the tournament, the European champions showed a much more rounded performance in Sydney in front of a hostile crowd. After goalkeeper Mary Earps had been beaten by a quick-thinking lob in the first half, the Lionesses capitalised on two slices of luck after being composed in defence and hard-working in attack. After Colombia goalkeeper Catalina Perez spilled a routine gather in the six-yard area under pressure from Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp poked in the equalizer just seven minutes after Leicy Santos had caught out Earps. Russo, who had only scored once in four World Cup matches before Saturday's quarter-final, worked tirelessly out of possession, pounced on a kind deflection to score England's second goal. As Colombia's attacking line-up included Real Madrid's tee

 England 3 - 0 Bosnia-Herzegovina Cole Palmer celebrated his first start for England by setting Gareth Southgate's team on the path to victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina at St James' Park, as preparations for Euro 2024 continued. England's heavily rotated side struggled to find their rhythm in a scrappy match. Still, they eventually broke the deadlock an hour in when Palmer confidently converted a penalty after Ezri Konsa was fouled during a corner. Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold secured the win with a fine volley at the far post five minutes before full-time. Harry Kane then added a third from close range, giving the final scoreline a more convincing look. Iconic Euros Moments: Throwback to England v Scotland (1996)  Iconic Euros moments: Throwback to England v Italy (2021)  Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze, also making his full debut, was a standout performer until he was substituted, giving manager Southgate much to consider as he finalises his squad for the

 Spain 1 - 0 England The wait for England to win its first Women's World Cup title continues after Spain won the final in Sydney. In a game full of flair and creativity, the Spanish team outplayed the Lionesses, looking to become the first England senior team to win a World Cup since 1966. After a final corner kick was dealt with by Spain in the 14th minute of nerve-wracking stoppage time, England players fell to their knees in tears at the final whistle. In the first half, Spain's Olga Carmona scored the winning goal after England's Lucy Bronze lost possession in midfield. Women's World Cup 2023 news and stories After losing two consecutive World Cup finals, Sarina Wiegman introduced Lauren James and Chloe Kelly at half-time, but Spain maintained control. Earps, who won the Golden Glove award as best goalkeeper at the tournament, made several stunning saves, none better than from the penalty spot to deny Jenni Hermoso in the second half. She moved early to her left

England 2 - 1 Switzerland Harry Kane is now level with Sir Bobby Charlton on 49 England goals as England came from behind to beat Switzerland in a friendly at Wembley. The home side were grateful for the excellence of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the first half but they still fell behind when Breel Embolo's England were second best to the confident Swiss but were handed a route back into the game when Fabian Frei's error ended with Luke Shaw providing an emphatic finish for England's equaliser in first-half stoppage time. Marc Guehi, Kyle Walker-Peters and Tyrick Mitchell all made their debuts as England completed the turnaround with 12 minutes left when Kane scored from the spot after VAR adjudged that Steven Zuber had  handled from a corner. Kane scored with his usual expertise and now stands just four goals behind England's record marksman Wayne Rooney. Reaction England manager Gareth Southgate told Sky Sports: "Really good test, we know they are a very g

Is it coming home for England or will Qatar mean more years of hurt? They were so close in both World Cup 2018 and the Euro 2020/2021 tournaments. They lost out to Croatia in the last World Cup, this was followed by a devastating penalty loss to Italy last year in the Euro 2020 final. Their female counterparts brought football home this summer by beating Germany in the final of Euro 2022. A repeat of that success will be crucial for the men's team. There is no doubt that the squad is talented and motivated. They just need to make the final step and get the trophy. Read a report on how England's female football talent won a major trophy -  Women's Euro 2022: England win after dramatic final (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) The final squad has been announced after a lot of debate. Do you agree with the England manager's picks? Video credit -  The Telegraph - YouTube Reaction to the squad announcement Before we explore England's chances, let's explore the reacti

 For the second year running, Bukayo Saka has been named England men's player of the year. The Arsenal winger, who turned 22 on Tuesday , retained the award he won first in 2021-22. Midfielder Jude Bellingham came second in the ballot, followed by England captain and all-time top scorer Harry Kane. Picture credit -  Premier League 2023/24, Matchday 4 - Arsenal 3:1 Mancheste… | Flickr In the past year, Saka has scored seven goals in 10 appearances for England, including a hat-trick against North Macedonia at Old Trafford. At the 2022 Qatar World Cup , he scored three times for the Three Lions, twice against Iran in the opening group stage and once against Senegal in the last 16. He has 11 England goals in 28 caps. The Arsenal fan favourite is again among England boss Gareth Southgate's squad for Saturday's European Championship qualifier against Ukraine and Tuesday's friendly with Scotland.  Saka will once again be an important player for England in what could be a

 Ukraine 1 - 1 England England's winning run in their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign came to a halt as they were held to a draw by Ukraine in Wroclaw. Ukraine were backed by 40,000 fans in the Tarczynski Arena, giving the game the fervent feel of a home fixture despite the hosts being unable to play in their own country. In the 26th minute, Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko turned in a cross from Yukhym Konoplya to give Ukraine the lead. There was plenty of possession for England, but there was a lack of creativity. Harry Kane had to show his brilliance four minutes before half-time to equalise. In his 77th appearance, he sent Kyle Walker in with a magnificent raking pass for his first international goal. Euro 2024 Qualifying news and stories  The English had the better of the second half, with Bukayo Saka's shot being deflected by the slightest touch from Ukraine keeper Georgiy Bushchan. England are still firmly on course to qualify for next summer's Euros in Germany, b

England 8 - 0 Norway England produced an incredible performance against rivals Norway as they progressed to the knockout stages of the European Women's Championship. Brighton was treated to an amazing night as England broke their own tournament record to win 8-0 in what was originally perceived to be their biggest test of the group stages. Norway were outplayed, outclassed and completely stunned by an England team oozing confidence. It was some performance against a side ranked 11th in the world. After an underwhelming opening victory over Austria, England started in slightly cagey fashion but, after Georgia Stanway slotted in a 12th-minute penalty, there was only one winner. Reaction England manager Sarina Wiegman told the media: "We kept playing the way we did in the second half when we were already up 6-0. I’m just really happy with the performance of the whole team." England forward Alessia Russo spoke with BBC Two. She added: "Tonight was really special. Maybe