28 June 2021

5 memorable meetings between England and Germany

28 June 2021

England welcome familiar foes Germany to Wembley for their Euro 2020 last-16 showdown on Tuesday.

It will be the 33rd meeting between the old rivals, with Germany winning on 15 occasions since the first clash, a 3-3 draw in an international friendly in Berlin in May 1930.

England have triumphed 13 times, but have been on the wrong end of some penalty shootout defeats – which England manager Gareth Southgate knows all too well.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five memorable meetings between the two countries.

World Cup final, June 30 1966, Wembley – England 4 Germany 2 (after extra-time)

England beat Germany to win their only major trophy (PA Archive)

England secured their only major trophy and Geoff Hurst became the first player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. Martin Peters, Helmut Haller, Hurst and Wolfgang Weber had scored and at 2-2 the game went into extra-time. In the first period a shot from Hurst struck the crossbar and when referee Gottfried Dienst could not decide if the ball had crossed the line it was left to linesman Tofiq Bahramov who indicated it had. Hurst completed his hat-trick late on to secure World Cup success for England on home soil.

World Cup semi-final, July 4 1990, Turin, Italy – Germany 1 England 1 (after extra-time, Germany win 4-3 on penalties)

The game which helped define the career of England midfielder Paul Gascoigne, who started crying after receiving a booking that would have ruled him out of the final. But England did not reach the showpiece after suffering a shootout defeat to the eventual champions. Gary Lineker had levelled the game after Andreas Brehme’s opener. Lineker, Peter Beardsley and David Platt all converted from the spot in the shootout, with Brehme, Lothar Matthaus and Karl-Heinz Riedle replying for Germany. But when Stuart Pearce missed and Olaf Thon scored it was left to Chris Waddle, who skied his effort over the crossbar and consigned England to a painful defeat.

European Championship semi-final, June 26 1996, Wembley – England 1 Germany 1 (after extra-time, Germany win 6-5 on penalties)

Now England manager Gareth Southgate's missed penalty cost England (PA Archive)

More penalty agony for England. Alan Shearer’s opener was cancelled out by Stefan Kuntz, while Gascoigne went close to a golden goal winner in extra-time. There was some redemption for Pearce and Gascoigne who both converted in the shootout, while Shearer, Platt and Teddy Sheringham were also on target. But when Southgate’s effort was saved by Andreas Kopke, Andreas Moller scored to send Germany through to the final.

World Cup qualifier, September 1 2001, Munich, Germany – Germany 1 England 5

Michael Owen helped England thrash Germany in Munich (PA Archive)

One of the highlights of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England reign and Michael Owen’s international career came in Munich but there were few signs of what was to come when Carsten Jancker gave Germany a sixth-minute lead. Owen drew England level before Steven Gerrard put them ahead on the stroke of half-time. Owen netted again shortly after the break and then completed his hat-trick before Emile Heskey got in on the act to complete the rout.

World Cup last 16, June 27 2010, Bloemfontain, South Africa – Germany 4 England 1

Wayne Rooney (left) and Steven Gerrard (centre) argue with the referee Jorge Larrionda (right) after Lampard's goal was ruled out (PA Archive)

A match that will be remembered for its controversy as Fabio Capello’s England were soundly beaten. Germany surged into a two-goal lead inside 32 minutes through Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski, before Matthew Upson’s header reduced the deficit. England finished the half strongly and Frank Lampard lobbed Manuel Neuer with the ball bouncing in off the bar. But the referee did not award the goal and Germany killed the game on the break, with Thomas Muller’s double sending them into the quarter-finals.

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