GOALThe Three Lions have been blessed with stars over the last 25 years, and though success has remained elusive, they've delivered unforgettable moments
England are the perennial underachievers of international football, and have been ever since their 1966 World Cup triumph under Sir Alf Ramsey. That remains the only piece of silverware in the Wembley trophy cabinet, and after the Three Lions' European Championship final defeat to Spain in July, a success-starved fanbase is guaranteed at least another two years of hurt.
It's hard not to look back on the last 25 years, in particular, with a real sense of what could, and probably should, have been. England were beaten finalists twice at the Euros under Gareth Southgate, and made it to the last four at the 2018 World Cup. When the late Sven Goran Eriksson was the helm between 2001 and 2006, the Three Lions reached the quarter-finals at three successive major tournaments, losing two on penalties.
In between, there was a lean period in which expectations dropped dramatically, with Steve McClaren, Fabio Capello and Roy Hodgson all proving ill-equipped for the demands of football's 'impossible job'. But in each of these three eras, England were able to call upon some of the best players in the world.
Very few of them could honestly say they performed to their maximum in all of the most important games. There were times when a lack of mental toughness was evident, or questionable tactics hindered their progress, but it wasn't all bad by any means. England's top performers of the century so far deserve recognition for making the country believe again, and GOAL is on hand to rank the top 25…
