England’s ten lowest moments

England's qualification disaster against Croatia last night was not unique in the history of the national team, but it was the overwhelming choice by readers in a poll (right) asking what was England's worst moment in football.

The poll was inspired by Bill Edgar's worst ten moments below, but do you agree? Add your comments.

1. England 3, Hungary 6, 1953
England’s first home defeat by a non-British Isles side shook the country because Hungary’s system, using a deep-lying centre forward, was unfathomable to the English defence.

2. England 1, Poland 1, 1973
World champions seven years earlier on the same Wembley pitch, England failed to achieve the required draw despite being vastly superior to their opponents on the night.

3. Holland 2, England 0, 1993
This World Cup qualifying result effectively ensured England’s first failure to reach a tournament for a decade. Pips last night’s game for gloom because the World Cup is the ultimate event.

4. England 2, Croatia 3, 2007
After three successive tournament quarter-finals, England failed even to finish in the top two of their qualifying group despite having their hopes raised by Russia’s defeat in Israel four days earlier and by a two-goal comeback in this match.

5. United States 1, England 0, 1950
England finally deigned to take part in the World Cup and the widely held belief that they were the best on the planet was destroyed by this victory for the United State s, albeit a lucky one.

6. England 0, Denmark 1, 1983
A totally unexpected defeat at Wembley proved the mortal blow to England’s hopes of reaching the following year’s European championship.

7. Hungary 7, England 1, 1954
Hungary’s talent was no longer a secret after their 6-3 win at Wembley six months earlier but, even so, the size of this defeat was hard to take for England fans.

8. Holland 3, England 1, 1988
England had at least qualified for the European championship this time but Marco van Basten’s hat-trick meant they could not progress to the knock-out stages even with one group game left.

9.  England 1, Scotland 5, 1928
England were thrashed by their biggest rivals at Wembley, with Scotland’s more cultured approach leading to great soul-searching by the English.

10. Norway 2, England 1, 1981
Facing a Norway side that was far inferior to that country’s successors of the 1990s, England took the lead but succumbed to two goals just before half-time. It seemed they would miss the World Cup for a third successive time, but they subsequently scraped through.

We received over 1,000 votes on the poll by its close at noon on Friday.  You can still vote at Vizu.com.

Comments

[Chris higham]

I can't beleive you haven't posted THE worst game of all

England 2 West Germany 3
Leon,Mexico,1970

[Rodrigo Ludovico]

Hello,
I would you like say that I'm very depressed with elimination of England because I can't see the Portugal team to eliminate again in more one European Cup.
hasta luego suckers!!!!!!

[Kinkerri]

I've got to say that I wasn't expecting England's elimination. It surprised me because it seemed as if they had recovered after the match in Russia. Even after they've done it the more difficult which was to get the draw. I'm not going to say that I go to cry (because I'm not english), but yes I'll say that the championship certainly lost one of the big teams for the next edition. Better luck next time.

[Steve]

mexico 86 - hand of god...going out to blatent cheating is worst of all

maybe now you arrogant so-called fans will notice that croatia is not some unknown football nation, but a great team, and you didn't lost because mclaren is the worst manager in history of english football, but croatia was just better team, as were russia when they defeated you.
remember that 80 000 "fans" were silenced by 6000 croats....

[Deano]

just a quick word for Rodrigo - comments like yours should be reserved for the Sun. However, while I loathe sinking to such depths I must just sum up Euro 2004 - Portugal beaten by Greece not once but twice in PORTUGAL. Bad luck. And Greece have just topped their qualification group. Hope they draw Portugal next summer - more of the same please.

Oh by the way I voted for the 1973 Polish debacle. Watched it, cried, and have been crying ever since. It was the first nail in the coffin of English football. Only 23 years between the U.S. and Polish debacle - it's been another 34 since then. Hmmm . . . it says a lot.

[Dmitry]

YEAH!!! YEAH!!! YEAH!!! Croatia + Russia !! WE DID IT !!! EURO-2008 !!!!!!!!! SUPER SUPER SUPER !

[Monty]

Certainlt not the worst, it just joins a long list!!

[Jalil]

To DEANO, Nobody denies the strength of the Croatian team; Through the British media and fans channels there was always admiration and respect to that fact (I hope that you did not miss the comments during Match Of The Day Life that evening). The english fans are not arrogant, they are the most loyal in the world and let us be honest, the english players if led properly, can beat any team in the world not only Croatia or Russia. Mr. Macklaren has failed the test as an inspirational leader and motivator. Having great names in a team is not enough to win, you need to create a winning mentality. Look at the unimmaginable achievement Greece did few years ago and most recently what Iraq has achieved during the Asian Cup...I am proud to be fan of the English Team, I will always be, even if i am not english...this is pure passion and not arrogans...

[malcolm edington]

Why is it the whole of England saw this coming except the FA?

No-one wanted McClaren, his record was poor, a cup won in a tournament against the top teams who field B teams.

Then a tonking in the final against seville, the first half decent team they met in that competition...

...and then Hooray, that's worthy of the England managers job, Sven struggled towards the end and he had 18 trophies in 3 different leagues... and McClaren was supposed to better this?

The FA bottled it, penny pinched on a cheap manager after the debacle of Sven.

Even scotland obtained more points than us and they at least did have a tough group.

Bilic even told us... 'play 3-5-2 and you will get beat...' and 'we will attack in the first 15 minutes' and still we had absolutely no answer.

4-5-1 at home? That smacks of bunnies in headlights syndrome to me.

We invented the game, the England managers job, along with Italy, Brazil, Germany and Argentina should be the most coveted, wanted and amazing job to be given, and to give the job to a fop means that you end up looking like one come the end of qualifiers.

Root and branch review, beat and stick more like!

[martin meehan]

what about losing to the aussies

[Sebastian]

hows about England - Germany 6:7 in London, 1996 in the semi finals

[Stephen Mannering]

Wednesday night's performance was by far the worst, including the quarter final defeat to W. Germany in Mexico in 1970 and elimination by Poland in 1973.
Why?
Because in 70 and 73 we had players who strove until the last second to attack the opposition in an effort to win, players to whom representing their country was the pinnacle of their career, an honour they would give everything they had for. No, they weren't perfect, but you could always rely on them to give everything they had - and they had more talent, by and large saving their best for the big games - not so the majority of England Players now. You don't win European and World champoinships with players who are not world class not giving their all.
Simple as that.
Our players should be sent to watch Scotland and Northern Ireland play -then they might learn what playing for your country really means.

[Brian Witleworth]

You list norway - england in 1983,bitter loss maybe, but...
Norway had a really strong team that year, and I don't think England was aware of that when they came to Oslo.
Probably the same problem they're facing right now, like Croatia and Russia.

[simon]

I consider this wednesday to be the worst.I remember 2-3 v West Germany and 1-1 v Poland - I still can't believe it even now! But England played very well in both games against 2 superb teams. I know Croatia are underrated and played some decent football, but the players we had should have done the job. The most alarming thing is that England usually perform in the biggest games, even if the result ends in tears

[Louis Udeh]

The exite of the English in no doubt
remove flair of the championship, i am very very disapionted,
The best man for the job is Alan sherah. He can do the job vey well,
Jorgen Clinsman took Germany to world cup without precoaching job or experience.thanks

[Franjo - Zagreb]

I think that you (English) are living in denial and on old glory! today Redknap said that you are much better team in every aspect of the game and that no Croatians (only Modric) could play for english national team because you are many classes over us. hahahahah!!! first of all NO Croatian would EVER want to play for english national team and I hope you will admit to yourselves that that better team did infact win, TWICE!!

[Chaz]

Thats what england gets for leaving out Beckham all those times they messed up and they'll try and put it on something else. England isn't good anymore and never will be. Beckham should be the captain John Terry sucks he should have lead his team he let them fail now they have to live with it. Steven Mcclaren is the worst england coach ever!!!

[Chris]

England were very poor in the first half but they did recover to make it 2-2. England were 12 minutes away from qualification. I for one am gutted.

[Tom NYC]

Did you forget all your tragic experiences against Germany?

In 1970 you lost 2:3, after a 2:0 lead, while being the defending champion!

What happened to the semi-final defeat in 1990?

And how about the semi-final in 1996 on your own ground?

Not to mention you lost the last game at Wembley and also the first against... well, you guessed it: Germany.

Very amusing!
Keep on practising!
Greetings from good ol' Germany!

[gregory]

England's defeat this week shouldnt have surprised anybody. While, as mentioned below, the team certainly lacked passion and flair, I'm afraid they also lack another rather significant quality: skill. Unlike most other football powerhouses, all of whom have new young stars coming up, entire teams worth of young talent being develpoed and ready to shine, England is still fielding the same old mediocre players. Gerrard, Lampard, whatever. These arent the kind of players you build a team around.

The fact is, England does not have a single world class football champion on their team, let alone 6 or 7 of them. And most depressing of all, there are none in sight moving up from the ranks of youth.

This is not the stuff champions are made of, and I'm afraid the English might have to get used it. (If they havent already...)

[AMon]

Reference to Deano's comment:
I find Rodrigo's comment slightly idiotic but Deano's comment is none the better. I also loathe to sink to such depths but.. yes, Portugal lost against Greece 2004.. however, we reached Greece in the finals by knocking..you..out. Too bad we can't ask for more of that next year. Sorry about your crying fit while watching 1973's Poland vs. England.

Anyway, here to a restored England in the future and to an overall growth in European football. May Europe rule and set the standards in this english invention!

[evgen]

England's biggest problem is mediocre keepers. Robinson and Carson are no match to Pletikosa, let alone European stars like Cech or Buffon. 2 of 5 goals Croatians scored in both matches weigh on Robinson's and Carson's conscience.

[PIP]

How do you expect to have a pool of players to draw upon when every team in the Premiership has more foreign players than English born players ? To demonstrate my point, there's such a dearth of English talent allowed to surface that managers of the England team have had to resort to selecting Hargreaves even though he is a Canadian.

[Big Trav]

I think what makes this result the worst ever was the context it was set in.
The group England were in was by no means a tough one, particularly if you look at the groups the other home nations were in. Scotland's group had Italy, France and the Ukraine and they ended up with 24 pts, one more than England, but still did not qualify.
I think Croatia were the best performing team in the group but I thought the Russians were very poor qualifiers indeed. They were quite fortunate to beat England in Moscow, bottled it against Israel and only scraped past Andorra one nil to ensure qualification. Russia were so bad that even in defeat England nearly made it.
But that sums it up for England, a poor Russian team made it and they didn't!!

[Big Trav]

I think what makes this result the worst ever was the context it was set in.
The group England were in was by no means a tough one, particularly if you look at the groups the other home nations were in. Scotland's group had Italy, France and the Ukraine and they ended up with 24 pts, one more than England, but still did not qualify.
I think Croatia were the best performing team in the group but I thought the Russians were very poor qualifiers indeed. They were quite fortunate to beat England in Moscow, bottled it against Israel and only scraped past Andorra one nil to ensure qualification. Russia were so bad that even in defeat England nearly made it.
But that sums it up for England, a poor Russian team made it and they didn't!!

[sylla]

am so so sorry about england team ery sad

[Mike]

For a sheer rock bottom performance, I think the game against the Rep.of Ireland in the 1990 World Cup group stage took some beating.It ended in a 1-1 draw,and it was one of the worst games of football I have ever had to endure.It was everything that is wrong with our football;poor ball control,poor passing,too much emphasis on work rate and aggression.Players like Steve McMahon and Stuart Pearce running around like headless chickens to no effect.Should be used as a training video of how not to play football.

[Tonci]

ok first off I would just like to say that Mclaren isn't the one to be blamed. England has relied on the same mediocre pretty boys such as Beckham for too long without building a team based on youth. Defoe's supposed penalty deserved an oscar and how it was just hysterical to see the numerous freekicks awarded to England just outside the box (again hoping for a beckham-esque prayer) Finally croatia is a rising superpower. With players like Eduardo in Arsenal, Kranjcar being the top player in Portsmouth, Corluka in Man City and soon Modric in Chelsea our national team have become the centers of some of your club teams. Arrogance was there especially in the absence of anything croatia on Sky Sports along with the scapegoating towards the manager combined with a talented and motivated Croatian team was your downfall. The players have to be rejuvenated rather than the managerial hotseat.

[Dipo Bajomo]

That EPL is the most exciting league is attributable to the passion of the English spectators who week in week out come out to support their teams and of course the passion and technical sauvy of managers like Sir Alex and Jose Mourinho, if only this could have been transferred to the English squad the result would have been a happy one for them and the fans of the English game.

[Tom]

Croatia are a well organised, decent side with a good pacey attack.

England were missing their flair atacking midfielder and - lets not forget - their ENTIRE back 4, including their captain. AND some of their natural replacements.

We fielded inexperienced defenders and - McClaren's one big mistake - a very untried goalkeeper.

Also remember we dominated possession, (even when playing badly and with a sense of panic after the first 15 minutes).

Carsen was accoounable for the first and - undeniably - the third goals. The last goal beats him across his body from around 30 yards. Digital replays show he was not 'unsighted' - he saw the shot from when it left the boot. The ball finished a good 2 feet inside the right post - at hip height. No international goalkeeper should be beaten like that. Carsen is a good keeper, but by that stage he had stagefright and it messed with his reaction times.

Not excuses, but on a different night Carson scoops up an ineffectual speculative early shot from Croatia's first attack, England settle down and Croatia lose 1-0 or 2-1. McClaren is a genius, the team are legends and off we go to the competition. Which we lose in the second round ;)

[Pete]

England 0-0 Macedonia. At that moment Euro 2008 was over. Tom NYC - Germany are generally a better team than England so these aren't really "bad" games. Croatia will get what they deserve when they go out of the World Cup in the 1st round, along with Russia. Had Italy, say, needed a home draw to qualify for Euro 2008 they would have made sure they got it. Professionals, see.

[Alex]

Hi all, I'm from Russia. I believe that both England and Russia did not deserve EURO 2008. It was a matter of luck and misfortune. Anyway, take it easy Englishmen, your team will go better for the future competitions because no doubt it's strong.
Best regards from Russia