England National Football Team

The English national football team represents England in international football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football in England. Although most national teams worldwide represent an independent state, the four home nations which form the United Kingdom are each represented separately in international tournaments.

England is one of the more successful footballing teams, being one of only seven countries to ever win the FIFA World Cup, which they did in 1966 when they hosted the finals. They defeated West Germany 4-2 in extra time in the Final. England share with France the record of having one World Cup victory and this being achieved on home soil (the other winners have all won the trophy at least twice and at least once on foreign soil). Since then they have only reached the semi-finals once, losing to West Germany on penalties. Nevertheless, they remain a prominent team on the global stage, rarely dropping outside of the top ten rankings of both FIFA and Elo. England also reached the semi-finals of the UEFA European Championship in 1968 and 1996 (again played in England). They were the most successful of the Home Nations in the British Home Championship with 54 wins (including 20 shared wins) before the competition was suspended in 1984.

Traditionally, England's greatest rivals have been Scotland, who were their opponents in the first-ever international football match in 1870. Since regular fixtures against Scotland came to an end in the late 1980s, other rivalries have become more prominent. Matches with Argentina and Germany have produced particularly eventful encounters. England's home ground is Wembley Stadium in London.


Competitive record

FIFA World Cup record
1930 - Did Not Enter
1934 - Did Not Enter
1938 - Did Not Enter
1950 - Round 1
1954 - Quarter-finals
1958 - Round 1
1962 - Quarter-finals
1966 - Champions
1970 - Quarter-finals
1974 - Did not Qualify
1978 - Did not Qualify
1982 - Group Round 2
1986 - Quarter-Finals
1990 - Fourth Place
1994 - Did not Qualify
1998 - Round 2
2002 - Quarter-finals
2006 - Quarter-finals
2010 - Qualified

UEFA European Championship record
1960 - Did not Enter
1964 - Did not Qualify
1968 - Third Place
1972 - Did not Qualify
1976 - Did not Qualify
1980 - Round 1
1984 - Did not Qualify
1988 - Round 1
1992 - Round 1
1996 - Semi-finals
2000 - Round 1
2004 - Quarter-finals
2008 - Did not Qualify
2012 - Not Yet Qualified

Minor tournaments
1964 - Taça de Nações - Group Stage 3rd
1976 - U.S.A. Bicentennial Cup Tournament - Group Stage 2nd
1985 - Rous Cup - 1 Match 2nd
1985 - Ciudad de México Cup Tournament - Group Stage 3rd
1985 - Azteca 2000 Tournament - Group Stage 2nd
1986 - Rous Cup - Champions 1 Match 1st
1987 - Rous Cup - Group Stage 2nd
1988 - Rous Cup - Champions Group Stage 1st
1989 - Rous Cup - Champions Group Stage 1st
1991 - England Challenge Cup - Champions Group Stage 1st
1993 - U.S. Cup - Group Stage 4th
1995 - Umbro Cup - Group Stage 2nd
1997 - Tournoi de France - Champions Group Stage 1st
1998 - King Hassan II International Cup Tournament - Group Stage 2nd
2004 - FA Summer Tournament - Champions Group Stage 1st