England

England reached two consecutive European Championship finals and lost both. In 2021, at Wembley, they went down to Italy on penalties after a 1–1 draw. In 2024 they lost 2–1 to Spain. Harry Kane, the country's all-time leading goalscorer, played through both runs.

The team's history begins with a match that had no precedent. On 30 November 1872 England met Scotland at Hamilton Crescent in Partick, the first international recognised as official, because each side was picked independently. The opponent has since become the "Auld Enemy", and it is still the oldest fixture in international football. Germany and Argentina came later as rivals. England lost to West Germany's successors in the 1990 semi-final and again at Euro 1996, and Argentina beat them in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final, the match of the "Hand of God".

The 1966 World Cup is the reference point for everything else. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final at Wembley, and Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick. Bobby Moore lifted the trophy as captain. Gordon Banks, in goal that summer, is remembered for a save against Pelé. Moore won 108 caps, but Peter Shilton holds the record with 125, and Wayne Rooney's 53 goals stood as the national mark until Kane passed them.

Wembley holds 90,000 and has been the stage for most of these occasions, including the two lost finals of the current generation, one of them played at home.

The 1966 final remains England's only World Cup win, and the European Championship has never been theirs.