England head to North America this summer with one objective: to follow in the footsteps of the class of 1966 and win the World Cup. The victory over West Germany remains the most iconic moment in English football history, with Bobby Moore hoisting the Jules Rimet trophy at Wembley. Since then, 14 tournaments have ended in failure, and the wait for a second star on the Three Lions' shirt has now reached 60 years.
The long pursuit has been characterised by controversial refereeing, penalty shootout disasters, and a squandered golden generation. Among the most painful moments is the 1986 quarter-final against Argentina at the Estadio Azteca. Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' goal, where he punched the ball past Peter Shilton, was followed by his 'Goal of the Century', a 50-yard dribble that doubled Argentina's lead. Gary Lineker pulled one back, but England were eliminated.
In 1990, England reached the semi-finals against West Germany. After a 1-1 draw, penalties decided the match. Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle missed their spot kicks, ending England's dream. The image of Paul Gascoigne crying after receiving a yellow card that would have ruled him out of the final remains etched in memory.
Another bitter moment came in 2010 against Germany in Bloemfontein. Trailing 2-0, Matthew Upson headed in to make it 2-1, and Frank Lampard then struck a shot that clearly crossed the line. But the goal was not given, and Germany went on to win 4-1. England's World Cup hopes were dashed once again.
