England
England are a UEFA national team and the 1966 World Cup winners, a tournament now 60 years past that remains the central reference point for every subsequent England campaign.
The Three Lions won on home soil on July 30, 1966, Geoff Hurst scoring three goals in the final against West Germany at Wembley, the second still debated. His shot struck the underside of the crossbar, bounced down, and the linesman, after consultation with the referee, gave the goal. West Germany equalised to make it 2-2 at full time, then Hurst scored his third in the final seconds, his shot fired high into the net while spectators were already on the pitch, prompting Kenneth Wolstenholme’s commentary: “They think it’s all over. It is now.” England won 4-2. It has been 58 years and counting.
The period between 2018 and 2024 produced the best sustained run of tournament performance England had managed since 1966. Gareth Southgate’s side reached the 2018 World Cup semi-final in Russia, losing to Croatia after a 1-0 lead. They reached Euro 2020’s final at Wembley, losing to Italy on penalties after Luke Shaw’s early goal had led for 56 minutes. They reached Euro 2024’s final in Germany, losing 2-1 to Spain. Three consecutive finals or semi-finals with 58 years of accumulated expectation sitting on each of them.
The current England squad is built around Jude Bellingham, whose Real Madrid performances have established him as one of the two or three best midfielders in world football by 2025. His late equaliser in the Euro 2024 round of 16 against Slovakia, a bicycle kick in the 95th minute, was the defining individual moment of the tournament before Spain’s quality told. Harry Kane’s goal-scoring record, surpassing Wayne Rooney’s 53 goals, makes him England’s most prolific international striker. Phil Foden at his best is the most creative player the country has produced in a generation.
Lee Carsley replaced Southgate as manager in 2024 and has looked to play a more proactive 4-3-3 with higher pressing and quicker combination play. The transition from Southgate’s cautious structure to a more expansive style is being tested at a tournament for the first time at 2026.
London is in the GMT/BST timezone (UTC+0, UTC+1 in summer). For fans in England, a 20:00 CDT kickoff translates to 01:00 or 02:00 BST, which has not stopped English fans from filling pubs for every match, regardless of the hour.