{"id":199141,"date":"2024-07-12T15:11:13","date_gmt":"2024-07-12T15:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2024\/07\/12\/the-biggest-goals-in-england-history-ranked\/"},"modified":"2024-07-12T15:11:13","modified_gmt":"2024-07-12T15:11:13","slug":"the-biggest-goals-in-england-history-ranked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2024\/07\/12\/the-biggest-goals-in-england-history-ranked\/","title":{"rendered":"The biggest goals in England history \u2013 ranked \u2013"},"content":{"rendered":"

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England are into the final of Euro 2024 after a dramatic late goal decided the semi-final against the Netherlands. A huge goal in the history of the national team.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although England have typically been international football\u2019s great underachievers \u2013 before and after winning the World Cup in 1966 \u2013 the tide finally appears to be changing.<\/p>\n

For the men alone, it is successive European Championship finals after also finishing fourth at the World Cup in 2018. Euro 2024 is another step towards history because it is the first time the Three Lions will have contested a major tournament on foreign soil.<\/p>\n

Big goals don\u2019t always have to be great goals if the context is important. Equally, great goals can become big goals if they elicit a certain reaction from the fans, regardless of the setting.<\/p>\n

Read on as\u00a090min<\/em>\u00a0ranks the 20 biggest goals in the history of the England men\u2019s team\u2026<\/p>\n

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20.\u00a0Graeme Le Saux vs Brazil \u2013 Friendly (1995)<\/h2>\n
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\nhttps:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=hwZlEeCaKuQ%3Ffeature%3Doembed\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

There isn\u2019t anything particularly significant about the only goal of Graeme Le Saux\u2019s international career, other than the face it was a great strike against the reigning world champions at the time.<\/p>\n

Brazil were visitors to Wembley in 1995, a year after winning the World Cup, for the invitational \u2018Umbro Cup\u2019. Left-back Le Saux gave England the lead with a wonderful dipping volley from the edge of the box, although goals from Juninho, Ronaldo and Edmundo saw Brazil win 3-1 in the end.<\/p>\n

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19.\u00a0Bryan Robson vs France \u2013 1982 World Cup<\/h2>\n
\"Bryan<\/figure>\n

Bryan Robson latched onto a ball fired into the box \/ Getty Images\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

After failing to qualify in 1974 and 1978, England\u2019s first World Cup goal for 12 years came just 27 seconds into their opening game of the 1982 tournament. Future captain Bryan Robson, a \u00a31.5m signing for Manchester United less than a year earlier, got into the box for the improvised finish that was the fastest goal in World Cup history until 2002.<\/p>\n

England won 3-1, yet this was a French golden generation that was a painful penalty shootout away from making the final a few short weeks later and would then be crowned European champions in the summer of 1984.<\/p>\n

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18.\u00a0Wayne Rooney vs Croatia \u2013 Euro 2004<\/h2>\n
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\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f 18-year-old Wayne Rooney struck 2 past Croatia in a scintillating display #OTD<\/a> at EURO 2004 \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25#EURO2020<\/a> | @WayneRooney<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/T7VA2S6jZY<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 21, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Long before 16-year-old Lamine Yamal was tearing it up for Spain at Euro 2024, 18-year-old Wayne Rooney was carrying England at Euro 2004. His quarter-final injury is still a huge \u2018what if\u2019 moment for Three Lions fans.<\/p>\n

Rooney impressed against France in England\u2019s opener, scored twice against Switzerland on matchday two and then took Croatia apart on matchday three. His second goal of that 4-2 win epitomised everything the boy wonder was about back then, vision, composure and raw power wrapped into one, as he burst through on goal after a sublime one-two and finished.<\/p>\n

17. David Beckham vs Argentina \u2013 2002 World Cup<\/p>\n

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20 years ago today at the World Cup \ud83c\udfdf<\/p>\n

Redemption for David Beckham against Argentina \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f pic.twitter.com\/wIqlwMme1e<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 7, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This was the ultimate redemption moment for David Beckham following his red card against the same opposiiton at the World Cup four years earlier. He had nothing left to prove in one sense, having already completed his ascent to becoming one of the best players in the world, but it was still closure.<\/p>\n

It was a very soft penalty for a perceived foul on Michael Owen by Mauricio Pochettino and wasn\u2019t a particularly well struck attempt by Beckham \u2013 almost straight down the middle \u2013 but England won the game and Argentina ultimately exited the World Cup at the group stage.<\/p>\n

16. Luke Shaw vs Italy \u2013 Euro 2020<\/p>\n

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\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f The fastest-ever goal in a EURO final? \u26a1\ufe0f
Luke Shaw knows the feeling\u2026 \ud83d\ude0e@LukeShaw23<\/a> | @England<\/a> | #EURO2020<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3Kp3lqU0Wn<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 20, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

England\u2019s first goal in a senior international final in 55 years came from an unlikely source when left-back Luke Shaw scored in the second minute against Italy, popping up unexpectedly at the far-post to turn the ball in.<\/p>\n

It remains the fastest goal ever seen in a European Championship final. Sadly for England, however, Italy grabbed themselves an equaliser to take the game to extra-time and eventually won on penalties.<\/p>\n

15. Gary Lineker vs Germany \u2013 1990 World Cup<\/p>\n