England's Journey to Winning the European Championships

England, one of the oldest footballing nations in the world, has a rich history in the sport. Despite this, the country has only managed to win one major international tournament, the 1966 World Cup. However, the Three Lions have come close to adding to their trophy cabinet on several occasions in the European Championships.

The 1996 Semi-Final Heartbreak

England's closest attempt to winning the European Championships came in the 1996 tournament, which they hosted. The team was managed by Terry Venables and had a talented squad that included the likes of Alan Shearer, David Platt, and Paul Gascoigne. They progressed to the semi-finals after winning their group and defeating Spain on penalties in the quarter-finals.

The Wembley crowd was in full voice as England faced Germany in the semi-finals. The game ended 1-1 after extra time, with Shearer scoring for England and Stefan Kuntz equalizing for Germany. The game went to penalties, and it was ultimately heartbreak for England as they lost 6-5, with Gareth Southgate missing the decisive spot-kick. England's hopes of winning on home soil were over, and they had to settle for a third-place play-off victory over the Netherlands.

The 2004 Quarter-Final Exit

England's next strong showing in the European Championships came eight years later in Portugal. Under the management of Sven-Goran Eriksson, they topped their group with seven points, including victories over Switzerland and Croatia.

In the quarter-finals, England faced the hosts and eventual champions Portugal. The game ended 2-2 after extra time, with Michael Owen and Frank Lampard scoring for England. However, Portugal triumphed 6-5 on penalties, and England's dream of winning the tournament was over once again.

The 2012 Quarter-Final Elimination

In the 2012 European Championships, England made it to the quarter-finals after finishing second in their group behind France. They faced Italy and once again were pushed all the way, with the game ending 0-0 after extra time. It was a tense affair, with both teams having chances to win the game, but it was Italy who ultimately prevailed 4-2 on penalties.

The 2020 Final Success

After years of near-misses, England finally managed to win their first major tournament since 1966 in the 2020 European Championships. The tournament, which was postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was held across 11 cities in Europe. England were one of the favorites going into the tournament and lived up to expectations.

Under the guidance of manager Gareth Southgate, England topped their group with seven points, defeating Croatia and the Czech Republic and drawing with Scotland. They then defeated Germany 2-0 in the round of 16 and Ukraine 4-0 in the quarter-finals.

In the semi-finals, England faced Denmark at Wembley Stadium. The game ended 1-1 after extra time, with Mikkel Damsgaard scoring for Denmark and Simon Kjaer scoring an own goal to equalize. England won the game 2-1 in extra time, with Harry Kane scoring the winner from the penalty spot.

England faced Italy in the final at Wembley Stadium, and it was a tense affair. The game ended 1-1 after extra time, with Luke Shaw scoring for England and Leonardo Bonucci equalizing for Italy. The game went to penalties, and it was England who triumphed 3-2, with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka scoring from the spot.

The Future for England

England's triumph in the 2020 European Championships has given the team a new level of confidence and belief. With a talented squad of young players, the future looks bright for England, and they will be hoping to build on their success in future tournaments.

Time will tell if England can continue their success and add to their trophy cabinet in the European Championships, but one thing is for sure, the whole of England will be behind them every step of the way.