With Qatar 2022 fast approaching, HITC Football looks at what went wrong for England at the 2006 World Cup. The Three Lions were among the early favourites to win in Germany.
The 18th quadrennial Fifa tournament was a last chance for England’s Golden Generation to taste global glory. Brazil had ended the Three Lions’ dreams in the quarter-finals back in 2002. Portugal and penalties also spelt the end of their attempt to win the Euros in 2004.
England had an abundance of talent during the noughties with world-class players in each area of the team. But intense rivalries often created fractures within the squad as the likes of Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard fought at the club level.
Sven-Goran Eriksson still rues England’s wasted chance at the 2006 World Cup
Also having the likes of David Beckham, Michael Owen and Ashley Cole left manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and his staff confident England could achieve big things in Germany. Yet it all fell apart in the quarter-finals as Portugal repeated their penalties win from Euro 2004.
“I thought that we could win it or at least reach the final, I was quite sure of that,” Eriksson told UCFB in November 2020. “I think that was the thoughts of all the players and the staff, as well, because we couldn’t really see any better team than us.”
Adding: “Italy won it but they weren’t really a good, good team. Germany were ok, Spain weren’t the best at the time. So, I thought that we could win it and I still think we should have done better. We should have reached the final, at least. It was a golden opportunity.”
England arrived in Germany among the favourites to win the World Cup
England arrived in Germany with expectations from outside of the camp of the 2006 World Cup being one where the Three Lions could finally add to their title from 1966. But early on questions started to arise over whether or not the side was as good as it was thought to be.
Eriksson’s men left many confused after delivering a below-par run through Group B, even though they topped the table. A third-minute own goal by Carlos Gamarra gifted England a win in their opening match after turning Beckham’s free-kick into the net for the only goal.
England dominated Paraguay, but could not make their pressure count in the first half. Los Guaranies then found their game after the break and put the Three Lions on the back foot. Too many unnecessary errors from Eriksson’s men could have easily seen England beaten.
Group B would be no walk in a German park for the Three Lions
Trinidad and Tobago followed in game two, but again it was not easy for England. Eriksson needed late goals through Peter Crouch and Gerrard to edge the Caribbean island country.
Crouch finally found a way past Shaka Hislop as he headed home Beckham’s free-kick after spurning an array of chances. Gerrard then ensured England’s win in stoppage time as the Liverpool icon let rip a screamer from the edge of the area to cover the cracks of the game.
England secured their progression to the last 16 by beating Trinidad and Tobago. Yet a final Group B fixture with Sweden determined who topped the table. And once again it was not until stoppage time that the result was determined as the two sides played out a 2-2 draw.
Joe Cole stunned Sweden as the midfielder lobbed home from 35-yards out to break the deadlock in the 34th minute. Yet England only led until the 51st minute before Marcus Allback headed in from a corner. The scoreline remained level until the 85th minute, too.
Gerrard restored England’s lead when he met Cole’s cross five minutes from time. But the story was not over as Henrik Larsson found a way past Paul Robinson in stoppage time for a late equaliser. Yet the draw meant England advanced to face Ecuador in the Round of 16.
Failing to steamroll Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago and Sweden raised serious doubts over England’s chances of winning the World Cup. As did the Three Lions’ tendency to be worse in the second half of ties as they struggled to neutralise the relentless pressure they faced.
David Beckham made England history at the 2006 World Cup vs Ecuador
England made hard work of yet another tie at the 2006 World Cup when they met Ecuador in the last 16. The South Americans threatened to take an early lead at Stuttgart’s Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion when Carlos Tenorio’s shot deflected off Cole but it smacked the crossbar.
John Terry’s mistimed header when attempting a clearance allowed Tenorio his chance to break. Rooney was also cutting an isolated figure at the other end of the pitch after a shift to a 4-1-4-1 system. Neither Lampard nor Gerrard was able to give the striker much support.
In the end, England needed a trademark free-kick by Beckham to break the deadlock and ultimately settle the tie. The midfielder had almost missed the knockout stage match with an illness and was even later sick on the pitch as he continued to suffer from dehydration.
Yet a dead ball situation at 30-yards out saw Beckham find the back of the net. He finessed the ball over the wall for the only strike on the hour mark, and became the first – and still only – England player to score at three World Cup finals. Five players have hit goals at two.
Eriksson could have taken much more confidence from the result had Lampard not wasted two chances to score straight after Beckham’s free-kick. Occasional mishaps at the back by Terry and Ferdinand also meant the question marks over England’s ability remained intact.
Portugal sent England home after winning a quarter-final penalty shoot-out
The 2006 World Cup was proving to be more of a case of what went right for England than what went wrong, other than the end results, as the Three Lions’ Golden Generation kept making mistake after mistake without yet being punished. But Portugal put an end to that.
A quarter-final with the Selecao at the Arena AufSchalke, currently known as Veltins-Arena for sponsorship reasons, took a turn for the worse for England just after half-time as they lost Beckham to injury. He had sustained an ankle injury and came off for Aaron Lennon.
Beckham almost won England a penalty in his last act at the 2006 World Cup. But Horacio Elizondo had no time for the Three Lions’ appeals when the ball appeared to hit the hand of Nuno Valente. The Argentine referee then did England no favours by sending Rooney off.
Rooney saw red in the 62nd minute as his frustrations from a difficult day in Gelsenkirchen hit boiling point. In the 30C temperatures, the striker was having little success against the Selecao. And after tussling with Ricardo Carvalho, he appeared to aim a stamp at his groin.
Rooney’s stamp occurred right under Elizondo’s nose and goaded by the Portugal players, reached for his red card. Yet England rallied with 10 men to get the tie into extra time and ultimately to penalties. But both teams could have claimed victory during the normal 90.
The Three Lions could have avoided a defeat during regular time
Gary Neville and Lampard failed to deal with Luis Figo’s free-kick in the first half but Tiago Mendes slipped. Robinson had to do well to deny Tiago when the midfielder was left with a free header, too. Helder Postiga also blazed his shot over in second-half stoppage-time.
England, too, could have settled the game during regular time with Lampard enjoying lots of openings. But the midfielder horribly mistimed a volley and saw Ricardo turn away his fierce free-kick. Lennon could have turned in the rebound home, but would only scuff his effort.
Robinson continued to have his work cut out as England’s last-ditch defending denied the Selecao a winner in extra time. But the former Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper could not be a hero in the shoot-out as the Three Lions fell apart from the spot.
Ricardo saved Lampard, Gerrard and Jamie Carragher’s penalties to make World Cup finals history as the first goalkeeper with three shoot-out saves. His stops also meant Hugo Viana and Armando Petit missing did not cost Portugal as Postiga and Cristiano Ronaldo scored.
So, what went wrong for England at the 2006 World Cup in Germany?
So, what went wrong for England at the 2006 World Cup in Germany? Well, the signs were there for all to see from their very first Group B game against Paraguay. The Three Lions never managed to overcome their defensive fragility and a lack of creativity that summer.
Too often Eriksson was reliant on a moment of magic or even luck to see England secure a narrow win. A hot-headed moment from Rooney also put the Three Lions on the backfoot when they were already struggling against Portugal. While injuries played a key role, too.
Beckham’s early exit from the quarter-final tie removed England’s captain and top creator. Owen also only started the first two group stage games and played no part in the knockout stage matches. Had the Three Lions suffered fewer issues, more could have been possible.
Gareth Southgate will hope his England team do not repeat the failures of Eriksson’s 2006 squad at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar this November and December. The Three Lions start Group B against Iran on November 21 before the USA on the 25th and Wales on the 29th.
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