1988 Finals
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Sweden 19

92

 
Background On 16 December 1988, Sweden were chosen to host Euro 1992, following a decision made by the UEFA Executive Committee. Spain, their only rivals, had already been chosen to host the EXPO 1992 in Seville and the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona.

The Draw

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4
       
       
       
       

 

The Build-Up

England sent to Sweden the weakest squad they had ever assembled for a major international tournament.  Injuries had robbed the squad of several top players--including those chiefly responsible for providing the team's creative impulses in midfield--and underscored the paucity in talent available to the national side.

 


Group One Table

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
Sweden 3 2 1 0 4 2 +2 5
Denmark 3 1 1 1 2 2 =0 3
France 3 0 2 1 2 3 -1 2
England 3 0 2 1 1 2 -1 2
 

10 June 1992 all times CEST

 8.15pm Sweden 1 France 1 [1-0]
Råsunda Fotbollstadion, Solna (29,860)
Eriksson
Papin

11 June 1992

8.15pm Denmark 0 England 0 [0-0]
Malmö Stadion, Malmö (26,385)
 
14 June 1992
5.15pm France 0 England 0 [0-0]
Malmö Stadion, Malmö (26,535)
 
8.15pm Sweden 1 Denmark 0 [0-0]
Råsunda Fotbollstadion, Solna (29,902)
Brolin
17 June 1992 both 8.15pm
France 1 Denmark 2 [0-1]
Malmö Stadion, Malmö (25,763)
Papin
Larsen, Elstrup
Sweden 2 England 1 [0-0]
Råsunda Fotbollstadion, Solna (30,126)
Eriksson, Brolin
Platt
ENGLAND ARE ELIMINATED

Group Two Table

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
Netherlands 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 5
Germany 3 1 1 1 4 4 =0 3
Scotland 3 1 0 2 3 3 =0 2
CIS 3 0 2 1 1 4 -3 2

Semi-Finals

21 June 1992 both 8.15pm
Sweden 2 Germany 3 [0-1]
Råsunda Fotbollstadion, Solna (28,827)
Brolin (pen), K.Andersson
Häßler, Riedle (2)
22 June 1992
Netherlands 2 Denmark 2 [1-2]
AET [2-2] & Penalties [4-5]
Nya Ullevi Stadion, Göteborg (37,450)
Bergkamp, Rijkaard
Larsen (2)
Penalty Shoot-out:- Koeman 1-0, Larsen 1-1, Van Basten saved 1-1, Povlsen 1-2, Bergkamp 2-2, Elstrup 2-3, Rijkaard 3-3, Vilfort 3-4, Witschge 4-4, Christofte 4-5

 

The 1992 Final

26 June 1992 8.15pm
Denmark 2 Germany 0 [1-0]
Nya Ullevi Stadion, Göteborg (37,800)
Jensen, Vilfort


Notes

With manager Graham Taylor, at his first major tournament, desperately shuffling players, positional assignments and team formations, England struggled to scoreless draws with latecomers and eventual champions Denmark and the much-fancied France before succumbing to Sweden as two second half goals erased an early lead.  In that last match, Taylor took off national hero Gary Lineker, making his 80th and final international appearance, with almost 30 minutes to go and the score still level, stripping him of his chance to equal Bobby Charlton's England goal record of 49 and, as it turned out, England of any chance they had of advancing.  
The next day the Sun carried the notorious headline which is almost always resurrected when Taylor's England tenure is mentioned--"Swedes 2, Turnips 1," and the following day the infamous picture of Taylor's head superimposed on a turnip.  It was the beginning of the end for Taylor, who never recovered, in part because the relentless press never allowed him to.
- PY

 

PY/CG