England are preparing to face Bulgaria in Sofia as they continue their bid to qualify for next summer’s European Championship.
The two nations have met on 11 previous occasions and boss Gareth Southgate will be keen to maintain the Three Lions’ unbeaten record against the Eastern Europeans when they renew acquaintances on Monday.
The 2019-20 season starts here for the #ThreeLions.— England (@England) September 2, 2019
Bulgaria 0 England 0, June 1962
England’s first game against Bulgaria was a World Cup group match in Chile, with Johnny Haynes captaining the team in what would be his penultimate international appearance.
England 1 Bulgaria 1, December 1968
Geoff Hurst scored England’s equaliser as the World Cup holders hosted Bulgaria at Wembley for the first time in an international friendly, Georgi Asparuhov having put the visitors ahead.
Bulgaria 0 England 1, June 1974
Frank Worthington scored the winning goal as caretaker manager Joe Mercer oversaw a friendly win at the Vasil Levski national stadium in Sofia.
Bulgaria 0 England 3, June 1979
Kevin Keegan, Dave Watson and Peter Barnes scored the goals as Ron Greenwood’s team were convincing winners in a European Championship qualifier.
England 2 Bulgaria 0, November 1979
The return fixture in European Championship qualification brings another victory for England courtesy of goals from Watson and a debutant called Glenn Hoddle.
England 1 Bulgaria 0, March 1996
Terry Venables’ side continued their preparations for Euro 96 with a win thanks to an early goal from Les Ferdinand at Wembley.
England 0 Bulgaria 0, October 1998
Hoddle is now the England manager and the Three Lions’ four-match winning streak against Bulgaria ends as a goalless stalemate in European Championship qualifying.
Bulgaria 1 England 1, June 1999
The return fixture in European Championship qualification saw England struggle again as Alan Shearer scored in another disappointing draw under Keegan, with Bulgaria having had Martin Petrov sent off before the hour.
England 4 Bulgaria 0, September 2010
Jermain Defoe scored a hat-trick as Fabio Capello’s side opened their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with their biggest victory against Bulgaria. Adam Johnson netted the other goal at Wembley.
Bulgaria 0 England 3, September 2011
Before the nations were drawn together in Group A, England’s most recent meeting with Bulgaria came eight years ago in Sofia. A Gary Cahill goal and two more from Wayne Rooney moved Capello’s men a step closer to Euro 2012 qualification.
England 4 Bulgaria 0, September 2019
Harry Kane hit a hat-trick as England made it three wins out of three in European Championship qualifying Group A with Raheem Sterling also on target at Wembley as Southgate’s men moved a step closer to qualification.
