Bobby Moore lifting Jules Rimet and penalty heartache – England’s major finals

Platinum Jubilee – photos
(Image credit: PA)

England will contest their fifth major football final on Sunday.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the how England’s men’s and women’s teams fared on the previous four occasions.

1966 World Cup final: England 4 West Germany 2

Platinum Jubilee – milestones

Captain Bobby Moore, pictured with World Cup trophy, is held aloft by England team-mates in 1966 (PA)

Sir Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick powered Sir Alf Ramsey’s men to glory in England’s maiden major final on home soil at Wembley.

The two sides were locked at 2-2 and dragged into extra-time, until Hurst’s strike handed England the lead, in what still remain controversial circumstances.

Soviet Union linesman Tofiq Bahramov helped award the goal, insisting the whole ball had crossed all of the goalline after rebounding off the crossbar, but television footage remains inconclusive.

England went on and wrapped up the triumph, with Hurst lashing the ball into the top corner, met by the commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme’s immortalised narration: “Some people are on the pitch, they think it’s all over, it is now!”

1984 European Championship final: England 1 Sweden 1 aggregate score after two legs, Sweden won 4-3 on penalties

Follow in her Footsteps walk

Carol Thomas, right, was the first woman to captain England at the European Championships, in 1984 (James Speakman/PA)

England reached the final of the inaugural women’s European Championship, only to fall short in agonising fashion in a penalty shoot-out.

A two-legged affair saw the first clash take place in Gothenburg, where the hosts won 1-0 thanks to Pia Sundhage’s effort.

Linda Curl dragged England back into the reckoning in a 1-0 second-leg win at Luton’s Kenilworth Road.

Curl and Angela Gallimore missed from the spot however, as Sweden prevailed.

2009 European Championship final: England 2 Germany 6

Karen Carney's brace was not enough to earn England victory

Karen Carney’s brace was not enough to earn England victory (Richard Sellers/PA)

England’s women battled through to the final, edging out the Netherlands after extra-time in the semi-finals.

But the Helsinki showdown against Germany proved a step too far in the event.

The Germans hammered England 6-2, with Birgit Prinz and Inka Grings both scoring twice.

Karen Carney and Kelly Smith netted for England, but the Lionesses were overwhelmed and overpowered.

2020 European Championships final: Italy 1 England 1, Italy won 3-2 on penalties

Italy v England – UEFA Euro 2020 Final – Wembley Stadium

Bukayo Saka, pictured, cuts a dejected figure after missing a penalty in the Euro 2020 final (Mike Egerton/PA)

Gareth Southgate became the most successful England coach since Ramsey by steering the Three Lions to the Euros final, rearranged for 2021 due to the pandemic.

Luke Shaw’s early goal had England in dreamland, only for Leonardo Bonucci to equalise in the second half for an increasingly influential Italy.

The Azzurri then inched through the shoot-out, with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all missing penalties.