When Was the Last Time England Won the Euros? Examining the Nation’s European Championship Drought

The echoes of Euro 2020 still resonate for England fans. That tournament, culminating in a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Italy at Wembley, felt like it was finally going to be the moment. Gareth Southgate’s team, carrying the hopes of a nation, came so close to ending decades of hurt, only to fall at the final hurdle. Fast forward to Euro 2024, and the narrative was agonizingly similar. After navigating a challenging tournament, England once again found themselves in the final, only to be defeated by Spain. This repeated near-miss raises a crucial question for English football supporters: when was the last time England won the Euros? In fact, the answer is stark – England has never won the European Championship.

England’s history in the Euros is a tapestry woven with threads of promise and disappointment. Despite being a major force in world football, European Championship glory has remained elusive. Euro 2020, with its dramatic run to the final, and Euro 2024, ending in another final defeat, are prominent chapters in this ongoing story of unfulfilled potential. Before these recent heartbreaks, there was Euro 1996, hosted on home soil, where England reached the semi-finals only to be agonizingly eliminated by Germany in another penalty shootout. These moments, etched in the memory of fans, underscore a recurring theme: England’s repeated inability to convert promising campaigns into European Championship titles.

Looking back at England’s overall European Championship record provides further context. While they have consistently qualified for the tournament since Euro 1988, with the notable exception of Euro 2008, their actual achievements on the pitch have been modest. Beyond the semi-final in 1996 and the two recent final appearances in 2020 and 2024, England’s journey in the Euros has largely been marked by group stage exits and quarter-final eliminations. In Euro 1968, they reached the semi-finals, showcasing early promise, but this was followed by periods of underperformance in the subsequent decades. The table below summarizes England’s performance in each European Championship they have participated in:

England’s qualification for Euro 2024 was relatively smooth, mirroring their general efficiency in qualifying campaigns. They topped their group, including victories against Italy, demonstrating their consistent ability to reach major tournaments. However, translating qualification success into tournament victories, particularly in the European Championship, remains the enduring challenge for England. The quest to finally answer “when was the last time England won the Euros?” with a date, rather than “never”, continues for the nation and its passionate footballing fanbase.