What a night it was. Ask me about my most cherished memories playing for England, and two moments leap to mind instantly: being named captain, and that unforgettable night we dismantled the Netherlands 4-1 at Wembley during Euro 96.
That dominant performance flashes back into my mind vividly as the Euro 2024 semi-final lineup took shape. I can almost feel myself back in that penalty area, watching Paul Gascoigne weave through the Dutch defense, setting up Teddy Sheringham. Arms raised, I was screaming for the pass, and then, pure elation as I hammered the ball into the top corner, sending players, staff, and fans into raptures. Dreamland.
To call it merely my best team performance in an England career spanning 1992 to 2000 feels like an understatement. In my lifetime, it stands out as the most complete and breathtaking England display I’ve ever witnessed. And that’s saying something.
To be honest, there aren’t many contenders for that title.
The 70s and 80s were barren years for the national team. The 1990 World Cup offered a glimmer of hope, culminating in that agonizing semi-final loss to Germany on penalties – a fate that repeated itself at Euro 96. We battled hard against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, only to be cruelly eliminated on penalties once more. The 5-1 victory over Germany in Munich in 2001 was sensational, but it was a World Cup qualifier, not a major tournament match. It’s hard to compare.
It’s really only since Gareth Southgate took the reins that England has consistently delivered in big tournament games. Think of the nerve-wracking shootout win against Colombia at the 2018 World Cup, the victories over Germany, Ukraine, and Denmark on our path to the Euro 2020 final, and the comfortable progress through Iran, Wales, and Senegal at the 2022 World Cup. Even recent tense wins against Slovakia and Switzerland show a newfound resilience.
But when it comes to sheer dominance and artistry in a single game, nothing in recent times rivals that Tuesday night, June 18, 1996. That evening, we embodied everything our manager Terry Venables believed we could be.
Alan Shearer celebrating his goal against the Netherlands, Euro 96
There’s a reason why, 28 years later, fans like me still talk about it with such passion. This isn’t a memory inflated by time; even as we walked off the Wembley pitch, 4-0 up with a significant chunk of the game remaining, we knew we had been part of something truly special.
It was one of those rare footballing occasions – particularly rare for England in major tournaments – where everything clicked perfectly.
Growing up, Dutch football held a certain mystique. Johan Cruyff and the “Total Football” philosophy of the 1970s teams were legendary. Then came the iconic side that conquered Euro 1988, boasting the likes of Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, and Marco van Basten at their peak.
By the mid-90s, a new wave of Dutch talent was emerging, largely from the famed Ajax academy. I remember being in Vienna as a guest of Umbro, witnessing Ajax dismantle a legendary AC Milan team in the 1995 Champions League final. That young Ajax side, featuring Edwin van der Sar, the De Boer twins, Michael Reiziger, Clarence Seedorf, Edgar Davids, Marc Overmars, and Patrick Kluivert, was breathtaking. Their pace, skill, and one-touch, two-touch passing were unlike anything we’d seen before.
When England was drawn in the same group as the Netherlands for Euro 96, many predicted we were battling for second place. England’s recent tournament history was underwhelming: eliminated in the group stage of Euro 92, failing to even qualify for the 1994 World Cup. As hosts of Euro 96, the two years of preparation hadn’t exactly set the world alight. As I’ve mentioned before, I personally endured a 12-game goal drought for England leading up to that tournament.
One thing I recall vividly is Terry Venables’ tactical flexibility in the build-up to Euro 96. He constantly emphasized using different systems and formations throughout the tournament. We might start in a 4-4-2, but he drilled us in switching to a back three, a midfield diamond, or even the “Christmas tree” 4-3-2-1 formation.
On paper, our lineup against the Dutch appeared to be a standard 4-4-2: David Seaman in goal; Gary Neville, Gareth Southgate, Tony Adams, and Stuart Pearce across the defense; Steve McManaman, Gazza, Paul Ince, and Darren Anderton in midfield; and Teddy Sheringham and myself up front.
England's Euro 96 Lineup against the Netherlands
However, it was far more dynamic than a flat 4-4-2. Venables’ tactical setup allowed for constant fluidity and movement. Gary Neville or Gareth Southgate would step into midfield, McManaman would push high on the right, Darren Anderton would drift inside, and Teddy Sheringham would intelligently alternate between playing alongside me and dropping into the space behind. It was a masterclass in tactical flexibility, all orchestrated by Terry Venables.
Instead of focusing solely on containing the star-studded Dutch team, Terry’s bold strategy was to challenge them at their own game. It was a courageous approach, especially considering the group dynamics. Back then, only the top two teams advanced to the knockout stages. A loss to the Netherlands that night could have meant elimination, a devastating prospect for a home tournament.
The pressure was immense.
I revisited the game a few years ago for a BBC documentary. It was the first time I had watched it in its entirety for a long time. It confirmed my memories: the Dutch were indeed as talented and quick in possession as I remembered.
But we drew first blood with a penalty, which I converted. Two moments stand out from that penalty incident. First, Paul Ince’s brilliant skill to draw the foul from Danny Blind – Incey was truly exceptional throughout that tournament.
That turn from Ince 👌
And the penalty never in doubt from Shearer 👊
Relive England v Netherlands from Euro 96 on today’s #BBCEuros Rewind.
📺 @BBCOne, @BBCiPlayer and online from 15:00 (BST). pic.twitter.com/mTkIh5TCpB
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 13, 2020
Second, as I stepped up to take the penalty, I remember seeing Edwin van der Sar in goal and thinking, “He looks enormous! I have to place this perfectly into the side-netting. If I don’t, and he guesses right, he’ll save it.”
Seeing the ball hit the back of the net was a huge relief. It was my third goal of the tournament, ending that frustrating drought, and my confidence soared. I could feel the belief surging through the entire team.
The second half was where the true magic unfolded. Teddy Sheringham doubled our lead with a header from a corner, setting the stage for a period of dominance and brilliance that every footballer dreams of.
My second goal, the third for England, is etched in my memory. I was yelling for the ball, although I half-expected Teddy to shoot himself given his excellent position. Instead, with incredible vision, he feigned a shot and laid it off to me. I just unleashed a powerful strike, bending it away from Van der Sar and into the top corner. It was one of the sweetest strikes of my career.
⏳⏪ The last time @England met the Netherlands in a major tournament…@alanshearer ⚽️🙋♂️#FlashbackFriday pic.twitter.com/buFetiieqy
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) May 31, 2019
And this moment highlights the contrasting styles between Teddy and me.
In our opening game against Switzerland, a similar opportunity arose where I could have passed to Teddy for a simple tap-in. But, knowing my hunger to score after the drought, I took the shot myself, thankfully finding the net. Teddy, in that moment against the Netherlands, might not have even seen or heard me despite my raised arms and shouts. But Teddy possessed an innate awareness of everyone’s position on the pitch. He was an incredibly intelligent and selfless player, and I was genuinely delighted when he scored his second goal, making it 4-0. Incredible.
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Shearer and Sheringham celebrating Shearer's goal against Netherlands in Euro 96
Terry substituted both of us shortly after, a decision I wasn’t thrilled about at the time. He was rightly thinking ahead to the knockout stages, wanting to keep us fresh. But as a striker on a hot streak, I was thinking, “Wait, I’m on a hat-trick! I want that Golden Boot!” However, on a night like that, personal ambitions had to take a backseat. It was undoubtedly the right decision for the team.
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Watching the final minutes from the bench, the atmosphere was electric. Having played for England for four years, I had never experienced anything like those few days. First, the emotional victory over Scotland on Saturday, and then this – it was another level. “Football’s coming home” resonated everywhere.
The celebratory mood continued in the dressing room and back at the hotel bar, where we enjoyed a few drinks and a singalong. We knew we had been part of something truly special that night.
Euro 96 Scoreboard: England 4 – Netherlands 1 at Wembley
Expectations were not high going into Euro 96, but after dismantling the Dutch 4-1, we started to believe, “We might actually have a real chance here.”
I remember the next day, venturing out for a haircut in Burnham. Stepping out of the taxi, I was met with a street party. People were still celebrating what we had achieved the night before. I had never witnessed anything like it. We felt like we were riding a wave of national euphoria. How far could it carry us?
It carried us past Spain in the quarter-finals – narrowly, on penalties – and all the way to the semi-finals against Germany, where we agonizingly lost again on penalties in extra time. We were agonizingly close to the final. We can dwell on the “what ifs”: Gazza’s outstretched leg just failing to connect with my cross for a potential Golden Goal winner, Gareth Southgate’s penalty save. So, so close.
But we fell short. That team reached one semi-final but never a final. Football can be decided by the smallest of margins, and for years, England seemed to fall on the wrong side, often through penalties or sheer bad luck.
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This current England team feels different. They consistently find themselves on the right side of those fine margins. While their performances in Euro 2024 haven’t always been fluid, they are incredibly effective at getting the job done. I’ve been critical at times, but there’s an undeniable admirable quality in their resilience and determination. Under Gareth Southgate, England has become a force in tournament football.
Wouldn’t it be incredible to see England produce a performance reminiscent of that Euro 96 night against the Dutch in Euro 2024? Imagine Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Bukayo Saka weaving their magic, Harry Kane banging in a couple of goals. That’s the dream scenario for fans, and surely for Gareth Southgate too.
England Team at Euro 2024 Semifinals
Realistically, I’m not sure we’ll see a repeat of that 4-1 scoreline. I anticipate a tighter, more cagey affair. Goals might be scarce. It could be another tense night.
Unless England’s performance levels take a significant leap, I might find myself expressing my frustrations again in the commentary box, as I have in recent weeks. England hasn’t played with the same free-flowing attacking football we saw in Euro 96, and it’s hard to see that changing dramatically in a high-stakes semi-final.
That’s what made Euro 96 so extraordinary. We knew we had talented players and strong characters, but I don’t think even we fully grasped how good we could be together, wearing the England shirt, until that unforgettable night at Wembley.
It was a performance so captivating that people still approach me to talk about it – about the brilliance of our play and the emotions it evoked. Sadly, we didn’t lift the trophy that summer.
Even if their Euro 2024 journey hasn’t mirrored the same exhilarating highs of Euro 96 just yet, I sincerely hope Gareth Southgate and his players can go one or two steps further and finally bring it home.
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(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
