For Roy Hodgson, it was an utterly dismal end to his four-year stint as England manager. Regardless of any prior events during his leadership, this era will unfortunately be etched in memory for the sheer humiliation of this defeat. It stands as one of the most infamous results in the long and storied history of the England national team.
How else can this moment be perceived when the anguish was inflicted by a nation whose population is comparable to Hodgson’s own hometown of Croydon, and a country with virtually no pedigree in major tournament football? Iceland’s performance was nothing short of heroic: courageous, disciplined, and exceptional. They rightfully earned their place as the fairytale story of Euro 2016. It’s almost surreal to recall that just four years prior, they were ranked as low as 133rd globally. However, this remarkable ascent does little to soften the blow for England, their departing manager, and a squad of players who dramatically underperformed despite Wayne Rooney’s early penalty advantage.
Iceland displayed remarkable bravery, tactical skill, and unity, and they might even fancy their chances against France in the Euro 2016 quarter-final. England, in stark contrast, completely lost their composure after their initial lead was neutralized. Hodgson’s resignation was inevitable; he understood that contract renewal was simply out of the question. As England seeks its next manager for the upcoming World Cup, Hodgson’s legacy will be defined by this result, a parallel to the infamous 1950 World Cup loss to the United States. The familiar post-mortem will commence once again in a nation that prides itself on its football heritage.
The game concluded in disarray, with Gary Cahill pushed forward as an auxiliary striker amidst angry chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” from the disillusioned England supporters. Hodgson’s staff announced his refusal to answer questions. Joe Hart offered a gesture of apology to the fans. Many players were prostrate on the pitch, some burying their faces in the grass. The inevitable questions arise again: what inhibits these players when they wear the England jersey? How could Harry Kane, the Premier League’s top scorer that season, perform so poorly? Kane, in particular, fueled the crowd’s discontent with misplaced passes and errant shots.
England undeniably possessed the talent to recover after a chaotic 15-minute period in the first half where Iceland – seemingly insignificant Iceland – scored twice to overturn the game. However, this was a night of disappointment for key players like Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, and especially Kane. Raheem Sterling earned the penalty that gave England the early advantage but offered little else to justify his inclusion in the starting lineup. Defensively, England’s capitulation must have been deeply concerning for Hodgson.
Iceland’s opening goal originated from a long throw-in by Aron Gunnarsson, precisely the type of set-piece play that Hodgson had emphasized in England’s training sessions. The second goal served as another stark reminder of the current England squad’s lack of commanding central defenders, a hallmark of past successful teams. It was also, once again, a personal setback for goalkeeper Joe Hart, whose errors were becoming increasingly frequent.
While Hart may sing the national anthem with more passion than his teammates, his performances in crucial moments have become a liability for his team. Hart’s error on Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s decisive goal for Iceland, while perhaps not as egregious as his mistake against Gareth Bale in the Wales match earlier in Euro 2016, was yet another save he should have made. Hart’s recurring lapses in concentration have become a worrying trend. No team can afford such defensive generosity and expect to progress.
All of this seemed improbable considering England’s promising start. Just three minutes into the game, Sturridge’s precise pass sent Sterling into the penalty area, where Iceland’s goalkeeper, Hannes Halldorsson, conceded a penalty. Rooney confidently dispatched the penalty, sending the ball low and hard to the goalkeeper’s right. At that moment, England fans might have been forgiven for anticipating a comfortable victory.
Instead, the equalizer arrived within a mere two minutes, almost comically, from Gunnarsson’s first long throw of the match. England, supposedly well-prepared for this tactic according to Hodgson, appeared utterly unprepared. An Icelandic defender flicked on the throw, and another ran in to score. Rooney was out-jumped by Kari Arnason for the initial header, and Kyle Walker was equally culpable for failing to track Ragnar Sigurdsson’s run into the six-yard box.
Iceland’s second goal followed in the 18th minute. In fairness to Hart, the blame was not solely his. Cahill and Smalling both failed to close down the space as Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, and Sigthorsson exchanged passes on the edge of the penalty area. Sigthorsson positioned himself between England’s center-backs, aimed his shot with his right foot, and Hart, diving to his left – mirroring his movement against Bale – deflected the ball into his own net.
England were visibly shaken and, by halftime, displayed signs of desperation. Rooney was seen wildly attempting a volley that lacked composure. Dele Alli resorted to diving in an attempt to win a penalty. Passes went astray, and despite creating some attacking opportunities, Iceland remained resolute, not simply retreating to defend their lead. They fought tirelessly to protect their advantage, and when chances arose to attack, this resilient and determined team did so with assurance.
One instance perfectly encapsulated England’s shortcomings midway through the second half. England were awarded a free-kick 40 yards from goal. Kane insisted on taking the shot from an improbable distance, sending his effort harmlessly wide and drawing further jeers from the supporters behind the goal.
By this point, Hodgson had introduced Jamie Vardy in place of Sterling. Jack Wilshere had already come on at halftime, replacing Eric Dier, and Marcus Rashford was brought on in the 85th minute. Remarkably, Rashford completed more dribbles – three – in his brief appearance than any other England player throughout the entire match. Hodgson had substituted Rooney when logic suggested removing a defender might have been more prudent. Ultimately, nothing worked, and England will forever be associated with this humiliating Euro 2016 exit.
Hodgson thanked the players and the media, describing his four-year tenure as a ‘fantastic journey.’ Guardian
