Roy Hodgson’s four-year tenure as England manager concluded in the most dismal and disgraceful manner imaginable. No matter what occurred during his time in charge, it will unfortunately be defined by the utter humiliation of this defeat. This result against Iceland will forever be etched as one of the most embarrassing chapters in the history of the English national team.
To contextualize the magnitude of this upset, consider that Iceland’s population is roughly equivalent to Croydon, Hodgson’s own hometown. Furthermore, they arrived at Euro 2016 with virtually no pedigree in major tournament football. Yet, Iceland’s players were nothing short of heroic: displaying bravery, tactical discipline, and exceptional teamwork. They have undeniably become the fairytale story of Euro 2016. It’s almost surreal to recall that just four years prior, Iceland was languishing at 133rd in the FIFA world rankings. This stark contrast only amplifies the shame for England, their departing manager, and a squad of players who profoundly underperformed after Wayne Rooney’s early penalty offered a glimmer of hope.
Iceland’s performance was characterized by courage, skill, and remarkable unity, leading many to believe they could pose a threat to France in the quarter-finals. England, conversely, completely unraveled after conceding the equalizer. Hodgson’s resignation was inevitable; contract renewal was simply out of the question. As England seeks a new manager for the upcoming World Cup, Hodgson’s reign will be remembered for a defeat comparable to the infamous loss to the United States in the 1950 World Cup. The familiar post-mortem examination will commence once again in a nation that still perceives itself as a footballing superpower.
The match concluded in disarray, with Gary Cahill deployed as an auxiliary forward, the England supporters’ chorus of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” ringing in the stadium, and Hodgson’s staff announcing his refusal to answer questions post-match. Joe Hart offered a gesture of apology to the fans. Many players collapsed to their knees, some burying their faces in the pitch. The perennial questions about England’s underperformance in national colors resurfaced. How could Harry Kane, the Premier League’s top scorer the previous season, perform so abysmally? Kane, with his errant passes and wayward shots, became a focal point of the crowd’s frustration.
England undeniably possessed the talent to recover after a chaotic 15-minute spell in the first half where Iceland – diminutive, underestimated Iceland – scored twice to overturn the early deficit. However, this was a night of profound disappointment for Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, and particularly Kane. Raheem Sterling earned the penalty that gave England the initial lead but otherwise did little to justify his selection. Defensively, England’s capitulation must have been alarming for Hodgson.
Iceland’s opening goal stemmed from a long throw-in by Aron Gunnarsson, a tactic Hodgson had explicitly addressed in England’s training sessions. The second goal further highlighted the current England team’s lack of commanding central defenders, a stark contrast to teams of past tournaments. It was also another personal setback for goalkeeper Joe Hart, whose errors are becoming increasingly frequent and costly.
Hart’s mistake on Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s decisive goal was arguably not as egregious as his error against Gareth Bale in the Wales match, but it was undeniably 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 in a major tournament.
Iceland’s Kolbeinn Sigthorsson revels in his goal against England at Euro 2016.
The early stages of the match offered a different narrative. 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 calmly converted, placing the ball low and hard to the goalkeeper’s right. At that moment, England supporters might have been forgiven for anticipating a comfortable victory.
However, the equalizer arrived within a mere two minutes, almost comically so, from the first Gunnarsson long throw-in of the match. England, as Hodgson had assured, were prepared for this tactic. Yet, there was little evidence of effective防守. An Icelandic defender flicked on the throw, and another raced in to score. Rooney was out-jumped by Kari Arnason for the initial header, and Kyle Walker was equally culpable in failing to track Ragnar Sigurdsson’s run into the six-yard box.
Iceland’s second goal followed in the 18th minute. While Hart bears some responsibility, he was not solely to blame. Cahill and Chris Smalling allowed Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, and Sigthorsson to exchange passes on the edge of the box with minimal pressure. Sigthorsson then maneuvered between the England center-backs, aimed his shot, and Hart, diving to his left as he had against Bale, could only deflect the ball into the net.
England appeared rattled and increasingly desperate as halftime approached. Rooney resorted to rash volleys lacking composure. Dele Alli attempted to win a penalty with a dive. Passes went astray. While England occasionally threatened to penetrate Iceland’s defense, Iceland did not simply retreat into a defensive shell after taking the lead. They fought relentlessly to protect their advantage, and when opportunities arose, they attacked with confidence.
One instance encapsulated England’s shortcomings in the second half. England earned a free-kick 40 yards from goal, and Kane insisted on taking the shot from an improbable distance, sending his effort harmlessly wide and eliciting further jeers from the fans behind the goal.
By this point, Hodgson had introduced Jamie Vardy in place of Sterling. Jack Wilshere had already replaced Eric Dier at halftime, and Marcus Rashford was brought on in the 85th minute. Remarkably, Rashford completed more dribbles (three) in his brief cameo 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, none of these changes proved effective, and England’s Euro 2016 exit will be a night they, and their fans, will never forget.
Hodgson expressed his gratitude to the players and the media, describing his four-year spell as a ‘fantastic journey.’ However, for England supporters, the journey ended not with glory, but with an ignominious defeat that underscored deep-seated issues within the national team setup.
