Roy Hodgson’s tenure as England manager concluded in the most humiliating fashion imaginable, an exit forever etched in the annals of national team history. This wasn’t just a defeat; it was a seismic shock, a 2-1 loss to Iceland at Euro 2016 that reverberated across the football world. The scale of the upset was immense, considering Iceland, a nation with a population comparable to Croydon, Hodgson’s hometown, and virtually no pedigree in major tournament football, delivered this crushing blow. Iceland’s performance was nothing short of heroic – brave, disciplined, and tactically astute. They instantly became the fairytale story of Euro 2016, a stark contrast to their humble beginnings as the 133rd ranked team in the world just four years prior. For England, however, this result was an unmitigated disaster, a profound embarrassment for the departing manager and a squad of players who drastically underperformed despite taking an early lead through Wayne Rooney’s penalty.
Iceland’s victory was built on courage, tactical intelligence, and remarkable team unity, leaving them with genuine aspirations for their quarter-final clash against France. England, conversely, completely unravelled after conceding the equalizer. Hodgson’s resignation was an immediate consequence, the inevitable outcome of a result that made his contract renewal unthinkable. England’s Euro 2016 campaign will now be remembered alongside the infamous 1950 World Cup defeat to the USA, triggering yet another period of soul-searching in a nation that considers itself a footballing giant.
The final minutes of the match were a scene of utter disarray. Gary Cahill, a defender by trade, was deployed as a makeshift forward in a desperate attempt to salvage the situation. The England supporters, their patience exhausted, voiced their disgust with chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt.” Hodgson’s media team swiftly announced his refusal to answer questions, an admission of defeat in itself. Joe Hart, the goalkeeper, offered a gesture of apology to the fans, but many players were left prostrate on the pitch, overwhelmed by the magnitude of their failure. The inquest into England’s perennial underachievement in major tournaments began immediately. How could a team featuring Harry Kane, the Premier League’s top scorer, perform so abjectly? Kane, in particular, became a focal point of fan frustration, his wayward passes and errant shots epitomizing England’s disjointed and ineffective play.
Iceland’s Kolbeinn Sigthorsson celebrates his decisive goal against England during their Euro 2016 match.
England undeniably possessed the talent to recover after a chaotic 15-minute spell in the first half where Iceland, underestimated and patronized by many, scored twice to overturn the early deficit. However, key players like Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, and especially Kane delivered disappointing performances. Raheem Sterling, who won the penalty that provided England’s initial advantage, offered little else to justify his inclusion in the starting lineup. Defensively, England’s collapse was alarming, a stark illustration of their vulnerability.
Iceland’s opening goal originated from a long throw-in by Aron Gunnarsson, a tactic that Hodgson himself had claimed England were well-prepared to defend against during training. The second goal further exposed the shortcomings of England’s central defense, lacking the commanding presence of past generations. It was also another calamitous moment for Joe Hart, whose errors were becoming an unwelcome pattern.
While Hart’s passionate rendition of the national anthem might be commendable, his primary responsibility, goalkeeping, was proving to be a significant liability for England.
Hart’s error in allowing Kolbeinn Sigthorsson’s shot to slip past him for Iceland’s second goal, while not as glaring as his mistake against Gareth Bale in the Wales game earlier in Euro 2016, was still a save he should have made comfortably. This recurring carelessness from Hart was becoming a critical weakness. No team can afford such defensive generosity at this level and expect to progress.
The early stages of the match had offered England fans a glimmer of hope. Just three minutes into the game, Sturridge’s clever pass released Sterling into the penalty area, where Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson conceded a penalty. Rooney calmly converted, sending the ball low and hard to the goalkeeper’s right. At this juncture, England supporters could have been forgiven for anticipating a comfortable victory in this Euro 2016 knockout fixture.
Instead, Iceland’s equalizer arrived swiftly, just two minutes later, in a moment of near farce. Despite Hodgson’s assurances that England were well-drilled to defend against long throws, Gunnarsson’s delivery into the box caused utter confusion. A flick-on from an Icelandic defender found its way to another, who applied the finishing touch. Rooney was outjumped by Kari Arnason for the initial header, and Kyle Walker was equally culpable, failing to track Ragnar Sigurdsson’s run into the six-yard box.
Iceland’s second goal followed in the 18th minute, and while Hart bore some responsibility, the entire defense was culpable. Cahill and Chris Smalling allowed Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, and Sigthorsson to exchange passes unchallenged on the edge of the penalty area. Sigthorsson then found space between the England center-backs, unleashed a right-footed shot, and Hart, diving to his left, could only deflect the ball into the net, echoing his mistake against Bale earlier in Euro 2016.
England were visibly shaken. By halftime, they appeared increasingly desperate. Rooney’s frustrated volley attempt, lacking composure, exemplified their mounting pressure. Dele Alli resorted to a blatant dive in a futile attempt to win a penalty. Passes went astray, and despite moments of attacking promise, Iceland remained resolute, defending their lead with unwavering determination while also seizing opportunities to counter-attack with confidence.
A moment midway through the second half perfectly encapsulated England’s struggles. Awarded a free-kick 40 yards from goal, Kane, inexplicably, opted to shoot directly, sending his ambitious effort harmlessly wide and drawing further jeers from the increasingly disillusioned England fans behind the goal.
In a bid to change the game’s trajectory, Hodgson introduced Jamie Vardy in place of Sterling. Jack Wilshere had already been brought on at halftime, replacing Eric Dier, and Marcus Rashford was given a late cameo in the 85th minute. Remarkably, Rashford completed more dribbles (three) in his brief appearance than any other England player throughout the entire match, highlighting the team’s overall lack of dynamism. Hodgson’s decision to substitute Rooney, rather than a defender, further fueled criticism of his tactical approach. Ultimately, none of the changes made a difference. England’s Euro 2016 campaign ended in ignominy, a defeat to Iceland that will forever haunt English football.
Hodgson thanked the players and the media, and called his four-year tenure a ‘fantastic journey’ Guardian
