Englands worst ever performance at a tournement?

[Turkish]

It is in my living memory it is, i remember '86 world cup, staying up late to watch games which Kicked off at 12am. People will argue that in '88 and '92 we didn't win a game or get out of the group stages but look at the teams we had to play. '88 in our group, Ireland who were starting a decent period for them, the USSR and Holland, the two finalists. In '92 Denmark the eventual winners, France and then Sweden the hosts. Would this England team have faired any better? I think they'd have struggled to get a goal let alone a point in those groups, considering we struggled in a group which at this level of competition could not have asked to be eaiser. We then get spanked by the only relatively decent team we play. Considering the opposition and the fact that this is 'the golden generation' this is the worst performance by an England team in a tournment, ever. I'm just glad we dont have to play the Argies, imagine what Messi and co would do to our back four.

[saints_is_the_south]

In my life time probably yes. We played poorly at WC2006 and Euro 2000 was pretty dire too. The last time I think we actually played any sort of decent football would have to be WC2002 & Euro 2004.

[S-Clarke]

Quite easily our worst ever tournament, the fact that we suffered our biggest ever defeat in finals history says it all.

[Saint Keith]

88 in germany Euros was worse. we lost all 3 games, and were truelly awful

 

2 years later, with the same manager, but many different players, we were in the semi final of the world cup

[The9]

I'd say 1988 and 1992 were both worse than 2010, actual losing of matches to average and poor (Ireland) teams rather than drawing with them and then capitulating to a decent one.

 

1994 and 2008 weren't much of an effort either, arf.

 

FWIW England only won one game in 90 minutes in 1990 as well.

[The9]

Two foreign managers living off brilliant 5-1 away wins, qualfying and then falling to pieces with the same old errors and uncertainty over their team. It can't go on like that.

 

The alternative in 2008 and 1994 (and 1996 if I'm splitting hairs) being "the only Englishman available" failing to qualify for the tournament altogether.

 

I'm half expecting Dalek2003 to turn up on this thread, but then Hoddle only got to R2 as well.

 

Sven looks like a God for getting to the QFs and losing to the winners, relatively speaking.