By Geoff Critchley, PA Sport
Last updated February 27 2006
Mexico 1970
Manager: Sir Alf Ramsey
Key man: Bobby Moore
Geoff Hurst's second-half goal saw England win their first match in Mexico, a 1-0 victory against Romania in Guadalajara. Next up for Ramsey's defending champions were favourites Brazil, with England's heroic captain Bobby Moore up against Pele in what was to prove a famous encounter. England competed gallantly with Gordon Banks making the 'greatest save of all time' to deny Pele's header. Jairzinho's 59th-minute goal ultimately proved the difference, though, as the South American side, also featuring the likes of Tostao, Gerson, Rivelino and Carlos Alberto emerged victorious.
A narrow victory over Czechoslovakia secured England's passage to the knock-out stages. Allan Clarke's second half penalty secured victory but England lacked a cutting edge, with Bobby Charlton substituted for the second successive match.
The quarter-final against old rivals Germany, England's victims in the 1966 final, which followed is still a vivid memory for fans of a certain age. England stormed into a 2-0 lead with Alan Mullery and Martin Peters scoring either side of half-time. But, without Banks who had been taken ill overnight, Ramsey's once-resilient side were devastated as stand-in keeper Peter Bonetti conceded two goals as the game wore on. Franz Beckenbauer pulled one back before Uwe Seeler's equaliser after 76 minutes. The momentum was firmly with the Germans and in extra-time, Gerd Muller avenged his country's defeat of four years previously to knock England out.
Germany 1974
England failed to qualify when they were notoriously denied by Poland goalkeeper Jan Tomaszewski. After a poor qualifying campaign - including a 2-0 defeat in Katowice - they needed to beat the Poles to take top spot in the group and steal a place at the finals.
Despite England's patchy form they were expected to get the required result but Tomaszewski, labelled 'a clown' by Brian Clough and highlighted as the Poles' weakest link, produced a goalkeeping masterclass to repeatedly deny England's advances, stifling the home side to eke out a 1-1 draw and top the group.
Argentina 1978
More misery followed over the next four years with England again missing out, though this time their failure was not quite as dramatically painful. A 4-1 victory in Finland saw England open their qualifying campaign in style but, despite some respectable results, it was eventually fruitless.
Defeat to Italy in Rome was not a wholly-unexpected result and, though England reversed that 2-0 defeat by the same scoreline at Wembley, the Azzurri's superior goal difference gave them the edge when the campaign ended with both teams on 15 points.
Scotland's qualification only added to the frustration of English football fans.
Spain 1982
Manager: Ron Greenwood
Key man: Bryan Robson
England began the 1980s in decidedly better shape and reached the 1982 competition under Ron Greenwood.
A resounding 3-1 victory over Michel Platini's France in the opening game boosted confidence further. Captain Bryan Robson notched the opener and, though the French equalised through Gerard Soler, Robson ground out a winner before Paul Mariner added a third seven minutes from time.
Czechoslovakia were unable to stop England's momentum in Bilbao as Greenwood's men secured another victory at the San Mames stadium. After a goalless first half, Trevor Francis broke the deadlock after the hour mark and a Josef Barmos own goal four minutes later extinguished the Czechs' hopes of a comeback.
After two victories, England ironically struggled past so-called whipping boys Kuwait as Francis provided the solitary goal in a 1-0 victory. And England's lack of cutting edge caught up with them in the next round, which was a second group stage. Dealt a tough group with Germany and hosts Spain, two goalless draws proved inadequate as the Germans went through. England were unbeaten, but out.
