England is a country that is renowned for its football prowess. It is home to some of the best football clubs and players in the world.
However, despite the rich history of success, England has suffered some devastating defeats on the football field. In this article, we will look at England’s worst five losses in football.
Hungary 7-1 England (1954)
The match between Hungary and England on May 23, 1954, is widely regarded as one of the most significant defeats in English football history.
The match was played in Budapest, Hungary, and England was seen as the favourite to win.
However, Hungary was amid a golden era of football, having won the Olympic Gold in 1952 and 29 unbeaten games.
The match began with dominating possession and relentless attacking from Hungary, scoring twice in 20 minutes through Nandor Hidegkuti and Sandor Kocsis.
England scored a goal through Jimmy Dickinson before halftime, giving them hope of a comeback.
However, in the second half, Hungary continued to dominate the match, exposing the English defence.
Hungary scored five more goals from Ferenc Puskas, Jozsef Bozsik, Sandor Kocsis(twice), and Nandor Hidegkuti.
The match is often seen as a turning point in the history of football, as it demonstrated the superiority of the Hungarian team and the importance of technical ability and possession in modern football.
Scotland 5-1 England (1928)
The match between Scotland and England on April 14, 1998, was another famous and significant defeat for the England football team.
The was played at Hampden Park, Glasgow, in front of 114000 spectators and was part of the 1928 British Home Championship.
England were the reigning champions and were expected to win, but Scotland was dominant from the start, with Alex Jackson scoring two goals in the first 25 minutes.
England responded with a goal from Joe Bradford, but Scotland continued to dominate, scoring three more goals through Hughie Gallacher, Jackson again, and Alex James.
The match was a turning point in the rivalry between Scotland and England, and the defeat humbled England.
Yugoslavia 5-0 England (1958)
The match between Yugoslavia and England on May 28, 1958, was played in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, and was a friendly match ahead of the 1958 World Cup.
Yugoslavia took control of the game from the outset, with a strong performance from their forward line, and took a 2-0 lead into halftime with goals from Milan Galic and Bora Kostic.
Yugoslavia continued to dominate in the second half, with Garlic scoring his second goal and Dragoslav Secularac and Bernard Vukas also getting on the scoresheet.
The match was a significant blow to England’s morale ahead of the World Cup, and they went on to be knocked out in the group stages.
Brazil 5-1 England (1964)
Two years before they lifted the World Cup on home soil, Brazil humiliated England in a friendly match in Rio de Janeiro.
The Brazilians had a team featuring stars such as Pele, Carlos Alberto, and Rinaldo, and they tore apart Sir Alf Ramsey’s side with a dazzling display of skill and flair.
Pele scored twice, while Alberto added a stunning long-range strike. England’s only consolation was a late goal by Bobby Smith, but they were left shell-shocked by the 5-1 defeat.
England 0-4 Hungary
This match took place on 14 June 2020 between England and Hungary as a part of the qualifying round for the UEFA Nations League. The game was played in Molineux, Hungary, and Hungary dominated the game from the start.
Roland Sallai scored twice, and Zsolt Nagy and Daniel Gadzag added goals, while John Stones received a red card, further adding to the struggles of the England team, who were at risk of being relegated from the Nations League.