On This Day – 13th June
England began their Euro 2004 campaign on this day sixteen years ago and they couldn’t have been given a tougher opening fixture.
The holders France were England’s first opponents in a group including Switzerland and Croatia. Those two had played out a goalless draw a few hours before so a win would be a great start for either side.
Things got off to a great start for England, with Frank Lampard heading in after 37 minutes. The Chelsea midfielder’s jumped up at the near post to head home from David Beckham’s free-kick out on the right wing.
David Beckham had a second half penalty saved by Fabien Barthez but England still held on to their lead until the 90th minute. Zinedine Zidane then decided that he would take matters into his own hands and single-handedly won the game for the French.
France won a free-kick about 25 yards out and just right of centre. Zidane whipped the kick high over the England wall, across David James in the England goal into the far corner. It completely deceived James who thought that the free-kick would go to his near post.
Two minutes later, Zidane netted again. Steven Gerrard hit a high backpass to David James but it fell well short. Thierry Henry raced through and the England goalkeeper tripped the Arsenal striker.
Zidane stepped up to take the resulting penalty. He placed the ball hard to the right and David James had already committed himself by diving to his left.
Both France and England qualified for the Quarter Final, with France topping the group. They would both get knocked out though, with France losing to eventual winners Greece and England losing to hosts Portugal.
The line-ups in Lisbon that night were:
France: Barthez, Gallas, Thuram, Silvestre (Sagnol 79), Lizarazu, Pires (Wiltord 76), Vieira, Makelele, Zidane, Trezeguet, Henry.
England: James, Gary Neville, King, Campbell, Ashley Cole, Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes (Hargreaves 76), Rooney (Heskey 76), Owen (Vassell 69).
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