Thirty years of hurt: memories of England’s loss to Germany at Euro 96

D es Lynam ended the BBC’s coverage of that European Championship semi-final between England and Germany on Wednesday 26 June 1996 by telling viewers that they “ better remember where you were watching this tonight because in 30 years’ time somebody will probably ask you ”. So, 30 years on, the Guardian asked six writers if they indeed remember where, and how, they watched the game. Fair to say it was an emotional trip down memory lane … ‘I will never forget the trudge back to the tube’ I still have the match ticket and the pink underground ticket saying “Wembley Park”. We were on the side above the right corner at the end for Gazza’s miss in extra time and the penalties. I can still see and feel it all: the joy of Shearer’s goal and the (justified) fear it was too early; the equaliser; the agonising misses, including an often forgotten McManaman break ; the German “golden goal” that was ruled out at the other end for a foul that perhaps only the referee could see; thinking even after Southgate’s miss that it wasn’t over. But I will never forget the moment right at the end of the near-silent trudge back to the tube when I finally decided to speak. Grasping for a positive, I said: “At least no one will assume we’re just going to win the World Cup now,” and an angry man nearby, of sadly stereotypical England fan-appearance, responded as if I had besmirched Princess Diana. PC ‘He probably wanted to avoid a teenage riot’ I was 16 and – whisper it – not that into football. …