Gareth Southgate's Euro 1996 Penalty Miss Defined a Nation's Heartbreak
- Gareth Southgate missed a penalty during the Euro 1996 semi-final against Germany.
- This incident led to Southgate becoming a meme and a national punchline for years.
- His redemption came in 2018, when he successfully guided England in a penalty shoot-out against Colombia.
In the Euro 1996 semi-final held at Wembley Stadium, Gareth Southgate missed a crucial penalty, contributing to England's defeat against Germany. This incident turned Southgate into a national figure of ridicule, emphasized by his appearance in a Pizza Hut advertisement, donning a paper bag over his head. Over the next two decades, England struggled with penalty shoot-outs, marked by a painful history of failures in various international tournaments. Redemption came for Southgate when he became the England manager and led his team in the 2018 World Cup, where they overcame a long-standing penalty frustration by beating Colombia. This moment not only represented personal vindication for Southgate, but it also marked a significant turnaround in England's penalty shoot-out record, bringing a sense of hope and achievement to English football after years of disappointment.