SPAIN ’82: ENGLAND’S LOST CHANCE

LOOKING BACK

COLIN ALLAN RECALLS WHEN THE THREE LIONS’ UNBEATEN RUN COUNTED FOR NOTHING...

Oh no! England’s Kevin Keegan glances his header narrowly wide against Spain

HOW can a country play five games, winning three and drawing two (with no penalty-shoot outs), and be eliminated from the World Cup finals? Well, that’s what happened to England in 1982.
With no knock-out football until the semi-finals, the winners and runners-up of the six initial groups went into a second round, still played under a league system.
England had a tough second round draw...

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