https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pEofK5RYUw
England 1-2 Iceland: Three Lions suffer the ultimate humiliation by falling to embarrassing defeat against tournament minnows before Roy Hodgson resigns after bitter end
- England captain Wayne Rooney opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Raheem Sterling was fouled
- Iceland cancelled out Rooney's effort just two minutes later when Ragnar Sigurdsson poked home from close range
- Kolbeinn Sigthorsson piled misery on the Three Lions, who have failed to win a knockout clash since 2006
- Roy Hodgson resigned from his role as England manager shortly after the full-time whistle in Nice
- Iceland will now face Euro 2016 hosts France at the quarter-final stage in Paris on Sunday afternoon
- DAILY MAIL
A lot of people in England have been trying to turn back time over the last few days — and Roy Hodgson managed to get it all the way back to Belo Horizonte in 1950.
Not since a distant World Cup, 66 years ago, have England suffered a humiliation as great as this. Beaten by Iceland — a nation with a population the size of Leicester, playing in their first international tournament. For Hodgson, this was the bitter end. His players were booed, individually and collectively, and there was none of the residue of goodwill felt at the end of the 2014 World Cup.
He will go now, as he should have then, the signs of progress that the FA demanded sadly absent in a display as confused and ineffectual as any England have delivered at a major tournament to date.
Beaten by the United States in 1950, England at least had mitigation. It was their first tournament, and in South America. These were unfamiliar circumstances.
England stars Joe Hart, Wayne Rooney, Gary Cahill and Dele Alli look saddened after the Three Lions fell to a shock defeat
In sheer contract, Iceland's players greet their supporters following their surprise 2-1 victory over the Three Lions
Underdogs Iceland celebrate their winning goal of the match after Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (centre) made it 2-1 in the 18th minute
England and Manchester United captain Rooney jumps for joy after opening the scoring from the penalty spot in the fourth minute
Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson dives the right way but he fails to keep out Rooney's low right-footed driven penalty
England were awarded a penalty when Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling was brought down by the Iceland custodian
Sterling goes down under an early challenge by Halldorsson to concede a penalty and hand the early initiative to the Three Lions
What are the excuses here? It was hot? We’re playing Iceland. It’s a young team? We’re playing Iceland. We had a lot of possession? We’re playing Iceland. We’ll be better next time? Iceland, Iceland, Iceland.
England’s opponents were organised and defended magnificently, but this is a limited team who were thrilled to be involved in a knock-out game at a debut tournament. All week they talked of their excitement at facing England — a team of players brought up on the Premier League. Yet there was no gulf in class on the night, no suggestion that England had the answers as they huffed and puffed their way through the second half.
Hodgson’s England, packed full of match-winners we were told, had 72 minutes to equalise and could not. Joe Hart made the best two saves after half-time. There is no way back for Hodgson now. England will spend the rest of the summer looking for a new manager — and a way forward from here.
It was hard to compute the feeling of shock inside this stadium when Slovakian referee Damir Skomina blew for half-time. Iceland jubilant in a way few can have imagined, England despairing and fearful. Any optimism was based on history and presumption, the inherent belief that there was no way England, this team that has been built up to be so full of promise and verve, could lose to Iceland, even on a bad day.
Yet this was a very bad day; a day gone bad beyond all expectation. England had the dream start, the early goal that it was felt would decide this match without doubt in their favour. Iceland would then have to come out of their shell, which is not their style, and attack, which is not their strength.
Bring it on. Ha ha. Two goals and 13 minutes later it transpired England’s defence are in no position to lay down that gauntlet to any opponent — even one built on resilience and cussedness as Iceland are.
Before this tournament, Hodgson scoffed when told England’s defence was weak. He pointed to a strong defensive record in a qualifying group that was not so much toothless as positively gummy; he flagged up a clean sheet against a Portugal team shorn of Cristiano Ronaldo and its 11th man before half-time in a friendly.
Here was the dreaded reality. An England team unable to hold a lead against Iceland for, what, two minutes. An England goalkeeper now at fault for two goals in four games in a tournament. Hart, it seems, is not as free of flakiness as his shampoo sponsors would have us believe.
Hodgson will have had a plan for this match and we can presume the first five minutes went to it. Daniel Sturridge cut inside from the right, where he is presently exiled, and hit a weak shot wide. A loosener, really. A statement of intent.
Iceland levelled the scoreline just two minutes after England's opener as Ragnar Sigurdsson poked home from close range to make it 1-1
Sigurdsson's equalising goal came from Cardiff City midfielder Aron Gunnarsson's long throw-in which evaded England's defence
Kari Arnason flicked the ball on from the initial Gunnarsson throw before the ball eventually fell at the feet of Sigurdsson to poke home
HOW LEE DIXON SLAMMED ENGLAND
England’s defending at the long throw that let Iceland back into the game was slammed by former England and Arsenal defender Lee Dixon.
The ITV pundit savaged the way Ragnar Sigurdsson was allowed to equalise. ‘I don’t know where to start,’ said Dixon. ‘We knew we were going to get throw-ins. They (Iceland) set up the same way every single time. So you’ve got to mark properly.
‘Their two target men, one of them is being marked by Smalling and Kane. The other one, who they mainly throw to, at the edge of the box, Arnason, is marked by Rooney. Why? How is that right? How is Rooney picking up? And Kyle Walker can look at this and hang his head in shame. The fact is you’ve got to go with runners.’
This was going to be how the game unfolded. England having a go, Iceland establishing banks of resistance. Just two minutes later, Sturridge played a ball to his former Liverpool team-mate Raheem Sterling, and England were away. Out came Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson — hero of the win over Austria that brought them here — and he clumsily took Sterling down.
It was a silly foul, one of a player unused to the nerves that an occasion such as this can bring. Sterling was heading away from goal, going nowhere. Still, it was a penalty and Wayne Rooney stepped up to take it. Low, to the left, it was his 53rd goal in an England shirt, and the one intended to settle the nerves. England did not last long enough to even consider their emotional state.
It was like watching Arsenal trying to defend against Stoke’s Rory Delap. That same confusion, the same frustration that good players were so totally flummoxed by such a simple tactic. Aron Gunnarsson delivers a throw-in as Delap once did, flat, fast, accurate. Like a decent cross. Yet England’s defenders deal with decent crosses all the time. What is it about this that so scrambles their minds?
Kari Arnason won the header, flicking it on for Ragnar Sigurdsson, who had completely lost his man Kyle Walker. He has been brilliant in this tournament going forward, Walker, but there have always been questions about his defensive smarts. Sigurdsson had space, a proper run at the ball and left Hart no chance from close range.
Nobody can say England were not warned. Hodgson had mentioned Gunnarsson’s throws as a principal line of attack in his press conference on Sunday, while Iceland joint coach Helmir Hallgrimsson had flagged up that his team were dangerous from set pieces. What did England’s defenders need? A five-minute warning? Written notice?
England were rocked, obviously, but the night was young, and there would be opportunity aplenty to put this right. Still, it took them another 10 minutes to have a crack at Iceland’s goal, when Dele Alli returned a clearance from outside the area. Soon after, Harry Kane held the ball up on the left before turning inside to hit a shot. And then the unthinkable happened.
It was a neat interchange of passes by Iceland around the edge of England’s area before Gylfi Sigurdsson threaded it through to Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. Yet there was little pressure on the ball and Iceland’s No 9 had the sight of goal to try his luck.
What followed was a small catastrophe for Hart. He got a hand to the ball, but not with the force to repel it, and it trickled away from him and over the line. Iceland’s players celebrated wildly, Hart smacked his forehead repeatedly, his team-mates looked haunted.
Again, it took them 10 minutes to regroup. Yet now there was a sense of panic in the play. Passes going astray, moves breaking down at crucial moments.
Kane met a Sturridge cross on the volley after 30 minutes, tipped over by Halldorsson — sheer instinct over-riding any nerves — and a deep free-kick by Kane was just too much for Alli at the far post, but it wasn’t a case of England dominating and Iceland meekly hanging on.
Ari Skulason had one go wide from 30 yards after 35 minutes and another sloppily defended set piece after 55 minutes ended with Ragnar Sigurdsson attempting an ambitious overhead kick which Hart kept out from seven yards. Had that gone in, it would have been all over.
England right back Kyle Walker lays on the Stade de Nice turf after Sigurdsson scored following poor marking by the Tottenham defender
The underdogs were celebrating 12 minutes after their leveller as Sigthorsson (centre) put his side in the lead for the first time
Sigthorsson (right) wheels away in celebration after his tame shot found a way past England and Manchester City shot stopper Hart
Hart looks back in hope that the ball does not land in his net while England's defenders watch on from inside the penalty box
(From left to right) Alli, Chris Smalling and Rooney look dejected after seeing their side go 2-1 down at the Stade de Nice
Hart looks extremely disappointed after his mistake allowed Iceland to take the lead in the 16th minute of the last 16 Euro 2016 clash
England national team boss Roy Hodgson looks worried on the touchline as England's substitutes keep a close eye on proceedings
Swansea playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson (right) beats Alli (centre) to the ball during the first half of the last 16 encounter in Nice
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere replaced Eric Dier at the half-time interval as Hodgson and his coaching staff pushed for an equaliser
Liverpool ace Daniel Sturridge talks tactics with Hodgson as the Three Lions try to get back into the game after conceding a second goal
Coleen Rooney (centre) nervously bites her nails as she watches her husband in action along with eldest son Kai (centre left)
An England supporter holds up a 'Vardy your shirt for a pint and Red Bull' as they cheer on the Three Lions from the Stade de Nice stands
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy was given half an hour to prove his worth to the England national team but failed to make a difference
The former Fleetwood Town striker went down under a challenge by Sigurdsson in the penalty area but the Iceland defender won the ball
Substitutes Vardy (left) and Wilshere (right) show their frustration after seeing their side crash out at the last 16 stage
Gunnarsson (front) leads the celebrations in front of the Iceland supporters as he dances alongside his international team-mates
England vice-captain Cahill wipes his face as he reacts to his side's embarrassing elimination from the European Championship
Roy Hodgson quits as England manager
after embarrassing Euro 2016 exit at the hands of minnows Iceland in last-16 tie
- England boss Roy Hodgson has resigned after his team's defeat to Iceland
- Hodgson's men were embarrassingly beaten 2-1 by the Euro 2016 minnows
- It left Hodgson unable to contemplate a future with the national side
- The 68-year-old resigned immediately after the final whistle in France
Roy Hodgson has resigned as England manager after his team were beaten 2-1 by Iceland to seal their humiliating exit from Euro 2016.
The embarrassing defeat to the tournament minnows was one of the lowest points in the nation's footballing history as goals from Ragnar Sigurdsson and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson meant it was a night of yet more abject failure for the dejected Three Lions.
It left Hodgson, who was England's highest-paid manager, earning £3.5million a year on his bumper FA contract, unable to continue as manager. Iceland manager Lars Lagerback, in contrast to Hodgson, is paid just £346,000 a year.
Roy Hodgson has announced his resignation with the England boss quitting after his team's Euro 2016 exit
The 68-year-old quit in the immediate aftermath of the post-match press conference after the Iceland defeat
Hodgson's team were humiliated 2-1 by Iceland on Monday night on an evening of abject failure in France
Hodgson, clearly dejected at the performance his team had put in, announced his resignation immediately after the final whistle.
The 68-year-old entered the post-match press conference and gave a short statement before exiting the media circus.
Ray Lewington and Gary Neville, Hodgson's assistants with England, will also leave their positions with immediate effect.
'I'm extremely disappointed, of course, about tonight's result and ultimately our exit from the competition,' Hodgson said.
'We haven't progressed as far as I thought we were capable of, and that's obviously not acceptable. I am actually proud of the work that my coaching staff and I have achieved in our time at the helm with England.'
Hodgson realises his time with England is all but over as the Three Lions are humiliated by minnows Iceland
Captain Wayne Rooney receives Hodgson's congratulations despite his team going down to a 2-1 defeat
Joe Hart and the rest of the England team reflect on the defeat which has ultimately cost Hodgson his job
Hodgson added: 'The transition from a squad whose average was 30 to now being the youngest in the tournament is both remarkable and exciting for the future of English football.
'I would have loved to stay on for another two years, however I am pragmatic and know that we are in the results business.
'My contract was always up after the Euros so now is the time for someone else to oversee the progress of this young, hungry and extremely talented group of players.
'They've been fantastic and they have done everything that has been asked of them.
England were truly awful against Iceland, a country with a total population equivalent to the city of Leicester
Hodgson's England career is now at an end after he failed to secure big tournament success once again
'When I arrived I was told that players didn't turn up to play for their country or that they pull out at the last minute. But I have not seen any of that.
'These players love to play for their country and their commitment has been unquestioned.
'Ray and Gary have asked me to speak on their behalf. They arrived with me as part of my coaching team and they'll leave with me.
'I'd like to thank them for their dedicated support and for the major part they've played in our team preparation.
'Finally I'd like to thank all the support staff, players, the FA and of course the fans.
'It's been a fantastic journey these four years and it's one I'll look back on or remember with pride.
'Finally I'd like to thank you, the media, for the support that you've given me over the four years.
'I am sorry it had to end this way with another exit from the tournament but these things happen.
'All I can do is wish everybody all the very best and hope that you will still be able to see an England team in a final of a major tournament fairly soon.
'We've been unable to deliver. Thank you very much.'
The Football Association insisted Hodgson had composed his resignation statement in the dressing room after the match, rather than having prepared his exit speech before the Iceland result.
But his quitting of the biggest job in English football means the FA must start again in the wake of yet more tournament failure.
A statement released by the FA following their team's disappointment read: 'Like the nation, we are disappointed to lose this evening and that our run in Euro 2016 has come to a premature end.
'We had high hopes of progressing through to the latter stages of the competition and accept that we have not met our own expectations or those of the country.
'We back Roy Hodgson’s decision to step down as England manager and will discuss the next steps imminently. For now, we congratulate Iceland for reaching the quarter final and wish them well against France at the weekend.
'Finally, our sincere thanks go to the travelling fans for their incredible support tonight and to everyone back home for getting behind the team.'
Hodgson's departure - alongside that of assistants Lewington and Neville - is the icing on the cake of yet another disastrous few weeks for the national side.
Failure to win their group at Euro 2016 saw England paired with Iceland in the last 16 but even that proved too much for captain Wayne Rooney and his team of abject disappointments.
Rooney had opened the scoring with an early penalty but Sigurdsson soon equalised after some shocking England defending from a throw.
Sigthorsson then put the smallest team in the tournament, a country with a population of the size of Leicester, ahead for an advantage they were to eventually hold on to.
England huffed and puffed as they tried to get back into the game but they never really looked like scoring in what was a woeful team performance.
Iceland looked the more organised side as England struggled to string five-yard passes together.
The result was a night of ignominy and when the dust settles, there will be serious questions to be answered for all of those involved.
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