With the replays of euro 96 on at the moment, it got me thinking about what other England team has captivated me and made me believe we could actually win the tournament.
I was 10 at the time of euro 96 and for me, the tournament was immense. We even had a blinding anthem that is still belted out 24 years later. For me, this was the only time that I truly believed we had a team great enough to win, gutted when we lost and Germany started singing it's coming home, I actually cried. Maybe that has ruined my optimism and made me not get too over hyped about any team since
So my question is, what England team do you think was great enough to win a tournament IN YOUR LIFETIME but didn't.

Despite losing in the qualifiers to Norway and Switzerland who were regarded as minnows back then, I really fancied our chances in 82. Probably only because we hadn’t played in finals since 1970 and I was so excited. Especially after we won our three first phase games. We actually ended up getting knocked out without losing a game having then drew our next phase games, both 0-0 and it wasn’t enough.Kevin Keegan’s lack of fitness and match sharpness cost us dear in the end when he missed a sitter which would’ve put us through and who knows after that?

Made in Bromley

2006 - we blew it in the quarters v Portugal. I always thought Erikkson got too much stick prior to that world cup, but he failed to get the best out of a squad which were one of the best three teams in the competition, I think we were probably better than Italy who won it, it was us Brazil and France, Germany and Spain were both rebuilding at the time but we had a great crop of players in their prime: Beckham, Rooney, Lampard, Gerard, A Cole, J Cole, Scholes, Terry, Ferdinand (not to mention the Neville brothers), easily our best squad since 1970 I would say, but we played without much fluency, Erikkson became too predictable and never addressed the fact that Lampard and Gerrard couldn't play together in midfield.

Actually it wouldn't have put us through because we had to beat Spain 2-0 whereas we drew 0-0.

The nostalgic way England in 96 is remembered intrigues me. We were poor against Switzerland, drawing 1-1, far from convincing against Scotland (I was there; I can vouch) and no great shakes against Spain. Magical, of course, against Netherlands.

Palace since 19 August 1972. Palace 1 (Tony Taylor) Liverpool 1 (Emlyn Hughes)

She didn't have to tell you that

We looked good on paper but on the whole performed rather poorly and looked technically and tactically deficient.