England's six knockout wins at major tournaments since 1966

By Gerard Brand

Image: England's last win in the knockout stage of a major tournament came against Ecuador, 10 years ago

England go into their Euro 2016 last 16 clash with Iceland looking for only a seventh knockout win at major tournaments since 1966.

It's a record you'll check, check and check again before believing it's correct, but on Monday in Nice, England can add the scalp of Iceland to only those of Paraguay (1986), Belgium (1990), Cameroon (1990), Spain (1996), Denmark (2002) and Ecuador (2006).

FA chairman Greg Dyke threw his support behind current manager Roy Hodgson in the week, predicting England will do well in Euro 2016 and that the 68-year-old will get a new contract.

Image: Roy Hodgson could earn a new contract, says Greg Dyke

But the consensus is Hodgson will need to do something no England manager has done since 1990 to warrant that new deal; win two straight knockout games at a major tournament. 

In the new 24-team European Championship format, that would mean a first semi-final appearance since Euro 1996, when a penalty shoot-out win over Spain preceded a shoot-out defeat by Germany in the last four.

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In fact, that was their only European Championship victory in the knockout stage, with defeats by Yugoslavia (1968), Germany (1996 on pens), Portugal (2004 on pens) and Italy (2012 on pens).

They have fared only slightly better in the World Cup, beating Belgium (1990), Cameroon (1990), Denmark (2002) and Ecuador (2006).

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England's major tournament knockout wins since 1966

  • 3-0 v Paraguay, 1986 World Cup
  • 1-0 v Belgium AET, 1990 World Cup
  • 3-2 v Cameroon AET, 1990 World Cup
  • 0-0 v Spain (4-2 on pens), 1996 Euros
  • 3-0 v Denmark, 2002 World Cup
  • 1-0 v Ecuador, 2006 World Cup
Image: England lost to Italy in the quarter-final of Euro 2012 on penalties

The statistic may cause fans to look twice, but England captain Wayne Rooney is acutely aware of failings at the latter stages of competitions.

"You don't play for the achievement of getting to a quarter-final," he said earlier in the week. 

"In my time, playing for England in tournaments has been disappointing, because we haven't gone further in knockout stages.

Image: Stuart Pearce celebrates his successful penalty against Spain at Euro 96, England's last knockout win in the competition

"But I feel we have a chance of doing really well in this tournament. It's going to be tough but we are confident, we have a very good team."

Their overall record at European Championship finals reads played 27, won nine, drew nine, lost nine, while at the World Cup they have played 62, won 26, drew 20 and lost 16. 

So the record stands; 16 knockout games played at major tournaments, six wins and 10 defeats, six of which came from penalty shoot-outs.

If they make it seven wins against Iceland, France are up next. 

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