After an early exit in 2002, champions England arrived in 2006 with a point to prove. Under Sven-Göran Eriksson, they were ready to write the next chapter.
England showed enough quality to navigate the group stage, but their campaign ended in the knockout rounds before the latter stages. Their defence proved to be the backbone of the campaign, conceding just 2 goals in 5 outings. They went the entire tournament unbeaten, a testament to their resolve.
England emerged from the group stage unbeaten, showing resilience in a tough opening round. They edged past Ecuador in the Round of 16, and were eliminated by Portugal on penalties in the Quarter-finals. The agony of a penalty shootout defeat against Portugal brought a cruel end to a campaign that had promised so much more.
3won2drawn
6scored2conceded
Unbeaten throughout kept 4 clean sheets.
Steven Gerrard led England's attack with 2 goals at the 2006 World Cup. A specialist in decisive moments, with goals in the closing stages that changed the course of matches.
Conceded in only 1 of 5 matches
The tactical mind behind England's 2006 campaign. Unbeaten under Eriksson at the helm since the 2002 World Cup.
England's campaign was marked by inconsistent performances, with draws and narrow wins against stronger opponents. Sven-Göran Eriksson's tactics seemed to struggle as they struggled for consistency throughout their run in the tournament.
