Euro 96 saw ‘football come home’ as England hosted the European Championship, a summer of sport that saw the host nation ride a wave of optimism to reach the semi-finals.
Roared on by a partisan home crowed, the Three Lions produced some memorable moments including Paul Gascoigne’s brilliance against Scotland and a 4-1 dismantling of the Dutch at Wembley.
Alas, their run predictably ended in the last four on penalties to Germany, with the Germans crowned as champions after emerging triumphant against an exciting Czech Republic side, who won plenty of admirers on their way to the final.
The Czechs were competing in their first major tournament as an independent nation and impressed alongside fellow debutants Croatia, as a whole host of relative unknowns became household names.
As this summer’s European Championship prepares to get underway, we look back at some of the best players from previous editions.
Here are five of the best players from Euro 96.
Read – Euro 96: Remembering the England XI that suffered semi-final heartbreak against Germany
Read Also – Five lesser-known players who could become household names at Euro 2020