Where does England's dramatic World Cup victory over Mexico rank alongside the greatest tournament wins in the nation's history?

Steven Toplis is joined by journalist and author Robert Taylor to reflect on an unforgettable night at the Azteca Stadium and ask if this England's greatest ever victory at a major tournament.

What makes a truly great England tournament match? Is it the quality of the football, the drama, the opposition, or the significance of the occasion? And has this extraordinary game in Mexico City already earned its place in England football folklore?

Listen now and let us know your rankings. Where does England 3-2 Mexico sit in your all-time list?

Robert's book 'Tears for England: Obsession, Hope and Heartbreak with the England Football Team' is available in all good bookshops and through the links below.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tears-England-Obsession-Heartbreak-Football/dp/1836804210

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/tears-for-england/robert-taylor/9781836804215

TG Jones: https://www.tgjonesonline.co.uk/product/robert-taylor/tears-for-england--obsession-hope-and-heartbreak-with-the-england-football-team/15876496

Stanchion Books: https://stanchionbooks.com/products/tears-for-england-obsession-hope-and-heartbreak-with-the-england-football-team

In our final part of our look back at England's 1986 World Cup campaign, we revisit one of the most controversial matches in the history of the England team, and in the tournament's history.

The 1986 quarter-final saw England face Argentina, led by the mercurial talent of Diego Maradona. The game at the Azteca Stadium has gone down in football folklore and we examine the 90 minutes here.

Steven Toplis is joined by writer and podcaster Michael Hamlen from @80s90sFootball as well as Asif Burhan, journalist and author of the new book 'The Other Side of the Hand of God' which dives into this game and England's wider exploits at Mexico '86.

We take a look at how England set themselves up to face Maradona in the searing heat of Mexico City. We revisit the way the diminutive genius single-handedly destroyed England's World Cup hopes with a moment of villany, followed by a moment of inspiration.

We also look at how England rallied thanks to John Barnes' cameo and talk about just how close the Three Lions came to salvaging the game in the dying stages.

You can find Michael by heading to @80s90sFootball on X and Bluesky.

Asif's book 'The Other Side of the Hand of God' is published by Pitch Publishing and available at all good book shops.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Side-Hand-God-Notorious/dp/1836805209

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-other-side-of-the-hand-of-god/asif-burhan/9781836805205

Magnificent Goal! continues its journey through England's 1986 World Cup campaign by reaching the finals themselves in Mexico.

Steven Toplis is joined by writer and podcaster Michael Hamlen from @80s90sFootball as well as Asif Burhan, journalist and author of the new book 'The Other Side of the Hand of God' which chronicles England's World Cup exploits of 40 years ago.

We take a look at the squad that Bobby Robson picked for the tournament and examine a few high-profile names who missed the cut. Then we go on to England's opening game against Portugal where things begin to unravel, before they get even worse in the next match against Morocco.

We go into the changes that Bobby Robson made to his side in response to the Three Lions' poor start to the competition and look at the games against Poland and Paraguay, where England first of all redeem themselves to reach the knockout stages, before booking a place in the quarter-finals with an emphatic victory - with Gary Lineker proving himself to be one of the world's most clinical marksmen.

You can find Michael by heading to @80s90sFootball on X and Bluesky.

Asif's book 'The Other Side of the Hand of God' is published by Pitch Publishing and available at all good book shops.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Side-Hand-God-Notorious/dp/1836805209

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-other-side-of-the-hand-of-god/asif-burhan/9781836805205

Magnificent Goal! continue its look back through England's qualification campaign for Mexico '86.

Steven Toplis is joined by writer and podcaster Michael Hamlen of @80s90sFootball fame and Asif Burhan, journalist and author of the new book 'The Other Side of the Hand of God'.

We pick up the story in the summer of 1985, as England embark on a tour of Mexico and the United States to play in the Ciudad de Mexico and Azteca 2000 triangular tournaments, with matches against Italy, the hosts and a memorable clash with West Germany.

We then move on to September 1985 when Romania come to Wembley and a 20-year-old by the name of Gheorghe Hagi catches the eye for the visitors. There's a look at the qualifier against Northern Ireland which had observers in Bucharest fuming.

We wrap up by revisiting England's early form in 1986 with three victories on the spin away from home, including an impressive win behind the Iron Curtain against the USSR. In these games another new face makes a big impression for Bobby Robson's men before the World Cup finals.

You can find Michael by heading to @80s90sFootball on X and Bluesky.

Asif's book 'The Other Side of the Hand of God' is published by Pitch Publishing and available at all good book shops.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Side-Hand-God-Notorious/dp/1836805209

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-other-side-of-the-hand-of-god/asif-burhan/9781836805205

2026 marks 40 years since the unforgettable 1986 World Cup in Mexico and with the 2026 edition taking place in Mexico alongside the United States and Canada, Magnificent Goal! relieves England's Mexico '86 campaign 4 decades on.

Steven Toplis is joined by writer and podcaster Michael Hamlen from @80s90sFootball on X as well as Asif Burhan, journalist and author of the brilliant new book 'The Other Side of the Hand of God' which looks back at England's escapades in South America 40 years ago.

We start by revisiting England's qualification campaign for the 1986 finals, which begins in the summer of 1984 in the wake of the Three Lions' failure to qualify for Euro '84 in France.

We look at how Bobby Robson started to re-shape his Three Lions side, with new faces emerging who would go on to play a starring role in Mexico and beyond. There's also a look at how Robson and the national side navigated arguably English football's darkest period off the pitch in May 1985.

You can find Michael by heading to @80s90sFootball on X and Bluesky.

Asif's book 'The Other Side of the Hand of God' is published by Pitch Publishing and available at all good book shops.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Side-Hand-God-Notorious/dp/1836805209

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-other-side-of-the-hand-of-god/asif-burhan/9781836805205

In this special episode of Magnificent Goal! Steven Toplis is joined by one of the most familiar faces in British sports broadcasting, Gary Newbon.

Across a remarkable career spanning over 50 years, Gary covered seven World Cups and numerous European Championships for ITV, enjoying a front-row seat to some of England's most memorable moments.

Gary shares his memories of covering the Three Lions at major tournaments, including what life was like around the England camp during football's biggest events.

He recalls the extraordinary experience of looking after Brian Clough on the night England were famously denied a place at the 1974 World Cup by Poland, and later acting as a chaperone for Sir Alf Ramsey during the tournament itself.

During his career with ITV and Sky Sports he interviewed and worked with England football royalty including the likes of Jimmy Greaves, Billy Wright, Peter Shilton and Geoff Hurst, and he shares some of those experiences here.

This is a fascinating conversation packed with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and unique memories from a lifetime in broadcasting.

With England facing New Zealand in a World Cup warm-up friendly on Saturday, host Steven Toplis is joined by Glen Isherwood from EnglandFootballOnline.com to look back at the last time the two nations met - twice in the space of just five days in 1991.

We look at how Graham Taylor's England side went on a lengthy tour that took in Australia, Malaysia and New Zealand, uncovering stories that go far beyond the football. We look at the camaraderie that developed between the England and New Zealand squads, the evenings out that saw David Platt driving the team van, and a spectacular missed chance from Geoff Thomas that deserves to be far better remembered.

Join us for a fascinating glimpse into a different era of international football, when long overseas tours, post-match socialising and back-to-back fixtures against the same opponents were all part of the England experience.

Follow Magnificent Goal! on X @MagnificentGoal

Magnificent Goal! is back for World Cup 2026 as we dive into Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the tournament. We assess the biggest selections, omissions and surprises before comparing Tuchel's choices with some of the most controversial and memorable England squad calls in Three Lions history; from Gazza's heartbreak in 1998 to Theo Walcott's surprise inclusion in 2006.

Steven Toplis is joined by Davey Naylor from EnglandStats.com and author and journalist Robert Taylor, who has recently published his new book 'Tears for England: Obsession, Hope and Heartbreak with the England Football Team.'

Make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss any of our World Cup 2026 specials in the weeks ahead.

In this episode of Magnificent Goal! we dive into one of the most thrilling friendlies in modern history; England v Argentina in November 2005.

The game in Geneva was another memorable chaper in the history of England-Argentina fixtures. Far from a casual exhibition, this match delivered drama, world-class skill and a finish that still lives vividly in England fans' memories.

Steven Toplis is joined by Davey Naylor from EnglandStats.com to relive events of 20 years ago.

Having qualified for the World Cup in 2006, this game was seen as a real test of England's ambition ahead of the following summer's tournament in Germany.

Delivering a rollercoaster of emotions, individual brilliance and a remarkable comeback, this episode dives deep into why the 2005 meeting between England and Argentina remains one of the most entertaining international matches of all time.

Following Jude Bellingham's heroics against Slovakia at Euro 2024 on Sunday, Magnificent Goal! looks back at some other occasions when England left it late to score a crucial goal.

Steven Toplis is joined by Davey Naylor from EnglandStats.com and writer and podcaster Michael Hamlen to examine those dramatic late strikes that changed the course of matches and, in some cases, football history. We also look at where Bellingham's goal ranks among the all-time great England moments.

Contact the show at magnificentgoalpodcast@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter/X by heading to @MagnificentGoal.

This week Magnificent Goal! continues its Euro 2024 themed shows with a look back at a forgotten meeting between England and one of their most famous foes.

The Three Lions were pitted in a tough group at Euro 2000, alongside Portugal, Romania and Germany and it's the meeting between England and Germany in Charleroi that we're taking a look at.

The match was by no means a classic but at the time represented a significant milestone for England as they finally overcame Germany in a tournament setting for the first time in over 30 years.

Steven Toplis is joined by Glen Isherwood from England Football Online and writer Ben Jones from The Left Sided Problem to look back over the game and the wider context around Kevin Keegan's reign and how England's Euro 2000 campaign panned out.

Contact the show at magnificentgoalpodcast@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter/X by heading to @MagnificentGoal.

This week Magnificent Goal! is doing something a bit different. To coincide with Euro 2024, we're picking an XI from players who have appeared for England at the European Championship.

Steven Toplis is joined by David Walker from the Football Cliches podcast and author John McNicoll to choose their sides from the 138 players who have played for the Three Lions in the Euros (not including 2024).

There are a few rules:

1. Each player can only be picked once
2. You have to pick a player from each of the European Championship tournaments England have featured in - 1968, 1980, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2012, 2016 and 2020.
3. You can have no more than two players from one year.

Let us know on Twitter/X who you think has won the draft. Head to @MagnificentGoal to get your votes in!

With Euro 2024 in full swing, Magnificent Goal! looks back at one of England's finest performances in the European Championship and of all time - their 4-1 dismantling of the Dutch 4-1 at Euro '96.

Led by Terry Venables, the Three Lions needed a point from their final group game against Holland to finish top of the group and guarantee a return to Wembley for the quarter-final against Spain. What followed was a night that no England fan will ever forget.

Steven Toplis is joined by writer and podcaster Michael Hamlen from @80s90sFootball on X (Twitter) as well as author Rob Fletcher to revisit a balmy evening in the summer of 1996, when it really did feel like football might be coming home.

In the final part of our look back over England's Euro 2004 campaign we pick things up with Sven's men looking to bounce back from their dramatic defeat to France as they face Switzerland and Croatia - with a certain 18-year-old stealing the show.

Then it's on to face the hosts in the quarter-finals on a night packed with drama, emotion, injustice and - yet again - penalties.

Steven Toplis, Davey Naylor and James Dixon take a look at where things went wrong for the Golden Generation in Portugal and why to this day the tournament is still regarded as one of England's great what-ifs.

You can follow the show on X/Twiiter by going to @MagnificentGoal or email us at magnificentgoalpodcast@gmail.com.

Magnificent Goal! continues it's journey through England's Euro 2004 campaign by reaching the finals themselves in Portugal.

Steven Toplis, Davey Naylor and James Dixon look back over the squad that Sven would take to the finals and revisit the dramatic opening group game against France, where it was all going so well until implosion and the genius of Zinedine Zidane kicked in.

Magnificent Goal! continues its look at England's qualification campaign for Euro 2004.

Steven Toplis is joined by Davey Naylor from EnglandStats.com and author and podcaster James Dixon as Sven's England navigate a tricky tie away to Liechtenstein and overcome the off-field fallout of Rio Ferdinand's missed drug test, before going into their final qualifier in Turkey with qualification still on the line.

You can follow the show on X/Twitter by going to @MagnificentGoal or email us at magnificentgoalpodcast@gmail.com.

Euro 2024 is just around the corner, so Magnificent Goal! is taking a trip back 20 years to revisit England's Euro 2004 campaign in Portugal.

Steven Toplis is joined by Davey Naylor from EnglandStats.com and author and podcaster James Dixon to look back on a tournament that to this day remains one of the Three Lions' great missed opportunities.

Before we get to the tournament itself we have a look back through England's qualification campaign, which proved to be an eventful one.

We talk about Sven taking charge of his first full qualification programme as England boss, the emergence of a 17-year-old wonderkid and conduct a reassessment of David Beckham's penalty-taking technique.

You can follow the show on X/Twiiter by going to @MagnificentGoal or email us at magnificentgoalpodcast@gmail.com.

Magnificent Goal! continues its tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton by looking at the latter period of his England career, from 1966 to 1970.

Steven Toplis is joined by Glen Isherwood from England Football Online to chat about how Charlton's Three Lions career continued after glory in '66, including falling just short at Euro '68, winning his 100th cap in 1970, his involvement in the infamous Bogota Bracelet incident before the 1970 World Cup and how his illustrious Three Lions career came to an end in Mexico.

Magnificent Goal! pays tribute to one of English football's true greats by looking back over the career of Sir Bobby Charlton.

In a 12-year career for the Three Lions Charlton achieved the lot; he scored goals, broke records and won the greatest prize football has to offer.

Steven Toplis is joined by Glen Isherwood from England Football Online to look back over Sir Bobby's England years. In part one, they look at how a young lad from the North East overcame tragedy to break into the England side, how he established himself as one of the key men in the team and reflect on that glorious day in 1966 when Bobby - alongside older brother Jack - played his role in England's World Cup triumph.

There have been 15 England managers since the position was first created in 1946 and it's a job that brings with it pressure, expectation and a great deal of public interest.

In this episode of Magnificent Goal!, Steven Toplis is joined by the returning Glen Isherwood from England Football Online and Davey Naylor from EnglandStats.com to pick out five of the most memorable England manager debuts, from Sir Walter Winterbottom in 1946 up to the modern era.

Contact the show at magnificentgoalpodcast@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @MagnificentGoal.