Six of the best: England's biggest victories in World Cup qualifiers
- Cameron Loftus
- 14 November 2021
Ahead of their clash with San Marino - the team ranked last in the FIFA rankings - we look at England’s biggest winning margins in World Cup qualifying matches...and Monday's hosts feature heavily.
In recent years England have taken no prisoners when it comes to racking up huge scorelines against Europe's lesser nations, so let's see which countries have been on the end of the Three Lions' biggest thumpings.
England 6-0 San Marino - February 17, 1993
Incredibly, England did not manage to qualify for the 1994 World Cup in the United States, even though they netted 26 goals in only 10 matches.
David Platt scored four goals as England ran up a 6-0 scoreline against their part-time opponents. Platt, who had been made captain for the first time, even had the chance to break an England record of scoring five times in one match, but he saw his 88th-minute penalty saved.
San Marino 1-7 England - November 17, 1993
A matter of months later and the teams faced off again in the reverse fixture. This match is certainly remembered more in the soccer world.
After only 8.3 seconds, San Marino shocked the world by taking the lead.
Davide Gualtieri, a computer salesman, reacted to a mistake from Stuart Pearce to score the opening goal. The minuscule nation had scored just two international goals in 18 matches before facing England.
England went into the match requiring a seven-goal winning margin and Poland to beat the Netherlands to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.
Four goals from striker Ian Wright, a brace from Paul Ince and one for Les Ferdinand put England out on top but they were unable to find another goal. Not that it mattered as Poland were unable to do them a favour on a night that will always be remembered for THAT goal by Gualtieri.
"You know, sometimes if I'm feeling a bit down, I'll play it again just to cheer myself up. It always works," Gualtieri said years later.
England 6-0 Andorra - June 10, 2009
The Three Lions registered one of their biggest qualifying wins against the team they beat 4-0 and 5-0 in the current qualifying campaign.
"Some of his passes were so good, they were some of the best I have ever seen," said John Terry about one of his team-mates... guess who?
England scored their first goal after only four minutes through Wayne Rooney, and he doubled up in the 39th minute, by which time Frank Lampard had also got his name on the scoresheet. The other scorers on the night were Jermain Defoe, who contributed two goals, and Peter Crouch.
Wayne Rooney vs Andorra
— England Goals (@ThreeLionsGoals) August 23, 2017
Wednesday 10 June 2009
World Cup 2010 Qualifier
England 6-0 Andorra pic.twitter.com/LjCB7BImrW
Turkey 0-8 England - November 14, 1984
Bryan Robson showed his class as England thrashed a sorry-looking Turkish outfit back in 1984. The then Manchester United player scored his first international hat-trick for his country as England put eight past Turkey.
Viv Anderson netted his first international goal and John Barnes and Tony Woodcock both bagged braces. Turkey's defence was far from impressive with the majority of England goals coming because of a lack of marking.
San Marino 0-8 England - March 22, 2013
An own goal from San Marino made it 1-0, quickly followed by a well deserved goal from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The mismatch continued. Next to score was Jermain Defoe with a tap-in before Ashley Young added to the tally by scoring a sensational long-range shot minutes later.
Captain Frank Lampard got in on the act to make it 5-0 at the interval. Substitute Daniel Sturridge, Rooney and Defoe again rounded off the scoring.
Luxembourg 0-9 England - October 19, 1960
The Three Lions would go on to progress to the quarter-final stage of the 1962 World Cup in Chile before being knocked out by reigning champions Brazil, losing 3-1.
