Gary Lineker was one of England's stars who agonizingly crashed out of the 1990 World Cup in Italy after suffering a 5-4 defeat to Germany on penalties. The Tottenham Hotspur legend scored the equalizer in normal time to make it 1-1 and take the game to extra time before scoring his spot kick in the shootout.
Sir Bobby Robson's Three Lions sprung a surprise at Italia 90' and captured the hearts of fans across the nation. From David Platt's last-gasp winner in a 1-0 extra-time win over Belgium to Paul Gascoigne's tears after defeat to the Germans, it was a tournament that the country reflects on fondly.
Lineker was at his clinical best, bagging four goals in seven games, including a brace in a 3-2 win (a.e.t.) against Cameroon in the quarter-finals. One of his teammates had caught the eye during the group stages, but that's as far as his involvement went.
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England Icon "Would've Been In Everybody's Best XI" - Lineker
Injuries disrupted his career
Gary Lineker
Injuries have been a constant nuisance for England in major international competitions. A young, in-form Wayne Rooney suffered a broken foot in the quarter-finals of Euro 2004, while Michael Owen ruptured his ACL at the start of the World Cup in 2006.
Bryan Robson suffered a similar fate at Italia 90', sustaining an Achilles problem in a 0-0 draw with the Netherlands in the group stages. The Manchester United legend was the Three Lions' captain and had been a standout performer in a 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland in the opener.
Unfortunately, this was nothing new for Robson, whose career was constantly blighted by injury struggles. He'd dealt with a shoulder problem that affected his performance in previous tournaments, such as the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
Lineker alluded to his former skipper's fitness troubles when describing how he'd fit into any best XI:
"Bryan Robson. He was another hero of mine. I was in awe of Robson, even when I played alongside him! Without his injuries, he would've been in everybody's best XI ever, because he could do everything: he could get up and down, he could defend, he could pass, he could score goals."
Robson was the ultimate leader who instilled winning mindsets into his teammates with his passion for the game. But he also possessed a versatile profile that saw him flourish both defensively and on the front foot, captaining Manchester United to three FA Cups and two Premier League titles during the eighties and nineties.
The iconic midfielder still enjoyed a phenomenal career, but it's fair to say that he was handed trials and tribulations on the injury front. He suffered a twice-broken leg and a fractured ankle, a persistent shoulder problem which he first dislocated in early 1986.
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Robson and Ferguson
Robson is one of several Manchester United heroes synonymous with club captaincy. Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Steve Bruce are others that come to mind but there was something truly special whenever the Englishman wore the armband and this earned him the nickname "Captain Marvel".
Sir Alex Ferguson arrived at Old Trafford in November 1986, shortly after his predecessor, Ron Atkinson, had appointed Robson as the Red Devils' skipper. While that decision proved to be excellent, it was under Ferguson that his leadership qualities grew tenfold.
Robson's former boss had no doubts when asked who his greatest United captain was (via The Sun):
"(Robson) was easily the best captain I had. I think over the period he was at United, he was the best player. The players loved him. They responded to him, and he was the longest-serving captain in my time anyway."
Robson made 241 appearances under Ferguson, scoring 36 goals and providing four assists. He was a crucial voice to have in the dressing room at the start of what turned out to be an unprecedented managerial reign draped in trophy success over 26 years:
"He’s the only captain I knew who could make a decision on the pitch. He didn’t need to look over to me. He would do that and that’s unusual. In fact it’s very unusual because he had the balls to do that.”
Bryan Robson's Career
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The English great was a member of United's 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup side during a 13-year spell at the club before joining Middlesbrough in 1994. He'd take his leadership qualities to the Riverside Stadium before calling time on his career in 1997 and trying out management at Boro, West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United.
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All stats courtesy ofTransfermarkt- correct as of 18/05/2025.