“England qualified for the World Cup in perfect style, winning all eight games without conceding a goal,” writes Charlie Wilson. “How many teams have done this?”This isn’t the first time England have qualified for a World Cup without conceding a goal. We think England are the first men’s team from Europe to achieve this particular definition of World Cup perfection. Possibly the most spectacular performance came from Germany Women before the 1995 World Cup, a campaign that doubled up as qualification for Euro 95. Oddly, three of the four men’s teams went on to lose their first game at the World Cup proper.

Source: The Guardian November 19, 2025 17:32 UTC