Football - Paul Gascoigne penalty shootout Italy 1990

Postcard

 

• Picture / Image:  Paul Gascoigne in tears after England lose to West Germany 4-3 in the semi-final shoot-out, Italy 1990. Photo: David Cannon (Getty Images)
• Publisher:  The Guardian newspaper, c.2004
• Postally used:  no
• Stamp:  n/a
• Postmark(s): n/a
• Sent to:  n/a
• Notes & Key words:  slight wear. 

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information:

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Paul John Gascoigne (born 27 May 1967 in Dunston, Tyne and Wear^[1]), commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional football player who also had spells as a manager and coach.

Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton. He was capped 57 times for the England national football team.

Gascoigne was involved in many off-field incidents, and is believed never to have fulfilled his potential as a player.^[2][3] Since his career finished he has suffered from alcoholism, mental illness and personal legal problems.

International Career.

Gascoigne was first called up to the full England squad by Bobby Robson for a friendly against Denmark, in September 1988. He scored his first goal for England in a World Cup Qualifier against Albania. The following match saw him make his first start and he played in most of matches in the run in to the 1990 World Cup with England finishing second in their group. He secured his place in the World Cup squad in a 4-2 win against Czechoslovakia when he scored one goal and had a hand in the other three.

He played in all three of the group games at World Cup held in Italy in 1990 as England topped their group, providing the assist for Mark Wright's winner against Egypt. In the first knockout game against Belgium he notched another assist. With the score at 0-0 towards the end of extra time. Gascoigne got the ball in the middle of the pitch and attacked, winning a free kick. He chipped the ball into the penalty area and David Platt volleyed the ball into net to send England into the quarter-finals where they played Cameroon. Gascoigne was at the centre of the action again when he gave away a penalty which Cameroon scored from. England were 2-1 down in the last ten minutes of the match. In extra time he found Gary Lineker with a through-ball from which Lineker won, and subsequently scored, a penalty which proved to be the winning goal.

On 4 July 1990 England played West Germany in the World Cup semi-final in Turin. After going 1-0 down early in the second half, Gascoigne's Spurs team-mate Gary Lineker equalised for England with ten minutes remaining to force extra time. Gascoigne, having already received a yellow card during England's 1-0 victory over Belgium in the second round, showed his tenacity again as he fouled Thomas Berthold^[1] and was booked, which meant that he would be suspended for the World Cup Final if England won the match. Television showed that he had tears in his eyes following the yellow card.^[12] The match culminated in a penalty shoot-out with Gascoigne originally intended to take the third kick, which was scored by Platt, but the Germans eventually won and England failed to reach the final. He was named in the tournament All-Star team for his performances and returned to England to a frenzy that became known as Gazzamania. Five years later, a TV advert for Walkers Crisps (also featuring Gary Lineker) referenced to Gascoigne's tearful appearance in the semi-final. ^[13]

By the time of his serious injury in the 1991 FA Cup Final, he had earned twenty England caps. After his recovery he was usually picked by Graham Taylor for England matches until the broken leg sustained at Lazio ruled him out for a whole year. He became a key part of Terry Venables' team in the run-in to Euro '96. In the first game against Switzerland he was substituted but scored in the second game against Scotland. A minute after David Seaman had saved a penalty, Gascoigne received the ball from Darren Anderton on the left outside the Scotland penalty area. He moved as if to play the ball down the outside, but flicked the ball over Colin Hendry with his left foot and changed direction. Hendry was completely wrongfooted and, as the ball dropped, Gascoigne volleyed it with his right foot past Andy Goram. The goal was followed by the "Dentist's chair" celebration referring to an incident before the Euro 1996, where England team players were photographed on a drunken night with Gascoigne and Teddy Sheringham shown drinking in a dentist's chair. After the goal Gascoigne lay on the ground as if he were sitting in the dentist's chair, and teammates sprayed water from bottles into his open mouth.^[14]

In the third group game against the Netherlands Gascoigne contributed to a 4-1 victory, providing the corner which led to the second goal and crafting the third goal with a mazy run into the Dutch penalty area. After beating Spain on penalties, England met Germany in the semi-final. Early on Gascoigne's corner again led to an England goal, and extra time was again required. England lost to Germany in the resulting penalty shoot-out and, once again, Gascoigne shed tears. He was named to the tournament All-Star squad along with Shearer and Steve McManaman.^[15]

Under Glenn Hoddle, Gascoigne was picked regularly over the next year and a half helping England qualify for the 1998 World Cup. But with injury and disciplinary problems affecting his game, he was left out of the final squad by Hoddle. British tabloid newspapers showed pictures of a drunken Gascoigne eating kebabs in the early hours of the morning only a week before the final squad was due to be chosen.^[16] On being told he was out of the squad, Gascoigne wrecked Hoddle's room in a rage before being restrained. Five other players were also left out the squad, including Phil Neville, who was later consoled by Gascoigne.^[17] Hoddle later hit back at Gascoigne, declaring publicly that it was the latter's own fault that he was not included in the squad. But while Neville went on to win many more caps, Gascoigne was never to play for his country again, having won 57 caps and scored 10 goals.