In the Euro 2020 final penalty shootout defeat to Italy at Wembley, which England player missed the very first spot-kick to go wrong for the Three Lions?

The Night Rashford's Spot-Kick Broke England Hearts

It was the moment the dream began to unravel. After 120 tense minutes at a packed Wembley on 11 July 2021, England and Italy were locked at 1-1 and heading to penalties. The nation held its breath — and then Marcus Rashford stepped up and clipped the inside of the post.

Rashford had been introduced as a substitute specifically with the shootout in mind. Manager Gareth Southgate had planned his penalty takers carefully, and the Manchester United forward was one of three players brought on late in extra time to freshen up England's options from the spot. The logic made sense on paper — Rashford had scored from 12 yards in England's previous shootout victory against Colombia at the 2018 World Cup.

But this time, his run-up looked hesitant, and his kick caught the post rather than the net. Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma didn't even need to move. It was a cruel moment, and it set a grim tone for what followed.

The Misses That Followed

Jadon Sancho went next for England and saw his effort saved comfortably by Donnarumma, who read the direction perfectly. Then came Bukayo Saka — just 19 years old at the time — carrying the weight of the shootout on his shoulders. Donnarumma saved again, diving to his right, and Italy were champions.

Italy won the shootout 3-2. Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Belotti, Federico Bernardeschi, and Jorginho all converted for the Azzurri, while England's successful takers were Harry Kane and Harry Maguire. The contrast was brutal — Kane, England's captain and talisman, scored without drama, while three of the substitutes introduced for the occasion all missed.

The Aftermath and the Abuse

What followed off the pitch was deeply troubling. Rashford, Sancho, and Saka — all three Black players — were subjected to a torrent of racist abuse on social media in the hours after the final. The backlash against the online hatred was swift, with clubs, politicians, and public figures condemning the abuse in the strongest terms.

Rashford, for his part, responded with dignity. He posted a lengthy statement acknowledging the miss but refusing to apologise for who he was. He noted that he had practised the penalty "over and over" and said he would never apologise for his efforts for the national team.

England's Penalty Hoodoo Continues

The defeat extended England's miserable record in major tournament shootouts — they had now lost six of their seven penalty shootouts in major competitions. Rashford's miss will be remembered as the first crack in the dam that night, but the story is far bigger than one spot-kick. It's about pressure, preparation, and a country still searching for that elusive tournament victory since 1966.

England came so close — and yet, heartbreakingly, so far.