A lingering sense of disappointment persists regarding Paul Gascoigne’s limited appearances for England in major international competitions.
Gascoigne is acknowledged as the second-best English midfielder by a well-known sports publication, the fewer chances he got on field remains a significant source of regret for many Three Lions supporters.
Gascoigne shone brightly at both Italia 90 and Euro 96. However, a knee injury sustained during the 1991 FA Cup final prevented his participation in Euro 92. Subsequently, England failed to secure qualification for USA 94. Later, he was controversially excluded from Glenn Hoddle’s squad announcement for France 98.
Paul Gascoigne on his 1998 World Cup snub
Following his performances at Euro 96, it was generally anticipated that Gascoigne would participate in the France 98 campaign. However, in the period preceding the tournament, he was observed enjoying a night out in London alongside his acquaintance, Chris Evans.
Towards the conclusion of the pre-tournament training period, Gazza suspected that he would not be part of the final selection. Subsequently, he confronted Hoddle, resulting in damage to his room.
“It took me a year to recover from that decision,” he expressed to a sports magazine.
“I was in the midst of divorce, mentally unstable, and Glenn Hoddle is a disagreeable person. His explanation was related to my alcohol consumption, despite the fact that six other players were in a nightclub until 6 am on the same night that I had a drink with Chris Evans.
“Terry Venables forewarned me, stating, ‘Be vigilant, Hoddle intends to establish his reputation at your expense.’ And perhaps he did.”
Gazza acknowledges that he anticipated his removal from the squad due to the manner in which Hoddle communicated the decision. “We were instructed to queue outside the room, similar to children, so I was aware of the situation,” he recounted in an exclusive interview, coinciding with the launch of his new book.
“Hoddle is an unpleasant person in any case – he’s a terrible person.”
Gazza was concerned that it might signify the decline of his international career, a concern that was proven correct as he never represented his nation again.
The 1998 World Cup, when seen from an English view, was full of drama. Starting from Gascoigne’s non-inclusion, to the integration of Eileen Drewery, and then the well-known sending off of David Beckham versus Argentina. The event remains memorable.
