Press hammer 'clueless' England over Euro debacle

LONDON

The British press slammed the England football team as clueless, shambolic and embarrassing after their humiliating 2-1 defeat by Iceland at Euro 2016 on Monday.

The Daily Mail compared the defeat in Nice to England's 1-0 loss to a part-time United States side at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil and the British referendum vote last week to leave the European Union.

"A lot of people in England have been trying to turn back time over the last few days - and Roy Hodgson managed to get it all the way back to Belo Horizonte in 1950," mused the Mail.

"Not since a distant World Cup, 66 years ago, have England suffered a humiliation as great as this. Beaten by Iceland - a nation with a population the size of Leicester, playing in their first international tournament."

(READ: Iceland give England one of the most stunning upsets)

(READ: Hodgson resigns as England boss after Iceland humiliation)

The Times called England "Clueless. Utterly clueless."

"England lacked leadership from Roy Hodgson, who resigned immediately after the match, here. They lacked ideas. They lacked composure. They lacked guile."

The Times praised Iceland, whose less well paid players ply their trade in lower English leagues with clubs such as Cardiff and Charlton Athletic. Referring to the EU vote as well, it added: "Europe will not miss this England."

The Guardian said Hodgson's resignation was inevitable.

"How can it not when the suffering comes against a country with a population roughly the size of Croydon and absolutely no history of tournament football?" The Guaridan commented.

"What heroes Iceland were: brave, organised, superb. They have established themselves as the greatest story of Euro 2016 and it feels almost like a trick of the imagination that it is only four years since they were ranked 133rd in the world.

"Yet that will not reduce the embarrassment for England."

The Daily Mirror called England "shambolic" and their performance a "veritable horror show" and wearily declared that "there are three certainties in life: death, taxes and mediocre England displays in major tournaments."