WHEN: Summer 1988

WHERE: Germany

WHEN England open their European challenge against Russia tonight, the nation will be hoping they avoid a repeat of the last time the teams met on the big stage of a major final.

The defeat by the then-USSR signalled the end of a disastrous campaign for Bobby Robson’s team of 1988 – sent packing without a single point to their name after the group stages.

It was little consolation that two of the teams that beat them went on to contest the final.

The 1988 finals in Germany involved only eight teams but it could not have got off to a worse start six days ahead of the Russia game – beaten by an Irish team managed by an Englishman with the winning goal coming from a Glasgow-born Liverpool player.

The Republic of Ireland, under Jack Charlton, had qualified for their first major finals and were given little chance against an England side that included Barrow’s Gary Stevens.

Six minutes into the game they were in front with a goal from Ray Houghton.

England’s big name players peppered the Irish goal throughout the second half but could not find a way past keeper Packie Bonner, who denied Gary Lineker three times during the onslaught.

England moved on from Stuttgart to Dusseldorf for the second of their group matches. Stunned by the defeat against Ireland, they came up against the Holland side of Ruud Gullitt and Marco van Basten.

Van Basten, only a sub during the opening day defeat by the USSR, was promoted to lead the attack and it was his hat-trick that had England booking their seats for an early flight home.

Van Basten gave the Dutch the lead a minute before the interval but England, knowing that defeat would end their interest in the championships, had more than held their own.

Lineker and Glenn Hoddle both hit the wordwork so when skipper Bryan Robson levelled things in the 54th minute, there was fresh hope that they could keep their hopes of a semi-final place alive.

Van Basten put paid to that ambition with two goals in the space of four minutes.

The Gullitt-van Basten combination struck in the 71st minute and four minutes later the Milan striker completed his hat-trick. England were out – but there was still the chance to rescue some pride against the Russians in Frankfurt.

Sadly, even that was beyond England. With only one goal to their credit from their opening two games, they could still not find their finishing touch and when the Russians took an early lead – Sergei Aleinikov scoring after three minutes – a total wipe-out beckoned.

Tony Adams headed a 16th-minute equaliser, but it was only a brief respite for England, who eventually went down to their second 3-1 defeat.

Holland went on to win the 1988 event, beating the USSR 2-0 in the final.

For England there was only the misery of returning home with a record of three defeats and last place in the group... rock bottom alongside winless Denmark in an eight-team championship.

So much more is resting on the shoulders of Roy Hodgson’s 23-man squad 28 years on – England are among the bookies’ favourites – and with only eight of the 24 teams leaving after the group matches, a place in the knockout stages is the least the thousands of supporters who are making the trip to France can expect.