England have been slow starters at the Euros and have failed to win ANY of their opening games

Historically, England are slow out of the blocks at the European Championships.  Indeed they have never won their first match at the summer tournament.

Sportsmail goes through the nine failed attempts from the Three Lions ahead of their opening match against Croatia this Sunday at Wembley...

1968 LOST 1-0 TO YUGOSLAVIA

Sir Alf Ramsey’s world champions went straight into the final four but lost their first Euros match to Yugoslavia.

Alan Mullery became the first England man to be sent off as tempers boiled over.

1980 DREW 1-1 WITH BELGIUM

After failing to qualify for two tournaments, England made it to the 1980 Euros in Italy and drew their first game against Belgium in Turin, thanks to Ray Wilkins’ exquisite early goal.

But following a loss to Italy and a win over Spain, they were knocked out in the group stage.

1988 LOST 1-0 TO IRELAND

A terrible campaign for Bobby Robson’s men began with a loss to Ireland in Stuttgart, courtesy of a Ray Houghton header, before crushing defeats by Holland and the Soviet Union saw them finish bottom of the group.

1992 DREW 0-0 WITH DENMARK

Graham Taylor's men kicked off Euro ’92 with a goalless draw against eventual winners Denmark.

They crashed out in the group stage again after a draw with France and a loss to Sweden.

1996 DREW 1-1 WITH SWITZERLAND

Host status did not help a jot in 1996 when England began with a draw against Switzerland at Wembley.

Alan Shearer opened the scoring but Kubi Turkyilmaz equalised with a penalty on 83 minutes.

Proper heartbreak came in the semi-finals when Gareth Southgate missed his shootout penalty against Germany.

2000 LOST 3-2 TO PORTUGAL

Another group-stage exit after a first-match loss to Portugal, despite going 2-0 up in 18 minutes through Paul Scholes and Steve McManaman.

A 1-0 victory over Germany followed but England were dumped out after a shock 3-2 loss to Romania.

2004 LOST 2-1 TO FRANCE

Two stoppage-time goals from Zinedine Zidane saw France overturn Frank Lampard’s early goal.

England won the next two to qualify, but were knocked out on penalties by Portugal after goalkeeper Ricardo saved from Darius Vassell, then took his gloves off to score the winner.

2012 DREW 1-1 WITH FRANCE

Steve McClaren, the ‘wally with a brolly’, failed to guide England to Euro 2008 but they were back to opening-day disappointment in 2012, with a 1-1 draw against France in Donetsk.

Joleon Lescott and Samir Nasri scored the goals. Knockout agony followed on penalties after a 0-0 draw with Italy.

2016 DREW 1-1 WITH RUSSIA

More late misery as Russia scored a 92nd-minute equaliser via Vasili Berezutski after Eric Dier’s opener from a free-kick.

England qualified for the last 16, where Iceland lay in wait to humiliate them.