The best hits of Summer 1966 when England last won a major football trophy

13 July 2026, 11:39 | Updated: 13 July 2026, 12:15

As England look to emulate the heroes of 1966, we take a look back at the big hits of that summer.

The England men's team are in the World Cup semi-final for only the fourth time in their history.

After winning the whole thing on home turf in 1996, England reached the last four at Italia '90, and again in Russia in 2018, before Thomas Tuchel's men overcame Norway after extra time at the weekend to set up a date with Argentina.

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Should they manage to overcome the holders (including 39-year-old Lionel Messi), they'll face either France or Spain in East Rutherford, New Jersey

To will them on to success and put an end to what is now 60 years of hurt, we've been listening to the hits from the last time England won the World Cup - the summer of 1996.

1. Paint It, Black - The Rolling Stones

   

   The Rolling Stones - Paint It, Black (Official Lyric Video)

   Released in May 1966, one of the Rolling Stones' very greatest singles is a brooding, menacing monster of a track. Think Dan Burn warming up on the bench.

2. Sloop John B - The Beach Boys

   

   The Beach Boys - Sloop John B Promo Film (Official Video)

   The Beach Boys' soaring cover of the Bahamian folk song was released in March and has the smooth, silky feel of Jude Bellingham moving through the lines.

3. Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks

   

   The Kinks - Sunny Afternoon (Official Audio)

   Headed by Ray Davies, The Kinks were the most richly talented creators in British history. You may be watching games at 2am in the UK, but the wistful 'Sunny Afternoon' captures a special sort of Englishness.

4. Strangers in the Night - Frank Sinatra

   

   Frank Sinatra - Strangers In The Night

   Frank Sinatra was certainly not at his peak but proved in 1966 that he still had a role to play in the charts with the absolutely massive 'Strangers in the Night'. Think Jordan Henderson cameo against Panama, before his unfortunate injury.

5. Out of Time - Chris Farlowe

   

   Out of Time

   Mick Jagger produced Chris Farlowe's incredibly successful cover of The Rolling Stones' album track from Aftermath. With hydration breaks, VAR interventions and the rest, the actual moment when you're out of time looking for that all-important equaliser or winner is a little bit more up for grabs these days.

   'Out of Time' was at number one when England were on top of the world on July 30, 1966.

6. Wild Thing - The Troggs

   

   The Troggs - Wild Thing

   The Troggs' greatest moment (yes, even better than 'Love is All Around'), was released in April but still going strong that World Cup summer. All the swagger of Jordan Pickford nipping to the halfway line to sweeper-keep.

7. Monday Monday - The Mamas and Papas

   

   The Mamas & The Papas - Monday Monday

   "Monday, Monday / So good to me / Monday mornin' /It was all I hoped it would be"

   Here's hoping this Mamas & The Papas hit tells the story we all want to be feeling come Monday morning.

8. Paperback Writer / Rain - The Beatles

   

   The Beatles - Paperback Writer

   

   The Beatles - Rain

   A double-header of absolutely massive hits from one of England's finest. A Beatles classic is like like Harry Kane getting his head on a ball and planting it bottom corner.

9. Black is Black - Los Bravos

   

   Los Bravos - Black is Black (Cover Audio)

   "I can't choose / It's too much to lose".... Los Bravos's sense of indecision captures Thomas Tuchel's selection headaches. Rashford or Gordon? Madueke or Saka...

10. Yellow Submarine / Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles

    

    The Beatles - Yellow Submarine

    

    The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby (From "Yellow Submarine")

    Another Beatles double-header! The giddy silliness of 'Yellow Submarine' being in such close proximity to 'Eleanor Rigby' is a great example of the super fine line between joy and despair that England fans know only too well.

11. When A Man Loves A Woman - Percy Sledge

    

    Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves A Woman (Official Lyric Video)

    Look, there's not much we can do to tie in Percy Sledge's soaring romantic classic to the World Cup or Thomas Tuchel's men and frankly we're not going to try. Just blare out this wondrous 1966 hit because it's brilliant.

12. Pretty Flamingo - Manfred Mann

    

    Manfred Mann - Pretty Flamingo

    Similarly we're not going tie Manfred Mann's silky hit to an England player (Djed Spence has been a welcome presence in the squad but he's no flamingo). A deserved number one single in the summer of 1966.

13. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - Bob Dylan

    

    Bob Dylan - Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Audio)

    "They'll stone you when you're trying to go home / And they'll stone you when you're there all alone"... so sung Bob Dylan on this raucous hit that went top 10 in the UK.

    We hope that if England do sadly fail to bring it home that the UK press will be kinder than they have been in previous tournaments when analysing why it didn't happen.

14. Don't Bring Me Down - The Animals

    

    Don't Bring Me Down - The Animals

    Likewise this hit from The Animals hits out at those who "complain and criticise" because "my best just ain't good enough". If the lads give it 100% then win, lose or draw there will be no complaints from the fans back home.

15. Getaway - Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames

    

    Georgie Fame and the blue flames Get Away

    A song for those who have made the trip across the world to the US (and Mexico) to cheer on the Three Lions, Georgie Fame scored a number one hit in June 1966 with this classic of R&B inspired pop soul.

16. River Deep, Mountain High - Ike and Tina Turner

    

    Tina Turner .... river deep, mountain high

    The highs, the lows, the wins, the losses. Ike and Tina Turner's 'River Deep Mountain High' is a bit like The Beautiful Game.

    How so? Well, it was a massive hit over in the UK (a number three single) in the summer of '66, but failed to make an impact in the US (scraping in at 88 and putting producer Phil Spector's career on hold) before the Americans eventually realised its brilliance a few years on.

17. Nobody Needs Your Love - Gene Pitney

    

    Gene Pitney Nobody Needs Your Love

    "Take my heart, that's all I've got to give" sung Gene Pitney on this gorgeous number 2 single from '66.

    That's just how we feel about Declan Rice, Marc Guéhi, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze and all the rest of the lads, whether they bring it home or not.