Paul Gascoigne is an England legend but not many will know that his best game for the Three Lions were in boots that were two sizes too big.
Gazza was the biggest star in town during Euro 1996 and after scoring his iconic goal against Scotland in their second group stage match, all eyes were on the then-Rangers star.
Such was the midfielder’s global appeal, Gascoigne had recently signed a lucrative boot sponsorship deal with adidas in a move that would see Gazza sporting the iconic three stripes every time he took the field.
Unfortunately ahead of the third and final group stage fixture against the Netherlands, an unfortunate mind-blank from Gascoigne led to a situation that could have been very costly indeed.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Gascoigne said: “I’d just been given the contract by adidas and I remember us all getting ready for the game, so I grabbed my stuff, got on the bus and went to the game.
“We were sitting the dressing room and one of the last things you do is get your boots out and as I went to get my boots outs I realised that I didn’t have them. I’d forgotten them.
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“I was panicking and looking around to see if anyone else had been sponsored by adidas and the only one that I could see was Teddy (Sheringham).
“I said, ‘look Teddy, I’ve forgotten my boots and adidas are going to go off it’. He said ‘I need boots today but I’ve got this old pair’. I looked at them and asked what size they were – I’m a nine and they were like 10 and a half’s.
“I thought, I’m going to have to borrow them so I got a couple of pairs of socks and as I was putting the boots on I noticed that down the side was a rip – I thought I’m going to be playing and the sock will start coming out, you know.
“The game was going on with Holland and it was probably one of my best games that I played and we won 4-1.
“When we were setting ourselves up to play against them everything that Terry Venables did with us in training, we did in the game.”
As well as two goals by Alan Shearer, Sheringham also bagged a brace against the Netherlands to send England into the quarter finals in top spot in Group A.
Gascoigne’s performance in that footwear will go down in England history, but who has the legendary old adidas boots now?
Gazza explained: “It was so funny, after the game I thought ‘I’ll keep hold of these’, but Teddy grabbed them back and said, ‘I’ll have them back and will you sign them for me?’
“It was really nice that Teddy wanted the boots back and for me to sign them, so he’s still got them.
“I don’t think he’s stuck them on Ebay yet, I don’t know!”
News Summary:
- Paul Gascoigne forgot new adidas boots at Euro 1996 but played ‘best game’ in Tottenham stars ripped ones
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