At Italia 90, the best bit about the entire tournament was that I knew I was the best player in the world' Paul Gascoigne on being the best on Earth in 1990

"The national sport was not in a good place at the end of the 1980s, with English fans carrying a reputation for hooliganism, fueled by events like the Heysel Stadium disaster, while the harrowing scenes of the Bradford City fire and Hillsborough were still fresh in the memory. But Italia 90 would prove to be a turning point, as Sir Bobby Robson's side's run to the semi-finals helped to shift the public perception of the game, laying the groundwork for the new Premier League"

"The figurehead of this revival was undoubtedly Paul Gascoigne, whose performances - and lashings of personality - made him a household name as Gazzamania' swept across the country. The 58-year-old still captures the public's imagination like few other players since, but even Gazza himself doubted that he would play such a part in Italy during that fateful summer. Sir Bobby Robson left his post as England boss after Italia 90"

English football entered 1990 tarnished by hooliganism and recent tragedies such as Heysel, the Bradford City fire, and Hillsborough. Italia 90 functioned as a cultural turning point when Sir Bobby Robson's England reached the semi-finals and public perception of the game began to improve. Paul Gascoigne became the emblem of that revival, his performances and personality sparking widespread enthusiasm known as 'Gazzamania.' Gascoigne nearly lost confidence after a warm-up mistake against Tunisia but was reassured by Robson and retained his place; England's opening game of Italia 90 was only his sixth start for his country. He later quipped that tournament focus improved when wives were not invited.

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