England 1-2 Iceland: Three Lions suffer the ultimate humiliation by falling to embarrassing defeat against tournament minnows before Roy Hodgson resigns 20 minutes after final whistle

• England captain Wayne Rooney opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Raheem Sterling was fouled
• Iceland cancelled out Rooney's effort just two minutes later when Ragnar Sigurdsson poked home from close range
• Kolbeinn Sigthorsson piled misery on the Three Lions, who have failed to win a knockout clash since 2006
• Roy Hodgson resigned from his role as England manager shortly after the full-time whistle in Nice 
• Iceland will now face Euro 2016 hosts France at the quarter-final stage in Paris on Sunday afternoon 

A lot of people in England have been trying to turn the clock back over the last few days – and Roy Hodgson managed to get it all the way to Belo Horizonte in 1950.

Not since a distant World Cup, 66 years ago, have England suffered a humiliation as great as this. Not since this country dipped a first tentative toe into the world of international competition, has a result sent such seismic waves through the national game. Beaten by Iceland – a nation with a population the size of Leicester. Beaten by Iceland – a team with a part-time coach, and a part-time football culture. Beaten by Iceland – a team that had never played a knock-out game at a tournament before.

For Hodgson, this was a very bitter end and he was gone for good within 20 minutes of the final whistle. His players were booed, individually and collectively, and there was none of the residue of goodwill felt at the end of the 2014 World Cup. 

England stars Joe Hart, Wayne Rooney, Gary Cahill and Dele Alli look saddened after the Three Lions fell to a shock defeat

In sheer contract, Iceland's players greet their supporters following their surprise 2-1 victory over the Three Lions

‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt,’ supporters chanted at players, some lying face down on the pitch, Gary Cahill in tears. When goalkeeper Joe Hart turned to acknowledge their frustration, he was met by a series of hand gestures that may have been imitations of his attempt to save Iceland’s second goal, but probably weren’t.

What a waste the last two years have been. Hodgson should have gone in 2014, when England lasted two matches at the World Cup. He wasn’t the man then, he isn’t the man now. Just like Stuart Lancaster, England’s Rugby World Cup coach, there has been much talk of progress, promise and a strong culture of responsibility, but under pressure, that all evaporated.

Late in the second half, Hodgson introduced Marcus Rashford. He immediately charged at Iceland’s defence with a youthful abandon that may have been more useful if utilised earlier — he seemed to be warming up for 10 minutes. Rashford won a corner and began running towards the mark to take it.

At that moment, a senior player — Wayne Rooney was off by then — should have chased after him, told him to get in the box, and taken responsibility for delivering the ball that could have thrown England a lifeline. None did. So Rashford took it and, because he is not a corner taker, miskicked it to the first man in a blue shirt.

There were so many moments like that, moments when England’s weaknesses, mental and technical, were exposed. The defence was poor, as suspected, unable to hold a lead for two minutes against a team supposedly set up only to resist an English onslaught.

Yet, equally, this was a squad that was meant to be packed with match-winners, but could not equalise against Iceland given 72 minutes. Jack Wilshere came on and looked as off the pace as he has done throughout this tournament. Another gamble failed. There have been too many of them here.

Rooney into midfield for the first time in game one, six changes in game three. There was frustration when the draw against Slovakia put England in the more difficult half of the draw, but even that did not matter in the end. England did not get a swing at playing one of the tournament favourites; they were knocked out by the tournament’s fairy-tale team instead.

Hodgson had his chances. England turned a friendly around against Germany, but never tried that selection, or that system again. England got the fillip of a last-minute win over Wales, and then sacrificed that momentum in the next game.

Stepping down, Hodgson read a prepared statement in his press conference, but even that contained hollow claims. He said England were the youngest squad here. They weren’t. That is Germany. World champions Germany. World champions Germany who are in the quarter-finals having put three past the team that held England to a 0-0 draw.

Ultimately, Hodgson had no choice but to resign. The signs of progress that the FA demanded were sadly absent in a display as confused and ineffectual as any England have delivered at a major tournament to date. Beaten by the United States in 1950, there was at least mitigation. It was their first tournament, and in South America. These were unfamiliar circumstances.

What are the excuses here? It was hot? England were playing Iceland. It’s a young team? England were playing Iceland. A lot of possession? England were playing Iceland. It will be better next time? What next time? Iceland, Iceland, Iceland.

England’s opponents were organised, defended magnificently and even had the better chances — all credit to them, they deserved the win — but this remains a limited team who sounded thrilled to be involved in a knockout game at a debut tournament. All week they talked of their excitement at facing England, as a group of players brought up on Premier League football. Yet there was no inferiority complex, no gulf in class, no suggestion that England had the answers as they huffed and puffed their way through the second half. Hart made the best two saves after half-time, from Ragnar Sigurdsson and Aron Gunnarsson, while over 90 minutes the teams tied with five shots each on target.

Despair and trepidation had set in for England long before the end. It could be felt even before half-time, with the first hints that Iceland were comfortable holding their lead. Any optimism in English hearts was based on reputation, history and — sadly — presumption, the inherent belief that there was no way England could lose to Iceland, even on a bad day.

Yet this was a very bad day; a day gone bad beyond all expectation. England had the dream start, the early goal that many felt would decide this match in their favour. Yet they managed to turn even that into a negative. By losing the lead, and then going behind, they suffered a crisis of confidence. The game was won and lost right there.

Before this tournament, Hodgson scoffed when told England’s back four were weak. He pointed to a strong defensive record in a qualifying group that was not so much toothless as positively gummy; he flagged up a clean sheet against a Portugal team shorn of Cristiano Ronaldo and its 11th man before half-time in a friendly.

Here was the dreaded reality. Unable to hold a lead against Iceland for two minutes and a goalkeeper at fault for two goals in four games in a tournament.

Hart, it transpires, is not as free of flakiness as shampoo manufacturers would have us believe.

Hodgson will have had a plan for this match but only the first five minutes went to it. Daniel Sturridge played a ball to Raheem Sterling, out came Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson and clumsily took him down. It was a silly foul, one of a player unused to the big occasion. Sterling was heading away from goal, going nowhere.

Still, it was a penalty and Rooney hit it low and to the left for his 53rd goal in an England shirt. It should have settled the nerves. Instead, England did not last long enough to consider their emotional state.

The first goal brought back memories of Arsenal trying to defend against Rory Delap. That same confusion, that same frustration that good players get so totally flummoxed by a simple tactic. Gunnarsson delivers a throw-in as Delap once did, flat, fast, accurate. Like a decent cross. Yet England’s defenders deal with decent crosses all the time. What is it about this that so scrambles their minds?

Kari Arnason won the header, flicking it on for Ragnar Sigurdsson, who had completely lost Kyle Walker. Sigurdsson had space, a proper run at the ball and left Hart no chance from close range.

Nobody can say England were not warned. Hodgson mentioned Gunnarsson’s throws as a principal line of attack in his press conference on Sunday, while Iceland joint coach Helmir Hallgrimsson had flagged up that his team were dangerous from set-pieces. What did England’s defenders need? A five-minute warning? Written notice? Before we had time to answer that, the unthinkable happened.

With too little pressure on the ball, Iceland passed neatly around the edge of England’s area before Gylfi Sigurdsson threaded it to Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. He tried a firm side-footed shot, Hart got a hand to the ball, but not with the force to repel it, and it trickled away from him, over the line.

As Iceland’s players celebrated, Hart smacked his forehead repeatedly. His team-mates never did enough to spare him the ignominy. There were chances, but none so significant they bear repeating.

On Tuesday morning, the FA begin the search for a new manager. To erase the memory of this, however, will take longer than any appointment.