ENGLAND travel to Germany for one of their most bitter international rivalries.
The first full international was way back on May 10, 1930, with the two sides playing out a 3-3 draw.
England went onto to win their next seven meetings, including the first-ever competitive match — the 1966 World Cup final.
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Two years on, Germany claimed their first victory and have basically never looked back since.
Here is a look back at seven iconic clashes.
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Germany 3 England 6 — friendly, 1938
One the most famous acts in English football history took place just a year before the outbreak of World War II.
Controversially, the England players been ordered to perform a Nazi salute as a sign of respect to their hosts.
The Three Lions won the encounter with ease, but a German writer later claimed the hosts were the real winners as everyone lost against England at that time and the pre-match propaganda was invaluable to Adolf Hitler.
This match cleared the way for Neville Chamberlain’s infamous ‘Peace in Our Time’ deal — but the Germans would invade Czechoslovakia soon after which ultimately led to a declaration of war.
Cliff Bastin and Sir Stanley Matthews were among the six England goal scorers.
England 4 West Germany 2 aet — World Cup final, 1966
In hindsight, England should have expected to win this match as they had never lost to Germany at this point.
Martin Peters’ opener was cancelled out a minute later by Helmut Haller before Geoff Hurst put England back ahead inside 18 minutes.
Bobby Moore was all set to hold the Jules Rimet trophy in his hands, before a last-gasp Wolfgang Weber strike sent the match to extra-time.
Hurst put England back ahead with an effort which bounced off the cross bar and hit the line — with debates still raging today over whether it crossed the line or not.
Nevertheless, with fans thinking was all over and streaming on to the pitch, the West Ham frontman fired home his hat-trick to make sure and seal the greatest moment in English football history.
West Germany 1 England 0 — friendly, 1968
After winning seven in a spin prior to that final, England have won just six times since.
And their first defeat came in Hannover with a real sign of things to come.
The match itself was far from memorable, but it signalled a massive shift in the balance.
Franz Beckenbauer scored the game’s only goal with ten minutes remaining.
West Germany 3 England 2 aet — World Cup quarter-final, 1970
Both sides were stronger than four years earlier, but England were significantly weakened by the absence of influential goalkeeper, Gordon Banks, who had suffered food poisoning.
However, replacement, Peter Bonetti was a regular at Chelsea and a more than able deputy, right?
Goals from Alan Mullery and 1966 hero, Peters, put England two-up, but Beckenbauer pulled one back and manager, Alf Ramsey, reacted by taking the off the ageing — but still highly influential —Bobby Charlton.
Inevitably, Uwe Seeler equalised to send the tie once again to extra-time.
And a mistake from Bonetti allowed Gerd Muller to score the winner three minutes after the game’s third break.
Germany 1 England 1 aet: 4-3 pens — World Cup semi-final, 1990
Chris Waddle’s missed penalty meant England once again went home early
This was England’s first semi-finals since 1966. For Germany, it was their fourth in the subsequent five.
Andrea Brehme’s deflected free-kick opened the scoring, before Gary Lineker this time, sent the tie to extra-time.
Nine minutes into the added period, Paul Gascoigne was reduced to tears after picking up a booking which would have ruled him out of any final.
Brehme and Lineker scored the first penalties, before Peter Beardsley, Lothar Matthaus, David Platt and Karl-Heinz Riedle ensure we were on track at 3-3.
But, Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle missed, with Olaf Thon scoring in between and England crashed out.
England 1 Germany 1 — Euro 96, semi-final
It was the summer of hope — but that was obviously without taking into account a potential penalty shoot-out against Germany.
Impressive England had actually beaten Spain on spot-kicks in the quarter-finals, and made a brilliant start when the tournament’s top goal scorer, Alan Shearer, opened the scoring within two minutes.
However, Germany were level 12 minutes later through Stefan Kuntz.
It was an enthralling encounter and Gascoigne had the chance to banish the demons from six years earlier, when longer studs would have seen him send England to the final with the last kick of the game.
Penalties and arrived and the Three Lions actually scored every single one. But so did Germany.
Germany 1 England 5 — World Cup qualifier, 2001
Finally, an England victory. And what a win it was!
Germany actually took the lead through Carsten Jancker’s sixth-minute strike — but then the visitors just took over.
Michael Owen’s fabulous night started with the equaliser just six minutes later, before Steven Gerrard rifled in a second.
The then Liverpool striker showed why he would go on to win the Ballon d’Or just months later with two more to clinch a hat-trick.
And there was even further humiliation for Germany when Emile Heskey made it an Anfield treble with the fifth.
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