Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterPaul Gascoigne knows a thing or two about starring at a World Cup for England.The legendary midfielders iconic performances at Italia 90 have gone down in football folklore, from his dominant display against European champions the Netherlands to the semi-final tears that became a defining image of that summer.Gascoigne never played at another World Cup, as the Three Lions failed to qualify in 1994 and he was left out of Glenn Hoddles squad for France 98, but he is nonetheless ranked no.2 on FourFourTwo's list of the best English midfielders ever.Play our FREE match predictor game and win �1kTo do what he does Paul Gascoigne gives England star seal of approvalThe former Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Lazio star was also central to Englands run to the semi-finals of Euro 96 on home soil.Until 2018, those two tournaments were the closest the Three Lions had come to winning a trophy since the 1960s, but they stand three wins away from ending 60 years of hurt - starting with Saturdays World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Norway. You may like "I got so emotional, it brought back all the memories from 1990, and everything I did every single day went through my head I couldn't sleep that night", Paul Gascoigne broke his habit of not watching football, and the emotions resurfaced England star nails World Cup colours to the mast in Thomas Tuchel's final dress rehearsal Exclusive: England's Eberechi Eze tells FourFourTwo his two World Cup heroes One of Thomas Tuchels star performers in North America has been Jude Bellingham, with the Real Madrid midfielder scoring four goals and providing an assist - including two goals to cap an outstanding performance against Mexico in the last 16.Gascoigne sang the praises of his successor in Englands midfield as he promoted Sports Stars Stories: An Evening with Paul Gascoigne, a two-hour show at the Watford Palace Theatre on Saturday, September 26 in which Gazza will discuss the defining moments of his career and extraordinary life in the spotlight.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Hes definitely caught my eye at the World Cup. Does he get my seal of approval? I think he absolutely does, yeah, the 59-year-old said.To do what he does, youve got to have some good players around you; you cannot do it all on your own, and hes got that. I was lucky, I had some great players around me that allowed me to express myself, players like Bryan Robson.Judes got my approval. I think hes a good player."Bellinghams quickfire double in Englands thrilling 3-2 win over Mexico took him to 10 goals for his country, the same number that Gascoigne scored. The 23-year-old is also close to surpassing Gascoigne's tally of caps - ahead of the clash with Norway he is four behind, on 53.Gascoigne's status in English football goes beyond statistics, but if Bellingham continues to star for the Three Lions it wont be long until he is talked about with the same reverence as his legendary predecessor.Sports Stars Stories: An Evening with Paul Gascoigne takes place on Saturday 26th September at the Watford Palace Theatre. Tickets are priced from �35 and are on sale now. https://watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk/events/an-evening-with-paul-gascoigne/TOPICSJude BellinghamPaul GascoigneEnglandWorld CupWorld Cup 2026James RobertsFreelance writerJames Roberts is a freelance sports journalist working for FourFourTwo and other titles. He started his career at the Oxford Mail, where he covered Oxford United home and away, before becoming a sports sub-editor for various national newspapers.
