It was 55 years since England last reached a major international final and since then there's been many false dawns, tears in Turin and heartbreak on penalties, but the unthinkable for a nation that was afraid to dream has never been as close as it was this summer.
The Three Lions united an England that was fractured earlier this year, and multiple Manchester United stars underpinned that success at the European Championship. Although Italy would ultimately prove a step too far in the final of the tournament, with England losing only on penalties, Gareth Southgate proudly led a team that resonated with everyone's hearts and minds.
Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho - the latter signed for United after the final - all eventually returned to Manchester late after their extended holidays to mourn that defeat, but only one of those players has actually returned.
That's because Maguire, Shaw and Sancho have all been unrecognisable shadows of themselves this term. In regards to Maguire and Shaw, in particular, it appears they were left behind in the Wembley dressing room on July 11 and there they still seemingly remain.
Maguire and Shaw were signed for a combined fee of £110m and yet their recent performances suggest that United would be lucky to recoup half of that sum for their signatures. Both players have struggled this season in United's tragically porous defence that has recorded just two clean sheets in the Premier League - only three teams in the top flight have managed fewer.
Many deemed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's decision to hand Maguire the captaincy unwise last year. The decision was perhaps Solskjaer marking the beginning of his premiership at the club, but ironically, Maguire is currently having a major say at the end of it.
The United captain has this season become synonymous with lapses of concentration, dangerous complacency and a distinct lack of positional awareness, so what has happened to the player that was a stalwart for England across the summer months?
The mental demands of carrying a nation's dreams - in tandem with leading a young dressing room - shouldn't be underestimated and, when you also consider that Maguire has struggled with injury this season, it's likely that has hindered the level of his displays.
Those factors don't excuse the truth that Maguire is currently significantly underperforming, however, he's certainly not the only United player that is guilty of that offence because - while there are too many suspects for one hearing - Shaw is also a culprit.
Shaw was the best left-back in the world last season and yet he's currently not even the best in the Premier League.
The jury might have already delivered their verdict on Solskjaer - the Liverpool debacle was the most damning offence - before the festive period, but the United boss needs to coax Maguire and Shaw back to form, especially at a time when he needs them most.
Both have failed to reproduce their summer form this term and that has certainly contributed to United's underwhelming start.
They'll be no room for hiding against Manchester City at the weekend and both need to drastically improve.
