Snap shot: Germany knock England out of EURO '96

Stefan Kuntz is not a name England fans like to hear. Now Germany Under-21 coach, as a player he scored the equaliser and penultimate shoot-out penalty in the EURO '96 semi-final against the Three Lions at Wembley – for the hosts, it was an agonising evening. The same two nations meet in the last four of the U21 EURO in Tychy on Tuesday.

• Looking back at that EURO '96 semi-final
  
• Live build-up to England v Germany
  
• All you need to know about the game
  

1. Stuart Pearce
Four days earlier the powerful left-back had produced one of the tournament's defining images with his scream of celebration after a successful spot kick in the quarter-final shoot-out win over Spain – a strike that exorcised the demons of his Italia '90 semi-final penalty miss. Pearce, who converted in vain against Germany, was 34 but played on for England until 1999, earning his 78th and final cap against Poland.

Since retiring he has managed Manchester City and Nottingham Forest – the club where he made his name as a player – as well as enjoying a successful spell as coach of England Under-21s. He led them to the U21 EURO semi-finals in 2007 and final in 2009 (where they lost to Germany).

2. Mehmet Scholl
Scholl retired as one of Bayern's all-time greats and remains a fans' favourite. An agile, creative playmaker and set-piece specialist, he started the 1996 final at Wembley against the Czech Republic but was replaced by Oliver Bierhoff, who went on to score the equaliser and golden goal. Known for his playful sense of humour, legend has it that Scholl intended to kiss Queen Elizabeth II when picking up the trophy but chickened out. "I'm a big admirer of yours," he told Her Majesty!

Now a TV pundit for one of Germany's biggest broadcasters, Scholl has garnered a reputation for speaking freely and pulling no punches when analysing teams' weaknesses.

3. Stefan Kuntz
Good-natured and open-minded, Kuntz has flourished in the role of Germany U21 boss. Having been absent from coaching for so many years, he finds it "inspiring to work with the most talented youngsters" in a country he himself represented on 25 occasions. However, he's not immune to the pressure, admitting that it took him several hours and a spontaneous evening walk before he could get to sleep following Saturday's 1-0 loss to Italy.

Kuntz, incidentally, had asked to be Germany's fifth penalty taker against England on that memorable night 21 years ago. "England usually don't reach the fifth set of penalties," he said. "When they did, my heart was in my pants. I wanted to shoot it low but it went in high."

4. Steve McManaman
The tall, gangly winger produced probably his finest performances for England during that tournament and so nearly teed up a semi-final golden goal winner for Darren Anderton when his fellow wide man hit the post from McManaman's cross. After nine seasons as a Liverpool player McManaman left Anfield on a free transfer for Real Madrid where he ended his first campaign by becoming the first Englishman to win the European Cup with a foreign club – scoring with a wonderful volley in the 2000 final against Valencia.

He won the UEFA Champions Leagues again two year later before leaving Spain in 2003, ending his career with Manchester City. Known for his sense of fun during his Liverpool days, the articulate 45-year-old is now a respected TV analyst.