England's exit from UEFA Euro 2016 to Iceland was shocking, but it was also easy to explain.
That's the take from LA Galaxy midfielder Steven Gerrard, former England captain, in a column for The Telegraph following England's Round of 16 loss against a team that has never previously played in the Euros.
To Gerrard, there were multiple issues that contributed to the defeat.
"We failed so badly on Monday night because of our poor decision-making, an inability to respond to events as they unfolded and because we repeated too many of the mistakes of the past," he wrote.
The midfielder, who played for England 2000-14 and had his share of tournament disappointments -- something he references in the column -- ultimately argues this particular disappointment is due to a culmination of 50 years of failing to repeat England's 1966 World Cup title. As one of the few people to have lived through the experience, it's candid and enlightening.
"We are not a side or nation with a culture of winning at the European Championship and the World Cup and the psychological impact of that is there to see at the first hint of trouble.
"There is no environment of calm around the national team. There never has been. It is always hysteria. There is a culture of fear within and it has not been addressed."
Gerrard and the Galaxy will return to action on July 4 at home against the Vancouver Whitecaps (10:30 pm ET, MLS LIVE in US, TSN1/RDS2 in Canada).
