European Championship 2012 Build-Up: BBC's England-Germany Intro At Euro 96

WATCH: BBC's Majestic England-Germany Euro 96 Intro

"Glad you've tuned in. You've obviously heard there's a football match on tonight..."

When Des Lynam welcomed millions tuning in to what felt like England's biggest game since the 1966 World Cup final, it was just a few seconds of 10 minutes of peerless broadcasting.

The BBC's introduction to England's semi-final with Germany is a masterclass, from the corporation's Sport 90s theme, the titles intro, complete with Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", as well as the seductive tone of Des himself.

Not even a brief snippet of Jimmy Hill can disrupt the flow, as the mike is swiftly passed over to the faultless Barry Davies, who leaves the soundtrack to England's support.

Right on cue, Three Lions starts playing, and it's a sight to behold. Real supporters at a real stadium. Even three elderly gentlemen who would have witnessed 1966 join in.

Before Wembley was converted into a soulless shopping mall, it was an archaic beehive of noise. There were no attention-seeking idiots with instruments (funny how they sprung up after Euro 96) or camera-phone wielding families treating the football like the theatre, but fervent passion.

For many of you watching, there will be an overwhelming sense of emotion as it harks back to a time when supporting England meant so much.

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