UEFA European Football Championship
Encyclopedia
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA
(the Union of European Football Associations). Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup
tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current name in 1968. Starting with the 1996 tournament, specific championships are often referred to in the form "Euro 2008" or whichever year is appropriate.
Prior to entering the tournament all teams other than the host nations (which qualify automatically) compete in a qualifying process. The championship winners earn the opportunity to compete in the following FIFA Confederations Cup
, but are not obliged to do so.
's Henri Delaunay
in 1927, but it was not until 1958 that the tournament was started - three years after Delaunay's death. In honour of Delaunay, the trophy awarded to the champions is named after him. The 1960 tournament, held in France
, had 4 teams competing in the finals, out of 17 that entered the competition. It was won by the Soviet Union, beating Yugoslavia
2–1 in a tense final in Paris
. Spain
withdrew from its quarter-final match against the USSR due to political protests. Of the 17 teams that entered the qualifying tournament, notable absentees were England
, West Germany
and Italy
.
Spain
held the next tournament in 1964, which saw an increase in entries to the qualification tournament, with 29 entering; Greece
withdrew after being drawn against Albania
, with whom they were still at war. The hosts beat the title holders, the Soviet Union, 2–1 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
in Madrid.
The tournament format stayed the same for the 1968 tournament, hosted and won by Italy
. For the first and only time a match was decided on a coin toss (the semi-final against the Soviet Union) and the final went to a replay, after the match against Yugoslavia finished 1–1. Italy won the replay 2–0. More teams entered this tournament (31), a testament to its burgeoning popularity.
Belgium
hosted the 1972 tournament, which West Germany won, beating the USSR 3–0 in the final in Brussels
. This tournament would provide a taste of things to come, as the German side contained many of the key members of the 1974 FIFA World Cup
Champions.
The 1976 tournament in Yugoslavia
was the last in which only four teams took part in the final tournament, and the last in which the hosts had to qualify. Czechoslovakia
beat West Germany in the newly introduced penalty shootout
, with Antonín Panenka
's famous chipped shot.
The competition was expanded to eight teams in the 1980 tournament, again hosted by Italy. It involved a group stage, with the winners of the groups going on to contest the final, and the runners-up playing in the third place play-off. West Germany won their second European title by beating Belgium 2–1 at the Stadio Olimpico
in Rome
.
France
won their first major title at home in the 1984 tournament, with their captain Michel Platini
scoring 9 goals in just 5 games, including the opening goal in the final, in which they beat Spain 2–0. The format also changed, with the top two teams in each group going through to a semi-final stage, instead of the winners of each group going straight into the final. The third place play-off was also abolished.
West Germany
hosted UEFA Euro 1988, and the Netherlands
beat the hosts—and traditional rivals
—2–1 in the semi-finals, which sparked vigorous celebrations in the Netherlands. The Netherlands went on to win the tournament, beating the USSR 2–0 at the Olympia Stadion
in Munich, a match in which Marco van Basten scored one of the most memorable goals in football history, a spectacular volley over the keeper from the right wing.
UEFA Euro 1992 was held in Sweden
, and was won by Denmark
, who were only in the finals because UEFA did not allow Yugoslavia to participate as some of the states constituting the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
were at a state of war
with each other. The Danes beat holders the Netherlands on penalties in the semi-finals, then defeated world champion Germany 2–0. This was the first tournament in which a unified Germany
took part and also the first major tournament to have the players' names printed on their backs.
England
hosted UEFA Euro 1996, the first tournament to use the nomenclature "Euro [year]" and would see the number of teams taking part double to 16. The hosts, in a replay of the 1990 FIFA World Cup
semi-final, were knocked out on penalties by Germany, who would go on to win in the final 2–1 against the newly-formed Czech Republic
thanks to the first golden goal
ever in a major tournament, scored by Oliver Bierhoff
. This was Germany's first title as a unified nation.
UEFA Euro 2000 was the first tournament to be held by two countries, the Netherlands
and Belgium
. France, the reigning world champion
, was favoured to win, and they lived up to expectations when they beat Italy 2–1 after extra time, having come from being 1–0 down: Sylvain Wiltord
equalized in the very last minute of the game and David Trezeguet
scored the winner in extra time.
UEFA Euro 2004, like 1992, produced an upset: Greece, who had only qualified for one World Cup (1994
) and one European Championship (1980) before, beat host Portugal
1–0 in the final (after having also beaten them in the opening game) to win a tournament that they had been given odds of 150–1 to win before it began. On their way to the final they also beat holders France as well as the Czech Republic with a silver goal, a rule which replaced the previous golden goal in 2003, before being abolished itself shortly after this tournament.
The 2008 tournament, hosted by Austria
and Switzerland
marked the second time that two nations co-hosted, and the first edition where the new trophy was awarded. It commenced on 7 June and finished on 29 June. The final between Germany and Spain was held at the Ernst Happel Stadion
in Vienna
. Spain defeated Germany 1–0, sparking much celebration across the country. This is their first title since the 1964 tournament.
The UEFA Euro 2012 tournament will be hosted by Poland
and Ukraine
.
The UEFA Euro 2016
tournament will be hosted by France.
, the first General Secretary of UEFA, who came up with the idea of a European championship but died five years prior to the first tournament in 1960. His son Pierre Delaunay
was in charge of making the trophy. Since the first tournament it has been awarded to the winning team for them to keep for four years, until the next tournament.
For the 2008 tournament, the trophy was slightly remodelled, making it larger. The trophy, which is made of sterling silver, now weighs 8 kilograms and is 60 centimeters tall. A small figure juggling a ball on the back of the original was removed, as was the marble plinth. The silver base of the trophy had to be enlarged to make it stable. The names of the winning countries that had appeared on the plinth have now been engraved on the back of the trophy.
From 1980, eight teams competed.
In 1996 the tournament expanded to 16 teams, since it was easier for European nations to qualify for the World Cup
than their own continental championship; 14 of the 24 teams at the 1982
, 1986
and 1990
World Cups had been European, whereas the European Championship finals still involved only eight teams.
For 2016, the competition will increase to 24 teams. In 2007, there was much discussion about an expansion of the tournament to 24 teams, started by Scotland
and the Republic of Ireland
, due to the increased number of football associations in Europe after the breakups of Czechoslovakia
, Yugoslavia
and the USSR, and the inclusion of Israel
and Kazakhstan
. The new president of UEFA
, Michel Platini
, was reported to be in favour of expansion which proved an accurate assumption. Whilst on 17 April 2007, UEFA's Executive Committee formally decided against expansion in 2012, Platini indicated in June 2008 that UEFA will increase participation from 16 to 24 teams in future tournaments, starting from 2016. On 25 September, it was announced by Franz Beckenbauer
that an agreement had been reached, and the expansion to 24 teams would be officially announced the next day.
The competing teams are chosen by a series of qualifying games: in 1960 and 1964 through home and away play-offs; from 1968 through a combination of both qualifying groups and play-off games. The host country was selected from the four finalists after they were determined through qualifying.
Since the expansion of the final tournament starting from 1980, the host country, or countries, have been chosen beforehand and qualify automatically.
, almost two years before the finals.
The groups for qualification are drawn by a UEFA committee using seeding. Seeded teams include reigning champions, and other teams on the basis of their performance in the preceding FIFA World Cup qualifying and the last European Football Championship qualifying. To obtain an accurate view of the teams abilities, a ranking is produced. This is calculated by taking the total number of points won by a particular team and dividing it by the number of games played, i.e. points per game. In the case of a team having hosted one of the two previous competitions and therefore having qualified automatically, only the results from the single most recent qualifying competition are used. If two teams have equal points per game, the committee then bases their positions in the rankings on:
The qualifying phase is played in a group format, the composition of the groups is determined through means of a draw of teams from pre-defined seeded bowls. The draw takes place after the preceding World Cup's qualifying competition. For UEFA Euro 2012, the group qualifying phase consists of nine groups; six of six teams and the remainder of five teams each.
The qualifying phase is done in groups. Each group is played in a league format with teams playing each other home and away. Teams then either qualify for the final tournament or to further playoffs depending on their position in the group. As with most leagues, the points are awarded as three for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. In the eventuality of one or more teams having equal points after all matches have been played, the following criteria are used to distinguish the sides:
and Switzerland
. These sixteen teams are divided equally into four groups, A, B, C and D, each consisting of four teams. The groups are drawn up by the UEFA administration, again using seeding. The seeded teams being the host nations, the reigning champions, subject to qualification, and those with the best points per game coefficients over the qualifying phase of the tournament and the previous World Cup qualifying. Other finalists will be assigned to by means of a draw, using coefficients as a basis.
The four groups are again played in a league format, where a team plays its opponents once each. The same points system is used (three points for a win, one point for a draw, no points for a defeat). A schedule for the group matches will be drawn up, but the last two matches in a group must kick off simultaneously. The winner and runner-up of each group progresses to the quarter-finals, where a knockout system is used (the two teams play each other once, the winner progresses), this is used in all subsequent rounds as well. The winners of the quarter-finals matches progress to the semi-finals, where the winners play in the final. If in any of the knockout rounds, the scores are still equal after normal playing time, extra time and penalties
are employed to separate the two teams. This tournament, unlike the FIFA World Cup
does not have a 3rd place play-off.
and Ukraine
were selected to co-host the 2012 competition. They saw off competition from Italy
and joint bids from Croatia
and Hungary
as well as Scotland
and Republic of Ireland
.
On 28 May 2010, UEFA announced that Euro 2016
will be hosted by France. France beat bids of Turkey
(7–6 in voting in second voting round) and Italy, which had the least votes in first voting round. UEFA Euro 2016 will be the first to have 24 teams in Finals. This will be the third time France have hosted the competition.
For the 2020 tournament, all proposed bids have been for two or three countries to co-host the event:
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Championship victories in bold
Legend
Notes
Last updated: 29 June 2008.
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
(the Union of European Football Associations). Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current name in 1968. Starting with the 1996 tournament, specific championships are often referred to in the form "Euro 2008" or whichever year is appropriate.
Prior to entering the tournament all teams other than the host nations (which qualify automatically) compete in a qualifying process. The championship winners earn the opportunity to compete in the following FIFA Confederations Cup
FIFA Confederations Cup
The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships , along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, to bring the number of teams...
, but are not obliged to do so.
History
The idea for a pan-European football tournament was first proposed by the French Football FederationFrench Football Federation
The French Football Federation is the governing body of association football in France, as well as the overseas departments and territories . It was formed in 1919 and is based in the capital Paris...
's Henri Delaunay
Henri Delaunay
Henri Delaunay was a French football administrator.After playing for the Paris team Étoile des Deux Lacs, he became a referee...
in 1927, but it was not until 1958 that the tournament was started - three years after Delaunay's death. In honour of Delaunay, the trophy awarded to the champions is named after him. The 1960 tournament, held in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, had 4 teams competing in the finals, out of 17 that entered the competition. It was won by the Soviet Union, beating Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
2–1 in a tense final in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
withdrew from its quarter-final match against the USSR due to political protests. Of the 17 teams that entered the qualifying tournament, notable absentees were England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, West Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
and Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
.
Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
held the next tournament in 1964, which saw an increase in entries to the qualification tournament, with 29 entering; Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
withdrew after being drawn against Albania
Albania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
, with whom they were still at war. The hosts beat the title holders, the Soviet Union, 2–1 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
in Madrid.
The tournament format stayed the same for the 1968 tournament, hosted and won by Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. For the first and only time a match was decided on a coin toss (the semi-final against the Soviet Union) and the final went to a replay, after the match against Yugoslavia finished 1–1. Italy won the replay 2–0. More teams entered this tournament (31), a testament to its burgeoning popularity.
Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
hosted the 1972 tournament, which West Germany won, beating the USSR 3–0 in the final in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. This tournament would provide a taste of things to come, as the German side contained many of the key members of the 1974 FIFA World Cup
1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
Champions.
The 1976 tournament in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
was the last in which only four teams took part in the final tournament, and the last in which the hosts had to qualify. Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
beat West Germany in the newly introduced penalty shootout
Penalty shootout (football)
A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...
, with Antonín Panenka
Antonín Panenka
Antonín Panenka is a Czech former footballer.- Club career :An attacking midfielder known for the quality of his passing and his free kicks, Panenka played for Bohemians Prague for most of his career, joining the club as a youth in 1959. In 1981 Panenka left Bohemians for Austrian club Rapid...
's famous chipped shot.
The competition was expanded to eight teams in the 1980 tournament, again hosted by Italy. It involved a group stage, with the winners of the groups going on to contest the final, and the runners-up playing in the third place play-off. West Germany won their second European title by beating Belgium 2–1 at the Stadio Olimpico
Stadio Olimpico
The Stadio Olimpico is the main and largest sports facility of Rome, Italy. It is located within the Foro Italico sports complex on the north of the city. An asset of the Italian National Olympic Committee, the structure is intended primarily for football...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
won their first major title at home in the 1984 tournament, with their captain Michel Platini
Michel Platini
Michel François Platini is a former French football player, manager and current president of UEFA. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer and voted the best player. He participated in the 1978, 1982...
scoring 9 goals in just 5 games, including the opening goal in the final, in which they beat Spain 2–0. The format also changed, with the top two teams in each group going through to a semi-final stage, instead of the winners of each group going straight into the final. The third place play-off was also abolished.
West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
hosted UEFA Euro 1988, and the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
beat the hosts—and traditional rivals
Germany and Netherlands football rivalry
The football rivalry between Germany and the Netherlands is one of the few longstanding football rivalries at a national level. Beginning in 1974 when the Dutch lost the 1974 FIFA World Cup to West Germany in the final the rivalry between the two nations...
—2–1 in the semi-finals, which sparked vigorous celebrations in the Netherlands. The Netherlands went on to win the tournament, beating the USSR 2–0 at the Olympia Stadion
Olympic Stadium (Munich)
Olympiastadion is a stadium located in Munich, Germany. Situated at the heart of the Olympiapark München in northern Munich, the stadium was built as the main venue for the 1972 Summer Olympics....
in Munich, a match in which Marco van Basten scored one of the most memorable goals in football history, a spectacular volley over the keeper from the right wing.
UEFA Euro 1992 was held in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, and was won by Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
, who were only in the finals because UEFA did not allow Yugoslavia to participate as some of the states constituting the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
were at a state of war
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
with each other. The Danes beat holders the Netherlands on penalties in the semi-finals, then defeated world champion Germany 2–0. This was the first tournament in which a unified Germany
Unification of Germany
The formal unification of Germany into a politically and administratively integrated nation state officially occurred on 18 January 1871 at the Versailles Palace's Hall of Mirrors in France. Princes of the German states gathered there to proclaim Wilhelm of Prussia as Emperor Wilhelm of the German...
took part and also the first major tournament to have the players' names printed on their backs.
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
hosted UEFA Euro 1996, the first tournament to use the nomenclature "Euro [year]" and would see the number of teams taking part double to 16. The hosts, in a replay of the 1990 FIFA World Cup
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
semi-final, were knocked out on penalties by Germany, who would go on to win in the final 2–1 against the newly-formed Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
thanks to the first golden goal
Golden goal
The golden goal is a method used in association football, field hockey, ice hockey and korfball to decide the winner of games in elimination matches which end in a draw after the end of regulation time. It is a type of sudden death. Golden goal rules allow the team that scores the first goal during...
ever in a major tournament, scored by Oliver Bierhoff
Oliver Bierhoff
Oliver Bierhoff is a retired German former football striker, who scored the first golden goal in the history of major international football, for Germany in the Euro 96 final...
. This was Germany's first title as a unified nation.
UEFA Euro 2000 was the first tournament to be held by two countries, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. France, the reigning world champion
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
, was favoured to win, and they lived up to expectations when they beat Italy 2–1 after extra time, having come from being 1–0 down: Sylvain Wiltord
Sylvain Wiltord
Sylvain Claude Wiltord is a French footballer who currently plays for FC Nantes. With the French national team, Wiltord has won Euro 2000 and reached the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup....
equalized in the very last minute of the game and David Trezeguet
David Trézéguet
David Sergio Trezeguet is a World Cup winning French international footballer who currently is a free agent after being released by Baniyas SC on 21 Nov 2011....
scored the winner in extra time.
UEFA Euro 2004, like 1992, produced an upset: Greece, who had only qualified for one World Cup (1994
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
) and one European Championship (1980) before, beat host Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
1–0 in the final (after having also beaten them in the opening game) to win a tournament that they had been given odds of 150–1 to win before it began. On their way to the final they also beat holders France as well as the Czech Republic with a silver goal, a rule which replaced the previous golden goal in 2003, before being abolished itself shortly after this tournament.
The 2008 tournament, hosted by Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
marked the second time that two nations co-hosted, and the first edition where the new trophy was awarded. It commenced on 7 June and finished on 29 June. The final between Germany and Spain was held at the Ernst Happel Stadion
Ernst Happel Stadion
The Ernst Happel Stadium in Leopoldstadt, the 2nd district of Austria's capital Vienna, is the largest stadium in Austria. It was built between 1929 and 1931 for the second Workers' Olympiad to the design of German architect Otto Ernst Schweizer...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Spain defeated Germany 1–0, sparking much celebration across the country. This is their first title since the 1964 tournament.
The UEFA Euro 2012 tournament will be hosted by Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
The UEFA Euro 2016
UEFA Euro 2016
The 2016 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2016, will be the 15th European Championship for national football teams sanctioned by UEFA. It will be held in the summer of 2016. The host nation was announced to be France on 28 May 2010...
tournament will be hosted by France.
Trophy
The Henri Delaunay Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the European Football Championship, is named in honor of Henri DelaunayHenri Delaunay
Henri Delaunay was a French football administrator.After playing for the Paris team Étoile des Deux Lacs, he became a referee...
, the first General Secretary of UEFA, who came up with the idea of a European championship but died five years prior to the first tournament in 1960. His son Pierre Delaunay
Pierre Delaunay
Pierre Delauney was the second General Secretary of UEFA. He succeeded his father Henri Delaunay in the post, on an interim basis from his father's death on 9 November 1955 and then officially from 8 June 1956.-References:*...
was in charge of making the trophy. Since the first tournament it has been awarded to the winning team for them to keep for four years, until the next tournament.
For the 2008 tournament, the trophy was slightly remodelled, making it larger. The trophy, which is made of sterling silver, now weighs 8 kilograms and is 60 centimeters tall. A small figure juggling a ball on the back of the original was removed, as was the marble plinth. The silver base of the trophy had to be enlarged to make it stable. The names of the winning countries that had appeared on the plinth have now been engraved on the back of the trophy.
The competition
Before 1980, only four teams qualified for the final tournament.From 1980, eight teams competed.
In 1996 the tournament expanded to 16 teams, since it was easier for European nations to qualify for the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
than their own continental championship; 14 of the 24 teams at the 1982
1982 FIFA World Cup
The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
, 1986
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
and 1990
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
World Cups had been European, whereas the European Championship finals still involved only eight teams.
For 2016, the competition will increase to 24 teams. In 2007, there was much discussion about an expansion of the tournament to 24 teams, started by Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, due to the increased number of football associations in Europe after the breakups of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and the USSR, and the inclusion of Israel
Israel national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
and Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan national football team
The Kazakhstan national football team represents Kazakhstan in international men's association football and is directed by Football Federation of Kazakhstan. They split from the Soviet Union national football team after independence in 1991 and joined the Asian Football Confederation's Central and...
. The new president of UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
, Michel Platini
Michel Platini
Michel François Platini is a former French football player, manager and current president of UEFA. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer and voted the best player. He participated in the 1978, 1982...
, was reported to be in favour of expansion which proved an accurate assumption. Whilst on 17 April 2007, UEFA's Executive Committee formally decided against expansion in 2012, Platini indicated in June 2008 that UEFA will increase participation from 16 to 24 teams in future tournaments, starting from 2016. On 25 September, it was announced by Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Anton Beckenbauer is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser because of his elegant style, his leadership, his first name "Franz" , and his dominance on the football pitch...
that an agreement had been reached, and the expansion to 24 teams would be officially announced the next day.
The competing teams are chosen by a series of qualifying games: in 1960 and 1964 through home and away play-offs; from 1968 through a combination of both qualifying groups and play-off games. The host country was selected from the four finalists after they were determined through qualifying.
Since the expansion of the final tournament starting from 1980, the host country, or countries, have been chosen beforehand and qualify automatically.
Qualifying
In order to qualify, a team must finish in one of the qualifying spots or win a play-off. After this a team proceeds to the finals round in the host country, although hosts qualify for the tournament automatically. The qualifying phase begins in the autumn after the preceding FIFA World CupFIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
, almost two years before the finals.
The groups for qualification are drawn by a UEFA committee using seeding. Seeded teams include reigning champions, and other teams on the basis of their performance in the preceding FIFA World Cup qualifying and the last European Football Championship qualifying. To obtain an accurate view of the teams abilities, a ranking is produced. This is calculated by taking the total number of points won by a particular team and dividing it by the number of games played, i.e. points per game. In the case of a team having hosted one of the two previous competitions and therefore having qualified automatically, only the results from the single most recent qualifying competition are used. If two teams have equal points per game, the committee then bases their positions in the rankings on:
- Coefficient from the matches played in its most recent qualifying competition.
- Average goal difference.
- Average number of goals scored.
- Average number of away goals scored.
- Drawing of lots.
The qualifying phase is played in a group format, the composition of the groups is determined through means of a draw of teams from pre-defined seeded bowls. The draw takes place after the preceding World Cup's qualifying competition. For UEFA Euro 2012, the group qualifying phase consists of nine groups; six of six teams and the remainder of five teams each.
The qualifying phase is done in groups. Each group is played in a league format with teams playing each other home and away. Teams then either qualify for the final tournament or to further playoffs depending on their position in the group. As with most leagues, the points are awarded as three for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. In the eventuality of one or more teams having equal points after all matches have been played, the following criteria are used to distinguish the sides:
- Higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question.
- Superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question.
- Higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question.
- Higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question.
- Results of all group matches:
- Superior goal difference
- Higher number of goals scored
- Higher number of goals scored away from home
- Fair play conduct.
- Drawing of lots.
Final tournament
Sixteen teams progress to the final tournament; for the 2008 tournament, they will be the winners and runners up of the seven qualifying groups and joint hosts AustriaAustria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
and Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
. These sixteen teams are divided equally into four groups, A, B, C and D, each consisting of four teams. The groups are drawn up by the UEFA administration, again using seeding. The seeded teams being the host nations, the reigning champions, subject to qualification, and those with the best points per game coefficients over the qualifying phase of the tournament and the previous World Cup qualifying. Other finalists will be assigned to by means of a draw, using coefficients as a basis.
The four groups are again played in a league format, where a team plays its opponents once each. The same points system is used (three points for a win, one point for a draw, no points for a defeat). A schedule for the group matches will be drawn up, but the last two matches in a group must kick off simultaneously. The winner and runner-up of each group progresses to the quarter-finals, where a knockout system is used (the two teams play each other once, the winner progresses), this is used in all subsequent rounds as well. The winners of the quarter-finals matches progress to the semi-finals, where the winners play in the final. If in any of the knockout rounds, the scores are still equal after normal playing time, extra time and penalties
Penalty shootout (football)
A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...
are employed to separate the two teams. This tournament, unlike the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
does not have a 3rd place play-off.
Bids for future tournaments
On 18 April 2007, PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
were selected to co-host the 2012 competition. They saw off competition from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and joint bids from Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
as well as Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
On 28 May 2010, UEFA announced that Euro 2016
UEFA Euro 2016
The 2016 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2016, will be the 15th European Championship for national football teams sanctioned by UEFA. It will be held in the summer of 2016. The host nation was announced to be France on 28 May 2010...
will be hosted by France. France beat bids of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
(7–6 in voting in second voting round) and Italy, which had the least votes in first voting round. UEFA Euro 2016 will be the first to have 24 teams in Finals. This will be the third time France have hosted the competition.
For the 2020 tournament, all proposed bids have been for two or three countries to co-host the event:
- RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The... - Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and SlovakiaSlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south... - SerbiaSerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
Winners and finalists
In all, 27 nations have appeared at least once in the final tournament. Of these, only twelve have made it to the final match, and nine of them have won it at least once. With three titles, Germany is the most successful European Championship team. No team has ever won consecutive titles.| Team | Titles | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| ^ | 3 (1972 1972 UEFA European Football Championship -Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Statistics:*Fastest goal: 24 minutes**Raoul Lambert **Gerd Müller -Top scorers:... , 1980 1980 UEFA European Football Championship The 1980 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in Italy. This was the sixth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. With eight teams competing, the final tournament took place between 11 and 22 June 1980... , 1996 1996 UEFA European Football Championship The 1996 UEFA European Football Championship was hosted by England, who won the right to host the tournament ahead of bids from Austria, Portugal and the Netherlands. It was the tenth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. It was the first to use the... ) |
3 (1976 1976 UEFA European Football Championship -Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Top scorers:19 goals were scored in 4 games for an average of 4.75 goals per game.4 goals Dieter Müller2 goals Dragan Džajić Ruud Geels... , 1992 1992 UEFA European Football Championship The 1992 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was hosted by Sweden between 10 and 26 June 1992. It was the ninth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and supported by UEFA. Eight national teams contested the championship, which was won by Denmark, one of... , 2008 2008 UEFA European Football Championship The 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2008, was the 13th UEFA European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament contested by European nations. It took place in Austria and Switzerland from 7 to 29 June 2008... ) |
| 2 (1964 1964 UEFA European Football Championship -Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Goalscorers of the final tournament:There were 13 goals scored in 4 games, for an average of 3.25 goals per game.2 goals Ferenc Bene Dezső Novák Jesús María Pereda... *, 2008 2008 UEFA European Football Championship The 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2008, was the 13th UEFA European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament contested by European nations. It took place in Austria and Switzerland from 7 to 29 June 2008... ) |
1 (1984 1984 UEFA European Football Championship The 1984 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in France. West Germany also bid for the hosting of this event. It was the seventh European Football Championship, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA... ) |
|
| 2 (1984 1984 UEFA European Football Championship The 1984 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in France. West Germany also bid for the hosting of this event. It was the seventh European Football Championship, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA... *, 2000 2000 UEFA European Football Championship The 2000 UEFA European Football Championship, or Euro 2000, was the 11th UEFA European Football Championship, which is held every four years and organized by UEFA, association football's governing body in Europe.... ) |
– | |
| ‡ | 1 (1960 1960 UEFA European Football Championship The 1960 UEFA European Nations Cup was the first European Football Championship, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. The final tournament was held in France. It was won by the Soviet Union, who beat Yugoslavia 2–1 in Paris after extra time.... ) |
3 (1964 1964 UEFA European Football Championship -Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Goalscorers of the final tournament:There were 13 goals scored in 4 games, for an average of 3.25 goals per game.2 goals Ferenc Bene Dezső Novák Jesús María Pereda... , 1972 1972 UEFA European Football Championship -Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Statistics:*Fastest goal: 24 minutes**Raoul Lambert **Gerd Müller -Top scorers:... , 1988 1988 UEFA European Football Championship The 1988 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in West Germany. West Germany won the right to host the tournament with five votes ahead of a joint bid from Norway, Sweden and Denmark, who gained 1 vote, and a bid from England. It was the eighth European Football... ) |
| † | 1 (1976 1976 UEFA European Football Championship -Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Top scorers:19 goals were scored in 4 games for an average of 4.75 goals per game.4 goals Dieter Müller2 goals Dragan Džajić Ruud Geels... ) |
1 (1996 1996 UEFA European Football Championship The 1996 UEFA European Football Championship was hosted by England, who won the right to host the tournament ahead of bids from Austria, Portugal and the Netherlands. It was the tenth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. It was the first to use the... ) |
| 1 (1968 1968 UEFA European Football Championship -Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Replay:-Top scorers:There were 7 goals scored in 4 matches, for an average of 1.75 goals per game.2 goals Dragan Džajić... *) |
1 (2000 2000 UEFA European Football Championship The 2000 UEFA European Football Championship, or Euro 2000, was the 11th UEFA European Football Championship, which is held every four years and organized by UEFA, association football's governing body in Europe.... ) |
|
| 1 (1988 1988 UEFA European Football Championship The 1988 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in West Germany. West Germany won the right to host the tournament with five votes ahead of a joint bid from Norway, Sweden and Denmark, who gained 1 vote, and a bid from England. It was the eighth European Football... ) |
– | |
| 1 (1992 1992 UEFA European Football Championship The 1992 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was hosted by Sweden between 10 and 26 June 1992. It was the ninth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and supported by UEFA. Eight national teams contested the championship, which was won by Denmark, one of... ) |
– | |
| 1 (2004 2004 UEFA European Football Championship The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, better known as Euro 2004, was the 12th European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament for European national teams. It was hosted in Portugal, for the first time, between 12 June and 4 July 2004, following its selection by UEFA, in... ) |
– | |
| # | – | 2 (1960 1960 UEFA European Football Championship The 1960 UEFA European Nations Cup was the first European Football Championship, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. The final tournament was held in France. It was won by the Soviet Union, who beat Yugoslavia 2–1 in Paris after extra time.... , 1968 1968 UEFA European Football Championship -Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Replay:-Top scorers:There were 7 goals scored in 4 matches, for an average of 1.75 goals per game.2 goals Dragan Džajić... ) |
| – | 1 (1980 1980 UEFA European Football Championship The 1980 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in Italy. This was the sixth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. With eight teams competing, the final tournament took place between 11 and 22 June 1980... ) |
|
| – | 1 (2004 2004 UEFA European Football Championship The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, better known as Euro 2004, was the 12th European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament for European national teams. It was hosted in Portugal, for the first time, between 12 June and 4 July 2004, following its selection by UEFA, in... *) |
- Savo MiloševićSavo MiloševicSavo Milošević is a retired Serbian footballer who played as a striker.After making a name for himself at Partizan, he signed for Aston Villa, and went on to spend the vast majority of the following decade playing in Spain, where he represented four clubs, amassing La Liga totals of 241 games and...
Marco van Basten
Zinedine ZidaneZinedine ZidaneZinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
|align=center|5
|}
Top scorers by tournament
| Year | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 |  François HeutteFrançois Heutte François Heutte is a French former football striker. He played for France in the Euro 1960.-References:* *...  Valentin IvanovValentin Kozmich Ivanov Valentin Kozmich Ivanov was a football winger/striker, co-leading scorer at the 1962 World Cup and co-1960 European Nations' Cup top scorer.Ivanov appeared 59 times for the Soviet Union, scoring 26 goals... Viktor PonedelnikViktor Ponedelnik Viktor Vladimirovich Ponedelnik is a former Soviet football player, regarded as one of the best strikers in Soviet football history....  Milan GalićMilan Galic Milan Galić is a former Serbian footballer.He scored 37 international goals in 51 matches for the Yugoslavia national football team. He participated in the 1960 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal, the 1960 UEFA European Football Championship, where Yugoslavia finished second , and the 1962... Dražan Jerković |
2 |
| 1964 |  Jesús María PeredaJesus María Pereda Jesús María Pereda Ruiz de Temiño , also known as Chus Pereda, was a Spanish football midfielder and manager....  Ferenc BeneFerenc Bene Ferenc Bene was a Hungarian football player of Újpesti Dózsa, who was a member of the team that won the gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He was the top scorer of the tournament .Bene was born in Balatonújlak... Dezső NovákDezso Novák Dezső Novák is a former Hungarian footballer.During his club career he played for Ferencvárosi TC. For the Hungary national football team, he participated in the 1964 European Nations' Cup... |
2 |
| 1968 | Dragan Džajić Dragan Džajic Dragan Džajić is widely considered to have been one of the best Serbian football players to emerge from former Yugoslavia. Regarded as a preeminent and very proficient left winger, he is strongly reputed to have been one of the finest European players of his generation... |
2 |
| 1972 |  Gerd MüllerGerd Müller Gerhard "Gerd" Müller is a former German football player and one of the most prolific goalscorers of all time.With national records of 68 goals in 62 international appearances, 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games and the international record of 66 goals in 74 European Club games, he was one of the... |
4 |
| 1976 | Dieter Müller Dieter Müller Dieter Müller is a former German footballer, who is currently the chairman of Kickers Offenbach.He appeared in twelve senior matches, scoring nine goals for Germany. He played in the 1976 European Football Championship and the 1978 FIFA World Cup. In his spell with 1... |
4 |
| 1980 | Klaus Allofs Klaus Allofs Klaus Allofs is a retired German footballer, who played as a striker.A prolific goalscorer for club and country , his younger brother, Thomas, was also a professional footballer – and a striker.-Club career:Allofs began playing... |
3 |
| 1984 | Michel Platini Michel Platini Michel François Platini is a former French football player, manager and current president of UEFA. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer and voted the best player. He participated in the 1978, 1982... |
9 |
| 1988 | Marco van Basten |
5 |
| 1992 |  Henrik LarsenHenrik Larsen Henrik Larsen , nicknamed Store Larsen , is a Danish former professional football player who was last the manager of Lyngby Boldklub.-Biography:...  Karlheinz RiedleKarlheinz Riedle Karl-Heinz "Air" Riedle is a former German professional footballer, who won the FIFA World Cup with West Germany in 1990 and the UEFA Champions League in 1997 with Borussia Dortmund. Riedle ended his international career with 42 caps and 16 goals.Riedle's youth clubs are TSV Ellhofen and SV Weiler... Dennis BergkampDennis Bergkamp Dennis Nicolaas Bergkamp , is a former Dutch professional footballer who is currently the assistant manager to Frank de Boer at Ajax. At club level he played for Ajax, Internazionale, and Arsenal, and also represented the Netherlands at international level...  Tomas BrolinTomas Brolin Per Tomas Brolin is a Swedish former professional football player who had a successful period with A.C. Parma during the early nineties winning the 1992 Coppa Italia, the 1993 Cup Winners' Cup, the 1993 UEFA Super Cup and the 1995 UEFA Cup.Brolin also played for the Swedish national team,... |
3 |
| 1996 |  Alan ShearerAlan Shearer Alan Shearer OBE, DL is a retired English footballer. He played as a striker in the top level of English league football for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United and for the England national team... |
5 |
| 2000 | Patrick Kluivert Patrick Kluivert Patrick Stephan Kluivert is a former Dutch footballer, currently head coach of the youth side of FC Twente. He played as a striker for AFC Ajax, A.C. Milan, FC Barcelona, Newcastle United, Valencia CF, PSV Eindhoven, and Lille OSC. Kluivert played for the Dutch national team from 1994 to 2004. He... Savo Milošević Savo Miloševic Savo Milošević is a retired Serbian footballer who played as a striker.After making a name for himself at Partizan, he signed for Aston Villa, and went on to spend the vast majority of the following decade playing in Spain, where he represented four clubs, amassing La Liga totals of 241 games and... |
5 |
| 2004 |  Milan BarošMilan Baroš Milan Baroš is a Czech footballer who plays as a striker for Galatasaray and the Czech national football team.In the 2008–09 season, Baroš scored 20 goals in Turkish Süper Lig, the highest total in the league... |
5 |
| 2008 |  David VillaDavid Villa David Villa Sánchez , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a striker for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national football team. He can also operate as a winger.... |
4 |
Hat-tricks
A hat-trick is achieved when the same player scores three or more goals in one match. Listed in chronological order.| Sequence |
Player | No. of goals |
Time of goals | Representing | Final score |
Opponent | Tournament | Round | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 82', 115' (e.t.), 119'(e.t.) | 4–2 | Euro 1976 | Semi-finals | ||||
| 2 | 3 | 20', 60', 65' | 3–2 | Euro 1980 | Group stage | ||||
| 3 | 3 | 4', 74', 89' | 5–0 | Euro 1984 | Group stage | ||||
| 4 | 3 | 59', 62', 77' | 3–2 | Euro 1984 | Group stage | ||||
| 5 | 3 | 44', 71', 75' | 3–1 | Euro 1988 | Group stage | ||||
| 6 | 3 | 35', 54', 71' | 3–0 | Euro 2000 | Group stage | ||||
| 7 | 3 | 24', 38', 54' | 6–1 | Euro 2000 | Quarter-finals | ||||
| 8 | 3 | 20', 44', 75' | 4–1 | Euro 2008 | Group stage |
Most tournaments played
| Played | Name | Tournaments |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Lothar Matthäus Lothar Matthäus Lothar Herbert Matthäus , is a German football manager and former player.In 1990, he was named European Footballer of the Year and World Soccer Player of the Year after captaining West Germany to victory in the 1990 World Cup... |
1980, 1984, 1988, 2000 |
| 4 | Peter Schmeichel Peter Schmeichel Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993... |
1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 |
| 4 | Aron Winter Aron Winter Aron Mohamed Winter [VIN-ter] is a retired Dutch football midfielder and current head coach of Toronto FC... |
1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 |
| 4 |  Alessandro Del PieroAlessandro Del Piero Alessandro Del Piero Ufficiale OMRI is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Serie A club Juventus, of which he is also club captain.... |
1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 |
| 4 | Edwin van der Sar Edwin van der Sar Edwin van der Sar OON is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper for AFC Ajax, Juventus, Fulham and Manchester United. He is the most capped player in the Netherlands national football team's history... |
1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 |
| 4 | Lilian Thuram Lilian Thuram Lilian Thuram is a retired professional football defender and is the most capped player in the history of the France national team, and one of the twenty most capped players of all time.He played at the top flight in France, Italy and Spain for over 15 seasons, including ten in the Serie A with both... |
1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 |
Championship victories in bold
Most matches played
| Matches | Name |
|---|---|
| 16 | Edwin van der Sar Edwin van der Sar Edwin van der Sar OON is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper for AFC Ajax, Juventus, Fulham and Manchester United. He is the most capped player in the Netherlands national football team's history... Lilian ThuramLilian Thuram Lilian Thuram is a retired professional football defender and is the most capped player in the history of the France national team, and one of the twenty most capped players of all time.He played at the top flight in France, Italy and Spain for over 15 seasons, including ten in the Serie A with both... |
| 14 |  Luís FigoLuís Figo Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009... Nuno GomesNuno Gomes Nuno Miguel Soares Pereira Ribeiro , commonly known as Nuno Gomes, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for S.C. Braga as a striker.He was given the nickname Gomes during childhood after F.C... Karel PoborskýKarel Poborský Karel Poborský is a former Czech footballer. A right winger, Poborský is the all-time leader in appearances for the Czech national team, and was most noted for his technical ability.-Club career:... Zinédine ZidaneZinedine Zidane Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship... |
Participation details
| Team | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 |  1972 |  1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 |  1996 | 2000 | 2004 |   2008 |   2012 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – | – | – | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1R | SF | 2nd | 1st | 1R | 1R | 2nd | Q | 11 |
| 2 | 1st | 2nd | 4th | 2nd | – | – | – | 2nd | 1R | 1R | – | 1R | SF | Q | 10 |
| – | – | – | – | 3rd | 1R | – | 1st | SF | QF | SF | SF | QF | Q | 9 | |
| – | 1st | – | – | – | 1R | 2nd | 1R | – | QF | QF | 1R | 1st | Q | 9 | |
| 3 | 3rd | – | – | – | 1st | 3rd | – | – | – | 2nd | 1R | SF | 1R | Q | 8 |
| – | 4th | – | – | – | – | SF | 1R | 1st | 1R | 1R | QF | – | Q | 8 | |
| – | – | 3rd | – | – | 1R | – | 1R | 1R | SF | 1R | QF | – | Q | 8 | |
| 4th | – | – | – | – | – | 1st | – | 1R | SF | 1st | QF | 1R | Q | 8 | |
| – | – | 1st | – | – | 4th | – | SF | – | 1R | 2nd | 1R | QF | Q | 8 | |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | SF | – | – | QF | SF | 2nd | QF | Q | 6 | |
| 4 | 2nd | – | 2nd | – | 4th | – | 1R | – | DQ | – | QF | – | – | – | 5 |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | SF | – | 1R | QF | 1R | Q | 5 | |
| – | – | – | 3rd | – | 2nd | 1R | – | – | – | 1R | – | – | – | 4 | |
| QF | – | 1R | QF | Q | 4 | ||||||||||
| – | – | – | – | – | 1R | – | – | – | – | – | 1st | 1R | Q | 4 | |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | 1R | – | – | 1R | QF | – | 1R | – | 4 | |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1R | – | 1R | 1R | – | 3 | |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1R | QF | – | SF | – | 3 | |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1R | – | 1R | – | – | 2 | |
| – | 3rd | – | 4th | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1R | Q | 2 | |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1R | – | – | – | – | – | Q | 2 | |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1R | 1R | – | – | – | – | 2 | |
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1R | – | 1 | |
| – | – | 1R | – | – | 1 | ||||||||||
| – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1R | – | – | – | 1 | |
| – | 1R | – | – | – | 1 | ||||||||||
| – | – | – | – | Q | 1 |
Legend
- 1st – Champions
- 2nd – Runners-up
- 3rd – Third place
- 4th – Fourth place
- SF – Semi-finals
- QF – Quarter-finals
- 1R – First round
- Q – Qualified
- DQ – Disqualified
Notes
- 1: includes results as West GermanyGermany national football teamThe Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
up to and including 1988. - 2: includes results representing USSRUSSR national football teamThe Soviet Union National Football Team was the national football team of the Soviet Union. It ceased to exist after the break up of the Union...
up to 1988, and CISCIS national football teamThe CIS national football team represented the Commonwealth of Independent States, a regional confederation formed by 12 of the 15 newly formed sovereign states that emerged out of the break-up of the Soviet Union between 1990 and early 1992...
in 1992. - 3: includes results representing CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia national football teamThe Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
up to 1992. - 4: includes results representing YugoslaviaYugoslavia national football teamThe Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
and Serbia and Montenegro up to 2004.
Biggest gaps between appearances
- 24 years: FranceFrance national football teamThe France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
(1960 - 1984), GreeceGreece national football teamThe Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
(1980 - 2004), Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland national football teamThe Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
(1988 - 2012)
General statistics
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Dif |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1960–1988) (1992–) |
38 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 55 | 39 | |
| 32 | 17 | 8 | 7 | 55 | 32 | ||
| 28 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 46 | 34 | ||
| 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 38 | 31 | ||
| 23 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 34 | 22 | ||
| 27 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 27 | 18 | ||
| (1960–1980) (1996–) |
25 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 36 | 32 | |
| (1960–1988) (1992) (1996–) |
27 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 31 | 36 | −5 |
| 23 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 31 | 28 | ||
| 24 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 26 | 38 | −12 | |
| 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 13 | ||
| 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 16 | ||
| 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 13 | −4 | |
| 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 20 | −7 | |
| 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 18 | −7 | |
| (1960–1984) (2000) |
14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 22 | 39 | −17 |
| 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | −1 | |
| 13 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 17 | −9 | |
| 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 13 | −8 | |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 13 | −9 | |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 | −1 | |
| 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 |
Last updated: 29 June 2008.
Winning coaches
| Year | Head coach | Champions |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Gavriil Kachalin Gavriil Kachalin Gavriil Dmitriyevich Kachalin was a Soviet/Russian football player and coach.... |
|
| 1964 | José Villalonga José Villalonga Llorente José Villalonga Llorente , commonly referred to as José Villalonga and also known as Pepe Villalonga, was a Spanish football manager during the 1950s and 1960s... |
|
| 1968 | Ferruccio Valcareggi |
|
| 1972 | Helmut Schön Helmut Schön Helmut Schön was a German football player and manager. He is best remembered for his exceptional career as manager of West Germany.... |
|
| 1976 |  Václav JežekVáclav Ježek Václav Ježek was the coach of the Czechoslovakia national football team when they won the 1976 European Championships.... |
|
| 1980 | Jupp Derwall |
|
| 1984 | Michel Hidalgo |
|
| 1988 | Rinus Michels Rinus Michels Marinus Jacobus Hendricus Michels OON was a Dutch association football player and coach... |
|
| 1992 | Richard Møller Nielsen Richard Møller Nielsen Richard Møller Nielsen , nicknamed Ricardo, is a Danish former football player and football manager. His greatest triumph came when he coached the Danish national football team which surprisingly won the 1992 European Championship tournament. In 1995, he was knighted as Knight 1st Degree of the... |
|
| 1996 | Berti Vogts Berti Vogts Hans-Hubert "Berti" Vogts is a German former footballer. He played for Borussia Mönchengladbach and won the World Cup with West Germany in 1974. He later managed Germany , Scotland and Nigeria... |
|
| 2000 | Roger Lemerre |
|
| 2004 | Otto Rehhagel Otto Rehhagel Otto Rehhagel is a German football coach and former football player. Along with Helmut Schön, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Udo Lattek and Hennes Weisweiler, he is considered one of the most successful German managers.... |
|
| 2008 | Luis Aragonés Luis Aragonés José Luis Aragonés Suárez , usually referred to as Luis Aragonés and sometimes simply as Luis, is a former Spanish footballer and national coach.... |
See also
- European Championship goalscorers
- UEFA European Championship Teams of the TournamentUEFA European Championship Teams of the TournamentThis article lists the Teams of the Tournament in the UEFA European Championship from 1960 to date.-France 1960:* 1. Lev Yashin* 2. Vladimir Durković* 3. Ladislav Novák* 4. Igor Netto* 5. Josef Masopust...
- UEFA Women's ChampionshipUEFA Women's ChampionshipThe UEFA European Women's Championship, also called the UEFA Women's Euro and unofficially the "European Cup", held every fourth year, is the main competition in women's association football between national teams of the UEFA Confederation...
- Men's Under-21UEFA European Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
- UEFA European Football Championship mascotUEFA European Football Championship mascotThe UEFA European Football Championship has featured mascots since 1980. The very first mascot was Pinocchio, for the UEFA Euro 1980 in Italy. Since then, every tournament has had a mascot except for the UEFA Euro 2008, which had two...
External links
- UEFA European Championship at uefa.com.