Euro 2024: previous winners of the UEFA European Soccer Championship | UEFA Euro 2024 Information

The European Soccer Championship, informally generally known as ‘The Euros,’ is UEFA’s flagship competitors for its member nations.

The occasion boasts a wealthy historical past and has been a worldwide sporting attraction for many years.

Although the event first occurred in 1960, the thought behind it was shaped years earlier than.

UEFA’s first common secretary, Henri Delaunay, proposed the thought of a European nationwide crew competitors within the Nineteen Twenties.

Delauney’s dream grew to become a actuality when the primary version of the Euros was held in 1960 in France, however the Frenchman didn’t dwell to witness the achievement, having died in 1955.

In recognition of Delaunay’s function within the formation of the brand new competitors, the trophy – offered by the French Soccer Federation – was named after him.

The inaugural Euros, a four-team competitors, ended with the Soviet Union rising as winners after beating Yugoslavia 2-1 in further time within the last in Paris.

Spain hosted the subsequent version in 1964 and received the title by beating the holders Soviet Union 2-1 in Madrid.

The 1968 event was received by hosts Italy, however their path to the ultimate was full of drama.

The Italians reached the Euro 1968 last after a “coin-toss” victory over the Soviet Union within the semifinals – the one aggressive European worldwide to have been determined in such a fashion. The coin toss was carried out after the groups performed out a goalless draw within the semifinals.

Within the title conflict, Italy and Yugoslavia drew 1-1 and compelled a replay two days later, which the Italians received 2-0 to carry the trophy on residence soil.

The enduring ‘Panenka’ second

The Euros remained a four-team event in 1972 and 1976 as West Germany and Czechoslovakia emerged winners in respective editions earlier than the pool dimension expanded to eight groups in 1980.

Czechoslovakia’s 1976 title victory towards West Germany gained reputation for Antonin Panenka’s penalty antics – the attacking midfielder softly chipped the ball up the center of the objective, securing a 5-3 shootout win after the sport remained 2-2 on the finish of additional time.

His audacious penalty kick was the primary of its sort in worldwide soccer and was later imitated a number of instances by others, because the type got here to be generally known as “a Panenka”, named after the Czech.

In 1980, eight groups participated because the event featured a bunch stage, a third-place playoff and the ultimate. West Germany received their second European title by beating Belgium 2-1, due to a brace from Horst Hrubesch, together with a late header which sealed their win.

4 years later, France received their first main title at residence as they defeated Spain 2-0 within the last, with captain Michel Platini gaining limelight together with his 9 objectives in 5 matches.

The Netherlands received the 1988 version in West Germany, beating the Soviet Union 2-0 within the last, which grew to become well-known for Marco van Basten’s volley over the goalkeeper from the correct wing.

The Euro 1992, held in Sweden, was received by Denmark who pulled off a outstanding 2-0 victory over then-world champions Germany within the last.

Greece’s fairytale win and Spain’s back-to-back Euro dominance

The following 5 editions noticed an additional growth, as 16 groups participated within the finals.

Germany received their first title as a united nation at Euro 1996 in England, beating the Czech Republic 2-1 within the last with the first-ever golden objective at a serious event, scored by Oliver Bierhoff 5 minutes into further time.

The Euro 2000 was the primary event to be held by two international locations, the Netherlands and Belgium, and received by France, who had been the reigning world champions at the moment. The French got here from a objective down and went on to beat Italy 2-1 in further time, due to the successful golden objective by David Trezeguet.

Greece pulled off an enormous upset at Euro 2004 by beating hosts Portugal 1-0 within the last. Initially of the event, bookmakers had been providing odds of 150-1 towards the Greeks successful the event.

Euro 2008 noticed Spain dominate the event with their goal-scoring prowess, as David Villa completed as the highest scorer with 4 strikes. They received the title that yr after a 44-year wait with Fernando Torres’s objective sealing a 1-0 win over Germany within the last in Vienna, Austria.

Spain grew to become the primary nation to defend their Euro title in 2012, successful the event by thrashing Italy 4-0 within the last in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Euro title victory adopted their 2010 World Cup achievement because the “La Roja” grew to become the primary European crew to win three consecutive main tournaments.

The 2012 event was particular for Torres, who grew to become the primary participant to attain in two Euro finals and completed as a joint top-scorer with three objectives regardless of solely getting used as an alternative throughout their marketing campaign.

Portugal’s unlikely victory and despair for England

From the 2016 version, the event expanded to a pool of 24 contributors.

At Euro 2016, Portugal completed third of their group, but made it to the ultimate, defeating hosts and favourites France 1-0 to carry their first main trophy. Portugal’s star participant Cristiano Ronaldo suffered an harm within the first half, however Eder scored in further time to seal their destiny.

The 2020 version was performed in 2021 because of the delay brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a novel occasion format, matches had been unfold throughout 13 totally different European international locations. The ultimate was held at London’s Wembley Stadium, the place England succumbed to a 3-2 penalty defeat to Italy after further time ended 1-1.

England had been hoping to finish their 55-year watch for a serious soccer trophy, however they ended the night time experiencing the crushing agony of defeat as three of their kids – Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho – didn’t convert their penalty kicks. For Italy, it was their second Euro title after their 1968 success.

Euro 2024 can be held in Germany from June 14.

You possibly can comply with the motion on Al Jazeera’s devoted Euro 2024 event web page with all of the match build-up and dwell textual content commentary, and hold updated with group standings and real-time match outcomes and schedules.