UEFA European Football Championship

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UEFA European Football Championship
Eurocup Trophy.JPG
Founded 1960
Region Europe (UEFA)
Number of teams 53 (qualifiers)
16 (finals)
Current champions  Spain (2nd title)
Most successful team  Germany (3 titles)
UEFA Euro 2012

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.[1]

The 13 European Championship tournaments have been won by nine different national teams. Germany are the most successful team in the history of the tournament, winning three times in six final appearances. France and Spain are the only other multiple-time winners with two titles each. The other European Championship winners are Italy, Czechoslovakia, Netherlands, Denmark, Greece and inaugural winners Soviet Union, with one title each.[2]

The most recent edition, co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria in 2008, was won by Spain, who beat Germany 1–0. The next European Championship will be hosted in Poland and Ukraine from 8 June to 1 July 2012.[3]

Contents

[edit] History

The idea for a pan-European football tournament was first proposed by the French Football Federation's Henri Delaunay in 1927, but it was not until 1958 that the tournament was started - three years after Delaunay's death.[4][5] In honour of Delaunay, the trophy awarded to the champions is named after him.[6] The 1960 tournament, held in France, had 4 teams competing in the finals, out of 17 that entered the competition.[7] It was won by the Soviet Union, beating Yugoslavia 2–1 in a tense final in Paris.[8] Spain withdrew from its quarter-final match against the USSR due to political protests.[9] Of the 17 teams that entered the qualifying tournament, notable absentees were England, West Germany and Italy.[5][9]

Spain held the next tournament in 1964, which saw an increase in entries to the qualification tournament, with 29 entering;[10] Greece withdrew after being drawn against Albania, with whom they were still at war.[10][11] The hosts beat the title holders, the Soviet Union, 2–1 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid.[12]

The tournament format stayed the same for the 1968 tournament, hosted and won by Italy.[13][14] For the first and only time a match was decided on a coin toss (the semi-final against the Soviet Union)[15] and the final went to a replay, after the match against Yugoslavia finished 1–1.[16] Italy won the replay 2–0.[17] More teams entered this tournament (31), a testament to its burgeoning popularity.[18]

Belgium hosted the 1972 tournament, which West Germany won, beating the USSR 3–0 in the final in Brussels.[19] 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.[20][21]

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,[22][23] with Antonín Panenka's famous chipped shot.[24]

The competition was expanded to eight teams in the 1980 tournament, again hosted by Italy.[25][26] 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.[25][26] West Germany won their second European title by beating Belgium 2–1 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.[27]

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.[28][29] 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.[28] The third place play-off was also abolished.[28]

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.[30][31] The Netherlands went on to win the tournament, beating the USSR 2–0 at the Olympia Stadion in Munich,[32] 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.[33]

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.[34][35] The Danes beat holders the Netherlands on penalties in the semi-finals,[36] then defeated world champion Germany 2–0.[37] 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.[38] The hosts, in a replay of the 1990 FIFA World Cup semi-final, were knocked out on penalties by Germany,[39] 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.[40][41] 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.[42][43] 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.[42][43][44]

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.[45] On their way to the final they also beat holders France[46] as well as the Czech Republic with a silver goal,[47][48] a rule which replaced the previous golden goal in 2003, before being abolished itself shortly after this tournament.[49]

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.[50] It commenced on 7 June and finished on 29 June.[51] The final between Germany and Spain was held at the Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna.[52] Spain defeated Germany 1–0, sparking much celebration across the country.[53] This is their first title since the 1964 tournament.

The UEFA Euro 2012 tournament will be hosted by Poland and Ukraine.[54] The UEFA Euro 2016 tournament will be hosted by France.[55]

[edit] Trophy

The Henri Delaunay Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the European Football Championship, is named in honor of Henri Delaunay, 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.[56] 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.[57]

[edit] Format

[edit] 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 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.[58] 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.[59]

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.

[edit] 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 Cup, 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:

  1. Coefficient from the matches played in its most recent qualifying competition.
  2. Average goal difference.
  3. Average number of goals scored.
  4. Average number of away goals scored.
  5. 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:

  1. Higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question.
  2. Superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question.
  3. Higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question.
  4. Higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question.
  5. Results of all group matches:
    1. Superior goal difference
    2. Higher number of goals scored
    3. Higher number of goals scored away from home
    4. Fair play conduct.
  6. Drawing of lots.

[edit] 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 Austria 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.

[edit] Future

[edit] Bids for future tournaments

On 18 April 2007, Poland and Ukraine were selected to co-host the 2012 competition. They saw off competition from Italy and joint bids from Croatia and Hungary.[54] 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.[60][55]

For the 2020 tournament, all proposed bids have been for two or three countries to co-host the event:

[edit] Statistics

Year Host Final Third place match
Winner Score Runner-up Third place Score Fourth place
1960  France
Soviet Union		 2–1
aet
Yugoslavia
Czechoslovakia		 2–0
France
1964  Spain
Spain		 2–1
Soviet Union
Hungary		 3–1
aet
Denmark
1968  Italy
Italy		 1–1 aet
2–0 replay
Yugoslavia
England		 2–0
Soviet Union
1972  Belgium
West Germany		 3–0
Soviet Union
Belgium		 2–1
Hungary
1976  Yugoslavia
Czechoslovakia		 2–2 aet
(5–3) ps
West Germany
Netherlands		 3–2
aet
Yugoslavia
1980  Italy
West Germany		 2–1
Belgium
Czechoslovakia		 1–1(1)
(9–8) ps
Italy
Year Host Final Losing semi-finalists (2)
Winner Score Runner-up
1984  France
France		 2–0
Spain		  Denmark and  Portugal
1988  West Germany
Netherlands		 2–0
Soviet Union		  Italy and  West Germany
1992  Sweden
Denmark		 2–0
Germany		  Netherlands and  Sweden
1996  England
Germany		 2–1
asdet
Czech Republic		  England and  France
2000  Belgium &
 Netherlands
France		 2–1
asdet
Italy		  Netherlands and  Portugal
2004  Portugal
Greece		 1–0
Portugal		  Czech Republic and  Netherlands
2008  Austria &
 Switzerland
Spain		 1–0
Germany		  Russia and  Turkey
1No extra time played.
2No third place match has been played since 1984; losing semi-finalists are listed in alphabetical order.


[edit] Winners and finalists

Main article: List of UEFA European Football Championship finals‎

In all, 27 nations have appeared at least once in the final tournament.[64] 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.

Map of winning countries
Team Titles Runners-up
 Germany 3 (19721, 19801, 1996) 3 (19761, 1992, 2008)
 Spain 2 (1964*, 2008) 1 (1984)
 France 2 (1984*, 2000) –
 Soviet Union 1 (1960) 3 (1964, 1972, 1988)
 Czech Republic 1 (19762) 1 (1996)
 Italy 1 (1968*) 1 (2000)
 Netherlands 1 (1988) –
 Denmark 1 (1992) –
 Greece 1 (2004) –
 Yugoslavia – 2 (1960, 1968)
 Belgium – 1 (1980)
 Portugal – 1 (2004*)
* : hosts
1 : as West Germany
2 : as Czechoslovakia

[edit] Players

Rainer Bonhof is the only player with three medals, and the only player with two gold medals. He was in the West Germany squad in 1972 (gold), 1976 (silver), and 1980 (gold). He played finals matches only in 1976.

The following have played in two final matches:

[edit] Goalscorers

Main article: List of UEFA European Football Championship goalscorers‎

[edit] Overall top goalscorers (finals tournaments)

Player Goals
France Michel Platini 9
England Alan Shearer 7
Portugal Nuno Gomes
France Thierry Henry
Netherlands Patrick Kluivert
Netherlands Ruud van Nistelrooy		 6
Czech Republic Milan Baroš
Germany Jürgen Klinsmann
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Savo Milošević
Netherlands Marco van Basten
France Zinedine Zidane		 5

[edit] Top scorers by tournament

Year Player Goals
1960 France François Heutte
Soviet Union Valentin Ivanov
Soviet Union Viktor Ponedelnik
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Milan Galić
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dražan Jerković		 2
1964 Spain Jesús María Pereda
Hungary Ferenc Bene
Hungary Dezső Novák		 2
1968 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dragan Džajić 2
1972 West Germany Gerd Müller 4
1976 West Germany Dieter Müller 4
1980 West Germany Klaus Allofs 3
1984 France Michel Platini 9
1988 Netherlands Marco van Basten 5
1992 Denmark Henrik Larsen
Germany Karlheinz Riedle
Netherlands Dennis Bergkamp
Sweden Tomas Brolin		 3
1996 England Alan Shearer 5
2000 Netherlands Patrick Kluivert
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Savo Milošević		 5
2004 Czech Republic Milan Baroš 5
2008 Spain David Villa 4

[edit] 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 Müller, DieterDieter Müller 3 &1000000000000008200000082', 115' (e.t.), 119'(e.t.)  West Germany &100000000000000023999994–2  Yugoslavia Euro 1976 Semi-finals 01976-06-17June 17, 1976
2 Allofs, KlausKlaus Allofs 3 &1000000000000002000000020', 60', 65'  West Germany &100000000000000013000003–2  Netherlands Euro 1980 Group stage 01980-06-14June 14, 1980
3 Platini, MichelMichel Platini 3 &100000000000000040000004', 74', 89'  France &100000000000000055000005–0  Belgium Euro 1984 Group stage 01984-06-16June 16, 1984
4 Platini, MichelMichel Platini 3 &1000000000000005900000059', 62', 77'  France &100000000000000013000003–2  Yugoslavia Euro 1984 Group stage 01984-06-19June 19, 1984
5 van Basten, MarcoMarco van Basten 3 &1000000000000004400000044', 71', 75'  Netherlands &100000000000000022999993–1  England Euro 1988 Group stage 01988-06-15June 15, 1988
6 Conceição, SérgioSérgio Conceição 3 &1000000000000003500000035', 54', 71'  Portugal &100000000000000032999993–0  Germany Euro 2000 Group stage 02000-06-20June 20, 2000
7 Kluivert, PatrickPatrick Kluivert 3 &1000000000000002400000024', 38', 54'  Netherlands &100000000000000055999996–1  Yugoslavia Euro 2000 Quarter-finals 02000-06-25June 25, 2000
8 Villa, DavidDavid Villa 3 &1000000000000002000000020', 44', 75'  Spain &100000000000000033999994–1  Russia Euro 2008 Group stage 02008-06-10June 10, 2008

[edit] Most tournaments played

Played Name Tournaments
4 Germany Lothar Matthäus 1980, 1984, 1988, 2000
4 Denmark Peter Schmeichel 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000
4 Netherlands Aron Winter 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000
4 Italy Alessandro Del Piero 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008
4 Netherlands Edwin van der Sar 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008
4 France Lilian Thuram 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008

Championship victories in bold

[edit] Most matches played

Matches Name
16 Netherlands Edwin van der Sar
France Lilian Thuram
14 Portugal Luís Figo
Portugal Nuno Gomes
Czech Republic Karel Poborský
France Zinédine Zidane

[edit] Summary

[edit] Participation details

Map of countries' best results
Legend
  • 1st – Champions
  • 2nd – Runners-up
  • 3rd – Third place (not determined after 1980)
  • 4th – Fourth place (not determined after 1980)
  • SF – Semi-finals (since 1984)
  • QF – Quarter-finals
  • GS – Group stage
  • Q — Qualified for upcoming tournament
  •  ••  — Qualified but withdrew
  •  •  — Did not qualify
  •  ×  — Did not enter / Withdrew from the European Championship / Banned
  •    — Hosts

For each tournament, the number of teams in each finals tournament (in brackets) are shown.

Team 1960
(4)		 1964
(4)		 1968
(4)		 1972
(4)		 1976
(4)		 1980
(8)		 1984
(8)		 1988
(8)		 1992
(8)		 1996
(16)		 2000
(16)		 2004
(16)		 2008
(16)		 Years
 Austria • • • • • • • • • • • • GS 1
 Belgium × • • 3rd • 2nd GS • • • GS • • 4
 Bulgaria • • • • • • • • • GS • GS • 2
 Croatia Part of  Yugoslavia QF • GS QF 3
 Czech Republic 3 3rd • • • 1st 3rd • • • 2nd GS SF GS 7
 Denmark • 4th • • • • SF GS 1st GS GS QF • 7
 England × • 3rd • • GS • GS GS SF GS QF • 7
 France 4th • • • • • 1st • GS SF 1st QF GS 7
 Germany 1 × × • 1st 2nd 1st GS SF 2nd 1st GS GS 2nd 10
 Greece • × • • • GS • • • • • 1st GS 3
 Hungary • 3rd • 4th • • • • • • • • • 2
 Ireland • • • • • • • GS • • • • • 1
 Italy × • 1st • • 4th • SF • GS 2nd GS QF 7
 Latvia Part of  Soviet Union • • GS • 1
 Netherlands × • • • 3rd GS • 1st SF QF SF SF QF 8
 Norway • • • • • • • • • • GS • • 1
 Poland • • • • • • • • • • • • GS 1
 Portugal • • • • • • SF • • QF SF 2nd QF 5
 Romania • • • • • • GS • • GS QF • GS 4
 Russia 2 1st 2nd 4th 2nd • • • 2nd GS GS • GS SF 9
 Scotland × × • • • • • • GS GS • • • 2
 Serbia 4 2nd • 2nd • 4th • GS • × [65] × QF • • 5
 Slovenia Part of  Yugoslavia • GS • • 1
 Spain × 1st • • • GS 2nd GS • QF QF GS 1st 8
 Sweden × • • • • • • • SF • GS QF GS 4
 Switzerland • • • • • • • • • GS • GS GS 3
 Turkey • • • • • • • • • GS QF • SF 3

1: Includes 5 appearances as West Germany

2: Includes 5 appearances as the Soviet Union and 1 as the CIS

3: Includes 3 appearances as Czechoslovakia

4: Includes 5 appearances as Yugoslavia

[edit] Biggest gaps between appearances

[edit] General statistics

Team P W D L GF GA GD
 West Germany (1972–1988)
 Germany (1992–)		 38 19 10 9 55 39 +16
 Netherlands 32 17 8 7 55 32 +23
 France 28 14 7 7 46 34 +12
 Spain 30 13 9 8 38 31 +7
 Portugal 23 12 4 7 34 22 +12
 Italy 27 11 12 4 27 18 +9
 Czechoslovakia (1960–1980)
 Czech Republic (1996–)		 25 11 5 9 36 32 +4
 Soviet Union (1960–1988)
 CIS (1992)
 Russia (1996–)		 27 11 5 11 31 36 −5
 England 23 7 7 9 31 28 +3
 Denmark 24 6 6 12 26 38 −12
 Croatia 11 5 3 3 14 13 +1
 Sweden 14 4 5 5 19 16 +3
 Greece 12 4 2 6 9 13 −4
 Belgium 12 4 2 6 13 20 −7
 Turkey 12 3 2 7 11 18 −7
 SFR Yugoslavia (1960–1984)
 FR Yugoslavia (2000)		 14 3 2 9 22 39 −17
 Scotland 6 2 1 3 4 5 −1
 Romania 13 1 4 8 8 17 −9
 Switzerland 9 1 2 6 5 13 −8
 Republic of Ireland 3 1 1 1 2 2 0
 Norway 3 1 1 1 1 1 0
 Bulgaria 6 1 1 4 4 13 −9
 Hungary 4 1 0 3 5 6 −1
 Slovenia 3 0 2 1 4 5 −1
 Austria 3 0 1 2 1 3 −2
 Poland 3 0 1 2 1 4 −3
 Latvia 3 0 1 2 1 5 −4

Last updated: 29 June 2008.

[edit] Winning coaches

Year Head coach Champions
1960 Soviet Union Gavriil Kachalin  Soviet Union
1964 Spain José Villalonga  Spain
1968 Italy Ferruccio Valcareggi  Italy
1972 West Germany Helmut Schön  West Germany
1976 Czechoslovakia Václav Ježek  Czechoslovakia
1980 West Germany Jupp Derwall  West Germany
1984 France Michel Hidalgo  France
1988 Netherlands Rinus Michels  Netherlands
1992 Denmark Richard Møller Nielsen  Denmark
1996 Germany Berti Vogts  Germany
2000 France Roger Lemerre  France
2004 Germany Otto Rehhagel  Greece
2008 Spain Luis Aragonés  Spain

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "2005/2006 season: final worldwide matchday to be 14 May 2006". FIFA.com. 19 December 2004. http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/news/newsid=95756/index.html. Retrieved ‎13 ‎January ‎2012. 
  2. ^ "UEFA EURO - History". UEFA. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/index.html. Retrieved 10 ‎January 2012. 
  3. ^ "Football fixtures – Uefa 2012 European Championship (Poland & Ukraine)". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fixtures/8969190.stm. Retrieved 10 January 2012. 
  4. ^ "UEFA European Football Championship origins". UEFA.com. 21 December 2011. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/background/index.html. Retrieved ‎24 ‎February ‎2012. 
  5. ^ a b "Delaunay's dream realised in France". UEFA.com. 30 January 2012. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=1960/overview/index.html#delaunays+dream+comes+true. Retrieved ‎24 ‎February ‎2012. 
  6. ^ "The Henri Delaunay Cup". UEFA.com. 28 January 2012. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/background/the-trophy/index.html. Retrieved ‎24 ‎February ‎2012. 
  7. ^ "1960 UEFA European Championship - Teams". UEFA.com. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=1960/teams/index.html. Retrieved ‎24 ‎February ‎2012. 
  8. ^ "Ponedelnik heads Soviet Union to glory". UEFA. 1 October 2003. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=1960/matches/round=164/match=4025/postmatch/report/index.html#soviet+union+crowned. Retrieved ‎26 ‎February ‎2012. 
  9. ^ a b "France 1960". BBC Sport (BBC). 17 May 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2004/history/3078333.stm. Retrieved ‎24 ‎February ‎2012. 
  10. ^ a b "Spain savour home comforts". UEFA.com. 21 December 2011. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=1964/overview/index.html#spain+gain+home+comforts. Retrieved ‎24 ‎February ‎2012. 
  11. ^ "Spain 1964". BBC Sport (BBC). 17 May 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2004/history/3078417.stm. Retrieved ‎24 ‎February ‎2012. 
  12. ^ "Spain's Marcelino stoops to conquer Europe". UEFA. 2 October 2003. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=1964/matches/round=172/match=3996/postmatch/report/index.html#spain+crowned+champions. Retrieved ‎26 ‎February ‎2012. 
  13. ^ "Italy make most of good fortune". UEFA.com. 20 December 2011. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=1968/overview/index.html#italy+make+most+luck. Retrieved ‎24 ‎February ‎2012. 
  14. ^ "Italy 1968". BBC Sport (BBC). 17 May 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2004/history/3078455.stm. Retrieved ‎24 ‎February ‎2012. 
  15. ^ "Italy through to final after coin toss". UEFA. 2 October 2003. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=1968/matches/round=175/match=3938/postmatch/report/index.html#italy+reach+final. Retrieved ‎26 ‎February ‎2012. 
  16. ^ "Italy earn final replay against Yugoslavia". UEFA. 2 October 2003. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=1968/matches/round=179/match=73910/postmatch/report/index.html#italy+earn+final+replay. Retrieved ‎26 ‎February ‎2012. 
  17. ^ "Riva return sparks Italy triumph". UEFA. 2 October 2003. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=1968/matches/round=179/match=73911/postmatch/report/index.html#riva+sparks+italy+triumph. Retrieved ‎26 ‎February ‎2012. 
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  65. ^ Does not include Euro 1992 qualification and disqualification due to international sanctions
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