With Spain including to their trophy cupboard at Euro 2024 this summer time, we take a look at the nations who’ve essentially the most European Championship wins to their identify.
Spain – 4 European Championship Wins
Spain overtook Germany to carry the outright most males’s European Championship titles with their 4 Euros win within the 2024 remaining in opposition to England in Berlin.
Their 2-1 victory over the English because of objectives from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal led them to their first main males’s title since Euro 2012.
Spain have been simply the second ever winners of the match once they went all the best way in 1964. Again when it was nonetheless generally known as the European Nations’ Cup, La Roja certified by beating the Republic of Eire 7-1 over two legs, which was simply in addition to they have been set to host the match.
The 4 video games have been performed at Barcelona’s Camp Nou and Actual Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu, with Spain’s semi-final in opposition to Hungary happening on the latter. Chus Pereda gave them the lead earlier than Ferenc Bene equalised late on. Amancio gained it for Spain in extra-time, although, organising a remaining in opposition to the Soviet Union. Pereda scored early earlier than the hosts conceded a fast equaliser, however Marcelino hit the essential winner with simply six minutes remaining in Madrid.
Spain needed to wait 44 years for his or her subsequent success, successful the 2008 match in Austria and Switzerland. It had lengthy expanded to 16 groups by then, however Spain eased by way of their group by beating Russia, Sweden and Greece, earlier than getting previous Italy on penalties within the quarter-final and once more easing previous Russia within the semi-finals. A solitary objective from Fernando Torres was sufficient to beat Germany 1-0 within the remaining.
After successful the World Cup in 2010, they turned the primary crew ever to retain the European Championship once they gained it once more 4 years later in Poland and Ukraine. They got here by way of a tricky group after drawing with Italy and beating Republic of Eire and Croatia, earlier than a 2-0 win over France within the quarter-finals and a penalty-shootout success over Portugal within the semis.
They eased to a remarkably snug 4-0 victory within the remaining over Italy because of objectives from David Silva, Jordi Alba, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata.
Luis de la Fuente was the person to make them glory at Euro 2024, with Spain successful all seven video games that they performed on the match. It accomplished a European Championship hat-trick for the coach, after he gained the competitors as supervisor of the Spanish sides at under-19 and under-21 ranges in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
Germany – 3
The one different nation with a trio of Henri Delaunay Trophies is Germany, with the primary two coming as West Germany in 1972 and 1980, earlier than Germany gained it once more in 1996.
One other four-team match in Belgium noticed West Germany qualify by beating England 3-1 on mixture, earlier than defeating the hosts in Antwerp 2-1 within the semi-final thanks to 2 objectives from the legendary Gerd Müller. The ultimate noticed Müller rating two extra as West Germany eased previous Soviet Union 3-0 in Brussels, with Herbert Wimmer scoring the opposite.
Eight years later it was an eight-team match in Italy, with West Germany ending prime of Group 1 and advancing to the ultimate by beating Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands earlier than drawing with Greece. Two objectives from Horst Hrubesch was sufficient to beat Belgium 2-1 within the remaining in Rome.
At Euro 96 they made it a hat-trick in England, turning into the one crew to win a 4, eight and 16-team model of the match. Germany didn’t concede a single objective within the group stage, beating Czech Republic and Russia earlier than drawing with Italy.
They overcame Croatia 2-1 within the quarter-finals because of a Jürgen Klinsmann penalty and Matthias Sammer’s winner at Previous Trafford, earlier than a dramatic penalty-shootout victory over England within the semis at Wembley. Oliver Bierhoff equalised in opposition to Czech Republic within the remaining earlier than scoring a golden-goal winner for Germany in extra-time.
Italy – 2
There have been 53 years between Italy’s two European Championship wins, with the primary coming in simply the third version of it again in 1968.
The Azzurri nearly certified for his or her residence match after beating Bulgaria 4-3 on mixture, after which solely reached the ultimate after successful a coin toss following a 0-0 draw with Soviet Union. The ultimate was additionally an in depth affair, drawing 1-1 with Yugoslavia earlier than beating them 2-0 within the replay because of objectives from Gigi Riva and Pietro Anastasi.
At Euro 2020 – performed throughout Europe in 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic – Roberto Mancini’s aspect breezed by way of their group stage with out conceding a objective, beating Turkey, Switzerland and Wales. They have been made to work exhausting by Austria within the final 16 at Wembley, going to extra-time earlier than Federico Chiesa and Matteo Pessina scored to seal a 2-1 win, whereas objectives from Nicolò Barella and Lorenzo Insigne led to the identical rating in opposition to Belgium in Munich.
Italy wanted a penalty-shootout win over Spain within the semi-finals after a 1-1 draw, with the identical methodology of victory additionally coming into play in opposition to England within the remaining. Leonardo Bonucci equalised after Luke Shaw had given the Three Lions an early lead, however Italy gained 3-2 on penalties at Wembley to safe their second Euros trophy.
France – 2
Because the hosts in 1984 and having not appeared because the inaugural match in 1960, the stress was on France to carry out.
And carry out they did, beating Denmark 1-0, Belgium 5-0, and Yugoslavia 3-2 to prime Group 1 and qualify for the semi-finals. Michel Platini was the star of the present, scoring six objectives throughout these three wins, earlier than hitting a winner within the final minute of extra-time in opposition to Portugal within the remaining 4, sealing a 3-2 victory in Marseille.
That arrange a remaining in opposition to Spain, with Platini scoring his ninth objective of the match to offer France the lead earlier than Bruno Bellone secured a 2-0 win within the final minute on the Parc des Princes.
Sixteen years later they headed to the Euro 2000 match in Belgium and Netherlands having gained their residence World Cup two years prior. They began effectively sufficient, beating Denmark 3-0 and Czech Republic 2-1 of their first two group video games, however Les Bleus have been overwhelmed 3-2 by Netherlands of their remaining recreation, that means they completed second in Group D.
A 2-1 win over Spain within the quarter-finals arrange a tense semi-final in opposition to Portugal, however Zinedine Zidane’s extra-time penalty gained it by way of the golden objective rule after Thierry Henry had equalised Nuno Gomes’ opener in regular time.
France have been rescued within the remaining by a stoppage-time leveller from Sylvain Wiltord after Marco Delvecchio had put Italy forward, and it was one other golden objective, this time from David Trezeguet, that earned them the trophy.
Portugal – 1
The 2016 match in France was the primary to contain 24 groups, which meant those that completed third of their group nonetheless had an opportunity to qualify for the knockout stage. That was simply as effectively for Portugal, who didn’t win a single recreation in Group F, however did ultimately go on to win the entire thing.
After drawing with every of Iceland, Austria and Hungary, Portugal edged previous Croatia within the final 16 after Ricardo Quaresma’s extra-time winner in Lens. A penalty-shootout victory adopted in opposition to Poland within the quarter-finals, earlier than Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani scored in opposition to Wales to seal a 2-0 win and a spot within the remaining in opposition to hosts France.
A tense recreation in Saint-Denis was determined in extra-time as Eder’s shot from vary discovered the nook of the online and gave A Seleção das Quinas their first ever main trophy.
Greece – 1
Portugal will surprise the way it took them that lengthy to win a European Championship after their own residence match in 2004 appeared completely arrange for them to succeed. Sadly for them, there was fairly the underdog story cooking.
The opening recreation was an indication of issues to return as Portugal have been overwhelmed 2-1 by Greece, although Otto Rehhagel’s aspect solely picked up yet one more level of their subsequent two video games as they drew 1-1 with Spain and misplaced 2-1 to Russia. They nonetheless went by way of in second place behind the hosts, although, and shocked the world once they knocked out reigning champions France within the quarter-finals 1-0 because of a objective from Angelos Charisteas.
Traianos Dellas scored an extra-time silver-goal winner in opposition to Czech Republic within the semi-finals, inflicting Euro 2004 to go full circle, with the ultimate a repeat of the opener as Greece confronted Portugal. Absolutely it could be completely different this time?
Properly, no; Charisteas headed residence a 57th-minute winner as a resolute Greece defended brilliantly to win their first main trophy in opposition to all odds.
Denmark – 1
One other shock victory got here in 1992 when Denmark gained the final of the eight-team iterations of the European Championship. Simply to make their success unlikelier nonetheless, they didn’t initially even qualify for the match in Sweden, ending behind Yugoslavia in Group 4, just for the breakup of the nation of Yugoslavia to permit the Danes to take the ultimate place.
In addition they got here second of their group on the match, taking only one level from their first two video games after drawing 0-0 with England and dropping 1-0 to hosts Sweden. A 2-1 victory over France of their remaining group recreation took them by way of, although, the place they confronted Netherlands. After a 2-2 draw, Denmark beat the Dutch on penalties, organising a conflict with Germany within the remaining.
Towards all odds, they beat the Germans 2-0 because of objectives from John Jensen and Kim Vilfort.
Czechoslovakia – 1
After qualifying for the 1976 European Soccer Championship by beating the Soviet Union 4-2, Czechoslovakia got here out on prime of the four-team match wherein each recreation went to extra-time.
Czechoslovakia and Netherlands have been deadlocked at 1-1 after 90 minutes of their semi-final, earlier than Zdeněk Nehoda and František Veselý scored to ship their nation to the ultimate, the place they might face West Germany.
Ján Švehlík and Karol Dobiaš put Czechoslovakia 2-0 up, earlier than Dieter Müller pulled one again and Bernd Hölzenbein scored a last-minute equaliser to ship the ultimate to extra-time, and ultimately penalties.
Czechoslovakia’s penalty-shootout victory included the well-known spot-kick from Antonín Panenka, after whom the strategy of fooling a goalkeeper by chipping a penalty down the center of the objective was named.
Soviet Union – 1
Winners of the inaugural competitors in 1960, the Soviet Union went all the best way in what was then referred to as the European Nations’ Cup in France.
After Spain refused to journey to the Soviet Union for political causes, the latter have been awarded a bye to the match semi-finals, the place they performed Czechoslovakia, successful 3-0 in Marseille thanks to 2 objectives from Valentin Ivanov and one other from Viktor Ponedelnik.
That arrange a remaining with Yugoslavia, which went to extra-time after a 1-1 rating in regular time in Paris. Ponedelnik hit the winner with seven minutes left of extra-time to safe the trophy for the Soviets.
Listing of European Championship Winners by Event:
- 1960 – Soviet Union (4 groups participated)
- 1964 – Spain (4 groups)
- 1968 – Italy (4 groups)
- 1972 – West Germany (4 groups)
- 1976 – Czechoslovakia (4 groups)
- 1980 – West Germany (8 groups)
- 1984 – France (8 groups)
- 1988 – Netherlands (8 groups)
- 1992 – Denmark (8 groups)
- 1996 – Germany (16 groups)
- 2000 – France (16 groups)
- 2004 – Greece (16 groups)
- 2008 – Spain (16 groups)
- 2012 – Spain (16 groups)
- 2016 – Portugal (24 groups)
- 2020 – Italy (24 groups)
- 2024 – Spain (24 groups)
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