European Championship History

The idea of a European football championship was dreamed up by a Frenchman, Henri Delauney, in 1927, yet it was not until 1960 that his idea would manifest into a tournament. The inaugural finals had only four teams competing, with the Soviet Union beating Yugoslavia 2-1 in Paris. The years since have seen several changes in format but today it stands second only to the World Cup in terms of prestige. Sixteen teams will compete for victory in 2008....

Top Ten Euro moments

10. Spain win in 1964
The Spanish had been scheduled to play the Soviet Union in the 1960 quarter-final, but General Franco refused to let the Soviets into the country, so Spain had to withdraw. Naturally, the 'left reds' went on to win the tournament; helped hugely by the presence of 'The Black Spider/Panther/Octopus' Lev Yashin in goal. Four years later Franco was in a more welcoming mood, and he watched from the stands of the Bernebeu as his countrymen beat the Soviets 2-1 in the final to win their only ever international competition.

9. Coin toss
Possibly before the sport was given the nickname 'The Beautiful Game', the 1968 semi-final saw hosts Italy and the Soviet Union play to a 120 minute scoreless draw in Naples. Before the advent of penalty shoot-outs matches were resolved mercilessly, with a coin toss deciding who would go on to face Yugoslavia in the final. No records exist of the tossing details, but it goes without saying that the Azzuri won it. Mindful that another episode would make light of the game, officials made the teams replay the final after a 1-1 draw.

8. Panenka's penalty
Coin tosses were obviously unsatisfactory, so penalty shoot-outs were adopted soon after, and the 1976 renewal was the first major tournament to be decided in this way. West Germany were the defending champions, and strongly fancied to dispatch Czechoslovakia in the final. With the scores tied 2-2 after extra-time, Uli Hoeness blasted his penalty over the bar, and Antonin Panenka stepped up for the winning penalty. Inspiring a host of ball-crushing imitators, he coolly chipped it into the net, sealing Czech glory.

7. Platini steals the show
The French were unlucky in the World Cup semi-final of 1982, and as hosts of Euro 1984 they were fancied to stamp their authority on the tournament. With Tigana, Giresse and Fernandez in midfield, Michel Platini could free roam, and scored nine goals in five games, including two hat-tricks; each with both feet and a header. Against Portugal in the final four, they were 2-1 down with five minutes of extra-time left, before Platini hit the wnner. Another free kick in the 2-0 victory over Spain in the final got him the Légion d'honneur.

6. Gazza v Scotland
Back in favour with the country after a few years in the Italian wilderness, Paul Gascoigne chose an opportune moment to score the most memorable goal of his career. England and Scotland had not played each other for seven years until drawn together in the group stage of Euro 96, and in front of a packed Wembley, Gazza bamboozled Colin Hendry and volleyed past Goram to score the goal that settled a 2-0 victory. His celebration was typically muted.

5. Bierhoff's Golden Goal
Germany reached the final after Gareth Southgate's unconventional suicide attempt, and faced a Czech team including Nedved, Berger and Poborsky that had taken the tournament by storm. The Wembley crowd adopted the upstarts as their own, but backed by Berti Vogts' shrewd tactical nous the Germans would prove hard to break down. In the fifth minute of extra-time Oliver Bierhoff's shot fell through the Czech keeper's hands for the first Golden Goal in international football history.

4. Van Basten's volley
The Dutch had never won a major competition, with their 'total football' side of 1974 beaten by a well drilled West Germany in the World Cup Final. In 1988 they had their revenge, as Marco van Basten's 89th minute semi-final strike knocked out the hosts. At 1-0 up going into the second half of the final against the Soviets, van Basten was the target of a high ball to the edge of the area, only yards from the goal line. In one fell swoop he volleyed past the keeper to score the goal of his career and seal the trophy for the Netherlands.

3. Trezeguet's Golden Goal
Four years after Bierhoff's strike, France scored Golden Goals in both the semi-final and final to follow up their 1998 World Cup triumph. A 117th minute penalty was needed to see off Portugal, after the linesman had flagged for a penalty when the abominable snowman Abel Xavier handballed. All hell broke loose before Zizou kept his cool. In the final, Italy were 30 seconds away from the trophy when sub Wiltord made it 1-1, and 13 minutes into extra time Trezeguet volleyed home Pires's cross to assassinate Azzuri ambitions.

2. Denmark win in 1992
The Danes hadn't qualified for the 8-man tournament, but the wars in the Balkans disqualified Yugoslavia and as group runners-up they took their place. A dispute with the coach caused Michael Laudrup's absence, but with brother Brian up front and the colossus of Peter Boleslaw Schmeichel in goal, they came through a group including Sweden, France and England. The Great Dane saved van Basten's penalty in a semi-final shoot-out with the Dutch, and a treasured John Jensen strike set up a 2-0 victory over Germany to give the underdogs the trophy.

1. Greece win in 2004
Greece had not won a game in a major tournament before beating hosts Portugal in the Euro 2004 opener. Few then would have thought the final would be a rematch, but defying pre-tournament odds of 150/1, the Greeks beat France in the quarter-finals, then knocked out favourites the Czech Republic with an injury-time silver goal. Angelos Charisteas's sole strike in the final secured international football's biggest upset and the now-treasured sight of Cristiano Ronaldo in tears.