International European Football Championships – Portugal June 2004.
My goal is offer a guide for the Euro 2004 football tournament in June. What I provide is football information on:
- Each country’s football prospects for the competition
- History of previous tournaments, interesting soccer facts, teams form pointers.
- Results from the qualifying competition, both for this year and for past Euro Football tournaments.
- The draw for Groups A, B, C and D. Results once the soccer matches are played
- Zany ideas for the football aficionado.
- Test your football knowledge. Try a quiz here on the site pages.
- Get a free download of 15 soccer questions.
1960 France – Winners USSR
1964 Spain – Winners Spain
1968 Italy – Winners Italy
1972 Belgium – Winners Germany
1976 Yugoslavia – Winners Czechoslovakia
1980 Italy – Winners Germany
1984 France – Winners France
1988 Germany – Winners Holland
1992 Sweden – Winners Denmark
1996 England – Winners Germany
2000 Bel / Hol – Winners France
Investigate what football was played in these previous European Championships and discover form pointers to teams chances in the June soccer championships.
‘
Ξ
European Football Championship – Rules
Whilst Moses was able to hand down God’s laws in 10 commandments, football needs FIFA, UEFA, and 17 Laws to define its games.
Here is Guy’s attempt to condense the rules of football onto one web page.
Law 1 – The Pitch.
International pitches must be between 100 and 110 meters long. The width must be in the range, 64 to 75 m wide.
Goal posts are 2.44m (8 ft) apart and the crossbar is 7.32m (6 ft) high. Goal kick boxes are marked by 5.5 m (6yd) lines. The penalty areas extends out ward 16.5 (18 yd) from the goal line. The penalty spot is 11.2 m (12 yds) from the goal line.
All lines must be no more than 12 cm (5 in) wide. Centre circle radius is 9,15 m (10 yd). [Interesting to note that all the old imperial yards are still the basis of measurement]
Law 2 – The Ball
Circumference 68-70 cm. Weight 410 – 450 g [1 metric pound] Pressure 0.6 – 1.1 atmospheres.
Law 3 – Player Numbers
11 Maximum, one must be designated the goal keeper. Game cannot restart if less than 7 players.
Substitutes maximum of 3. There is a separate regulation about how many can be on the bench, maximum of 7 at the discretion of the competition. [Of all the rules this is the one I am most interested in knowing what Euro 2004 are using].
Law 4 – Players Equipment
Must have shirt and shorts. Thermal under shorts are supposed to be of the same colour as shorts. [Should not be an issue in July in Portugal]
No jewellery. No flashing of logos under shirts. Shin guards must be covered entirely by socks.
Law 5 – The Referee
A referee has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game.
Law 6 – The Assistant Referees. (Linesmen)
Help the ref when the ball goes out of play, raise their flag for offside. Give the ref the not if they say any fouling.
Law 7 – The Duration of the match
Two halves of 45 mins. Injury time added at the end of each half. No more than 15 minutes for half time. Allow time for injury, substitution and wasting time.
Law 8 – The Start and Restart of Play
Spin a coin to see which way the teams play. Loser of the choice of ends, gets kick off. [Every 6 yr old boy know this one]
Dropped ball is an option. You don’t see this much, more likely one team kicks the ball out of play, and the other team throws it back to them.
Law 9 – Ball in and out of Play
All 70 cm of the ball must cross the far end of that 12 cm line. One cm of the ball on the last 1 cm of the line – play on. Rebound from flags, posts even the ref, play on.
Law 10 – The method of scoring
An extension of Law 9, all of the ball must cross all of the goal line, just as though it was going out of play.
Law 11 – Offside
The principle of offside is that goal hanging is not allowed. There must be at least two players between the attacker and the goal. Invariably one of the defenders is the goal keeper. A few years back the rule was changed to say that level with the 2nd last defenders feet is now onside.
A new problem arises where strikers lurk offside, but do not interfere with play, if they are tying up a shoe lace on the touchline, fair enough play on. However, if the attacker un-sights the goalie or harasses the defender, easy, whistle blows – offside. The problem is the grey area where they could be hindering the defence.
Remember there is no offside from a throw-in, corner or goal kick.
Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct
A direct free kick is the most usual offence if a player:
Kicks or trips an opponent – intent counts even if you don’t clobber them.
Jumps or charges an opponent
Strikes or pushes an opponent
Makes contact with the opponent before the ball
Out field players must not handle the ball
If any of the above occur in the penalty area, then it should be a penalty kick.
In-direct free kicks are mainly for offences by the goal keeper, taking more than 6 seconds, handling back passes. In-direct free kicks can also be given for out field players obstructing the other side.
Yellow Cards
Persistent hacking down opponents is the most common reason for a yellow card, but it can also be given for time wasting, dissent and that catch all – unsportsmanlike like behaviour.
Sending off – the Red Card
Violent behaviour, also specifically for spitting at opponents.
Nasty tackles, O.K send them off. However, denying a clear goal scoring opportunity is another judgement call. Naturally, two yellow cards = one red card and off you jolly well go.
Law 13 Taking free kicks.
Free kicks must be stationary. Here’s a tricky question, what happens if an indirect free kick goes into the goal without anyone touching it. Answer – a corner.
Law 14 – Penalty kicks.
Attacker waits for the refs whistle. The law still states that the goal keeper must stay on his line until the kick is taken. However, it seems to be interpreted as goalie stays on his line until the ref blows his whistle.
Law 15 – The Throw in. (Remember no offside from a throw in)
As with free kicks, you cannot take the throw to your self. As with an indirect free kick you cannot score from a throw in. A few years back a rule was brought in to stop people intimidating or distract people taking long throw ins.
Law 16 – The Goal Kick
I once saw Pat Jennings score directly from a goal kick. (Big wind and a tricky bounce.) Other wise, no taking it to your self, and it does not have to be taken by the goal keeper.
Law 17 – The corner kick. (Remember no offside trap will work here)
Must not remove the flag, keep the ball inside the the little arc the grounds man marked, and no taking the kick to yourself.
Footnote – Substitutes
My understanding is that up to 3 substitutes are allowed. However you can perm any 3 from the 7 who sit on the official bench.
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Euro 2004 Portugal – Results and Fixtures
Ξ
Final
Sunday 4th July
Portugal
0
Greece
1
Semi Finals
30th June
Portugal
2
Holland
1
1st July
Greece (aet)
(Silver Goal)
1
Czech Republic
0
Quarter Finals
Thu 24th June
Portugal (Penalties 6-5)
2
England
2
Fri 25th June
France
0
Greece
1
Sat 26th June
Sweden
0
Holland
(Penalties 4-5)
0
Sun 27th June
Czech Republic
3
Denmark
0
Group A – Games with 4 day intervals. Last games played at the same times
Sat 12th June
Portugal
1
Greece
2
Sat 12th June
Spain
1
Russia
0
Wed 16th June
Greece
1
Spain
1
Wed 16th June
Russia
0
Portugal
2
Sun 20th June
Spain
0
Portugal
1
Sun 20th June
Russia
2
Greece
1
Group B – Games with 4 day intervals. Last games played at the same times
Sun 13th June
Switzerland
0
Croatia
0
Sun 13th June
France
2
England
1
Thu 17th June
England
3
Switzerland
0
Thu 17th June
Croatia
2
France
2
Mon 21st June
Croatia
2
England
4
Mon 21st June
France
1
Switzerland
3
Group C – Games with 4 day intervals. Last games played at the same times
Mon 14th June
Denmark
0
Italy
0
Mon 14th June
Sweden
5
Bulgaria
0
Fri 18th June
Bulgaria
0
Denmark
2
Fri 18th June
Italy
1
Sweden
1
Tue 22nd June
Italy
2
Bulgaria
1
Tue 22nd June
Denmark
2
Sweden
2
Group D – Games with 4 day intervals. Last games played at the same times
Tue 15th June
Germany
1
Holland
1
Tue 15th June
Czech Republic
2
Latvia
2
Sat 19th June
Latvia
0
Germany
0
Sat 19th June
Holland
2
Czech Republic
3
Wed 23rd June
Holland
3
Latvia
0
Wed 23rd June
Germany
1
Czech Republic
2
Euro 2004 Results
How the groups were drawn for Euro 2004.
Results will be posted here as the football matches are played. Meanwhile check out the football results from the play-offs and the qualifying matches for the Euro 2004 International Championship.
| Group A | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal (17) Q | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | |
| Greece (33) Q | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Spain (3) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Russia (29) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
| Group B | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France (2) Q | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| England (6) Q | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 6 | |
| Croatia (20) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| Switzerland (45) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
[euro2004/include_groupc.htm]
| Group D | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic (6) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 9 | |
| Holland (4) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4 | |
| Germany (10) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Latvia (50+) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
Euro 2004: Playoffs
Play-offs for the European Football Championship 2004
Here are the teams that had to play off to qualify for the final stage of the European Football Championship in Portugal.
Results:
| [if !vml] Qualifiers[endif] | Aggregate | [if !vml] [endif] |
|---|---|---|
| Latvia | 3-2 | Turkey |
| Holland | 6-1 | Scotland |
| Croatia | 2-1 | Slovenia |
| Russia | 1-0 | Wales |
| Spain | 5-1 | Norway |
Note that Turkey, Slovenia and Scotland featured in the play-offs in each tournament so far. Unlucky Scotland, still to make it through the play-offs to the final stages.
Play-offs for the European Football Championship 2000 in Belgium
These 8 teams that had to play off to qualify for the final stage of the European Football Championship in Belgium.
Results:
| [if !vml] Qualifiers[endif] | Aggregate | [if !vml] [endif] |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 8-0 | Israel |
| Turkey (away g) | 1-1 | Republic of Ireland |
| England | 2-1 | Scotland |
| Slovenia | 3-2 | Ukraine |
Euro 2004: England v France 13 July 2004
Prospects England v France in the European Football Championship 2004
K.O Sunday 13th June 19:45
Previous Meetings Recent Form World Cup Euro 2000 Prediction
Group B
P
W
D
L
GS
GA
PTS
France (2) Q
3210777
England (6) Q
3201846
Croatia (20)
3021462
Switzerland (45)
3012161 (Fifa Ranking)
| Which of these countries lost at least one game in their qualifying matches? |
| England |
| France |
| Italy |
| Czech Republic |
| Portugal |
| Free sample quiz |
European Championship – 2004 FIFA Rankings
Fifa Rankings
Here are the Football ratings issued by FIFA.
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| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1 | Brazil | 842 |
| 2 | France | 826 |
| 3 | Spain | 791 |
| 4 | Holland | 747 |
| 5 | Mexico | 740 |
| 6 | Czech Republic | 735 |
| 6 | England | 735 |
| 6 | Argentina | 735 |
| 9 | Turkey | 733 |
| 10 | Germany | 729 |
| 11 | Italy | 726 |
| 12 | United States | 725 |
| 13 | Cameroon | 718 |
| 14 | Denmark | 711 |
| 15 | Ireland Republic | 705 |
| 16 | Belgium | 688 |
| 17 | Portugal | 676 |
| 18 | Costa Rica | 674 |
| 19 | Nigeria | 672 |
| 20 | Sweden | 669 |
| 20 | Croatia | 669 |
| 22 | Korea Republic | 668 |
| 23 | Uruguay | 664 |
| 24 | Poland | 658 |
| 24 | Iran | 658 |
| 26 | Paraguay | 657 |
| 27 | Saudi Arabia | 653 |
| 27 | Japan | 653 |
| 29 | Russia | 652 |
| 30 | Senegal | 650 |
| 31 | Romania | 649 |
| 32 | Tunisia | 645 |
| 33 | Greece | 643 |
| 33 | Morocco | 643 |
| 35 | Egypt | 640 |
| 36 | Slovenia | 633 |
| 37 | Bulgaria | 620 |
| 37 | Norway | 620 |
| 39 | South Africa | 618 |
| 40 | Ecuador | 609 |
| 41 | Columbia | 606 |
| 42 | Finland | 603 |
| 43 | Serbia and Montenegro | 597 |
| 44 | Iraq | 590 |
| 45 | Mali | 586 |
| 45 | Switzerland | 586 |
| 47 | Jordan | 583 |
| 48 | Jamaica | 576 |
| 49 | Zimbabwe | 566 |
| 50 | Honduras | 559 |
Euro 2004 Team: Bulgaria
Founded 1923 Fifa 1924
Bulgaria have no winning pedigree in international football competitions; yet they are always there setting a stern test for the more fancied teams.
I wonder what are the Bulgarian players thinking? Could they be saying ‘ Our time has come, we have as good a chance as anyone’. Or is their attitude: ‘We are just here for a holiday’? Unsurprisingly, one of the first teams to exit the championships.
Previous qualifications: Reached quarterfinals 1964 and 1968. Lost in first round in 1996.
Most famous player: Stoikovich
| Group C | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden (20) Q | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | |
| Denmark (14) Q | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Italy (11) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |
| Bulgaria (37) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 0 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) | Only games between equal teams count. So disregard Bulgaria scores /goals | |||||||
| Group 8 | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
| Bulgaria | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 17 | |
| Croatia | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 16 | |
| Belgium | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 16 | |
| Estonia | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | |
| Andorra | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
Coach: Plamen Markov
Men to watch: Martin Petrov, Stilian Petrov. Radostin Kishishev, Dimitar Berbatov Svetoslav Todorov Injured.
Goalkeepers
Dimitar Ivankov
Stoyan Kolev
Georgi Petkov
Defenders
Rosen Kirilov
Nikolai Krastev
Predrag Pazin
Gueorgui Petrov
Martin Stankov
Ilian Stoianov
Elin Topuzakov
Zlatomir Zagorcic
Zhivko Zhelev
Midfielders
Alexandar Alexandrov
Daniel Borimirov
Marian Hristov
Radostin Kishishev
Georgi Peev
Milen Petkov
Svetoslav Petrov
Stilian Petrov
Todor Yanchev
Forwards
Dimitar Berbatov
Georgi Chilikov
Velizar Dimitrov
Georgi Ivanov
Zoran Jankovic
Vladimir Manchev
Martin Petrov
Stoyko Sakaliev
Dian Todorov (Injured)
Which country was in the play-offs both in 2000 and 2004?
Latvia
Bulgaria
Denmark
Russia
Turkey
Euro 2004 Team: Croatia
Founded 1991 Fifa 1992
Rather like the fallen Russian empire, the former Yugoslavian football team has suffered from its empire being splintered into satellite teams. Even though Croatia is probably the best side in the Balkans, they have been struggling to keep up with the top 10 countries.
Perhaps Croatia lack the fire power to overcome England in Group B. However, I think they may spring a surprise against France.
Previous qualifications: None – But Remember Yugoslavia were a powerful team.
| Group B | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France (2) Q | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| England (6) Q | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 6 | |
| Croatia (20) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| Switzerland (45) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
| Group 8 | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
| Bulgaria | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 17 | |
| Croatia | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 16 | |
| Belgium | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 16 | |
| Estonia | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | |
| Andorra | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
Coach: Otto Baric.
Man to watch: Dado Prso.
Goalkeepers
Tomislav Butina (Club Brugge)
Stipe Pletikosa (Shaktar Donetsk)
Vedran Runje (Marseille)
Defenders
Robert Kovac (Bayern Munich)
Mato Neretljak (Hajduk Split)
Goran Sablic (Dinamo Zagreb)
Anthony Seric (Brescia)
Dario Simic (Milan)
Josep Simunic (Hertha Berlin)
Mario Tokic (Grazer AK)
Igor Tudor (Juventus)
Boris Zivkovic (Stuttgart)
Midfielders
Jasmin Agic (Dinamo Zagreb)
Marko Babic (Bayer Leverkusen)
Niko Kovac (Hertha Berlin)
Jerko Leko (Kyev Dynamo)
Ivica Mornar (Anderlecht)
Miljenko Mumlek (Vartecs)
Ivan Rezic (Vartecs)
Giovani Rosso (Maccabi Haifa)
Darijo Srna (Shaktar Donetsk)
Mario Stanic (Chelsea)
Stjepan Tomas (Fenerbahce)
Jurica Vranjes (Stuttgart)
Forwards
Niko Kranjcar (Dinamo Zagreb)
Marijo Maric (Kanrten)
Ivica Olic (CSKA Moscow)
Mladen Petric (Grasshopper)
Dado Prso (Monaco)
Milan Rapajic (Hajduk Split)
Tomislav Sokota (Benfica)
Which team was part of the old USSR?
Croatia
Russia
Bulgaria
Czech Republic
Germany
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: Czech Republic
Founded 1901 Fifa 1906
The Czech Republic have a good record in football championships and excellent recent form. They will be hard to beat. As you know I do not rate friendlies, however losing to the Irish Republic may have done the Czechs a good turn relieving them of the pressure of being unbeaten.
What we have in Group D is a three way struggle and I think that the Czechs will win through. But each game should be a gripping encounter.
Holland and the Czech Republic have had three co-incidences in recent times. Both missed the last World Cup, both were drawn in Qualifying group 3, and now both are drawn in group D for the football finals in Portugal. What next? A Dutch Czech final – surely not.
Previous qualifications: 1960, 1976, 1976 (Won), 1980, 1996, 2000
| Group D | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic (6) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 9 | |
| Holland (4) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4 | |
| Germany (10) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Latvia (50+) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 5 | 22 | |
| Holland | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 19 | |
| Austria | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 9 | |
| Moldova | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 6 | |
| Belarus | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 20 | 3 |
Coaches: Karel Bruckner.
Man to watch: Captain Pavel Nedved.
Goalkeepers
Jarom? Blazek
Petr Cech
Radek Cerny
Defenders
Radek Bejbl
Ren?Bolf
Miroslav Holen?
Tom? H?schman
Martin Jir?ek
Pavel Mares
Adam Petrous
Zdenek Pospech
Tom? Ujfalusi
Midfielders
Tom? Gal?ek
Patrick Gedeon
Pavel Horv?h
Marek Jankulovski
Jir?Jarosik
Martin Lukes
Pavel Nedved
Karel Poborsky
Tom? Rosicky
Jan Sim?
Vladim? Smicer
Stepan Vachousek
Petr Vorisek
Forwards
Milan Baros
Tom? Dosek
Marek Heinz
Jan Koller
Vratislav Lokvenc
Libor Sionko
Which team scored the most goals in the qualifying games for Euro 2004?
Slovenia
England
Germany
Czech Republic
Sweden
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: Denmark
Founded 1889 Fifa 1904
Denmark were the dark horses 12 years ago, however this football squad do not look like the up-and-coming, fearless team that we saw in 1992. Perhaps if Denmark will reach the last eight then we will know more about their potential. Italy are not playing particularly well, so look out for close games in Group C.
Previous qualification: 1960, 1964, 1984, 1988, 1992 (Won), 1996, 2000.
| Group C | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden (20) Q | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | |
| Denmark (14) Q | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Italy (11) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |
| Bulgaria (37) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 0 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) | Only games between equal teams count. So disregard Bulgaria scores /goals | |||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 9 | 15 | |
| Norway | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 14 | |
| Romania | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 9 | 14 | |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 13 | |
| Luxembourg | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
Coach: Morten Olsen.
Men to watch: Martin Jorgensen, Jon Dahl Tomasson
Goalkeepers
Peter Skov-Jensen (FC Midtjylland)
Thomas Sorensen (Aston Villa)
Defenders
Thomas Gaardsoe (West Bromwich Albion)
Thomas Helveg (Internazionale)
Ren Henriksen (Panathinaikos FC)
Niclas Jensen (BV Borussia 09 Dortmund)
Per Nielsen (Brondby IF)
Brian Priske (K.R.C. Genk)
Midfielders
Thomas Gravesen (Everton FC)
Daniel Jensen (Real Murcia)
Thomas Roll Larsen (FC Kobenhavn)
Morten Wieghorst (Brondby IF)
Jesper Gronkjaer (Chelsea FC)
Martin Jorgensen (Udinese)
Forwards
Peter Lovenkrands (Glasgow Rangers)
Peter Madsen VfL (Bochum)
Kenneth Perez (AZ 67 Alkmaar)
Dennis Rommedahl (PSV Eindhoven)
Ebbe Sand (FC Schalke 04)
Jon Dahl Tomasson (AC Milan)
In 1992, Which two teams relegated England and France to the bottom of their group?
Denmark & Sweden
Finland & Iceland
Spain & Portugal
Yugoslavia & Czech
Greece & France
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: England
Founded 1863 Fifa 1905 (1946)
I am going to stick my neck out. England will win the European football Championship in Portugal. Their form is above average, for example they played well in the 2002 World Cup. Combining logic with emotion, my view is ‘ every dog has its day’, and England have to be the best team never to have won this cup. Guy says it’s England’s turn in 2004 for another football cup.
Which ever team you support, do not worry about results in friendly football matches. Subsequent winners seem to specialize in poor results in the warm-ups. Focus on the quality of the present players and consider if they are comfortable with the managers ‘ system’.
Everyone, even the Italians, need a great striker and England now have Wayne Rooney to play alongside Michael Owen. Let us hope that Wayne Rooney will improve further, rather than being a one season wonder. Watching George Weah playing soccer for Liberia, brought home to me that no team can be one-man-band. Rooney and Owen have great support from Gerrard, Beckham and Scholes.
Previous qualifications: 1968 (3rd), 1980, 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000
| Group B | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France (2) Q | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| England (6) Q | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 6 | |
| Croatia (20) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| Switzerland (45) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
| Group 7 | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
| England | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 20 | |
| Turkey | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 5 | 19 | |
| Slovakia | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 9 | 10 | |
| Macedonia | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 14 | 6 | |
| Liechtenstein | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 22 | 1 |
Coach: Sven Goran-Eriksson
Men to watch: Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and David Beckham.
Which of these countries lost at least one game in their qualifying matches?
England
France
Italy
Czech Republic
Portugal
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: France
Founded 1918? Fifa 1904
John McCririck, the eccentric horse racing correspondent, bleats on about the bookies ‘ Bismarck’. What he means by a ‘Bismark’ is a horse that shrewd bookies want to take bets on because they feel that it will lose. Well France are my football ‘ Bismarck’.
My reasoning is this, no international football team have ever defended a major European Championship, the French team are over the hill and have lost their hunger to win. I know that France are rated the number one football team in the tournament, but I would not be shocked if Croatia beat them.
Previous qualification: in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1984 (Won), 1992, 1996, 2000 (Won).
| Group B | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France (2) Q | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| England (6) Q | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 6 | |
| Croatia (20) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| Switzerland (45) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
| Group 1 | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
| France | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 2 | 24 | |
| Slovenia | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 14 | |
| Israel | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 9 | |
| Cyprus | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 18 | 8 | |
| Malta | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 24 | 1 |
Coach: Jacques Santini
Goalkeepers
Fabien Barthez
Gr?ory Coupet
Micka? Landreau
Defenders
J??ie Br?het
Vincent Candela
Philippe Christanval
Marcel Desailly
William Gallas
Bixente Lizarazu
Philippe Mexes
Anthony R?eill?e
Willy Sagnol
Mika? Silvestre
Lilian Thuram
Midfielders
Eric Carri?e
Bruno Cheyrou
Ousmane Dabo
Olivier Dacourt
Claude Makelele
Beno? Pedretti
Robert Pires
J??e Rothen
Patrick Vieira
Zinedine Zidane
Forwards
Djibril Ciss?
Ludovic Giuly
Sidney Govou
Thierry Henry
Olivier Kapo
Steve Marlet
David Trezeguet
Sylvain Wiltord
Svehlík and Dobiás both scored in the final. Victor was in goal who were they?
France
USSR
Holland
Czechoslovakia
Germany
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: Germany
Founded 1900 Fifa 1904 (1950)
It is always dangerous to rule out the Germans, they some how find a way to win even when they haven’t got a good football team. As recently as the last World Cup, Germany over-achieved and made it through to the final.
Well I am going to fly in the face of previous European form and dismiss the Germans. My reasoning is they do not have a world class striker, most of their players play in the bundesliga and those clubs have not shone in Europe. I rest my case for dismissing the threat of German football in Euro 2004.
Previous qualifications: 1972 (Won), 1976, 1980 (Won), 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 (Won), 2000
| Group D | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic (6) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 9 | |
| Holland (4) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4 | |
| Germany (10) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Latvia (50+) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
| Group 5 | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
| Germany | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 18 | |
| Scotland | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 14 | |
| Iceland | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 13 | |
| Lithuania | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 10 | |
| Faroe Islands | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 1 |
Coach: Rudi Voller.
Man to watch: Kevin Kuranyi
Goalkeepers
Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich)
Jens Lehmann (Arsenal)
Frank Rost (Schalke)
Defenders
Frank Baumann (Werder Bremen)
Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin)
Andreas Hinkel (Stuttgart)
Christoph Metzelder (Borussia Dortmund)
Tobias Rau (Bayern Munich)
Marko Rehmer (Hertha Berlin)
Christian W?ns (Borussia Dortmund)
Christian Ziege (Tottenham Hotspur)
Midfielders
Michael Ballack (Bayern Munich)
Fabian Ernst (Werder Bremen)
Torsten Frings (Borussia Dortmund)
Dietmar Hamann (Liverpool)
Michael Hartmann (Hertha Berlin)
Jens Jeremies (Bayern Munich)
Carsten Ramelow (Bayer Leverkusen)
Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards
Fredi Bobic (Hertha Berlin)
Miroslav Klose (Kaiserslautern)
Kevin Kuranyi (Stuttgart)
Benjamin Lauth (1860 Munich)
Oliver Neuville (Bayer Leverkusen)
The 1972 winners had G. Muller as their leading goal scorer, who were they?
Holland
USSR
Yugoslavia
Czech Republic
Germany
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: Greece
Founded 1926 Fifa 1927
Up against the hosts Portugal, and the ‘ near hosts’ Spain, I cannot see Greece progressing. Word is that Greek footballers are not good travellers. On the positive side, Greece will fancy their chances of beating Spain, just as they did in their group 6 qualification game.
First European finals in 24 years. 1980
| Group A | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal (17) Q | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | |
| Greece (33) Q | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Spain (3) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Russia (29) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
| Group 6 | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
| Greece | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 18 | |
| Spain | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 17 | |
| Ukraine | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 10 | |
| Armenia | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 7 | |
| Northern Ireland | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 3 |
Coach: Otto Rehhagel
Men to watch: Vassilis Tsartas, Demis Nikolaidis and Zisis Vryzas
Goalkeepers
Konstantinos Chalkias (Panathinaikos)
Theofanis Katergiannakis (Olympiakos)
Antonios Nikopolidis (Panathinaikos)
Defenders
Paraskevas Antzas (Olympiakos)
Nikolaos Dabizas (Newcastle United)
Traianos Dellas (Roma)
Panagiotis Fyssas (Panathinaikos)
Giannis Goumas (Panathinaikos)
Sotirios Kyrgiakos (Panathinaikos)
Christos Patsatzoglou (Olympiakos)
Giourkas Seitaridis (Panathinaikos)
Stylianos Venetidis (Olympiakos)
Midfielders
Angelos Basinas (Panathinaikos)
Giorgios Georgiadis (Olympiakos)
Stylianos Giannakopoulos (Bolton Wanderers)
Pantelis Kafes (Olympiakos)
Giorgios Karagounis (Internazional)
Konstantinos Katsouranis (AEK Athens)
Vassilios Lakis (AEK Athens)
Vassilios Tsiartas (AEK Athens)
Theodoros Zagorakis (AEK Athens)
Forwards
Ioannis Amanatidis (Stuttgart)
Angelos Charisteas (Werder Bremen)
Lampros Choutos (Olympiakos)
Themistoklis Nikolaidis (Atletico Madrid)
Dimitris Papadopoulos (Panathinaikos)
Zisis Vryzas (Perugia)
In 1988, which team qualified for the final stages, but then lost all their matches?
Greece
England
Sweden
Spain
Romania
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: Holland
Founded 1889 Fifa 1904
I fancy Holland. Partly because they have an attacking tradition, partly because Van Nistelrooy impresses me. However, Holland are far from a one-man-band, Roy Makaay is being touted for European footballer of the year’ and they have strength in all the midfield roles.
Traditionally, Holland have two types of football teams, one side that bickers, and another side that seeks glory. Let us hope that missing out on the last world cup means we see a Holland that is focussed and hungry for success.
Previous qualification:: 1976, 1980, 1988 (Won), 1996, 2000
| Group D | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic (6) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 9 | |
| Holland (4) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4 | |
| Germany (10) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Latvia (50+) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 5 | 22 | |
| Holland | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 19 | |
| Austria | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 9 | |
| Moldova | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 6 | |
| Belarus | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 20 | 3 |
Coach: Dik Advocaat.
Men to watch: Ruud van Nistelrooy Wesley Sneijder.
Goalkeepers
Edwin van der Sar
Ronald Waterreus
Sander Westerveld
Defenders
Andre Ooijer
Frank de Boer
Fernando Ricksen
Giovanni van Bronchhorst
Jaap Stam
Michael Reiziger
Wilfred Bouma
Midfielders
Boudewijn Zenden
Clarence Seedorf
Edgar Davids
Paul Bosvelt
Phillip Cocu
Ronald de Boer
Wesley Seijder
Forwards Arjen Robben
Jerrel Hasselbaink
Marc Overmars
Patrick Kluivert
Pierre van Bronchhorst
Rafael van der Vaart
Roy Makaay
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Which of the teams won their qualifying group in Euro 2004?
Turkey
Norway
Holland
Sweden
Spain
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: Italy
Founded 1898 Fifa 1903
Most of the Italian team play their football at home in either Inter, Roma, or Juventus. Interestingly, Italian clubs have not done particularly well in European competitions this year. Moreover, Italy struggled to beat an average Welsh team. What they need is new striker, and as far as I can see, he is still hiding in the shadows.
Italy are not my choice of Champions and I would not be amazed if the two Scandinavian teams put Italy out at the first stage.
Qualified 1964, 1968 (Won), 1972, 1980, 1988, 1992, Runners-up 2000.
| Group C | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden (20) Q | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | |
| Denmark (14) Q | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Italy (11) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |
| Bulgaria (37) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 0 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) | Only games between equal teams count. So disregard Bulgaria scores /goals | |||||||
| Group 9 | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
| Italy | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 17 | |
| Wales | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 13 | |
| Serbia and Montenegro | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 12 | |
| Finland | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 10 | |
| Azerbaijan | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 4 |
In Euro 2000, which was the only undefeated team?
Italy
France
Holland
Sweden
Germany
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: Latvia
Founded 1921 Fifa 1923
Latvia played as a national team up until 1949 where upon their star players were absorbed into the USSR until 1993. Since the break-up of the mighty USSR, Latvia, have re-formed their own national team.
‘ We are pleased to be here in Portugal’, must be the Latvian footballers cry. My mate ‘ Barking’ Eddie made a big bet that Latvia will not score a goal in the tournament. While there is no compelling reason to believe they are not just making up the numbers, I could not sit on the edge of my seat like Eddie, hoping Latvia will not score.
Previous Euro Cup – None
| Group D | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic (6) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 9 | |
| Holland (4) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4 | |
| Germany (10) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Latvia (50+) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
Finished second, then beat Turkey to qualify. 3-2 Aggregate
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 3 | 17 | |
| Latvia | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 16 | |
| Poland | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 13 | |
| Hungary | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 11 | |
| San Marino | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
Coach: Aleksandrs Starkovs
Man to watch: Maris Verpakovskis.
Goalkeepers
Alexander Kolinko (Rostov)
Andrejs Piedels (Skonto)
Andris Vanins (Torpedo-Metallurg) Russia
Defenders
Igors N. Stepanovs (Beveren)
Mihails Zemlinskis (Skonto)
Olegs Blagonadezdins (Skonto)
Dzintars Zirnis (Liep Metalurgs)
Alexsandrs Isakovs (Skonto)
Maris Smirnovs (Ventspils)
Valentins Lobanovs (Skonto)
Igors Korablovs (Ventspils)
Juris Laizans CSKA Moscow
Midfielders Vitalijs Astafjevs (Admira-Wacker)
Andrejs Rubins (Shinnik), Russia
Imants Bleidelis (Viborg), Denmark
Jurgis Pucinsks (Shinnik)
Viktors Dobrecovs (Liep Metalurgs)
Igors Semjonovs (Skonto)
Andrejs Stolcers (Fulham)
Vladimirs Kolesnicenko (Torpedo Metallurg)
Maris Verpakovskis (Skonto)
Vits Rimkus (Ventspils)
Marians Pahars (Southampton)
Mihails Miholaps (Skonto)
Which team was part of the old Yugoslavia?
Latvia
Italy
Croatia
Czech Republic
Bulgaria
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: Portugal
Founded 1914 Fifa 1926
Every host country, in every championship always plays out of their skin. Against such a hypothesis is the feeling that Portugal have been football’s universal under-achievers, flattering only to deceive. On balance the way I see it this; no club side would fancy winning at FC Porto or Benfica, so it will be the same for the national teams, they will all fear Portugal in the blistering summer sun.
I have an interesting prediction. No European Championship host has even been runner-up; previously the home nation has either won or come nowhere. My wild prediction is that two of the oldest politically allies will battle it out in the final of Euro 2004, so it is England to beat Portugal for me.
Qualified: 1960, 1984, 1996, 2000
| Group A | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal (17) Q | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | |
| Greece (33) Q | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Spain (3) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Russia (29) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
Qualified as Hosts for Euro 2004
Coach: Luiz Felipe Scolari
Deco and Ricardo Quaresma
Rui Costa
Louis Figo
Sergio Conceicao,
Christiano Ronaldo,
Luis Boa Morte and Hugo Viana
Which team that is playing in Portugal also qualified for the 2002 World cup?
Portugal
Poland
Czech Republic
Holland
Slovenia
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: Russia
Founded 1923 Fifa 1924
The glory days when Russians were picking up the old Nations Cup, seems a long time ago. Splitting up the USSR must have affected the overall team strength. Indeed I think that Russia’s slide will continue. It does not bode well that their top scorer amongst the present squad was defender Ignashevich. Having to face the hosts then another warm loving Iberian country does not bode well. Russia footballers will be away home after three games.
Qualified in 1960 (Won), 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000
Won in 1960 and were Runners-up in: 1964, 1970, 1988
| Group A | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal (17) Q | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | |
| Greece (33) Q | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Spain (3) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Russia (29) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
| Group 10 | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
| Switzerland | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 11 | 15 | |
| Russia | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 14 | |
| Republic of Ireland | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 11 | |
| Albania | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 8 | |
| Georgia | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 14 | 7 |
Coach: Georgi Yartsev.
Men to watch: Dmitri Boulykin one of the tallest footballers around and Alexander Mostovoi.
Goal Keeper Sergei Ovchinnikov (3) Good – In the Lev Yashin mould
Sergei Ovchinnikov (3) Good
Ruslan Nigmatullin
Stanislav Cherchesov
Alexander Filimonov
Sergei Ignashevich (9)
Vadim Evseev (2)
Yury Kovtun
Yuri Nikiforov
Andrei Solomatin
Viktor Onopko (7)
Viacheslav Dayev
Igor Chugainov
Dmitri Loskov
Eugeni Aldonin (3)
Rolan Gusev (6)
Alexei Smertin (7)
Igor Semshov
Yegor Titov
Dmitri Alenichev
Dmitri Sennikov (4)
Marat Izmailov (2)
Dmitrij Khokhlov
Valery Karpin
Alexander Mostovoi (4)
Dmitri Bulykin
Vladimir Beschastnykh (2)
Alexander Kerzhakov (3)
Sergei Semak (5)
Rouslan Pimenov
Dmitry Sychev
Which of these countries did NOT take part in the Euro 2004 qualifying games?
Moldova
Russia
Andorra
Algeria
Faroe Islands
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: Spain
Founded 1913 Fifa 1904
Who ever hosts any tournament has a significant advantage which is borne out by past winners. Indeed Spain won in 1964 when they were hosts. What history also shows is that ‘ near-hosts’ also do well, for example, when Denmark won in Sweden, and again in 2000 when France won in Belgium.
Spain have struggled recently and only qualified via the play-offs. However, do not write them off because they can score goals and the heat will help their short passing game. Surely they will go forward to the next round.
Qualified in 1960, 1964 (Won), 1968, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2000.
| Group A | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal (17) Q | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | |
| Greece (33) Q | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Spain (3) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Russia (29) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
Spain were runners-up in group Group 6. Won Play-off against Norway
| Group 6 | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
| Greece | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 18 | |
| Spain | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 17 | |
| Ukraine | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 10 | |
| Armenia | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 7 | |
| Northern Ireland | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 3 |
Provisional Spanish Squad for European Football Championship 2004
Coach: I?ki S?z.
Men to watch: Fernando Torres, Ra?
Goalkeepers
Santiago Ca?zares
Iker Casillas
Pedro Contreras
Defenders
Agust? Aranzabal
Ra? Bravo
Joan Capdevila
Enrique Romero
Garc? Calvo
Juanfran Juanito
Carlos Marchena
C?ar Martin
Francisco J Navarro Vicente
Pablo Orbaiz
Carles Puyol
M?hel Salgado
Midfielders
David Albelda
Xabi Alonso
Rub? Baraja
Javier De Pedro
Gabri Garc?
Sergio Gonz?ez
Iv? Helguera
Xavi Hern?dez
Gaizka Mendieta
Vicente Rodreguez
Joaquin S?chez
Juan Carlos Valeron
Forwards
Joseba Etxeberria
Raul Gonz?ez
Guti Alberto Luque
Fernando Morientes
Jose Reyes Calderon
Raul Tamudo
Fernando Torres
Diego Tristan
Euro 2004 Team: Sweden
Founded 1904 Fifa 1904
Sweden squeezed past Latvia, Poland and Hungary in the qualifiers. At face value that does not look like Championship form. Whereas Alan Shearer has retired gracefully from English international football, the Swedes cannot make up their mind about Henrik Larsson’s participation.
International footballers should be able to play anywhere, but I cannot help feeling that players from Scandinavia will be at a disadvantage come Portugal in blazing June. If my theory is correct this could let in Bulgaria.
Qualified 1964, 1992, 2000
| Group C | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden (20) Q | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | |
| Denmark (14) Q | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Italy (11) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | |
| Bulgaria (37) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 0 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) | Only games between equal teams count. So disregard Bulgaria scores /goals | |||||||
| Group 4 | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
| Sweden | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 3 | 17 | |
| Latvia | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 16 | |
| Poland | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 13 | |
| Hungary | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 11 | |
| San Marino | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
Men to watch Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Ajax). Henrik Larsson retired?
Goalkeepers
Magnus Hedman
Andreas Isaksson
Magnus Kihlstedt
Defenders
Tomas Antonelius
Mikael Dorsin
Erik Edman
Andreas Jakobsson
Nils-Eric Johansson
Tommy J?sson
Teddy Lucic
Olof Mellberg
Michael Svensson
Midfielders
Niclas Alexandersson
Christoffer Andersson
Anders Andersson
Pontus Farnerud
Andreas Johansson
Kim K?lstr?
Marcus Lantz
Tobias Linderoth
Fredrik Ljungberg
Johan Mj?lby
Magnus Svensson
Anders Svensson
Forwards
Marcus Allb?k
Andreas Andersson
Johan Elmander
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Mattias Jonson
J?gen Pettersson
Rade Prica
Niklas Skoog
Which country did Peter Schmeichel and Michael Laudrup play for?
Sweden
Holland
Germany
Denmark
Italy
Ξ
Euro 2004 Team: Switzerland
Founded 1895 Fifa 1904
The fact that Switzerland topped their group is more an indictment of Russia and the Republic of Ireland, than a star performance from Switzerland. As with virtually every international team, they have made defending a science. What Switzerland are saying is we will pack the last third of the pitch and hope to steal a goal with a breakaway.
Historically, what happens is that Switzerland reach the finals but go out in the first round. So, anything other than last place in this group has to be a bonus.
Fifa and UEFA are both based in Switzerland.
Qualified 1996
| Group B | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France (2) Q | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| England (6) Q | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 6 | |
| Croatia (20) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| Switzerland (45) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | |
| (Fifa Ranking) |
Was it a fluke the Swiss winning their qualifying group?
| Group 10 | P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
| Switzerland | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 11 | 15 | |
| Russia | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 14 | |
| Republic of Ireland | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 11 | |
| Albania | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 8 | |
| Georgia | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 14 | 7 |
Manager K?i Kuhn’s – Suisse National FC Z?ich
Brothers Yakin
GK J?g STIEL GK
GK Pascal ZUBERB?LER GK
Bruno BERNER DF
Ricardo CABANAS MD
Fabio CELESTINI MD
St?hane CHAPUISAT F
Bernt HAAS DF
St?hane HENCHOZ DF (Liverpool)
Remo MEYER DF
Patrick M?LER DF
Christoph SPYCHER MD
Marco STRELLER F
Johann VOGEL MD (PSV Eindhoven)
Raphael WICKY MD
Murat YAKIN DF
Forwards
Alexander FREI F (Stade Rennnais FC)
Hakan YAKIN F
Where will the Euro 2008 championships be held?
Austria & Switzerland
Croatia & Serbia
Greece & Turkey
Malta & Cyprus
Andorra & Luxembourg
Ξ
Previous European Football Championships
History of the Euro / Nations Cup.
It has been fascinating to see how this very European football Championship has developed over the 11/ 12 tournaments. It was a Frenchman Henri Delaunay that we have to thank for the vision of a European Football tournament that would alternate with the World Cup.
One feature of this football festival has been the way that final stages have been expanded from 4 to 16 teams. The qualification seems fairer with 5 teams in each group rather than some large groups with an unwieldy number of fixtures.
Play-offs are an established feature of most football club leagues, so why not for the Euro Championships?
Ξ
Euro 1960 – France
We must thank Henri Delaunay, the secretary of the French Football Federation for the birth of the European Nations’ Cup in 1960. Later this famous football competition became known as the European Championship.
Spain scratched due to civil unrest. General Franco personally scratched the team. Well, I will rephrase that ‘ Colman Balls’. The Spanish leader ordered that the team withdraw from the 1960 Nations cup Semi-Final. Bizarrely, Spain were allowed to host the next Championships in 1964.
The first shall be last, and the last shall be first. The two finalists were the teams who were alphabetically last in the listings.
Topscorer overall: Fontaine (Fra) 6 goals
Topscorers final tournament: No-one scored more than 2 goals.
European Football Nations Cup – 1960 Final
USSR (AET)
2-1
Yugoslavia
Metreveli 49, Ponedelnik 114 Galic 41
Soviet Union: Yashin, Tchekeli, Maslenkin, Kroutikov, Voinov, Netto, Metreveli, V.Ivanov, Ponedelnik, Bubukin, Meskhi
3rd Place
Czechoslovakia
2-0
France
Semi Finals
| Yugoslavia | 5-4 | France |
| USSR | 3-0 | Czechoslovakia |
Quarter Finals
| France | 9-4 | Austria | 5-2 | 4-2 |
| Yugoslavia | 6-3 | Portugal | 5-1 | 2-1 |
| USSR | 3-0 | Spain (scr) | 3-0 | |
| Czechoslovakia | 5-0 | Romania | 2-0 | 3-0 |
Round of the last 16
| USSR | 4-1 | Hungary | 3-1 | 1-0 |
| France | 8-2 | Greece | 7-1 | 1-1 |
| Romania | 3-2 | Turkey | 3-0 | 0-2 |
| Norway | 2-6 | Austria | 0-1 | 2-5 |
| Yugoslavia | 3-1 | Bulgaria | 2-0 | 1-1 |
| Germany (East) | 2-5 | Portugal | 0-2 | 2-3 |
| Poland | 2-7 | Spain | 2-4 | 0-3 |
| Denmark | 3-7 | Czechoslovakia | 2-2 | 1-5 |
Preliminary Round
Republic of Ireland
2-4
Czechoslovakia
2-0
0-4
Euro 1964 – Spain
The eventual finalists Spain and USSR, did not have to take part in the preliminary rounds. I cannot help wondering whether this was a coincidence, or whether they were fresher teams because they did not have to play so many games.
Spain had withdrawn from the 1960 competition on the orders of general Franco. In view of these political machinations, I was pleasantly surprised that Spain were allowed to host the competition. Co-incidentally, USSR their opponents in the 1964 final, were the team they were due to meet 4 years earlier but for the political interference.
The final was a tense and exciting game with Marcelino scoring for Spain in the last 5 minutes. One feature of Spain’s progress was that they beat both Irish team on the way to the semi-final with Hungary.
Top scorer overall: O.Madsen (Denmark) 11 goals
European Football Nations’ Cup – Final 1964
Spain
2-1
USSR
Pereda 6, Marcelino 84 Khusainov 8
Spain: Iribar, Rivilla, Olivella, Calleja, Zoco, Fust? Amancio, Pereda, Marcelino, Su?ez, Lapetra
3rd Place
Hungary
3-1
Denmark
Semi Finals
| Spain | 2-1 | Hungary |
| USSR | 3-0 | Denmark |
Quarter Finals
| Denmark (away g) | 5-5 | Luxembourg | 2-2 | 3-3 |
| Spain | 7-1 | Republic of Ireland | 5-1 | 2-0 |
| Hungary | 5-2 | France | 2-1 | 3-1 |
| USSR | 4-2 | Sweden | 3-1 | 1-1 |
Last 16 Round
| Spain | 2-1 | Northern Ireland | 1-1 | 1-0 |
| Yugoslavia | 2-3 | Sweden | 0-0 | 2-3 |
| Denmark | 4-1 | Albania | 4-0 | 0-1 |
| Netherlands | 2-3 | Luxembourg | 1-1 | 1-2 |
| Austria | 2-3 | Republic of Ireland | 0-0 | 2-3 |
| Bulgaria | 2-3 | France | 1-0 | 1-3 |
| USSR | 3-1 | Italy | 2-0 | 1-1 |
| Germany | 4-5 | Hungary | 1-2 | 3-3 |
Preliminary Round
France bt England
Sweden by Norway
Denmark bt Malta
Ireland (Republic) bt Iceland
France bt England
Ireland (North) bt Poland
Spain bt Romania
Yugoslavia bt Belgium
Bulgaria bt Portugal
Hungary bt Wales
Holland bt Switzerland
Germany bt Czechoslovakia
Italy bt Turkey
Albania bt Greece
USSR and Spain did not have to qualify
Euro 1968 – Italy
The competitions may have had a new name, but the result was classic example of home team advantage securing the day. In football terms, the Italy v Yugoslavia final was not a great attacking spectacle. Unusually, the European Championship, as it was then called, required a replay rather than a penalty shoot-out to decide the result in Italy’s favour.
In terms of a form guide the Italians had no good recent form. That ignominious defeat by Korea in the World Cup was still a source of baiting by foreign fans. What the Italians did have this time was home advantage, and huge passionate crowds.
It was no surprise that England, USSR an Yugoslavia made it through to the semi-finals. My point is that ‘ form’ teams usually make it through to the latter stages. Serbia and Bulgaria exceeded expectations in qualifying but faltered at the quarter final stage.
Top scorer overall: Riva (Italy) 7 goals
European Football Championship – 1968 Final
| Replay Italy | 2-0 | Yugoslavia |
| Final Italy | 1-1 | Yugoslavia |
Riva 11, Anastasi 32
Italy: Zoff, Burgnich, Facchetti, Salvadore, Guarneri, Rosato, Domenghini, Mazzola, Anastasi, De Sisti, Riva
Semi Finals
| Yugoslavia | 1-0 | England |
| Italy* | 0-0 | USSR |
*An almost unique event happened in the semi-finals, a result decided on the toss of a coin. I cannot remember another important game being decided by ‘ drawing lots’.
Quarter Finals
| England | 3-1 | Spain | 1-0 | 2-1 |
| Italy | 4-3 | Bulgaria | 2-0 | 2-3 |
| Yugoslavia | 6-2 | France | 5-1 | 1-1 |
| USSR | 3-2 | Hungary | 3-0 | 0-2 |
Group Stages
Another innovation was dividing the qualifiers into groups. In the previous tournaments, the preliminary rounds were knock-out decided on home and away legs.
| Group 1 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| Spain | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 8 | |
| Czechoslovakia | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 7 | |
| Republic of Ireland | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 5 | |
| Turkey | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 4 | |
| Group 3 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| USSR | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 6 | 10 | |
| Greece | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 6 | |
| Austria | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 6 | |
| Finland | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 2 | |
| Group 4 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| Yugoslavia | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 6 | |
| Germany | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 5 | |
| Albania | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| Group 5 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| Hungary | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 9 | |
| Germany (East) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 7 | |
| Holland | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 5 | |
| Denmark | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 3 | |
| Group 2 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| Bulgaria | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 10 | |
| Portugal | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
| Sweden | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 5 | |
| Norway | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 3 | |
| Group 6 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| Italy | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 3 | 11 | |
| Romania | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 14 | 6 | |
| Switzerland | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 13 | 5 | |
| Cyprus | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 25 | 2 | |
| Group 7 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| France | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 9 | |
| Belgium | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 7 | |
| Poland | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 7 | |
| Luxembourg | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 1 | |
| Group 8 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| England | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 9 | |
| Scotland | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 8 | |
| Wales | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 4 | |
| Northern Ireland | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 3 | |
Euro 1972 – Belgium
This was a famous and great German football team. I have never seen a better pure goal poacher than Gerd M?ler; while Franz Beckenbauer was the classical midfield general.
When looking for form pointers, note the winners had a young team, whereas the Hungarians, and Russians were probably past their best. Once again the hosts Belgium did well, and USSR the previous finalist held up the form line and proved very hard to beat.
Top scorer overall: G.M?ler (West Germany) 11 goals
Top scorer final tournament: G.M?ler (West Germany) 4 goals
European Football Championship – 1972 Final
G.M?ler 27, 58, Wimmer 52
Germany: Maier, H?tges, Beckenbauer, Schwarzenbeck, Breitner, U.Hoene? Wimmer, Netzer, Heynckes, G.M?ler, E.Kremers
Semi Finals
| Germany | 2-1 | Belgium |
| USSR | 1-0 | Hungary |
Quarter Finals
The football competition really took off with Germany gaining revenge on England, and Belgium beating the former European Champions Italy.
Replay
| Germany | 3-1 | England | 3-1 | 0-0 |
| Belgium | 2-1 | Italy | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| Hungary | 3-3 | Romania | 1-1 | 2-2 |
| USSR | 3-0 | Yugoslavia | 3-0 | 0-0 |
Group Stages
Building on the previous tournament, teams in 1972 European Championship fought their way through Group matches. Yugoslavia kept out Holland, the Dutch ‘ Total’ football had not quite been perfected yet.
| Group 1 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| Romania | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 9 | |
| Czechoslovakia | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 9 | |
| Wales | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | |
| Finland | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 1 | |
| Group 2 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| Hungary | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 9 | |
| Bulgaria | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 7 | |
| France | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 7 | |
| Norway | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 1 | |
| Group 3 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| England | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 11 | |
| Switzerland | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 9 | |
| Greece | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 3 | |
| Malta | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 1 | |
| Group 4 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| USSR | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 10 | |
| Spain | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 8 | |
| Northern Ireland | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 6 | |
| Cyprus | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 26 | 0 | |
| Group 5 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| Belgium | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 9 | |
| Portugal | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 7 | |
| Scotland | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | |
| Denmark | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 2 | |
| Group 6 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| Italy | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 10 | |
| Austria | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 7 | |
| Sweden | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | |
| Republic of Ireland | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 1 | |
| Group 7 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| Serbia and Montenegro | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 9 | |
| Holland | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 6 | 7 | |
| German (East) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 7 | |
| Luxembourg | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 1 | |
| Group 8 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||
| Germany | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 10 | |
| Poland | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 6 | |
| Turkey | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 5 | |
| Albania | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 3 | |
Euro 1976 – Yugoslavia
One has to say that this was probably the biggest shock in the history of European football championships. However, there were clues that a new football talent was emerging when Czechoslovakia beat England. For the English this was much like the way that Hungary caused a surprise when they beat England in 1953.
Apart from the champions, the other semi-finalists were the form teams, Germany, Holland and Yugoslavia.
Question: One football team is sometimes shown in the records as Montenegro and Serbia, what is that team also known as?
Top scorer overall: Givens (Ireland) 8 goals
Top scorer final tournament: D.M?ler (West Germany) 4 goals
European Football Championship – 1976 Final
| Czechoslovakia | 2-2 | Germany |
| Penalties Czechoslovakia | 5-3 | Germany |
Svehl? 8, Dobi? 25 D.M?ler 28, H?zenbein 89
Czechoslovakia: Viktor, Pivarn?, Ondrus, Capkovic, G?h, Dobi? (94 Vesely), M?er, Panenka, Masny, Svehl? (79 Jurkemik), Nehoda
Semi Finals
| Czechoslovakia | 3-1 | Holland |
| Germany | 4-2 | Yugoslavia |
Quarter Finals
Wales were a surprise team and played some good football.
| Yugoslavia | 3-1 | Wales | 2-0 | 1-1 |
| Czechoslovakia | 4-2 | USSR | 2-0 | 2-2 |
| Germany | 3-1 | Spain | 2-0 | 1-1 |
| Holland | 7-1 | Belgium | 5-0 | 2-1 |
Group Stages
Italy failed to qualify in a particularly tough group.
| Group 1 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Czechoslovakia | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 9 | ||||
| England | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 8 | ||||
| Portugal | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 7 | ||||
| Cyprus | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||||
| Group 2 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Wales | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 10 | ||||
| Hungary | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 8 | 7 | ||||
| Austria | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 7 | ||||
| Luxembourg | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 28 | 0 | ||||
| Group 3 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Yugoslavia | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 10 | ||||
| Northern Ireland | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 6 | ||||
| Sweden | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 6 | ||||
| Norway | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 2 | ||||
| Group 4 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Spain | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 9 | ||||
| Romania | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 7 | ||||
| Scotland | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 7 | ||||
| Denmark | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 1 | ||||
| Group 5 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Holland | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| Poland | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 8 | ||||
| Italy | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | ||||
| Finland | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 13 | 1 | ||||
| Group 6 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| USSR | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 8 | ||||
| Republic of Ireland | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 7 | ||||
| Turkey | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 6 | ||||
| Switzerland | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 3 | ||||
| Group 7 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Belgium | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 8 | ||||
| German (East) | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 7 | ||||
| France | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 5 | ||||
| Iceland | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 4 | ||||
| Group 8 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Germany | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 9 | ||||
| Greece | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 7 | ||||
| Bulgaria | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 6 | ||||
| Malta | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 20 | 2 | ||||
Euro 1980 – Italy
Another great display from the German football machine. Rummenigge proved himself a fearless goals scorer.
The format was changed to allow 7 teams to qualify and join the hosts for a tournament in Italy. The hosts so nearly made the final itself, but perhaps football was better served when the more attacking Belgium made it through.
European Football Championship -1980 Final
Top scorer overall: Keegan (England) 7 goals
Top scorer final tournament: K.Allofs (West Germany) 3 goals
Hruebsch 10, 88; Vandereycken 72pen
Germany: Schumacher, Kaltz, K.H.F?ster, Stielike, Dietz, Briegel (55 Cullmann), Schuster, H.M?ler, K.H.Rummenigge, Hrubesch, K.Allofs.
Semi Finals
For the football semi finals, the 8 qualifying teams were placed in two groups. This meant each team had three games and the best two in each group went on to the final. Meanwhile, the runners up in each of these groups played in the third place.
Group Stages
| Group 1 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| England | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 5 | 15 | |||||
| Northern Ireland | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 9 | |||||
| Republic of Ireland | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 7 | |||||
| Bulgaria | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 5 | |||||
| Denmark | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 4 | |||||
| Group 2 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Belgium | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 12 | |||||
| Austria | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 11 | |||||
| Portugal | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 9 | |||||
| Scotland | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 13 | 7 | |||||
| Norway | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 20 | 1 | |||||
| Group 3 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Spain | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 9 | |||||
| Yugoslavia | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 8 | |||||
| Romania | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 6 | |||||
| Cyprus | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 1 | |||||
| Group 4 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Holland | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 13 | |||||
| Poland | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 12 | |||||
| Germany (East) | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 11 | 11 | |||||
| Switzerland | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 18 | 4 | |||||
| Iceland | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 21 | 0 | |||||
| Group 5 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Czechoslovakia | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 10 | |||||
| France | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 7 | 9 | |||||
| Sweden | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 4 | |||||
| Luxembourg | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 1 | |||||
| Group 6 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Greece | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 7 | |||||
| Hungary | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 6 | |||||
| Finland | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 15 | 6 | |||||
| USSR | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 5 | |||||
| Group 7 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Germany | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 10 | |||||
| Turkey | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 7 | |||||
| Wales | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 8 | 6 | |||||
| Malta | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 21 | 1 | |||||
Euro 1984 – France
Another case where home advantage was decisive. To be fair France won all their games in the quarter-final league, dispatched Portugal, then easily beat Spain in the final. What separated France from the rest was that they had Platini, the best player of this generation.
There were notable absentees from this tournament, USSR, Holland, England and Italy all were beaten by better teams at the qualifying stage.
Top scorer (overall): Platini (France) 9 goals.
Top scorer (final tournament): Platini (France) 9 goals.
European Football Championship – 1984 Final
Platini Bellone
France: Bats, Battiston (Amoros), Le Roux, Bossis, Domergue, Giresse, Tigana, Fernandez, Platini, Lacombe, Genghini (Bellone).
Semi Finals
| France | 3-2 | Portugal |
| Spain | 1-1 | Denmark |
| Penalties Spain | 5-4 | Denmark |
Group Stages
| Group 1 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Belgium | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 9 | ||||
| Switzerland | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 6 | ||||
| Germany (East) | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 5 | ||||
| Scotland | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 4 | ||||
| Group 2 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Portugal | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 10 | ||||
| USSR | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 9 | ||||
| Poland | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 4 | ||||
| Finland | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 1 | ||||
| Group 3 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Denmark | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 5 | 13 | ||||
| England | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 3 | 12 | ||||
| Greece | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 8 | ||||
| Hungary | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 17 | 7 | ||||
| Luxembourg | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 36 | 0 | ||||
| Group 4 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Yugoslavia | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 8 | ||||
| Wales | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 7 | ||||
| Bulgaria | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 5 | ||||
| Norway | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 4 | ||||
| Group 5 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Romania | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 12 | ||||
| Sweden | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 5 | 11 | ||||
| Czechoslovakia | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 10 | ||||
| Italy | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 5 | ||||
| Cyprus | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 21 | 2 | ||||
| Group 6 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Germany | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 5 | 11 | ||||
| Northern Ireland | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 11 | ||||
| Austria | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 10 | 9 | ||||
| Turkey | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 7 | ||||
| Albania | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 2 | ||||
| Group 7 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Spain | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 8 | 13 | ||||
| Holland | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 6 | 13 | ||||
| Republic of Ireland | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 10 | 9 | ||||
| Iceland | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 3 | ||||
| Malta | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 37 | 2 | ||||
Euro 1988 – Germany
At last, the Dutch come good and win a major football final. My friend Magi has a theory that the Semi-Finals are always a better game than the finals. Well Holland v Germany in 1988 would have proved her point. Whilst the Semis may well provide the best football, it is always the final that people remember. For the Dutch supporters it was celebration from a long way out, for the neutral an air of anti-climax.
The format for the European Championship in Germany was two Quarter Final groups with the winners and runners-up progressing to the Semi Finals. France were seen off by the Eastern Europeans and did not make the final stages. England were desperately disappointing, while Italy were as hard to beat as ever.
European Football Championship Final 1988
33′ Gullit, 54′ Van Basten
Holland: Van Breukelen, Van Aerle, Rijkaard, R.Koeman, Van Tiggelen, Vanenburg, Wouters, A.M?ren, E.Koeman, Gullit, Van Basten
Semi Finals
| Holland | 3-2 | Germany |
| USSR | 2-0 | Italy |
Group Stages 1988 – Statistics for qualifying matches
| Group 1 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Spain | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 10 | ||||
| Romania | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 3 | 9 | ||||
| Austria | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 5 | ||||
| Albania | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 0 | ||||
| Group 2 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Italy | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 13 | ||||
| Sweden | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 10 | ||||
| Portugal | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| Switzerland | 8 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 7 | ||||
| Malta | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 21 | 2 | ||||
| Group 3 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| USSR | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 13 | ||||
| Germany (East) | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 11 | ||||
| France | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | ||||
| Iceland | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 6 | ||||
| Norway | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 4 | ||||
| Group 4 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| England | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 11 | ||||
| Yugoslavia | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 8 | ||||
| Northern Ireland | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 3 | ||||
| Turkey | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 2 | ||||
| Group 5 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Holland | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 16 | ||||
| Greece | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 13 | 9 | ||||
| Hungary | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 11 | 8 | ||||
| Poland | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 8 | ||||
| Cyprus | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 24 | 1 | ||||
| Group 6 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Denmark | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 | ||||
| Czechoslovakia | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 7 | ||||
| Wales | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 6 | ||||
| Finland | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 3 | ||||
| Group 7 | |||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |||||
| Republic of Ireland | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 11 | ||||
| Bulgaria | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 10 | ||||
| Belgium | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 8 | 9 | ||||
| Scotland | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 9 | ||||
| Luxembourg | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 23 | 1 | ||||
Euro 1992 – Sweden
When Yugoslavia withdrew it seemed logical to ask the runners-up in Yugoslavia’s group to make up the numbers. So, with no pressure on them, Denmark enjoyed themselves, and caused the biggest upset in any football championship.
Denmark also benefited from what I call the ‘ near host’ effect. Close enough understand the geography, culture and climate, without the burden expectation that falls on the actual host.
In hindsight, Denmark were young team who were just coming of age, Schmeichel dominated his penalty box, and Bergkamp and Laudrup ‘ did the business’ at the other end.
Top scorers (final tournament): Bergkamp (Netherlands), Brolin (Sweden),
H. Larsen (Denmark), Riedle (Germany) 3 goals.
Top scorer (overall): Papin (Fra) 11 goals.
European Championship football Final 1992
Jensen Vilford
Denmark: Schmeichel, Sivebaek (Christiansen), K. Nielsen, L. Olsen, Piechnik, Christofte, J. Jensen, Vilfort, H. Larsen, Povlsen, B. Laudrup.
Semi Finals
| Germany | 3-2 | Sweden |
| Denmark | 2-2 | Holland |
Group Stages 1972 – Statistics for qualifying matches
| Group 1 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| France | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 6 | 16 | |||||
| Czechoslovakia | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 10 | |||||
| Spain | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 12 | 6 | |||||
| Iceland | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 4 | |||||
| Albania | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 21 | 2 | |||||
| Group 2 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Scotland | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 11 | |||||
| Switzerland | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 7 | 10 | |||||
| Romania | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 10 | |||||
| Bulgaria | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 8 | 9 | |||||
| San Marino | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 33 | 0 | |||||
| Group 3 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| USSR | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 13 | |||||
| Italy | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 10 | |||||
| Norway | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 9 | |||||
| Hungary | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 8 | |||||
| Cyprus | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 25 | 0 | |||||
| Group 4 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Yugoslavia | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 4 | 14 | |||||
| Denmark | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 7 | 13 | |||||
| Northern Ireland | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 7 | |||||
| Austria | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 3 | |||||
| Faroe Islands | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 26 | 3 | |||||
| Group 5 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Germany | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 10 | |||||
| Wales | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 9 | |||||
| Belgium | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 5 | |||||
| Luxembourg | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 0 | |||||
| Group 6 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Holland | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 2 | 13 | |||||
| Portugal | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 11 | |||||
| Greece | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 8 | |||||
| Finland | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | |||||
| Malta | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 23 | 2 | |||||
| Group 7 | ||||||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| England | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 9 | |||||
| Republic of Ireland | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 8 | |||||
| Poland | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 7 | |||||
| Turkey | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 14 | 0 | |||||
Euro 1996 – England
Sweet revenge for Germany. They beat their old nemesis England (will they ever lay the 1966 bogey?) and also exacted revenge for Czech Republic’s 1976 win. Germany won their groups well enough but seemed to be reaching their limitations. But the Germans never give in, maximise their resources and find a way to win.
To give the Germans their due, England, France, and the Czech Republic had their chance, but they came up short.
Top scorer (overall): Suker (Croatia) 15 goals.
Top scorer (final tournament): Shearer (England) 5 goals.
European Football Championship Final 1996
Germany
2-1
Czech Republic
Bierhoff (2) Berger
Germany: K?ke, Sammer, Babbel, Helmer, Strunz, H?sler, Eilts (46′ Bode), Scholl (69′ Bierhoff), Ziege, Klinsmann, Kuntz.
Semi Finals
| Germany | 1-1 | England |
| Czech Republic | 0-0 | France |
Quarter Finals
| England | 1-1 | Spain |
| France | 0-0 | Holland |
| Germany | 2-1 | Croatia |
| Czech Republic | 1-0 | Portugal |
Group Stages 1996 – Statistics for qualifying matches
| Group 1 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PT | ||
| Romania | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 9 | 21 | |
| France | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 20 | |
| Slovakia | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 14 | |
| Poland | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 13 | |
| Israel | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 12 | |
| Azerbaijan | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 29 | 1 | |
| Group 2 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PT | ||
| Spain | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 4 | 26 | |
| Denmark | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 9 | 21 | |
| Belgium | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 13 | 15 | |
| F.Y.R. Macedonia | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 18 | 7 | |
| Cyprus | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 7 | |
| Armenia | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 17 | 5 | |
| Group 3 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PT | ||
| Switzerland | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 17 | |
| Turkey | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 15 | |
| Sweden | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 9 | |
| Hungary | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 8 | |
| Iceland | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 5 | |
| Group 4 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PT | ||
| Croatia | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 5 | 23 | |
| Italy | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 23 | |
| Lithuania | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 12 | 16 | |
| Ukraine | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 13 | |
| Slovenia | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 13 | 11 | |
| Estonia | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 31 | 0 | |
| Group 5 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PT | ||
| Czech Republic | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 6 | 21 | |
| Holland | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 5 | 20 | |
| Norway | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 7 | 20 | |
| Belarus | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 11 | |
| Luxembourg | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 21 | 10 | |
| Malta | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 22 | 2 | |
| Group 6 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PT | ||
| Portugal | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 7 | 23 | |
| Republic of Ireland | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 11 | 17 | |
| Northern Ireland | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 15 | 17 | |
| Austria | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 29 | 14 | 16 | |
| Latvia | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 20 | 12 | |
| Liechtenstein | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 40 | 1 | |
| Group 7 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PT | ||
| Germany | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 10 | 25 | |
| Bulgaria | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 10 | 22 | |
| Georgia | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 13 | 15 | |
| Moldova | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 27 | 9 | |
| Albania | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 8 | |
| Wales | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 19 | 8 | |
| Group 8 | ||||||||
| P | W | D | L | GS | GA | PT | ||
| Russia | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 5 | 26 | |
| Scotland | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 3 | 23 | |
| Greece | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 23 | 9 | 18 | |
| Finland | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 18 | 15 | |
| Faroe Islands | 10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 35 | 6 | |
| San Marino | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 36 | 0 | |
Euro 2000 – Belgium / Holland
The deal was that Holland and Belgium would each play all their games in their respective home country. Matches involving other countries would be shared between these joint hosts.
One had to feel sorry for Belgium, they were not the force of old, and had to concede to an up and coming team in Turkey. Holland too were unlucky, they were the only undefeated team and were eliminated by a penalty shoot-out with Italy.
Meanwhile, France were utilizing their familiarity with the climate, ease of travelling to emerge as worthy winners. Their only really tough game was the final where went behind, but came through to win with a golden goal from Trezeguet.
Top Scorers: Patrick Kluivert Netherlands, Savo Milosevic Yugoslavia 5
European Football Championship Final 2000
Wiltord Trezeguet Delvecchio
France: Fabien Barthez; Lilian Thuram, Laurent Blanc, Marcel Desailly, Bixente Lizarazu (Robert Pires 85); Youri Djorkaeff (David Trezeguet), Patrick Vieira, Didier Deschamps (captain), Zinedine Zidane; Christophe Dugarry (Sylvain Wiltord 58), Thierry Henry
Semi Finals
| France | 2-1 | Portugal |
| Italy | 0-0 | Holland |
Quarter Finals
| France | 2-1 | Spain |
| Italy | 2-0 | Romania |
| Portugal | 2-0 | Turkey |
| Holland | 6-1 | Serbia and Montenegro |
European Championship play-offs 2000
| Denmark | 8-0 | Israel | 5-0 | 3-0 |
| Turkey (away g) | 1-1 | Republic of Ireland | 0-0 | 1-1 |
| England | 2-1 | Scotland | 0-1 | 0-2 |
| Slovenia | 3-2 | Ukraine | 2-1 | 1-1 |
Group Stages 2000 – Statistics for qualifying matches
| Group 1 | ||||||||||||
| PLD | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Italy | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 15 | |||||
| Denmark | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 14 | |||||
| Switzerland | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 14 | |||||
| Wales | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 9 | |||||
| Belarus | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 3 | |||||
| Group 2 | ||||||||||||
| PLD | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Norway | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 9 | 25 | |||||
| Slovenia | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 14 | 17 | |||||
| Greece | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 8 | 15 | |||||
| Latvia | 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 13 | |||||
| Albania | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 14 | 7 | |||||
| Georgia | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 5 | |||||
| Group 3 | ||||||||||||
| PLD | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Germany | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 4 | 19 | |||||
| Turkey | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 6 | 17 | |||||
| Finland | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 10 | |||||
| Northern Ireland | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 5 | |||||
| Moldova | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 4 | |||||
| Group 4 | ||||||||||||
| PLD | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| France | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 10 | 21 | |||||
| Ukraine | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 20 | |||||
| Russia | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 12 | 19 | |||||
| Iceland | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 7 | 15 | |||||
| Armenia | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 15 | 8 | |||||
| Andorra | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 28 | 0 | |||||
| Group 5 | ||||||||||||
| PLD | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Sweden | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 22 | |||||
| England | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 13 | |||||
| Poland | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 8 | 13 | |||||
| Bulgaria | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | |||||
| Luxembourg | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 0 | |||||
| Group 6 | ||||||||||||
| PLD | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Spain | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 5 | 21 | |||||
| Israel | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 9 | 13 | |||||
| Austria | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 20 | 13 | |||||
| Cyprus | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 21 | 12 | |||||
| San Marino | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 44 | 0 | |||||
| Group 7 | ||||||||||||
| PLD | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Romania | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 3 | 24 | |||||
| Portugal | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 32 | 4 | 23 | |||||
| Slovakia | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 17 | |||||
| Hungary | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 12 | |||||
| Azerbaijan | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 26 | 4 | |||||
| Liechtenstein | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 39 | 4 | |||||
| Group 8 | ||||||||||||
| PLD | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Serbia and Montenegro | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 8 | 17 | |||||
| Republic of Ireland | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 6 | 16 | |||||
| Croatia | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 15 | |||||
| F.Y.R. Macedonia | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 14 | 8 | |||||
| Malta | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 27 | 0 | |||||
| Group 9 | ||||||||||||
| PLD | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | ||||||
| Czech Republic | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 5 | 30 | |||||
| Scotland | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 18 | |||||
| Estonia | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 17 | 11 | |||||
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 17 | 11 | |||||
| Lithuania | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 11 | |||||
| Faroe Islands | 10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 17 | 3 | |||||
