Vandervaart
14 May 2004, 08:43 PM
The clamour among football's most powerful countries to reach Euro 2004 this summer would come as something of a shock to Henri Delaunay. The Frenchman conceived the idea of a European championships midway through last century - and the idea was greeted with a groan among the continent's elite. West Germany, Italy and all the British nations turned their noses up at the Nations Cup.
It went ahead anyway, despite Spain withdrawing from the qualifiers, and a four-team finals was held in France in 1960, where the hosts, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union met. When they were whittled down to just the USSR and Yugoslavia, the Parisian reaction was apathetic - barely 18,000 fans witnessed the crowning of the Soviet-Union as masters of Europe. Victor Ponedelnik was their star, scoring a brace in the semi-final win over Czechoslovakia before firing the winner in the final.
That was hardly an auspicious beginning for the fledgling competition, but four years later the idea seemed to have grown on Europe. Fascist Spain held the tournament, in a bizarre twist after they pulled out of the inaugural event in protest at being paired with the Soviets. The continent had by now woken up to the Nations Cup and 26 teams set out to claim the crown. Baen all matches p the semi-finalswo-legged affair the latter stages hosteof the last fourpanish dictionart, Wales and England went he preliminary round, at the hands of Hungary and France respectively. Northern Ireland fell in the last 16. When the Soviet Union's red army marched into Spain and dispatched Denmark in the semi-finals, a grudge match with the hosts, who squeezed past Hungary in the last four, was secured. This time Spain put aside political differences and let their football do the talking. A draw looked likely for a long time but in front of almost 80,000 frantic Spaniards - and General Francisco Franco - Marcelino Martinez headed the winner with just six minutes to go to secure a 2-1 triumph.
The 1968 tournament was renamed the European Championships and for the first time groups were used to whittle down numbers - with 33 nations now scrapping it out to qualify. Scotland famously claimed the title of `unofficial world champions' by beating World Cup winners England at Wembley but a draw between the two in front of 130,000 at Hampden Park left Sir Alf Ramsey's men top of the home nations qualifying group. European and world champions met in the last eight, with England beating Spain over two legs. But when Italy hosted the last four, England succumbed meekly to a no-nonsense Yugoslavia side. The toss of a coin ensured Italy reached the final after a goalless draw with the Soviet Union but when the final ended all square at 1-1, such a bizarre way to determine a champion was ditched. A replay was hastily convened and Italy prevailed, winning 2-0 after Gigi Riva opened the scoring. Italy's triumph owed much to Riva, who ended the tournament as top scorer with seven.
Four years later Italy could not even reach the finals, having been dumped out. Two late goals in the first leg against England at Wembley put West Germany through 3-1 on aggregate and ended home nation participation. Belgium stepped up to host the last four but even home support could not push the underdogs through against West Germany, who won 2-1. A pitiful 2,000 strong crowd watched an all-communist meeting in the other semi - and those hardy souls were hardly rewarded for their efforts. The Soviet Union edged out Hungary 1-0. Gerd Muller showed why he was regarded as the best striker in the world, following up his brace against Belgium with an inspired display in the final. `Der Bomber' hit two to set up an easy 3-0 win for West Germany. For the Soviet Union it was yet another missed opportunity, and a particularly painful one coming against an old political adversary.
The Germans, who won the World Cup in 1974, were brought back down to earth in 1976 when the European Championships saw their first shock triumph. Czechoslovakia gave a taster of their ambitions by pipping England to qualification but their march to the title left the continent's leading teams quaking. The Soviet Union were denied a last-four place for the first time before the Holland team of Johan Cruyff's magic and `Total Football' were beaten 3-1 in the semis, held in Yugoslavia. In the final, world and European champions West Germany were humbled with a penalty shoot-out defeat after a 2-2 draw. There was little to cheer for the Brits, with only Wales qualifying - and they were beaten in the quarter-finals by Yugoslavia. West Germany's pride was restored though four years later when a new format saw two groups replace the more familiar knockout stages. Belgium's consistency accounted for England in Group Two - the only home nation to reach the finals in Italy - and for the second straight European Championships the Germans faced an unfancied opponent in the final. They made no mistake this time though and Horst Hrubesch took the plaudits with a double to secure a 2-1 win.
The championship returned to its spiritual home in 1984 and - as in 1960 - no home nations made the trip, although this time it was more due to a slump in fortunes than a lack of interest. Inspired by the genius of Michel Platini, hosts France won all three group games before edging beyond Portugal after a thrilling extra-time semi-final. Spain sneaked into the final almost by the back door, winning just one game in the group stage - the one which eliminated champions West Germany - before a penalty shoot-out accounted for Denmark, propelled further than ever before by Michael Laudrup. Fittingly, Platini scored the only goal in the final.
The less said about Euro 88 as far as England are concerned the better - three defeats ensured their joy as sole British representatives was short-lived. At least Holland brightened up the show in Germany, and like France four years previously they finally lifted their first international silverware, making heroes Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten. After dumping favourites West Germany out in the semis, Gullit and Van Basten put on a masterclass in the final, helping inflict a 2-1 defeat on the Soviet Union, who would never play under that banner in a European Championships again.
As Sweden prepared to host the 1992 incarnation no-one would have tipped Denmark as winners - because they had not qualified and needed the expulsion of war-torn Yugoslavia just to make the finals. Once there they were anchored at the back by unflappable goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and were hard to beat. They helped knock England out in the groups before a penalty shoot-out accounted for Holland in the last four. Germany, reunited after the end of the Cold War, were expected to prevail in the final but the magic of the occasion lifted the Danes and a 2-0 win sparked wild celebrations as Scandinavia finally claimed a major honour.
Football `came home' for Euro 96 but Germany was beginning to look like the home of the European Championship title. A wave of emotion took England, via a 4-1 win over Holland, to the semis but their penalty shoot-out luck deserted them. After beating Spain on spot kicks in the last eight, England couldn't maintain the winning habit and Germany stormed into the final, where they met the Czech Republic, who had knocked out the more entertaining Portuguese and French. The Czechs battled but Germany were in no mood to be surprised and Oliver Bierhof netted an extra-time winner.
A joint affair in Holland and Belgium saw a cliff-hanger in 2000, where England were the only home nation after Scotland - who struggled in the finals of 1992 and 1996 - lost a play-off. The creativity of Marc Overmars and Patrick Kluivert put the entertaining Dutch on the cusp of glory. England faltered in the groups, as did Germany, but Holland romped on, beating Yugoslavia 6-1 in the quarter-finals before finally meeting their match. While the Dutch were expansive and entertaining, Italy were negative and cynical. To the dismay of neutrals a miserable semi went against the hosts on penalties. At least France, whose own attacking flair was unfairly overshadowed by Holland, took the final. A last-minute Sylvain Wiltord equaliser took the game to extra-time where David Trezeguet ensured France had the European Championship to add to the World Cup they won two years earlier.
Quite whose name is destined to be next on the European Championship roll of honour is a matter for fierce debate. Whatever happens, Euro 2004 has a lot to live up to.
It went ahead anyway, despite Spain withdrawing from the qualifiers, and a four-team finals was held in France in 1960, where the hosts, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union met. When they were whittled down to just the USSR and Yugoslavia, the Parisian reaction was apathetic - barely 18,000 fans witnessed the crowning of the Soviet-Union as masters of Europe. Victor Ponedelnik was their star, scoring a brace in the semi-final win over Czechoslovakia before firing the winner in the final.
That was hardly an auspicious beginning for the fledgling competition, but four years later the idea seemed to have grown on Europe. Fascist Spain held the tournament, in a bizarre twist after they pulled out of the inaugural event in protest at being paired with the Soviets. The continent had by now woken up to the Nations Cup and 26 teams set out to claim the crown. Baen all matches p the semi-finalswo-legged affair the latter stages hosteof the last fourpanish dictionart, Wales and England went he preliminary round, at the hands of Hungary and France respectively. Northern Ireland fell in the last 16. When the Soviet Union's red army marched into Spain and dispatched Denmark in the semi-finals, a grudge match with the hosts, who squeezed past Hungary in the last four, was secured. This time Spain put aside political differences and let their football do the talking. A draw looked likely for a long time but in front of almost 80,000 frantic Spaniards - and General Francisco Franco - Marcelino Martinez headed the winner with just six minutes to go to secure a 2-1 triumph.
The 1968 tournament was renamed the European Championships and for the first time groups were used to whittle down numbers - with 33 nations now scrapping it out to qualify. Scotland famously claimed the title of `unofficial world champions' by beating World Cup winners England at Wembley but a draw between the two in front of 130,000 at Hampden Park left Sir Alf Ramsey's men top of the home nations qualifying group. European and world champions met in the last eight, with England beating Spain over two legs. But when Italy hosted the last four, England succumbed meekly to a no-nonsense Yugoslavia side. The toss of a coin ensured Italy reached the final after a goalless draw with the Soviet Union but when the final ended all square at 1-1, such a bizarre way to determine a champion was ditched. A replay was hastily convened and Italy prevailed, winning 2-0 after Gigi Riva opened the scoring. Italy's triumph owed much to Riva, who ended the tournament as top scorer with seven.
Four years later Italy could not even reach the finals, having been dumped out. Two late goals in the first leg against England at Wembley put West Germany through 3-1 on aggregate and ended home nation participation. Belgium stepped up to host the last four but even home support could not push the underdogs through against West Germany, who won 2-1. A pitiful 2,000 strong crowd watched an all-communist meeting in the other semi - and those hardy souls were hardly rewarded for their efforts. The Soviet Union edged out Hungary 1-0. Gerd Muller showed why he was regarded as the best striker in the world, following up his brace against Belgium with an inspired display in the final. `Der Bomber' hit two to set up an easy 3-0 win for West Germany. For the Soviet Union it was yet another missed opportunity, and a particularly painful one coming against an old political adversary.
The Germans, who won the World Cup in 1974, were brought back down to earth in 1976 when the European Championships saw their first shock triumph. Czechoslovakia gave a taster of their ambitions by pipping England to qualification but their march to the title left the continent's leading teams quaking. The Soviet Union were denied a last-four place for the first time before the Holland team of Johan Cruyff's magic and `Total Football' were beaten 3-1 in the semis, held in Yugoslavia. In the final, world and European champions West Germany were humbled with a penalty shoot-out defeat after a 2-2 draw. There was little to cheer for the Brits, with only Wales qualifying - and they were beaten in the quarter-finals by Yugoslavia. West Germany's pride was restored though four years later when a new format saw two groups replace the more familiar knockout stages. Belgium's consistency accounted for England in Group Two - the only home nation to reach the finals in Italy - and for the second straight European Championships the Germans faced an unfancied opponent in the final. They made no mistake this time though and Horst Hrubesch took the plaudits with a double to secure a 2-1 win.
The championship returned to its spiritual home in 1984 and - as in 1960 - no home nations made the trip, although this time it was more due to a slump in fortunes than a lack of interest. Inspired by the genius of Michel Platini, hosts France won all three group games before edging beyond Portugal after a thrilling extra-time semi-final. Spain sneaked into the final almost by the back door, winning just one game in the group stage - the one which eliminated champions West Germany - before a penalty shoot-out accounted for Denmark, propelled further than ever before by Michael Laudrup. Fittingly, Platini scored the only goal in the final.
The less said about Euro 88 as far as England are concerned the better - three defeats ensured their joy as sole British representatives was short-lived. At least Holland brightened up the show in Germany, and like France four years previously they finally lifted their first international silverware, making heroes Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten. After dumping favourites West Germany out in the semis, Gullit and Van Basten put on a masterclass in the final, helping inflict a 2-1 defeat on the Soviet Union, who would never play under that banner in a European Championships again.
As Sweden prepared to host the 1992 incarnation no-one would have tipped Denmark as winners - because they had not qualified and needed the expulsion of war-torn Yugoslavia just to make the finals. Once there they were anchored at the back by unflappable goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and were hard to beat. They helped knock England out in the groups before a penalty shoot-out accounted for Holland in the last four. Germany, reunited after the end of the Cold War, were expected to prevail in the final but the magic of the occasion lifted the Danes and a 2-0 win sparked wild celebrations as Scandinavia finally claimed a major honour.
Football `came home' for Euro 96 but Germany was beginning to look like the home of the European Championship title. A wave of emotion took England, via a 4-1 win over Holland, to the semis but their penalty shoot-out luck deserted them. After beating Spain on spot kicks in the last eight, England couldn't maintain the winning habit and Germany stormed into the final, where they met the Czech Republic, who had knocked out the more entertaining Portuguese and French. The Czechs battled but Germany were in no mood to be surprised and Oliver Bierhof netted an extra-time winner.
A joint affair in Holland and Belgium saw a cliff-hanger in 2000, where England were the only home nation after Scotland - who struggled in the finals of 1992 and 1996 - lost a play-off. The creativity of Marc Overmars and Patrick Kluivert put the entertaining Dutch on the cusp of glory. England faltered in the groups, as did Germany, but Holland romped on, beating Yugoslavia 6-1 in the quarter-finals before finally meeting their match. While the Dutch were expansive and entertaining, Italy were negative and cynical. To the dismay of neutrals a miserable semi went against the hosts on penalties. At least France, whose own attacking flair was unfairly overshadowed by Holland, took the final. A last-minute Sylvain Wiltord equaliser took the game to extra-time where David Trezeguet ensured France had the European Championship to add to the World Cup they won two years earlier.
Quite whose name is destined to be next on the European Championship roll of honour is a matter for fierce debate. Whatever happens, Euro 2004 has a lot to live up to.