The European Championship: Who are the Past Winners of the Euros?

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Held every four years, the UEFA European Championship (the ‘Euros’), is a national men’s football competition between qualifying European countries.

The Euros were first held in 1960 as a four-team event until 1980 when this was increased to eight teams. In 1996, the number of participating teams doubled again to allow 16 teams to compete. A format was in place for five Euros until the last two when UEFA brought about their latest change of 24 European teams being involved.

The 6 Groups of the Euros

The Euros 2020 qualifying teams are grouped like so:

Euro 2020 Group A
Turkey
Italy
Wales
Switzerland
Euro 2020 Group B
Russia
Denmark
Finland
Belgium
Euro 2020 Group C
Austria
North Macedonia
Netherlands
Ukraine
Euro 2020 Group D
England
Croatia
Czech Republic
Scotland
Euro 2020 Group E
Spain
Poland
Slovakia
Sweden
Euro 2020 Group F
Germany
Hungary
Portugal
France

In the fifteen years of the competition, there have only been ten countries that have won the trophy; Spain and Germany take three titles. France takes two and Portugal, Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Soviet Union, Greece, and Czech taking only one.

Spain is the only country to achieve consecutive wins, in 2008 and again in 2012.

Has England ever won the Euros?

Not only have England never won the Euros, but they also have never made it to the final of the competition. The closest they have come to lifting the trophy is being a semi-finalist on two occasions.

Back in 1968, just two years after their World Cup victory, England finished the Euros in third place. This was when there were only four teams left in the semi-finals, they lost their first official game of the tournament against Yugoslavia.

The most monumental moment for England of the Euros was in 1996 when the Three Lions reached the semi-finals but lost to Germany in a penalty shootout. Gareth Southgate stepped up to take the penalty and missed, seeing the England hosts lose the title to Germany.

Can’t remember or chose to forget – replay the full penalty shootout, thanks to UEFA: 

Will England win the Euros this Year?

Although England has never won the Euros they are one of five nations who have made nine appearances in the tournament alongside, Italy, France, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.

Gareth Southgate may have lost Euro 1996 but as a manager, he has developed the youngest Euros squad since the tragic loss in ‘96. 

Bet356 have England at 5/1 to win which is second to France who is at 9/2. This is despite injuries to Harry Macquire, Jordan Henderson and Alexander Arnold Trent.

Who has won the Euros to Date?

The first European Championship, back in 1960, featured only four teams: France (host), Czechoslovakia, Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.

The competition has been played every four years until the world was hit with the Coronavirus pandemic which has caused the Euros 2020 to be delayed by a year.

As it stands the current winners table looks like this:

YearHost(s)WinnerScoreRunner-up
2016FrancePortugal1–0France
2012Poland & UkraineSpain4-0Italy
2008Austria & SwitzerlandSpain1-0Germany
2004PortugalGreece1-0Portugal
2000Belgium & NetherlandsFrance2-1 Italy
1996EnglandGermany2-1Czech Republic
1992SwedenDenmark2-0Germany
1988West GermanyNetherlands2-0Soviet Union
1984FranceFrance2-0Spain
1980ItalyWest Germany2-1Belgium
1976YugoslaviaCzechoslovakia2-2West Germany
1972BelgiumWest Germany3-0Soviet Union
1968ItalyItaly1-1Yugoslavia
1964SpainSpain2-1Soviet Union
1960FranceSoviet Union2-1Yugoslavia