The UEFA European Championship has been won 15 times by 15 different coaches, with 128 different technicians in control of games at the final event. Which are the most notable success stories in European history?
Italy is the only country to have won the tournament more than once, having done so in 2006 and 2010. It is also the only country to have won it as a host nation, having done so in 1984. Germany is the second most successful country, having won it three times. The UK has two victories to its name, one being shared with Ireland - these were achieved in 1980 and 2016.
The most recent winners are Italy, who defeated Sweden 2-1 after extra time in the final on Sunday, June 14th in Paris. This makes them the first team to win the trophy twice after being seeded first. They had previously lost out to Yugoslavia in 1964 and 1968, both matches ending 1-1 after extra time.
It is estimated that every year there are between $100 million and $150 million available in prize money for winning teams at the UEFA European Championships.
The most prestigious individual award given out at the end of each season is called the UEFA Champions League Trophy. It is an annual club football competition contested by the top clubs in Europe.
It is the most prestigious competition for national teams, second only to the FIFA World Cup. The UEFA European Championship began with only four teams (Czechoslovakia, France, the Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia), but it was extended to eight in 1980. There have been a total of ten countries who have won the tournament: Germany is the most recent champion.
The first UEFA European Championship was held in 1960, when it was known as the Europäischer Kupferschmiede-Turnier (European Copper Mill Tournament). Czechoslovakia was the first country to win the championship, defeating Germany 5-3 on aggregate in the final.
There were no official goals during extra time, so all five goals from the match have become part of football history. Rudolf Völler scored twice for Germany, while Antonín Kričaník had both of Jaroslav Šimon's goals for Czechoslovakia. In the semi-finals, Czechoslovakia defeated England 5-3 on aggregate, while Germany beat Poland 4-1.
In 2008, the competition was renamed to its current form and is now called the UEFA European Championship. The change was made to make the event more appealing to fans and broadcasters. Previously, it had been known as the European Football Championship. Germany is the most successful nation with six titles, followed by Italy with two championships.
Sixteen Ten national teams have won the sixteen European Championship tournaments: Germany and Spain have each won three championships, Italy and France have each won two titles, while the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands, Denmark, Greece, and Portugal have each won one title.
The first European Championship was held in 1955, when England defeated Sweden 4-2 on aggregate score after both teams finished level on points at the end of regulation time in their quarter-final match. The final was played at Wembley Stadium, London, and was watched by 506,000 people. It was decided in a penalty shoot-out after the game had ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time. Hungary won its only championship that year by defeating Germany 2-1 in the final.
Two years later, in 1957, Europe went back to Wembley Stadium for the second European Championship Finals. This time, however, it was not just any team that would win the trophy but instead it was defending champion Germany who defeated Hungary 3-2 on penalties after both teams finished level on points following extra time. This is still today's most successful European Championship performance by one team.
In 1960, France became the first country to retain the European Championship when they defeated Yugoslavia 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw after extra time.
Germany and Spain have won the event three times apiece, making them the most successful teams in the competition's history. ... Finals of the UEFA European Championships
| Founded | 1960 |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 55 (qualification) 24 (final tournament) |
| Current champions | Italy (2nd title) |
| Most successful team(s) | Germany Spain (3 titles each) |
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