As the countdown to Euros has gone below the 24 hours mark, fans all around the globe are eagerly waiting for the most awaited tournament of the summer to begin (sorry, Copa America). Despite the fact that the Copa America is also ongoing, fans seem more inclined towards the Euros instead.
And who can blame them?
The glamour that surrounds Euro is far more than what Copa America can exude. While some of the best players in the world are showcasing their talent in America, the number of star players in Europe’s finest international competition is far greater.
And with its 15th edition to begin in a short while, we look at 7 interesting UEFA Euro facts…
First Euro with 24 teams
Since its inception, the UEFA Euro has had a maximum of only 16 teams…until this term. This is the first time in history that we are going to witness 24 teams in Europe’s premier international competition.
In the previous years, the top two teams from each of the four groups made it to the quarter-finals directly. This time, however, with the increment in the number of teams, the top two teams from the six groups will be joined by four more nations.
The additional four countries will be decided via play-off clashes between the eight 3rd placed teams. Hence, for the first time in Euros’ history, there will be a round of 16. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?
France’s record hosting
This year’s tournament is going to be played in France, like many of you already know. However, what people are less aware of is the fact that this is the third time that the competition is being held in France—which is more than any other nation.
It seems as though France are the ideal hosts for the tournament and Les Blues would like to celebrate this record by winning the tournament for their people.
The ‘van’ factor
This one is a totally random-but-incredible fact. The two things that the Dutch football are most famous for is the color orange and the middle name ‘van’.
Some of the greatest players have ‘van’ in their name—be it Marco van Basten, Ruud van Nistelrooy or Robin van Persie. Indeed, the name is so common that if one looked for the last time Netherlands started a game without a player named ‘van’ prior to the 2014 World Cup (where a suspended van Persie missed the game against Chile), they would have to go back to 2000.
In a game against France, which they won 3-2, during Euro 2000, the Dutch team had no player in the starting XI with the name ‘van’. Quite an astonishing fact, isn’t it?
Greece won without local coach
This might take a little time to sink in, but the only time a team won the Euros without a local coach was in the Euro 2004. Since its inception in 1964, every team that laid hands on this prestigious title had a coach of the same country to thank for.
Be it Vicente del Bosque with Spain or Roger Lemerre with France, the teams were led to glory by someone who shared the same national anthem. However, in 2004, the mastermind behind Greece’s unexpected triumph was German coach Otto Rehhagel.
The German is the only nation in history to win a Euro with a nation that he could not call his own.
Portugal only hosts that lost final
The hosts are almost the automatic favourites to win the trophy. In fact, only twice has it ever happened that a host nation failed to qualify for the semi-finals. However, the success rate of a host winning the tournament after reaching the final is very high.
In fact, only once has any host side lost a final after reaching it in the first place—and it was none other than Portugal in the 2004 Euro final against the Greeks. A sturdy Greece defense held the fort and manage to scrape out a 1-0 win against the home side, lifting their first Euro in the process.
Spain only successful defenders
Like the Champions League, Europe’s elite international competition is not known for having the same winners for two consecutive competitions. However, unlike the Champions League, the world has at least once seen a team successfully defend their crown—and it was none other than Spain when they won the Euro 2012 after winning the previous edition of the tournament as well.
Going in as the reigning champions, La Furia Roja became the only ever side to win the tournament back-to-back after beating Italy in the final of the tournament in 2012. That final produced another record that made…
Spain the biggest final winners
And we conclude our slideshow with this. Spain’s thrashing of Italy in the final of 2012 Euro was the biggest margin by which a final was won. As Spain decimated Italy 4-0, they shattered the record which was previously held by West Germany.
Before that final, West Germany’s 3-0 win against the Soviet Union in 1972 was the biggest margin by which a team won the tournament. In a game that many expected to be a tight affair, Vicente del Bosque’s came in with all guns blazing and brushed aside a flabbergasted Italian side to lift their third Euro title.
