The original concept for the European Championships was mooted in the 1950s by Henri Delaunay, the inaugural General Secretary of UEFA. In 1960, France hosted the first tournament, featuring four teams. It has now grown to a 24-team structure.
French football administrator Henri Delaunay had the idea for the UEFA European Championship in the 1920s, but the first took place in 1960. The Soviet Union won the inaugural edition after beating Yugoslavia 2-1 in the final.
There have been innumerable unforgettable moments and fairytales during the Euros. According to Goal, the 1992 edition saw the Danes win the tournament after being called up as a last-minute replacement for Yugoslavia. Greece also stunned the world by winning the 2004 tournament after defeating its host, Portugal.
The evolution of the Euro ball mirrors the broader shifts in football gear and technology, from the early days of using simple leather balls to the modern days of using highly engineered versions. The tournament ball’s style and name typically reflect the host nation’s cultural background.
The tournament has grown in size and appeal over the years. The number of teams increased from four in 1960 to eight in 1980, sixteen in 1996, and twenty-four in 2016. The qualification process has also changed over the years. Hundreds of teams fight in a demanding qualification campaign to participate in the final tournament, up from a handful initially.
Germany and Spain are the most successful teams in the European champions, with three titles each. The Germans won in 1972, 1980, and 1996, while the Spaniards lifted the trophy in 1964, 2008, and 2012. Michel Platini holds the record for most goals in a single tournament, scoring nine for France in the 1984 competition.
The record for a single match attendance was set in 1964 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid when 79,115 people watched Spain beat the Soviet Union in the final. The Netherlands’ 6-1 quarterfinal victory over Yugoslavia in 2000 was the most significant upset in the tournament.