As we near the big Euro 2012 kick-off here’s a run down of the top ten encounters from European Championship finals past.
10. England 4-1 Holland – 1996 Group stage
This was the ultimate feel-good England match; the day when being an English football fan really meant something other than anguish and failure. For once, the side met and exceeded expectancy with a dominant win over a decent Dutch side, with Shearer and Sheringham grabbing a brace each. The pick of the bunch, Shearer’s second goal to make it 3-0, is a highlight of English dominance overplayed in May and June every other year, just to remind fans what CAN be done. Even Holland’s consolation wasn’t all that bad, as it meant rivals Scotland failed to qualify from the group on goal difference.
9. Czechoslovakia 2-2 West Germany – 1976 Final
The fifth European Championship’s in Yugoslavia saw World Champions West Germany up against Czechoslovakia, in a match that saw perhaps the most memorable penalty kick in footballing history. West Germany recovered from being two down, with Bernd Holzenbein’s 89th minute equalizer sending the final into extra time and then penalties. The Germans missed their fourth penalty, meaning Czechoslovakia were winners if Antonin Panenka scored. The cheekiest, deftest of chipped penalties won it, inspiring a seven-year-old Paulo Di Canio to repeat the trick ever since.
8. Portugal 3-2 England – 2000 Group stage
England began Euro 2000 in dominant fashion, flying high with just under twenty minutes gone in their first group game. Two-nil up thanks to two trademark Beckham crosses met by Scholes and McManaman respectively, the mood then turned from comfort to worry within just four minutes. Luis Figo’s 25-yard strike, one of the best seen in the championships, halved England’s lead, before Joao Pinto’s superb diving header leveled the scores eight minutes before half-time. The turnaround was completed shortly after the break, with Nuno Gomes slipping through to finish past David Seaman. England recovered by beating Germany in their second group match, but were knocked out after a late defeat to Romania, helped no end by Phil Neville.
7. France 4-5 Yugoslavia – 1960 Semi-final
The first European Championships, named the ‘European Nations Cup’, saw 17 teams compete in two-legged ties over a year and a half. In the final tournament, the first semi-final saw hosts France 4-2 up over Yugoslavia with just 15 minutes remaining. But three goals in four minutes turned the game around, with Drazan Jerkovic bagging a brace in just over a minute. Yugoslavia held on to win 5-4 in Paris, but lost in the final 2-1 after extra time to fellow Eastern European giants USSR.
6. Russia 3-3 Czech Republic – 1996 Group stages
The height of the buzz surrounding El Tel’s brave England boys in ‘96 seemed to create a distinct lack of consideration for every other tournament match, with a half-empty Anfield witnessing a cracking final group encounter. The Czech’s surrendered a two-goal first-half lead to Russia, finding themselves 3-2 down with just a few minutes remaining. They needed just a draw to progress, with Italy being held goalless to Germany in the other group match. Vladimir Smicer’s first-time strike in the 88th minute sent them through in front of just 21,000 spectators, before eventually losing in the final to the Germans.
5. Czech Republic 3-2 Holland – 2004 Group stages
Trailing two-nil to Dick Advocaat’s Dutch side after 19 minutes, the Czech’s quickly found a route back into this second group match through the brick wall of Jan Koller. The hit and miss Milan Baros, top scorer in the tournament, struck a superb half volley to level the scores, before Johnny Heitinga was dismissed for the Dutch for two bookings. Vladimir Smicer slotted home the winner for Czech Republic with two minutes remaining, with both teams going on to lose in the semi-finals.
4. England 1-1 Germany (5-6 pens) – 1996 Semi-final
England’s best tournament performance in the last two decades was brought to an end in agonising fashion at Wembley after a spirited performance. Alan Shearer’s header put England one up early on, with Stefan Kuntz sliding in the equaliser for Berti Vogts’ Germany shortly after. Gazza’s miss in golden goal extra-time is synonymous of English footballing fortunes in the modern era, while Gareth Southgate’s miss in the shoot-out is the definition of England in major tournaments. Nevertheless, they had entertained and created an atmosphere arguably unrivalled at Wembley since.
3. Spain 4-3 Yugoslavia – 2000 Group stages
Spain simply needed a win in their final group match against Yugoslavia to qualify for the Quarter-finals in Holland and Belgium. Perennial underachievers at this point, they found themselves 3-2 down after falling behind on three separate occasions. They needed two goals in injury time to progress against a Yugoslavia side playing with ten men for most of the second half. Gaizka Mendieta’s penalty made it 3-3, before Alfonso volleyed home the winner. La Furia Roja have won two major trophies since, whilst nobody has been able to keep up with which footballing countries the old Yugoslavia actually constitute these days.
2. Turkey 3-2 Czech Republic – 2008 Group stages
In a campaign that bled more drama than a Joey Barton vs. Jersey Shore backyard scrap, Turkey needed a win in their final group match to qualify ahead of their opponents. Jan Koller and Jaroslav Plasil put the Czech’s two ahead, before Arda Turan pulled one back with 15 minutes left. A Petr Cech-esque clanger from the man himself allowed Nihat to equalise in the 87th minute, and with both teams having identical group records, penalties loomed. There are scrappy last-minute winners, and there are proper last-minute winners. Nihat’s was far more of the latter, sending Turkey into raptures and Cech’s Czech on the next plane home.
1 (and best). France 3-2 Portugal – 1984 Semi-final
France were 2-1 down going into the final minutes of extra time in this semi-final tie on their own turf, before UEFA nice guy Michel Platini saved his side yet again in a tournament which saw him score nine goals in just five games. In a game dominated by the hosts, Platini scored twice in the last six minutes of extra time to send France through to the final in Paris. They went on to win the tournament with a two-nil win over Spain, their first major tournament success.
Follow Gerard Brand on Twitter @gedbrand91