1984 UEFA European Football Championship
Encyclopedia
The 1984 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in France. West Germany
also bid for the hosting of this event. It was the seventh European Football Championship
, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA
. The final tournament took place from 12 to 27 June 1984.
At the time, only eight countries took part in the final stage of the tournament, seven of which had to come through the qualifying stage. France
qualified automatically as hosts of the event; led by Michel Platini
, who scored nine goals in France's five matches, Les Bleus won the tournament – their first major international title.
The following teams participated in the final tournament: (automatically qualified as host)
, representing the emblem of the host nation, France. It has the number 84 on the left side of its chest and its outfit is the same as the French national team, blue shirt, white shorts and red socks.
finally developed for the 1984 tournament the format that would serve for all subsequent eight-team European Championships. The eight qualified teams were split into two groups of four that played a round-robin schedule. The top two teams of each group advanced to semi-finals (reintroduced after being absent from the 1980 tournament) and the winners advanced to the final. The third-place game, widely perceived as an unnecessary chore, was dropped. As usual at the time, a win was credited with two points only, teams on equal points were ranked by goal difference instead of head-to-head results, and the sudden-death rule in extra time did not apply.
in Paris was the venue for the opening match and the final. Built in 1972, it was still state-of-the-art in 1984 and needed minor improvements only. Marseille
's Stade Vélodrome
was expanded to 55,000 seats to host one semi-final and some group matches, becoming France's largest stadium on the occasion. Stade de Gerland in Lyon
, the venue for the other semi-final and some group matches as well, was thoroughly renovated and expanded to 40,000. Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
in Saint-Étienne and Stade Félix-Bollaert in Lens were the other existing stadia that hosted group matches and were expanded to 53,000 and 49,000, respectively. Lastly, two all-new stadia were built to host group matches (and subsequently provided worthy home grounds for the traditionally strong local club teams): Stade de la Beaujoire
in Nantes (53,000) was built on an entirely new site while Stade de la Meinau
in Strasbourg was rebuilt from the ground up on the site of the old stadium into a modern 40,000-seat arena.
Fixtures were scheduled according to an innovative rotation schedule in which each team played its three first-round matches in three different stadia. Host France, for instance, played in Paris, Nantes, and Saint-Étienne. This formula had the advantage of exposing residents of a given city to more teams but implied multiple and sometimes costly trips from town to town for fans who wanted to follow their side. In subsequent Euros, the organisers reverted to conventional schedules in which teams played in one or two cities only.
vs. Portugal
match. The small group of German hooligans responsible for the incidents was arrested and deported back to West Germany on the same day using a new law specially passed by the French Parliament ahead of the Euro. Overall, the organisation was flawless, a feat that established France's credentials as a host nation and eventually helped it win the right to stage the 1998 FIFA World Cup
.
The entire competition was marked by exceptionally fine weather which, along with the high quality of play throughout the tournament (a welcome change from the 1980 European Championship
) and the absence of hooligans, contributed to a very positive and enjoyable experience for teams and fans alike.
Austria
Belgium
Czechoslovakia
East Germany
England
France
Italy
Netherlands
Scotland
Spain
Soviet Union
Switzerland
West Germany
Group B was less exciting in terms of goal-scoring but still managed to produce a huge surprise; West Germany failed to qualify for the semi-finals after a 1–0 defeat to Spain, Antonio Maceda's goal at the death sending the holders out. It was a major setback for the West Germans and their fans who were not used to exiting a major championship so early. Portugal managed to take the second qualifying place in the group behind the Spanish.
The other semi-final between Spain and Denmark saw two evenly-matched sides cancel each other out and the game ended 1–1; Soren Lerby’s goal after only 7 minutes was equaled by Maceda’s goal an hour later. There was no scoring in extra-time and the match went to a shoot-out where Spain converted all five of their penalties to win 5–4. Spain were through to final of the European Championship for the first time since 1964.
The final was played to a capacity audience at the Parc-des-Princes in Paris and the home fans would not be disappointed by their team. Just before the hour mark, Platini scored from a free-kick to put France in control. Spain fought hard to get back in to the match but were unable to find a way through. France were reduced to ten players when Yvon Le Roux was sent-off but the Spanish were unable to make their advantage count. The hosts held on to the lead and Bruno Bellone’s goal in 90th minute made the final score 2–0. France had won their first major championship in world football.
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9 goals Michel Platini
3 goals Frank Arnesen
2 goals Preben Elkjær Jean-François Domergue
Rui Jordão
Antonio Maceda
Rudi Völler
1 goal Jan Ceulemans
Georges Grün
Erwin Vandenbergh
Franky Vercauteren
Klaus Berggreen
Kenneth Brylle John Lauridsen
Søren Lerby
Bruno Bellone
Luis Fernández
Alain Giresse Tamagnini Nené
António Sousa
Laszlo Bölöni Marcel Coraş
Francisco José Carrasco
Santillana Miloš Šestić
Dragan Stojković
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
also bid for the hosting of this event. It was the seventh European Football Championship
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
. The final tournament took place from 12 to 27 June 1984.
At the time, only eight countries took part in the final stage of the tournament, seven of which had to come through the qualifying stage. France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
qualified automatically as hosts of the event; led by Michel Platini
Michel Platini
Michel François Platini is a former French football player, manager and current president of UEFA. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer and voted the best player. He participated in the 1978, 1982...
, who scored nine goals in France's five matches, Les Bleus won the tournament – their first major international title.
Qualification
Mascot
The official mascot of this European Championship was Peno, a roosterRooster
A rooster, also known as a cockerel, cock or chanticleer, is a male chicken with the female being called a hen. Immature male chickens of less than a year's age are called cockerels...
, representing the emblem of the host nation, France. It has the number 84 on the left side of its chest and its outfit is the same as the French national team, blue shirt, white shorts and red socks.
Tournament format
After trying out several formats, UEFAUEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
finally developed for the 1984 tournament the format that would serve for all subsequent eight-team European Championships. The eight qualified teams were split into two groups of four that played a round-robin schedule. The top two teams of each group advanced to semi-finals (reintroduced after being absent from the 1980 tournament) and the winners advanced to the final. The third-place game, widely perceived as an unnecessary chore, was dropped. As usual at the time, a win was credited with two points only, teams on equal points were ranked by goal difference instead of head-to-head results, and the sudden-death rule in extra time did not apply.
Venues and fixtures
France's winning bid to host the Euro was based on seven stadia. The 48,000-seat Parc des PrincesParc des Princes
The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
in Paris was the venue for the opening match and the final. Built in 1972, it was still state-of-the-art in 1984 and needed minor improvements only. Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
's Stade Vélodrome
Stade Vélodrome
The Stade Vélodrome is a football stadium in Marseille, France. It is home to the Olympique de Marseille football club of Ligue 1, and was a venue in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2007 Rugby World Cup. It is the largest club-football ground in France, with a capacity of 60,031 spectators,...
was expanded to 55,000 seats to host one semi-final and some group matches, becoming France's largest stadium on the occasion. Stade de Gerland in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, the venue for the other semi-final and some group matches as well, was thoroughly renovated and expanded to 40,000. Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard is a multi-purpose stadium in Saint-Étienne, France. It is used primarily for football matches, and tournaments such as the 1984 European Football Championship, the Football World Cup 1998 and the Confederations Cup 2003. It is also used for rugby union, and was a venue at...
in Saint-Étienne and Stade Félix-Bollaert in Lens were the other existing stadia that hosted group matches and were expanded to 53,000 and 49,000, respectively. Lastly, two all-new stadia were built to host group matches (and subsequently provided worthy home grounds for the traditionally strong local club teams): Stade de la Beaujoire
Stade de la Beaujoire
The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, or "Stade de la Beaujoire", is a stadium in Nantes, France. It is the home of the FC Nantes football club....
in Nantes (53,000) was built on an entirely new site while Stade de la Meinau
Stade de la Meinau
The Stade de la Meinau, commonly known as "La Meinau" is a football stadium in Strasbourg, France. It is the home ground of RC Strasbourg and has also hosted international matches, including one game of World cup 1938, two games of Euro 1984 and the final of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1988. La Meinau...
in Strasbourg was rebuilt from the ground up on the site of the old stadium into a modern 40,000-seat arena.
Fixtures were scheduled according to an innovative rotation schedule in which each team played its three first-round matches in three different stadia. Host France, for instance, played in Paris, Nantes, and Saint-Étienne. This formula had the advantage of exposing residents of a given city to more teams but implied multiple and sometimes costly trips from town to town for fans who wanted to follow their side. In subsequent Euros, the organisers reverted to conventional schedules in which teams played in one or two cities only.
| Paris | Marseille Marseille Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of... |
Lyon Lyon Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.... |
Saint-Étienne Saint-Étienne Saint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parc des Princes Parc des Princes The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed... |
Stade Vélodrome Stade Vélodrome The Stade Vélodrome is a football stadium in Marseille, France. It is home to the Olympique de Marseille football club of Ligue 1, and was a venue in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2007 Rugby World Cup. It is the largest club-football ground in France, with a capacity of 60,031 spectators,... |
Stade de Gerland | Stade Geoffroy-Guichard Stade Geoffroy-Guichard Stade Geoffroy-Guichard is a multi-purpose stadium in Saint-Étienne, France. It is used primarily for football matches, and tournaments such as the 1984 European Football Championship, the Football World Cup 1998 and the Confederations Cup 2003. It is also used for rugby union, and was a venue at... |
| Capacity: 48,000 | Capacity: 55,000 | Capacity: 40,000 | Capacity: 53,000 |
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| Lens Lens, Pas-de-Calais Lens is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is one of France's large Picarde cities along with Lille, Valenciennes, Amiens, Roubaix, Tourcoing, Arras, and Douai.-Metropolitan area:... |
Nantes Nantes Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants.... |
Strasbourg Strasbourg Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,... |
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| Stade Félix-Bollaert | Stade de la Beaujoire Stade de la Beaujoire The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, or "Stade de la Beaujoire", is a stadium in Nantes, France. It is the home of the FC Nantes football club.... |
Stade de la Meinau Stade de la Meinau The Stade de la Meinau, commonly known as "La Meinau" is a football stadium in Strasbourg, France. It is the home ground of RC Strasbourg and has also hosted international matches, including one game of World cup 1938, two games of Euro 1984 and the final of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1988. La Meinau... |
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| Capacity: 49,000 | Capacity: 53,000 | Capacity: 40,000 | |
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Overall impressions
Very few hooligan-related incidents were recorded throughout the tournament. Only one minor instance of fan trouble was recorded, in Strasbourg around the West GermanyGermany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
vs. Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
match. The small group of German hooligans responsible for the incidents was arrested and deported back to West Germany on the same day using a new law specially passed by the French Parliament ahead of the Euro. Overall, the organisation was flawless, a feat that established France's credentials as a host nation and eventually helped it win the right to stage the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
.
The entire competition was marked by exceptionally fine weather which, along with the high quality of play throughout the tournament (a welcome change from the 1980 European Championship
1980 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1980 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in Italy. This was the sixth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. With eight teams competing, the final tournament took place between 11 and 22 June 1980...
) and the absence of hooligans, contributed to a very positive and enjoyable experience for teams and fans alike.
Match officials
Austria
- Heinz Fahnler
Belgium
- Alexis PonnetAlexis PonnetAlexis Ponnet is a former Belgian football referee. Most known for supervising two matches in the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain and one in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. He also refereed the European Cup final in 1987 between Porto and Bayern Munich. He also refereed two UEFA European Football...
Czechoslovakia
- Vojtěch ChristovVojtech ChristovVojtech Christov is a former Slovak football referee. He is known for having refereed two matches in the FIFA World Cup, one in the 1982 and one in the 1986. He also refereed two matches in the 1984 UEFA European Football Championship in France.-References:*...
East Germany
- Adolf ProkopAdolf ProkopAdolf Prokop , is a former football referee from East Germany. He is mostly known for supervising two matches in the FIFA World Cup, one in 1978 and one in 1982. He was also active at UEFA Euro 1984 and refereed the 1984 European Cup Winners' Cup Final.-External links:*...
England
- George CourtneyGeorge CourtneyGeorge Courtney is an English former football referee based in Spennymoor, County Durham.He is said to be a freemason. His vocational career was spent as a primary school headteacher.-Ascent through English refereeing:...
France
- Michel VautrotMichel VautrotMichel Vautrot is a retired football referee from France. He is mostly known for supervising 5 matches in the FIFA World Cup: two in 1982 and three in 1990. He also refereed three European Championships in 1984 in 1988, including the final game between the USSR and the Netherlands...
Italy
- Paolo BergamoPaolo BergamoPaolo Bergamo is an Italian former football referee, who was born on April 21, 1943. He is now better known as the former Italian Football Federation referee designator who was implicated in the 2006 Italian football scandal, and who "stepped down" from his position on July 4, 2006.-References:...
Netherlands
- Jan Keizer
Scotland
- Bob Valentine
Spain
- Augusto Lamo CastilloAugusto Lamo CastilloAugusto Lamo Castillo was a retired Spanish football referee. He is known for having refereed one match in the 1982 FIFA World Cup on his home soil in Spain. He also refereed one match in the 1984 UEFA European Football Championship in France-References:*...
Soviet Union
- Romualdas Yushka
Switzerland
- André DainaAndré DainaAndré Daina is a retired Swiss football referee. He is known for having refereed one match in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. He also refereed one match in the 1984 UEFA European Football Championship in France. He refereed a European Cup semi-final leg in 1984 and the European Cup final in...
West Germany
- Volker RothVolker RothVolker Roth is a retired football referee from Germany. He is mostly known for supervising two matches in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. After retirement he became a referee's advisor for UEFA.-External links:*...
Group A
- FranceFrance national football teamThe France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
were the favourites of English bookmakerBookmakerA bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
s to win the tournament with odds of 5/8. Expectations at home were sky-high following the side's brilliant display and fourth-place finish at the 1982 World Cup. Les Bleus of 1984 seemed even stronger, having remedied many of the weaknesses that had dogged them at the World Cup. In Joël BatsJoël BatsJoël Bats is a retired goalkeeper and French international footballer.-Goalkeeper:Bats began his professional career with FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in 1974, moving on to newly promoted AJ Auxerre the following year...
, France had found at long last a first-class goalkeeper. The shaky dual-sweeper central defence of 1982 has made way for a rock-solid conventional setup around centre-back Yvon Le RouxYvon Le RouxYvon Le Roux is a former football defender from France, who earned 28 international caps for the French national team during the mid-1980s...
and sweeper Patrick BattistonPatrick BattistonPatrick Battiston is a former French football player, who played for the France national team in three World Cups and won the 1984 European Football Championship.-Club career:...
. The midfield, where gritty defensive upstart Luis FernándezLuis FernándezLuis Fernández is a Spanish-French footballer who played as a defender / midfielder. He retired as a player in 1993 to become a manager....
had joined 1982 veterans Jean TiganaJean TiganaJean Amadou Tigana is a manager and former French international footballer, having played in midfield and managed professional football extensively throughout France, including 52 appearances and 1 goal for the France national football team during the 1980s.-Playing career:Tigana started his...
, Alain Giresse, and Michel PlatiniMichel PlatiniMichel François Platini is a former French football player, manager and current president of UEFA. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer and voted the best player. He participated in the 1978, 1982...
in the so-called carré magique ("magic square"), was arguably the best in the world. In offense, manager Michel Hidalgo had worked around the lack of a world-class striker by designing a flexible 4–4–2 system that enabled Platini, then at the zenith of his footballing abilities, to switch from playmaker to centre-forward at short notice. The only major unknown was how the team would fare under the pressure of competition, as it had been exempted from the qualifying round as the host nation.
- Belgium was a possible title contender with odds of 7/1. The surprise finalists of Euro 1980 and second-round participants at the 1982 World Cup1982 FIFA World CupThe 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
had matured into a very solid side well used to the pressure and rigors of final-round football and built around a backbone of world-class players such as goalkeeper Jean-Marie PfaffJean-Marie PfaffJean-Marie Pfaff is a Belgian former football goalkeeper.-Biography:At the age of 16, Pfaff joined K.S.K. Beveren with whom he won a Belgian champions title and a Belgian Cup . The same year, he received the Belgian Golden Shoe...
, midfielder Enzo Scifo, or strikers Erwin VandenberghErwin VandenberghErwin Vandenbergh was a Belgian footballer. Between 1981 and 1991, he finished six times topscorer of the Belgian First Division, with three different clubs . In 1981 he was European topscorer with 39 goals out of 34 games...
and Jan CeulemansJan CeulemansJan Anna Gumaar Ceulemans is a Belgian former football player who played as a midfielder.He is his country's most capped player with 96 international appearances. Most of his time with Belgium took place under the guidance of Guy Thys...
. The team had proven its mettle in past Euro and World Cup qualifying campaigns and was a very tough opponent for anyone on any given day. One crucial caveat was the absence from the squad of defender Eric Gerets, one of Belgium's all-time greats, who was sidelined due to injury.
- DenmarkDenmark national football teamThe Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
celebrated its first appearance at a major tournament in decades yet were heavily tipped as a dark horse to win the Euro (with odds of 8/1) due to an impressive qualifying campaign in which they had edged out EnglandEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, winning 1–0 at Wembley in the process. Manager Sepp Piontek's compact, athletic side relied on experienced professionals from some of the best European leagues of the time (Belgium, West Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy), had no obvious weakness, and could rely on the world-class individual talent of Frank ArnesenFrank ArnesenFrank Arnesen is a former Danish football player and currently sporting director at Hamburger SV. Arnesen was Director of Football at English football clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea....
, Michael LaudrupMichael LaudrupMichael Laudrup is a retired Danish footballer, who works as a manager and last coached La Liga side RCD Mallorca. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of football. His most prominent run of football came with Spanish club Barcelona, with whom he won four straight La...
, or Søren LerbySøren LerbySøren Lerby, is a Danish former football player, manager, and licensed agent. As a player, he spent the bulk of his career in Dutch football, winning five Eredivisie championships with Ajax Amsterdam as well as the 1988 European Cup and two further Eredivise titles with PSV Eindhoven...
to make the difference.
- YugoslaviaYugoslavia national football teamThe Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
came in as perennial underachievers with odds of 16/1. As usual, the Balkan side boasted a wealth of individual talent (KatanecSrecko KatanecSrečko Katanec is a Slovenian football manager and a former player capped for Yugoslavia and Slovenia. His last position was as the manager of the United Arab Emirates national football team.-Career:...
, SušićSafet SušicSafet "Pape" Sušić is a Bosnian former footballer and current manager of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team. In his playing days, he operated as playmaking attacking midfielder...
, BaždarevićMehmed BaždarevicMehmed Baždarević is a Bosnian football manager and former football midfielder. He is the current manager of the French Ligue 1 club Sochaux-Montbéliard. Baždarević played for Bosnian side Željezničar Sarajevo and Sochaux-Montbéliard, among others...
, Zl. VujovićZlatko VujovicZlatko Vujović is a retired Bosnian Croat footballer who played as a striker....
, Hadžibegić, "Piksi" StojkovićDragan StojkovicDragan Stojković , also known under the nickname Piksi is a Serbian former footballer and current manager of J...
) that could make many a rival drool with envy. The major unknown was whether manager Todor Veselinović could meld his stars into a cohesive team, a problem that had caused the undoing of nearly every Yugoslavia team in past final rounds. Also, and most unusually for a Yugoslav side, goalkeeping appeared to be a weak spot.
Group B
- West GermanyGermany national football teamThe Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
were second favourites to win the tournament, with odds of 5/2, after reaching the final of the 1982 World Cup1982 FIFA World CupThe 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
two years before. The squad boasted the usual array of world-class talent such as goalkeeper Harald SchumacherHarald SchumacherHarald Anton Schumacher , commonly known as Toni Schumacher, is a German former football goalkeeper, and a member of the West German national team. He won the 1980 European Championship and lost two World Cup finals, in 1982 and 1986...
, arguably the world's best at the time, defenders Hans-Peter BriegelHans-Peter BriegelHans-Peter Briegel is a former German football player and manager.One of the most popular players in his days, Hans-Peter Briegel's original sport was athletics, being successful in various events such as long jump , triple jump and specifically in heptathlon-forerunner pentathlon...
and Karl-Heinz Förster, defensive midfielder Lothar MatthäusLothar MatthäusLothar Herbert Matthäus , is a German football manager and former player.In 1990, he was named European Footballer of the Year and World Soccer Player of the Year after captaining West Germany to victory in the 1990 World Cup...
, or strikers Pierre LittbarskiPierre LittbarskiPierre Michael Littbarski is a German football manager and former player. He was mainly a winger or attacking midfielder and is best known for his brilliant dribbling abilities. He was a FIFA World Cup winner with West Germany in 1990. He was also runner–up twice in 1982 and 1986 with West Germany...
, Rudi VöllerRudi VöllerRudolf 'Rudi' Völler is a German former international football striker, and a former manager of the German national team...
, and Karl-Heinz RummeniggeKarl-Heinz RummeniggeKarl-Heinz "Kalle" Rummenigge is a German former football player.He had his greatest career success with German club Bayern Munich, where he won the Intercontinental Cup, the European Cup, as well as two league titles and two domestic cups.A member of the German national team, Rummenigge won the...
. However, offensive midfield had emerged as a significant weakness during a hard-fought qualifying campaign in the absence of playmakers such as Hansi MüllerHansi MüllerHans-Peter "Hansi" Müller is a former German footballer.-Club career:Playing for his hometown side VfB Stuttgart, he took part to the UEFA Euro 1980 with West Germany, aged 22, after a brief taste of action at the 1978 FIFA World Cup, where started all four games. The tournament would prove to...
, Bernd SchusterBernd SchusterBernhard Schuster is a German football manager and former player, currently unemployed. His nickname is "der Blonde Engel" .-Club career:...
(both mired in long-standing feuds with the German football federation), or Felix MagathFelix MagathWolfgang-Felix Magath is a former German football central midfielder and current manager of VfL Wolfsburg.-Playing career:...
(in poor form). Still, West Germany's strength remained impressive and the side's legendary ability to rise to the challenge of a major competition was a factor to be reckoned with.
- SpainSpain national football teamThe Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, at 8/1, were only rated an outsider for the title in spite of a squad awash with talent. Goalkeeper Luis ArconadaLuis ArconadaLuis Miguel Arconada Etxarri is a retired Spanish footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.Having played solely for Real Sociedad for nearly 20 professional years, helping the team to two La Liga titles, amongst other domestic accolades, he also collected 68 national team caps.-Club career:Arconada...
, defenders José Antonio CamachoJosé Antonio CamachoJosé Antonio Camacho Alfaro is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a left defender, and the current coach of the China PR national football team....
and Antonio MacedaAntonio MacedaAntonio Maceda Francés is a retired Spanish footballer.Though a central defender by trade, he was known for his timely and predatorial goal-scoring in addition to his superb aerial ability....
, midfielder Rafael GordilloRafael GordilloRafael Gordillo Vázquez is a retired Spanish footballer.A tremendously offensive left wingback, equally at ease as defender and midfielder and with a good effort rate, he had an unmistakable style of playing with his socks down, he represented with individual and team success Betis and Real...
, or strikers Santillana and Francisco José CarrascoFrancisco José CarrascoFrancisco José Carrasco Hidalgo is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a winger, and currently a coach.-Club career:...
could hold their own against any direct counterpart bar none. Most players were veterans of the 1978 World Cup1978 FIFA World CupThe 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
, Euro 1980, or 1982 World Cup1982 FIFA World CupThe 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
campaigns and were used to final-round pressure. As usual, though, the main challenge of manager Miguel MuñozMiguel MuñozMiguel Muñoz Mozún was a Spanish football player and manager.A midfielder, he spent the majority of his career at Real Madrid before going on to coach the club, where he was considered one of the most successful managers in its history, leading the team to two European Cup victories and nine La...
was to build a team spirit among players hailing from a footballing culture that often placed regional rivalries (such as Real MadridReal MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
vs. FC BarcelonaFC BarcelonaFutbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
) above national unity.
- PortugalPortugal national football teamThe Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, at 14/1, were widely seen as a rising force that might be a little too green to go all the way in its first participation to the final round of a major tournament in two decades. Having eliminated 1982 World Cup1982 FIFA World CupThe 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
third-place finisher PolandPoland national football teamThe Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
and a strong USSRUSSR national football teamThe Soviet Union National Football Team was the national football team of the Soviet Union. It ceased to exist after the break up of the Union...
side was a label of quality for a talented young "golden generation" around midfielder Fernando ChalanaFernando ChalanaFernando Albino de Sousa Chalana is a retired Portuguese professional footballer and manager.Widely regarded as one of the greatest talents in national football, among the likes of Eusébio, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luís Figo and Rui Costa, the diminutive winger's main asset was his above-average ball...
or strikers DiamantinoDiamantinoDiamantino is a small town in Mato Grosso state in Brazil. Its has a population of 18.580, and is near Diamantino river. It is 1837 feet above sea-level, and sits at the foot of the Mato Grosso plateau. Its history dates from 1730 as a gold mining settlement. In 1746, diamonds were discovered,...
and Rui JordãoRui JordãoRui Manuel Trindade Jordão is a retired Portuguese footballer.One of the most prolific strikers in the history of Portuguese football, his career was mainly associated with two of the biggest clubs in the country, Benfica and Sporting, winning the Silver Ball award twice, once with each...
. The side bore the traditional hallmarks of Portuguese football with first-class offensive power, an inspired midfield, and a gritty defense. Inexperience in a final round and occasional lapses in tactical discipline were the main concerns of manager Fernando CabritaFernando CabritaFernando da Silva Cabrita was a Portuguese footballer and football manager.He played as a forward for teams like Olhanense and Sporting da Covilhã, but he still had 7 caps for Portugal National Team, 4 for Olhanense and 3 for Sporting da Covilhã...
as the tournament opened.
- RomaniaRomania national football teamThe Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
, at 16/1, were a near-complete unknown whose triumph in qualifying over World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
holders ItalyItaly national football teamThe Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
and Euro 1980 third-place finishers CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia national football teamThe Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
inspired awe. Opportunities to observe the side and its star players, who all came from domestic teams, were few at a time when the country was still firmly behind the Iron CurtainIron CurtainThe concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
. Only midfielder Ladislau BölöniLadislau BölöniLászló Bölöni is a Romanian football manager and former player, who currently manages Greek club PAOK.-Club career:...
had made a name for himself with an inspired performance in the qualifier at home against ItalyItaly national football teamThe Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, while a young striker named Gheorghe HagiGheorghe HagiGheorghe Hagi is a former Romanian footballer. He was famous for his passing, close control, long shots and was regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s and is considered the greatest Romanian footballer of all time...
was still on the eve of an illustrious career.
Group matches
The opening game of tournament featured France and Denmark. The sides played out a very close encounter until Michel Platini’s goal on 78 minutes gave the hosts a 1–0 victory. The opening game also saw a premature end to the tournament for Danish midfielder Allan Simonsen who suffered a broken leg. After scoring the winner against the Danes, Platini scored a hat-trick against both Belgium and Yugoslavia as the French took maximum points from Group A. Denmark took second-place in the group with victories over Belgium and Yugoslavia while Belgium were held to just one victory. Yugoslavia, despite going out with no points, did give the hosts a fright in their last group game when they took a 1–0 advantage into the half and then reduced France's 3–1 lead to a goal (through a Stojkovic penalty) only six minutes from time. The games in Group A greatly placed the emphasis on offense as 23 goals were scored over the six matches.Group B was less exciting in terms of goal-scoring but still managed to produce a huge surprise; West Germany failed to qualify for the semi-finals after a 1–0 defeat to Spain, Antonio Maceda's goal at the death sending the holders out. It was a major setback for the West Germans and their fans who were not used to exiting a major championship so early. Portugal managed to take the second qualifying place in the group behind the Spanish.
Semi-finals and the Final
The first semi-final between France and Portugal is often considered one of the best matches in the history of the European Championshiphttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/euro_2004/history/3083327.stm. Jean-François Domergue opened the scoring for France but Portugal equalised through Rui Jordão on 74 minutes. The game went to extra time and Jordão scored again in the 98th minute to give the Portuguese a shock lead. But the French rallied and Domergue scored sixteen minutes after Portugal went ahead. Then, with the penalty shoot-out looming, Platini scored his 8th goal of the championship to give France a memorable 3–2 victory.The other semi-final between Spain and Denmark saw two evenly-matched sides cancel each other out and the game ended 1–1; Soren Lerby’s goal after only 7 minutes was equaled by Maceda’s goal an hour later. There was no scoring in extra-time and the match went to a shoot-out where Spain converted all five of their penalties to win 5–4. Spain were through to final of the European Championship for the first time since 1964.
The final was played to a capacity audience at the Parc-des-Princes in Paris and the home fans would not be disappointed by their team. Just before the hour mark, Platini scored from a free-kick to put France in control. Spain fought hard to get back in to the match but were unable to find a way through. France were reduced to ten players when Yvon Le Roux was sent-off but the Spanish were unable to make their advantage count. The hosts held on to the lead and Bruno Bellone’s goal in 90th minute made the final score 2–0. France had won their first major championship in world football.
Group A
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 2 | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 10 | −8 | 0 |
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Group B
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 1 |
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Knockout stage
Semi-finals
----Final
Goalscorers
41 goals were scored in 15 games for an average of 2.73 goals per game.9 goals Michel Platini
Michel Platini
Michel François Platini is a former French football player, manager and current president of UEFA. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer and voted the best player. He participated in the 1978, 1982...
3 goals Frank Arnesen
Frank Arnesen
Frank Arnesen is a former Danish football player and currently sporting director at Hamburger SV. Arnesen was Director of Football at English football clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea....
2 goals Preben Elkjær Jean-François Domergue
Jean-François Domergue
Jean-François Domergue is a former French footballer who played defender, now manager of Montpellier HSC.Throughout his career he was called up nine times to the France national football team, where he scored only two goals – both in the semi-finals of the 1984 European Football Championship...
Rui Jordão
Rui Jordão
Rui Manuel Trindade Jordão is a retired Portuguese footballer.One of the most prolific strikers in the history of Portuguese football, his career was mainly associated with two of the biggest clubs in the country, Benfica and Sporting, winning the Silver Ball award twice, once with each...
Antonio Maceda
Antonio Maceda
Antonio Maceda Francés is a retired Spanish footballer.Though a central defender by trade, he was known for his timely and predatorial goal-scoring in addition to his superb aerial ability....
Rudi Völler
Rudi Völler
Rudolf 'Rudi' Völler is a German former international football striker, and a former manager of the German national team...
1 goal Jan Ceulemans
Jan Ceulemans
Jan Anna Gumaar Ceulemans is a Belgian former football player who played as a midfielder.He is his country's most capped player with 96 international appearances. Most of his time with Belgium took place under the guidance of Guy Thys...
Georges Grün
Georges Grün
Georges Serge Grün is a former Belgian football defender and is now a TV presenter for the UEFA Champions League matches at RTL TVI....
Erwin Vandenbergh
Erwin Vandenbergh
Erwin Vandenbergh was a Belgian footballer. Between 1981 and 1991, he finished six times topscorer of the Belgian First Division, with three different clubs . In 1981 he was European topscorer with 39 goals out of 34 games...
Franky Vercauteren
Franky Vercauteren
François Vercauteren , nicknamed "The Little Prince", is a former Belgian football left winger and is now a football manager, who is currently working for Al Jazira Club.- Career :...
Klaus Berggreen
Klaus Berggreen
Klaus Berggreen is a Danish former football player, who most prominently played for Italian clubs Pisa and A.S. Roma. He played 46 matches and scored five goals for the Danish national team, and he represented his country at the 1986 World Cup and two European Championship...
Kenneth Brylle John Lauridsen
John Lauridsen
John Mikkelsen Lauridsen is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, gifted with field vision and able to shoot with both feet....
Søren Lerby
Søren Lerby
Søren Lerby, is a Danish former football player, manager, and licensed agent. As a player, he spent the bulk of his career in Dutch football, winning five Eredivisie championships with Ajax Amsterdam as well as the 1988 European Cup and two further Eredivise titles with PSV Eindhoven...
Bruno Bellone
Bruno Bellone
Bruno Bellone is a former French international footballer who played as striker, and who earned 34 caps and scored 2 goals for the France national football team from 1981 to 1988. One of the goals was in the final of the 1984 UEFA European Football Championship, where France defeated Spain 2–0 in...
Luis Fernández
Luis Fernández
Luis Fernández is a Spanish-French footballer who played as a defender / midfielder. He retired as a player in 1993 to become a manager....
Alain Giresse Tamagnini Nené
Tamagnini Nené
Tamagnini Manuel Gomes Baptista, Nené , is a retired Portuguese footballer.A striker, he played his entire career with Sport Lisboa e Benfica, appearing in nearly 600 official games for the club....
António Sousa
António Sousa
António Augusto Gomes de Sousa is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a central midfielder, and a current manager.During his career he played, among others, for F.C. Porto and Sporting Clube de Portugal...
Laszlo Bölöni Marcel Coraş
Marcel Coras
Marcel Coraş is a retired Romanian football striker.-Career:He was born in Arad and debuted in Divizia A with UTA Arad in 1977. His most successful period was between 1983 and 1988, when he played Sportul Studenţesc and won the league silver medal in 1986. He became top goalscorer of Divizia A in...
Francisco José Carrasco
Francisco José Carrasco
Francisco José Carrasco Hidalgo is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a winger, and currently a coach.-Club career:...
Santillana Miloš Šestić
Miloš Šestic
Miloš Šestić is a Serbian retired footballer who spent most of his career at Red Star Belgrade during the 1970s and early 1980s. He also played for Olympiacos, FK Vojvodina, FK Zemun, OFK Beograd and FK Voždovac as well as the Yugoslavia national football team.- References :...
Dragan Stojković
Dragan Stojkovic
Dragan Stojković , also known under the nickname Piksi is a Serbian former footballer and current manager of J...