The best Euros games ever
France vs Portugal, Euro 1984 semi-final
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When it comes to international football in Europe, it doesn’t get any bigger than the European Championship – the Euros.
Germany’s players celebrate after beating Italy on penalties in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016
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32. Germany 1-1 Italy (6-5 on penalties), Euro 2016 quarter-final
Germany’s Euro 2016 last victory over Italy was a tale of 19 penalties: one in regulation time; 18 in a shootout; seven missed; 12 scored – beginning with Leonardo Bonucci’s 78th-minue equaliser.
West Germany captain Franz Beckenbauer with the trophy after victory in the final of Euro 1972
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31. West Germany 3-0 Soviet Union, Euro 1972 final
West Germany clinched their first European Championship in emphatic style as they swept aside two-time finalists and 1960 winners the Soviet Union in Brussels.
Republic of Ireland staff and players including Ray Houghton (right) celebrate victory over England at Euro 1988
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30. England 0-1 Republic of Ireland, Euro 1988 group stage
The Republic of Ireland marked their major tournament debut in style by beating England, one of the favourites to lift the trophy, in their opening match.
Euro 1964 final
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29. Spain 2-1 Soviet Union, Euro 1964 final
Spain secured their first major trophy as they won the second Euros by beating inaugural winners the Soviet Union at the Bernabeu.
Angelos Charisteas celebrates his winning goal in the Euro 2004 final
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28. Portugal 0-1 Greece, Euro 2004 final
If we were judging it purely as a footballing spectacle, Greece’s shock Euro 2004 final win over hosts Portugal wouldn’t be anywhere near this list – but it makes it precisely because it was such a shock.
Gazza’s iconic ‘dentist’s chair’ celebration after scoring against Scotland at Euro 96
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27. England 2-0 Scotland, Euro 96 group stage
Hosts England delighted the nation with their run to the semi-finals of Euro 96 – and they picked up their first win of the tournament in ideal fashion, stunningly seeing off arch-rivals Scotland at Wembley.
Henrik Larsen opens the scoring for Denmark against the Netherlands with his first goal of a brace
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26. Netherlands 2-2 Denmark (4-5 on penalties), Euro 92 semi-final
It’s one of football’s greatest underdog stories: Denmark, who hadn’t qualified for Euro 92, were drafted in as Yugoslavia dropped out due to war – and went and won the whole thing.
West Germany celebrate with the trophy after winning Euro 1980
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25. Belgium 1-2 West Germany, Euro 1980 final
A new generation of West German players brought home the country’s second European Championship, triumphing in a classic final at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.
Denmark celebrate Andreas Christensen’s sensational goal which put them 3-1 up
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24. Russia 1-4 Denmark, Euro 2020 group stage
Denmark comprehensively booked their place in the last 16 of Euro 2020 by knocking Russia out of the tournament with a thumping victory in Copenhagen.
Iker Casillas lifts the trophy after Spain beat Italy to win Euro 2012
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23. Spain 4-0 Italy, Euro 2012 final
The Spain team of the early 2010s was one of the greatest in football history – no doubt about it – and they peaked as they followed up 2010 World Cup glory by retaining the Euros.
Gerd Muller was West Germany’s hat-trick hero against Yugoslavia
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22. Yugoslavia 2-4 West Germany (AET), Euro 1976 semi-final
Holders West Germany played party poopers in the last four of Euro 1976, stunningly fighting back to beat hosts Yugoslavia who looked destined for the final.
Zidane scores France’s equaliser
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21. France 2-1 England, Euro 2004 group stage
Lisbon, Portugal: 91 minutes in the clock and England are poised to begin their Euro 2004 campaign by defeating the holders 1-0. Then… Well, two words: Zinedine Zidane.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal went on to win Euro 2016
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20. Hungary 3-3 Portugal, Euro 2016 group stage
It’s easy to feel disappointed after a draw, but Hungary and Portugal will have been content with the outcome in their final Euro 2016 group game as they both reached the last 16.
Marco van Basten scores THAT goal
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19. Soviet Union 0-2 Netherlands, Euro 1988 final
Having come up short in two previous major tournament finals – at the 1974 and 1978 World Cups – the Netherlands finally tasted footballing glory by winning Euro 88.
Savo Milosevic scored his second goal and Yugoslavia’s third
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18. Yugoslavia 3-3 Slovenia, Euro 2000 group stage
A decade earlier, Yugoslavia and Slovenia had been part of the same vast country; at Euro 2000, they met as separate entities – and the considerably smaller Slovenia looked to be cruising to a memorable win in their first ever major tournament match.
England’s humiliating loss to Iceland proved to be Roy Hodgson’s last game as manager
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17. England 1-2 Iceland, Euro 2016 last 16
Roy Hodgson’s head dropping like a discarded marionette after the decisive goal went in said it all. This was just about the nadir for England – their worst defeat of all time, to minnows and major tournament debutants Iceland.
Turkey captain Nihat celebrates his winning goal
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16. Turkey 3-2 Czech Republic, Euro 2008 group stage
Trailing 2-0 with 15 minutes to go, Turkey were heading for a group-stage exit from Euro 2008 – as they were when still trailing 2-1 with three minutes to go.
Denmark’s John Jensen celebrates after opening the scoring in the final of Euro 92
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15. Denmark 2-0 Germany, Euro 92 final
It’s one of the most best-known underdog stories in football history: Denmark, who hadn’t initially qualified for Euro 92, were drafted in as Yugoslavia dropped out due to war – and went and won the whole thing.
Zinedine Zidane’s 117th-minute golden-goal penalty sent France through to the final of Euro 2000
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14. Portugal 1-2 France, Euro 2000 semi-final
With the game heading for penalties, Portugal will have more than fancied their chances of beating reigning world champions France to the final of Euro 2000 – but then disaster struck.
Netherlands vs England, Euro 96
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13. Netherlands 1-4 England, Euro 96 group stage
Four years after losing all three of their Euros games, England rounded off a table-topping Euro 96 group campaign in style by thrashing the Netherlands at Wembley.
The game began in bizarre fashion when Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon completely misread Pedri’s seemingly harmless pass back, resulting in an own goal
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12. Croatia 3-5 Spain (AET), Euro 2020 last 16
The last 16 of Euro 2020 produced some absolutely rip-roaring games, and Spain’s thrilling victory over Croatia was the best of the lot.
David Trezeguet’s golden goal won Euro 2000 for France
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11. France 2-1 Italy (AET), Euro 2000 final
As if reaching the final via a golden goal wasn’t dramatic enough, France went and won it in the same fashion – and this time, they did after only equalising in the 94th minute of regulation time, through Sylvain Wiltord.
Denmark vs Belgium, Euro 1984
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10. Denmark 3-2 Belgium, Euro 1984 group stage
Another final group game in which one side looked well on their way to the knockout stage only to blow a 2-0 lead took place at Euro 84, as Denmark battled back to stun Belgium.
Wales’ Hal Robson-Kanu produced an outrageous Cruyff turn before putting Wales ahead against Belgium
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9. Wales 3-1 Belgium, Euro 2016 quarter-final
Traditionally a rugby-loving nation, Wales fell in love with football all over again at Euro 2016, as Chris Coleman guided the Dragons all the way to the semi-finals – a run no one saw coming.
West Germany vs Netherlands, Euro 1988
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8. West Germany 1-2 Netherlands, Euro 88, Semi-final
The Euro 1988 semi-final between West Germany and the Netherlands was a tale of two penalties – and an 88th-minute Marco van Basten winner.
Prior to beating France at Euro 2016, Switzerland hadn’t won a knockout match at a major tournament since the 1938 World Cup
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7. France 3-3 Switzerland (4-5 on penalties), Euro 2016 last 16
Heading into their Euro 2020 last 16 clash against reigning world champions France, Switzerland hadn’t won a major tournament knockout match since the invention of the biro – so it should have been obvious that this one would go to pens.
Yugoslavia vs Spain, Euro 2000
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6. Yugoslavia 3-4 Spain, Euro 2000, Group stage
Three times Yugoslavia led against Spain as the two met in the final round of group games at Euro 2000 – and after making it into the fourth minute of stoppage time 3-2 up, they surely thought they’d won it.
Germany vs Turkey, Euro 2008
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5. Germany 3-2 Turkey, Euro 2008 semi-final
Having only made it into the Euro 2008 knockout stage through a crazy 3-2 win of their own, Turkey experienced the other side of the drama when they faced Germany in the semi-finals.
Portugal’s Ricardo produced one of the most memorable goalkeeping displays ever seen in a penalty shootout
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4. Portugal 2-2 England (6-5 on penalties), Euro 2004 quarter-final
Four years after losing to Portugal in the group stage of Euro 2000, England came undone against the same opposition in the last 16.
Yugoslavia went on to lose 2-1 to the Soviet Union in the final of Euro 1960
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3. France 4-5 Yugoslavia, Euro 1960 semi-final
We all love a nine-goal thriller, don’t we? Well, Yugoslavia will have especially loved this one at the inaugural Euros in France: it sent them through to the final.
Antonin Panenka introduced the world to a whole new type of penalty as he secured Euro 1976 glory for Czechoslovakia
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2. Czechoslovakia 2-2 West Germany (5-3 on penalties), Euro 1976 final
As reigning world champions, West Germany were favourites to win Euro 1976 – but Czechoslovakia, and particularly Antonin Panenka, had other ideas.
Michel Platini’s 119th-minute winner was one of the most dramatic goals in the history of the Euros
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1. France 3-2 Portugal (AET), Euro 1984 semi-final
France won Euro 1984 on home soil relatively comfortably, beating Spain 2-0 in the final – but they got there in the first place in the most dramatic fashion.
Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open…
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