The UEFA European Championship is a major international tournament in Europe, organized every four years since 1960 under the patronage of UEFA. Despite the fact that football originated in this part of the world, the continental tournament of European national teams is one of the youngest in the world. The country, winning the European Championship, obtains the right to represent Europe within the framework of the FIFA Confederations Cup.
Blind draw defines the host country.
The most award-winning Euro participants are national teams of Spain and FRG (3 wins each).
History
Up to the middle of the last century, various national tournaments had been organized in Europe by the most developed national teams. However, there was no single competition and no association ready to establish and arrange it. After numerous debates and suggestions the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) was formed on May 27, 1952. It was its leaders, Ottorino Barassi and Mikhailo Andreyevich, who began to develop the 1st European Championship competition project.
In June 1956, the format of the first European Championship was suggested, according to which the tournament was to become part of the qualifying round for the world championship. However, this idea did not find support of many national teams representatives, as far as they could not participate in other international tournaments in such a case. Subsequently, the project was modified several times, a separate eight-month long qualification company was introduced. However, FRG and British Associations representatives were to the last against the very idea of the tournament holding.
On June 4, 1958 the universal suffrage took place concerning the Euro 1960 project approval. Delegations of Great Britain and the FRG voted the competition down again, but the majority was in favour (15 against 7). Two days after the UEFA European Nations' Cup 1st round draw was held in one of the Stockholm hotels, and two years later the first final was played between the USSR and Yugoslavia national teams. The USSR national team became the triumphant of the debut European Championship while scoring the winning goal during extra time.
The regulations amendment history
The 1st two tournaments were arranged in accordance with the following system:
- play-off
Countries, willing to participate in the tournament, were contesting with each other till the moment, when four strongest teams were left.
- the final tournament
One of the four finalists hosted the tournament final part. Two semi-finals, a final and a match for the 3rd place were held.
In 1968, the scheme of the European Championship was changed: the qualifying stage was introduced, in which participants were divided into several groups of three teams in each. Two (home and away) matches were carried out in each group, and only group games winners moved on to the final stage. After that quarterfinals, semi-finals and a final were conducted. There were no penalty shootouts then, so that everything was up to draw in a case of a tie score on the completion of extra time.
Next serious amendments were made in 1980. Since then the host country got the right to compete in the tournament final stage by default. Penalty shootouts were also introduced, and the final contest was divided into two rounds: the group stage, consisting of 2 groups with 4 teams in each of them. Group winners went on to the final, and the 2nd place takers competed for bronze medals.
In 1996 the tournament format was fundamentally changed again: 16 teams were allowed to participate in the final round of the competition. They were separated into four groups, and the countries, taken first two places, entered the quarterfinal. The golden goal rule was also introduced: if regular time ended in a draw, the team, scoring first in extra times, won the European Championship.
Subsequently, this particular version of the tournament became standard. In 2000, the European championship was first held in two countries, in 2004 the silver goal rule was introduced, which, however, was canceled two years later. Another important change was applied in 2015, increasing the amount of the final tournament participants to 24. It was also decided to get back the play off for third place and to held the Euro 2020 in 13 major cities of Europe.
The trophy and other awards
The cup, handed over to the Euros winner, is named after Henri Delaunay – the first General Secretary of UEFA, who came up with the idea of a European championship but died not long before the first tournament in 1960. The trophy was created by the Parisian jeweler Michel Chobillon at the request of Henri's son, Pierre Delaunay. The trophy is perpetual and changes its holder every four years.
The winner of the European Championship represents the continent at the Confederations Cup, which has been held since 1992. European teams managed to win this trophy three times: the Danish national team did it in 1995, the French – twice in a row (in 2001 and 2003).
Fast facts
The most award-winning Euro national teams are teams from Spain and Germany. Each of them has got the victory three times.
The top scorer of Euros finals is Michel Platini (9 goals).
The Spanish national team is the only team that managed to defend the European Champion title by beating Italy in 2012 (4-0). This victory was the most impressive one in the history of the European Championship finals.
