Your Favourite European Championships

Paully D

What was your favourite European Championships?

I generally find these tournaments to be better than World Cups entertainment wise as there's always a lot of attacking football, whilst the World Cups seem to be a lot more cagey.

For me it was probably Euro 2008. I usually enjoy England being in major tournaments, but was it just me that felt Euro 2008 was better without having to constantly have the media etc banging on about England?

There was a lot of attacking football played which resulted in lots of high scoring games. Turkey 3-2 Czech Republic was class. Turkey were 2-1 down with 5 minutes left and needed to win to go through to the knock-outs, which they did. Holland destroying France 4-1, Turkey and Croatia both scoring in the last minute of extra time to bring the game between them to penalties, Germany beating Portugal 3-2. Russia beating Holland 3-1 after extra-time, and then Germany beating Turkey 3-2 in the semis. Spain also finally won a major tournament again with Xavi absolutely superb.

An excellent tournament IMO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjMPivhGYmI

Who could forget Greece's shock triumph in Euro 2004? :eek: They won all 5 of their knock out games 1-0, some of their defensive displays were actually great to watch. There were some great games, England throwing a 2 goal lead away to Zidane with a couple of minutes left, Portugal V England in the QF and Portugal V Holland in the SF:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCwdoa_NQ8g

Euro 1996 was excellent too. There were plenty of penalty shootouts (pelanty if you're Chris Waddle) which I love. Who could forget Southgate's penalty miss in sudden death in the semi-final against Germany? And a golden goal winner to win for the final for Germany (is it just me or was the golden goal a much better way of deciding games in extra-time?).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTI2sPX2bng

What Irishman could forget Euro 1988 and this moment? Also, the volley that won Holland the tournmanet from Van Basten was one of the best goals ever scored:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okqR2zEIJHY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlikO7VkHeQ

Overall though, I still think Euro 2008 has been the best one for me. Hopefully 2012 is even better with Ireland there too (fingers crossed)

redout

Euro 2004

Holland 2 - 3 Czech Rep

Without doubt the most enjoyable match I have watched at a European championships.

Vurnon San Benito

Ah the World Cup's are way better than the Euro's man!

eZe^

Turkey vs Czech Republic was the best euro match I've seen. 2-1 down with 3 minutes left to go. Up steps Nihat!

Frisbee

Paully D wrote: »

There was a lot of attacking football played which resulted in lots of high scoring games. Turkey 3-2 Czech Republic was class. Turkey were 2-1 down with 5 minutes left and needed to win to go through to the knock-outs, which they did.

I watched that game in a bar in Prague beside a big group of Turkish lads. To say it was mental was an understatement.

pickarooney

redout wrote: »

Euro 2004

Holland 2 - 3 Czech Rep

Without doubt the most enjoyable match I have watched at a European championships.

Me too, one of the funniest experiences of my life pretending to be Czech supporters and singing their "anthem" for 90 minutes in a small Dutch pub while mashed out of our heads.

Vurnon San Benito

Wait actually - Euro 2008 was quality!

I loved the Turks vs. Croatia, and as the man said above, them against Czech - albeit thanks for Peter Cech himself!

Turkey were entertainers that year

mike65

Was that the game Smicer played like Van Basten?

smokedeels

redout wrote: »

Euro 2004

Holland 2 - 3 Czech Rep

Without doubt the most enjoyable match I have watched at a European championships.

Milan Baros scored a cracker in that game, I was rooting for the Czech's in that competition (I got them in a pool)

Rosicky, Nedved, Poborsky, Koller, Baros, Jankulovski and Cech, pretty decent team.

Morzadec

Euro 96 was the first Euros I properly remember and I loved it. Had it all really, some great drama and some excellent goals, a really great tournament from my memory, but it could just be nostalgia.

The 2000 final was great too

tim_holsters

Doocey wrote: »

Ah the World Cup's are way better than the Euro's man!

No man I here what you're saying and I too look forward to the WC more (for the South American teams) but the quality overall is always better in the Euro's.

There's less teams which means there's less ****e. It's a bad move to increase the number of teams for 2016. The more teams there are the more dead rubber games there will be and also more teams playing for a draw.

bohsman

Usually prefer WC but really enjoyed 98

Diabhal Beag

Loved 2004. Great to see Greece win and it introduced me to the wonderful Giorgos Karogounis. My favourite match was probably England-France though as it was a Zidane exhibition of excellence.

The_Kew_Tour

I actually think it's harder to win the Euros then The World Cup.

All 4 teams in the euro groups most of the time are very strong sides where as in WC you always get one average(if not slighty poor) side per group and if lucky 2.

parker kent

bohsman wrote: »

Usually prefer WC but really enjoyed 98

98 was the World Cup in France.

I love the Euros, far better tournament as there are 16 good teams in there, instead of the filler that the WC has since the move to 32 teams. Though that will probably go away with the move to 24 teams.

Anyway, my favourite tournaments are Euro 2000 and Euro 2008. But I favour Euro 2000 as it had such an incredible level of quality teams. Euro 2008 lacked that level and depth of quality. The group stages were fantastic with some top games. Even an England-Germany game thrown in for good measure, even if it was pointless and both teams went out in the group stages.

Portugal had Rui Costa and Figo at their best. Italy had the best defence I have ever seen in international football. The Dutch had a fantastic team with great home support. France had their greatest ever team, far better than the team that won the World Cup 2 years earlier. Zidane had a fantastic tournament.

Many, many great games

Portgal-England
Great comeback and that Figo goal.

England – Germany
Not the best game, but the intense rivalry made it interesting. Rare to see both go out in the group stage as well.

England-Romania
They exchanged leads and decided by a last minute penalty. Phil Neville's worst hour.

Yugoslavia – Slovenia
A derby and Zahovic had a fantastic game. A great comeback by Yugoslavia.

Yugoslavia – Spain
Probably the most entertaining game of the tournament with two goals in the last minute finishing off a real ding-dong.

Netherlands – Czech Republic
Great attacking football. Decided by yet another last minute penalty.

France – Netherlands
Great game even if it was a dead rubber.

Netherlands – Yugoslavia
Great attacking football by the Dutch.

Spain – France
Another match decided by a last minute penalty.

Portugal – France
Another match by a last minute penalty (golden goal). Good game too and pretty dramatic throughout.

Italy – Netherlands
The Dutch missed 2 penalties and had a meltdown in the shoot out.

Italy-France
The last minute equalizer and the Golden Goal finish made it the best final of an international tournament I have seen.

Some fantastic goals throughout as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbWHbo6aPVU

jordainius

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

I actually think it's harder to win the Euros then The World Cup.

All 4 teams in the euro groups most of the time are very strong sides where as in WC you always get one average(if not slighty poor) side per group and if lucky 2.

Yes and no. On the one hand there will always be 5 or 6 fairly poor teams at the world cup. But the obvious argument against that is that a competition with Brazil and Argentina in it is a more difficult one to win.

bohsman

parker kent wrote: »

98 was the World Cup in France.

Ugh, meant 08, all I remember about France 98 is a sticker with

France - Brazil
1,2,3 Nil

Benimar

Two stand out for me - 1984 and 2000.

1984 saw Platini at the height of his powers, but it also featured some great games. Denmark coming from 2 down to beat Belgium and qualify for the semis, Spain V Denmark in the semis and the famous France V Portugal game.

2000 saw Portugal V England, England V Romania, Yugoslavia V Spain, France V Holland, 2 great semis and an excellent final. It was one of those times when all the 'boring' teams got knocked out early and the attacking teams stayed in till the end.

Kidchameleon

2008 was class, one of the best tournaments I ever saw, so many twists and turns. Turkey and Croatia were in some great games in 2008, I loved watching Slaven Bilić's reactions to things on the pitch. The quarter final with Croatia and Turkey was unreal.

Who can forget Greece winning in 2004, a result that gave allot of the smaller nations hope of doing the same I would imagine.

Underground

redout wrote: »

Euro 2004

Holland 2 - 3 Czech Rep

Without doubt the most enjoyable match I have watched at a European championships.

thats the game that immediately springs to my mind when i think of that tournament,awesome game.

tdv123

1. Euro 88. First of all it was the first tournament Ireland had ever played in, so that was very exciting. Next reason because of the Dutch who played lovely football & who will ever forget that stroke of genius from Van Basten in the final? Nobody. And last reason because we beat England which was very satisfying & everybody in the country got to have a great booze up because of it that night.

2. Euro 96. Ah what a great tournament. I reckon this tournament was filled with more world class players than any other tournament. I think most the teams in this had a good chance of winning it. From Zidane to Gazza, Neved to Figo, & Maldini to Sammer. Those 2 delightful chips from Sukur & Porborsky. And that little leg drag thing Sukur did around the keeper was just great. There was some great goals & matches played through out the tournament. And that now iconic penalty miss from Southgate toped it all of.

3. Euro 2004. For some reason my memory is a bit more fuzzy about the newer Euro's than the older ones.
I do remember however having 200 euro on the Czechs to win it with very good odds (think it was 11 or 12 to 1) which made it pretty exciting. I broke so much electrical equipment when Greece beat them & a bit of an armchair.

I liked the football Spain played in the last Euros other than that I didnt find it that exciting.

Kerrydude1981

Euro 88 because of Ireland being in it,beating England who had a very poor tournament,Ronnie Whelans goal against Russia was goal of the tournament but Van Bastens moment of magic in the final put Whelans goal into second place,also only for a freak goal by Wim Kieft against Ireland we could have made the semi finals and god only knows what could have happened then,Tony Galvin running the Russians ragged with his socks down around his ankles oh and Hollands jerseys were class as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrzP1-2U7Mo

greendom

84 for me too - Platini at the height of his powers and that wonderful French midfield.

WallyGUFC

08. Turkey were unreal, they nearly managed another last minute result against Germany too. The Czech Republic game was unreal, and Semih in the final. What a game!

flahavaj

The Euro's have given more bang for their buck in terms of quality than the World Cups in my lifetime anyway.

Euro 88 will always be nostalgic for obvious reasons, it was the first time I had really watched soccer for a sustained period. I couldn't understand why the aul lad was going so wild when Hoiughton scored. It must have been an amzing feeling for those old enough to appreciate it.

Euro 92 I really enjoyed, I remember finding the English being put to the sword by Brolin absolutely hilarious and being entranced by the amazing story of the last minute entrants winning the whole thing. I spnet every evening pretending to be the big blonde fella in goals for Denmark.

Euro 96 will always be memorable, I'm not sure was it rose tinted glasses but it may be my favourite of all time. I likes the way the England team played and their 4-0 destruction of Holland is still probably the best they ever saw. i reember being desperate for United to sign Shearer that Summer. His loss in the end.

Euro 2000 I'm a bit bleary on - I had discovered the joys of drink. I remember England under Keegan being fairly pathetic and Zidane being majestic. Spain/Yugoslavia stands out as a geat game.

Euro 2004 - I don't remember being majorly riveted to this one. Greece showed the value of teamwork and good organisation but were fairly bad to watch as well. I do remember Rooney having what is still by far his best international competition for England at a very young age.

Euro 2008 - Really enjoyable tournament, Spain finally showing they weren't chronic bottlers and Turkey/Russia going far gave it a fresh feel.

I think if I had to pick one it'd be Euro 96, but thats probably rose-tinted glasses more than anything.

steelcityblues

Have to agree with 2000 being the best I can remember - a lot of classic matches that year.

Plus, look at all the individuals on show at that one tournament: Zidane, Henry, Figo, Totti, Kluivert, Bergkamp, Shearer, Raul, Hagi, Maldini, Del Piero, Blanc, and so on.

Don't know if we will ever get that many great individual players in the one tournament ever again.

parker kent

steelcityblues wrote: »

Plus, look at all the individuals on show at that one tournament: Zidane, Henry, Figo, Totti, Kluivert, Bergkamp, Shearer, Raul, Hagi, Maldini, Del Piero, Blanc, and so on.

Yeah this is what made me pick Euro 2000 as my favourite. Such an incredible collection of players, most of them at their peak as well. Plus the games were largely fantastic. Euro 2008 was extremely entertaining, but it lacked the quality of players of Euro 2000. Turkey for example compare extremely badly with the semi-finalists from 2000.

Dean820

2000.

JerryHandbag

Great memories of Euro 92, only 8 teams in it but I really enjoyed it. Denmark winning it without actually qualifying in the first place, fairytale stuff.

Semi against Holland 2-2 aet was a classic, unfortunately it was the last we saw of Van Basten at a major finals.

Dolph Starbeam

Has to be Euro 2004 for me. Some of my favourite ever players playing and at there prime wasa joy to watch, Nedved, Zidane, Rui Costa, Del Piero, Henry among others.

That Netherlands vs Czech Republic game is still one of the best games I have ever seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6uhJYON2DQ

bonerm

I think this was the best game I've seen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdxnNmfzgBs

eagle eye

JerryHandbag wrote: »

Great memories of Euro 92, only 8 teams in it but I really enjoyed it. Denmark winning it without actually qualifying in the first place, fairytale stuff.

Semi against Holland 2-2 aet was a classic, unfortunately it was the last we saw of Van Basten at a major finals.

+1 on this and all of it including that semi-final which is one of the greatest games I've ever seen.

I'm leaving out '88 because that was different with Ireland in a big tournament for the first time in my lifetime, Whelan's cracker against Russia and Houghton's goal to beat England. Far too many good but biased memories to have a proper opinion on that tournament.:D

greendom

eagle eye wrote: »

+1 on this and all of it including that semi-final which is one of the greatest games I've ever seen.

I'm leaving out '88 because that was different with Ireland in a big tournament for the first time in my lifetime, Whelan's cracker against Russia and Houghton's goal to beat England. Far too many good but biased memories to have a proper opinion on that tournament.:D

You could always mention Van Basten's goal in the final for a bit of balance

parker kent

greendom wrote: »

You could always mention Van Basten's goal in the final for a bit of balance

Or the West Germany-Holland epic in the semi final. Redemption at last for the Dutch.