UEFA Euro 1976 final

Last updated

UEFA Euro 1976 Final
Fk Red Star stadium.jpg
The Stadion Crvena Zvezda held the final.
Event UEFA Euro 1976
After extra time
Czechoslovakia won 5–3 on penalties
Date20 June 1976 (1976-06-20)
Venue Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade
Referee Sergio Gonella (Italy)
Attendance30,790
1972
1980

The UEFA Euro 1976 final was the final match of the UEFA Euro 1976, the fifth edition of the European Championship, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. Contested by Czechoslovakia and West Germany, the match was played at Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, on 20 June 1976. En route to the final, Czechoslovakia finished top of their qualifying group, which included England, Cyprus and Portugal. After beating the Soviet Union 42 on aggregate over a two-legged tie in the quarter-finals, they progressed to the final after defeating the Netherlands 31 after extra time in the semi-final. West Germany won their qualifying group, which included Greece, Malta and Bulgaria, before beating Spain 31 on aggregate in the two-legged quarter-final and tournament hosts Yugoslavia 42 after extra time in the single-match semi-final.

Contents

The final took place in front of 30,790 supporters and was refereed by Sergio Gonella from Italy. Czechoslovakia took the lead in the eighth minute through Ján Švehlík. Midway through the first half, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck fouled Koloman Gögh and Marián Masný took the resulting free kick, which was cleared by Franz Beckenbauer as far as Karol Dobiaš, who struck a half-volley past Sepp Maier, the West Germany goalkeeper, to make it 20. Within four minutes, West Germany had halved the deficit as Dieter Müller volleyed Rainer Bonhof's cross into the Czechoslovak goal. In the final minute of regular time, West Germany won a corner, which was headed past Ivo Viktor by Bernd Hölzenbein at the near post, and the game went into extra time.

With no change to the score in the additional period, the first penalty shoot-out in a European Championships final ensued. The first seven kicks were converted, until West Germany's fourth penalty taker, Uli Hoeneß, struck his shot over the bar. With the score 4–3, Antonín Panenka stepped up to take the fifth Czechoslovak penalty. Maier dived while Panenka gently lobbed the ball straight in the middle of the net to win the match 53 and secure Czechoslovakia's first European Championship. Panenka's name is now synonymous with that particular style of penalty kick.

Background

UEFA Euro 1976 was the fifth edition of the UEFA European Football Championship, UEFA's football competition for national teams. [1] Thirty-two teams competed in qualifying rounds, [2] which were played on a home-and-away round-robin basis, between 1 September 1974 and 28 February 1976, [3] before the two-legged quarter-finals were held between 24 April and 22 May 1976. [3] The semi-finals and final took place in Yugoslavia, between 16 and 20 June 1976. A third-place play-off match took place the day before the final. [2]

West Germany went into the 1976 Final as reigning European and world champions, having defeated the Soviet Union 30 in the UEFA Euro 1972 Final and the Netherlands in the 1974 FIFA World Cup Final. [4] [5] Czechoslovakia had failed to progress beyond their group stage of UEFA Euro 1972, finishing level on points with Romania but behind them on goal difference. [6] Czechoslovakia had failed to qualify for the 1974 FIFA World Cup finals when they ended their three-team group stage in second place, behind Scotland. [7] The UEFA Euro 1976 Final was the third competitive fixture between West Germany and Czechoslovakia, the sides having played one another in the 1934 and the 1958 FIFA World Cups. [8]

Route to the final

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia's route to the final
RoundOppositionScore
Qualifying group England 0–3 (A), 2–1 (H)
Cyprus 4–0 (H), 3–0 (A)
Portugal 5–0 (H), 1–1 (A)
Quarter-final Soviet Union 2–0 (H), 2–2 (A)
Semi-final Netherlands 3–1 ( a.e.t. ) (N)

Czechoslovakia commenced their UEFA Euro 1976 campaign in qualifying group 1 where they faced three other teams in a home-and-away round-robin tournament. Their first fixture was against England and was played at Wembley Stadium on 30 October 1974. After a goalless first half, Mick Channon opened the scoring midway through the second half. Two goals in quick succession from Colin Bell secured a 30 win for England. [9] Czechoslovakia's next qualifying game came almost six months later, at home, when they faced Cyprus at the Stadion Letná in Prague. Antonín Panenka scored twice before half-time before completing his hat-trick five minutes after the interval with a penalty. Marián Masný added a fourth goal twelve minutes before full-time to give Czechoslovakia a 40 victory. [10] Ten days later Czechoslovakia played Portugal at the Stadion Letná. Přemysl Bičovský scored twice before Zdeněk Nehoda's goal made it 30 at half time. Nehoda scored his second almost immediately after the interval and with a 52nd-minute goal from Ladislav Petráš, Czechoslovakia secured a 50 win. [11]

England were Czechoslovakia's next opponents and although the match was originally scheduled for 29 October 1975, it was abandoned after 17 minutes as a result of thick fog. The fixture was fulfilled the following afternoon and although Channon gave England the lead midway through the first half, goals either side of half-time from Nehoda and Dušan Galis ensured a 21 victory for Czechoslovakia. [12] Their next opponents were Portugal at the Estádio das Antas in Porto on 12 November 1975. Anton Ondruš gave Czechoslovakia the lead in the seventh minute but Nené equalised almost immediately and no further goals were scored, resulting in a 11 draw. [13] The final group match for Czechoslovakia was away against Cyprus at the Tsirio Stadium on 23 November 1975. Nehoda opened the scoring early in the first half before Bičovský and Masný made it 30 before half-time. The second half was goalless and the result ensured that Czechoslovakia ended as winners of Group 1, one point ahead of England, and securing progression to the quarter-finals. [14] [15]

Czechoslovakia faced the Soviet Union there with the first leg being played at Tehelné pole in Bratislava on 24 April 1976. [16] Konstantin Beskov, the Soviet Union manager, had been dismissed following defeat to the Republic of Ireland during the qualifying round. His replacement, Valeriy Lobanovskyi was the Dynamo Kiev manager and selected eight of his club side for the national team. The match was played in wet conditions and Jozef Móder opened the scoring for Czechoslovakia, striking past Aleksandr Prokhorov in the 34th minute. Just after half-time, Panenka doubled Czechoslovakia's lead when his free kick passed under the Soviet Union's defensive wall and into the bottom corner of the net. Oleg Blokhin missed an opportunity to reduce the deficit for the Soviet Union late in the second half and the match ended 20. [17] The second leg was held at the Central Stadium in Kiev on 22 May 1976. [18] Ivo Viktor, the Czechoslovak goalkeeper, made several saves in the first half, denying Blokhin, Volodymyr Veremeyev and Anatoliy Konkov, before Móder gave Czechoslovakia the lead with a free kick just before half-time. Eight minutes into the second half, Leonid Buryak equalised but Móder restored Czechoslovakia's lead after a Karol Dobiaš breakaway with eight minutes remaining. Blokhin sent a chipped shot over Viktor in the 87th minute to make it 22, but Czechoslovakia progressed with a 42 aggregate victory. [17]

In their semi-final, Czechoslovakia's opponents were the Netherlands with the one-off match being played at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb, a neutral venue. [19] The match was played in torrential rain with the referee holding an umbrella over the two captains for the pre-match handshake. [20] Czechoslovakia dominated the early stages and took the lead in the 19th minute when Ondruš scored with a header from Panenka's free kick. Jaroslav Pollák was booked for encroaching on the Netherlands' free kicks and was then sent off for a foul on Johan Neeskens on the hour mark. With 17 minutes remaining, Ondruš sliced the ball into the Czechoslovak net when attempting to clear a cross from Ruud Geels to level the score with an own goal. Neeskens was then dismissed for a foul on Nehoda before Viktor denied Rob Rensenbrink on three separate occasions to send the game into extra time. In the 114th minute, substitute František Veselý crossed for Nehoda whose header made it 21, before Willem van Hanegem of the Netherlands became the third player to be sent off, for dissent. [21] Four minutes later, Panenka passed to Veselý who avoided Netherlands defender Piet Schrijvers before striking the ball into the goal, securing a 31 victory and passage to the final. [22]

West Germany

West Germany's route to the final
RoundOppositionScore
Qualifying group Greece 2–2 (A), 1–1 (H)
Malta 1–0 (A), 8–0 (H)
Bulgaria 1–1 (A), 1–0 (H)
Quarter-final Spain 1–1 (A), 2–0 (H)
Semi-final Yugoslavia 4–2 ( a.e.t. ) (N)

West Germany were in Qualifying Group 8 and the first match of their campaign was against Greece at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus on 20 November 1974. Georgios Delikaris scored the only goal of the first half to give Greece a 10 lead at half-time. Bernhard Cullmann equalised for West Germany early in the second half before Kostas Eleftherakis restored Greece's lead with 20 minutes of the game remaining. Herbert Wimmer then levelled the match in the 82nd minute and the game ended in a 22 draw. [23] The following month, West Germany faced Malta in the first competitive match between the sides, at the Empire Stadium in Gżira. [24] [25] Cullmann gave West Germany the lead just before half-time and with a goalless second half, the match finished 10. [25] West Germany's next opponents were Greece who they played at the Rheinstadion in Düsseldorf on 11 October 1975. After a goalless first half, Jupp Heynckes scored midway through the second to give West Germany the lead, but Delikaris equalised with twelve minutes remaining to secure a 11 draw. [26] West Germany then played their return fixture against Bulgaria on 19 November 1975 at the Neckarstadion in Stuttgart. The only goal of the game came midway through the second half as Heynckes' strike secured a 10 win. [27] In their final group game, West Germany's faced Malta at the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund on 28 February 1976. Ronald Worm scored twice and Heynckes added a third before Erich Beer converted a penalty to give West Germany a 40 half-time lead. Heynckes and Beer both doubled their tally before Berti Vogts and Bernd Hölzenbein scored late in the game to secure an 80 win for their side. [28] West Germany finished top of their group, two points ahead of Greece, and qualified for the quarter-finals. [15]

There, West Germany faced Spain in the two-legged tie with the first match taking place at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on 24 April 1976. [29] Santillana gave Spain the lead midway through the first half: outjumping Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, he controlled Goyo Benito's cross and struck it past Sepp Maier in the West Germany goal. Fifteen minutes into the second half, Beer equalised with a shot from around 25 yards (23 m) which Spain's goalkeeper José Ángel Iribar could not keep out, and the match ended 11. [30] The return leg was held at the Olympiastadion in Munich on 22 May 1976. [31] Uli Hoeneß put West Germany ahead in the 17th minute volleyed Beer's cross over his own shoulder to make it 10 before Klaus Toppmöller doubled the lead just before half-time when he converted a rebound after Miguel Ángel saved Franz Beckenbauer's shot. The second half was goalless and the match ended 20, West Germany progressing with a 31 aggregate win. [32]

In the semi-final, West Germany's opponents were the host nation Yugoslavia and the match was played on 17 June 1976 at the Crvena Zvezda Stadium in Belgrade. [33] Yugoslavia dominated the first half, Dragan Džajić later suggesting that it was "maybe the best half the Yugoslav national team have ever played". [34] They took the lead in the 19th minute through Danilo Popivoda who controlled Branko Oblak's high ball before outrunning Beckenbauer and striking the ball under Maier. Eleven minutes later, Yugoslavia doubled their lead when Maier failed to keep hold of Slaviša Žungul's cross and Džajić scored with his knee, and after Josip Katalinski cleared a shot from Hoeneß off the Yugoslavia goalline, the first half ended 20. [34] Midway through the second half, West Germany substitute Heinz Flohe's shot was deflected off Wimmer past Ognjen Petrović in the Yugoslavia goal to halve the deficit. In the 79th minute, West Germany made their second substitution with Wimmer being replaced by Dieter Müller who was making his international debut, and scored with his first touch, a header from a Rainer Bonhof cross to level the score at 22. In the first half of extra time, Yugoslavia had several opportunities to score but Maier was not beaten. With five minutes remaining, Müller scored again after a Hölzenbein pass, before completing his hat-trick four minutes later, converting a rebound after Bonhof's initial shot had hit the Yugoslavia goalpost. The match ended 42 and West Germany progressed to the final. [35]

Match

Pre-match

Müller retained his place in the West Germany team, replacing Dietmar Danner, and Beckenbauer was selected for his 100th cap, an unparalleled achievement for the Germany national football team. Ján Švehlík came in for Czechoslovakia as Pollák was suspended for the final following his dismissal in the previous match. It was the eighth meeting between the sides, each team having won three of those encounters. [36] The most recent match was a friendly in March 1973 which West Germany won 30. [37]

Although Czechoslovakia were considered underdogs, Beckenbauer warned that "[Czechoslovakia] as a team is to be estimated higher than Yugoslavia. How strong they are, we have seen in the extra time against Holland, where they were even able to increase [their strength]". [38] Schön was confident of his side's chance to win: "We have a wonderful team. You can absolutely rely on them." [38] The final was broadcast live in the United Kingdom on the ITV network. [39] Before the match, the teams had agreed that should the result be a draw, then a penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the overall winner, as opposed to a replay the following Tuesday. [40]

German magazine Kicker reported that the Germany team had suggested the use of the penalty shoot-out, while author Thomas Roth claimed that the German Football Association had made the decision without consulting their players. [41] [38] The Czechoslovak team had prepared for a potential shoot-out while training ahead of the tournament, their manager Václav Ježek deploying hundreds of people behind the goal to intimidate the penalty takers. [42]

Summary

Antonin Panenka (pictured in 2009) scored the winning penalty for Czechoslovakia. Antonin-panenka (cropped).jpg
Antonín Panenka (pictured in 2009) scored the winning penalty for Czechoslovakia.

The final took place on 20 June 1976 at the Red Star Stadium in front of 30,790 supporters and was refereed by Sergio Gonella from Italy. [43] Czechoslovakia took the lead in the eighth minute through Švehlík: Masný passed to him on the edge of the penalty area and his initial shot was saved by Maier. The rebound fell to Nehoda who passed the ball across the goalmouth, which was missed by Ondruš but converted by Švehlík. He was then elbowed in the head by Schwarzenbeck and required medical treatment, but the West Germany player was not booked. Müller then passed to Viktor down the right wing but Maier came out to block the opportunity to score. The Czechoslovak goalkeeper then punched Bonhof's strong shot away before pushing Hölzenbein's curling strike over the crossbar. [44] Midway through the first half, Schwarzenbeck fouled Koloman Gögh and Masný took the resulting free kick which was cleared by Beckenbauer as far as Dobiaš who struck a half-volley past Maier to make it 20. [45] Within four minutes, West Germany had halved the deficit as Müller scored his fourth international goal in 80 minutes after volleying Bonhof's cross into the Czechoslovak goal. [46]

During the half-time interval, the Germany manager Helmut Schön made his first substitution, replacing Wimmer with Flohe. [40] Early in the second half, Flohe relinquished possession and allowed Švehlík to shoot but the ball flew wide of the West Germany goal. Müller's shot was then blocked by Viktor who claimed the rebound at the feet of Beer. In the 60th minute, a shot from Hoeneß hit a defender and Beer's strike from the rebound was saved by Viktor before Hoeneß then struck the post. Schwarzenbeck cleared a shot from Ondruš off the West Germany goalline before Viktor made saves from both Bonhof and Beckenbauer. Nehoda's header hit the West Germany goalpost before Bonhof's deflected free kick was palmed over the crossbar by Viktor. [46] With around ten minutes remaining, both sides made substitutions, Czechoslovakia's Ladislav Jurkemik coming on for Švehlík and West Germany's Beer being replaced by Hans Bongartz. [40] In the final minute of regular time, West Germany won a corner which was headed past Viktor by Hölzenbein at the near post. [46] With the score level at 22 and no time left to re-start, the game went into extra time. [40]

Viktor made saves from Flohe and Müller but with no change to the scoreline after the additional 30 minutes, the match went to a penalty shoot-out for the first time in the tournament's history. [46] Masný scored the first penalty kick before Bonhof levelled the shoot-out when his strike went in off the goalpost. Nehoda, Ondruš and Jurkemik then all scored for Czechoslovakia while Flohe and Bongartz converted their penalties to make it 43 as Hoeneß stepped up to take his kick. Striking it firmly, the ball sailed high over the Czechoslovak crossbar leaving Panenka with the opportunity to win the final for his side should he score. Taking a short and stuttering run-up, he gently struck the ball in an arcing parabola into the net while Maier had already dived and was resting on his knees. The match ended 53 with Czechoslovakia winning their first European Championship. [47]

Details

Czechoslovakia  Flag of the Czech Republic.svg2–2 (a.e.t.)Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany
Report
Positions [48]
Penalties
5–3
Red Star Stadium, Belgrade
Attendance: 30,790
Referee: Sergio Gonella (Italy)

Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts adidasred.png
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks 3 stripes white.png
Kit socks long.svg
Czechoslovakia [49]
Kit left arm blackborder.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body blackcollar.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm blackborder.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
West Germany [49]
GK1 Ivo Viktor
SW4 Anton Ondruš (c)
RB5 Ján Pivarník
CB12 Koloman Gögh
LB3 Jozef Čapkovič
CM2 Karol Dobiaš Yellow card.svg 55'Sub off.svg 94'
CM8 Jozef Móder Yellow card.svg 59'
AM7 Antonín Panenka
RW10 Marián Masný
LW11 Zdeněk Nehoda
CF17 Ján Švehlík Sub off.svg 79'
Substitutions:
DF6 Ladislav Jurkemik Sub on.svg 79'
MF16 František Veselý Sub on.svg 94'
Manager:
Václav Ježek
TCH-FRG 1976-06-20.svg
GK1 Sepp Maier
SW5 Franz Beckenbauer (c)
RB2 Berti Vogts
CB4 Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck
LB3 Bernard Dietz
CM7 Rainer Bonhof
CM6 Herbert Wimmer Sub off.svg 46'
AM10 Erich Beer Sub off.svg 80'
RW8 Uli Hoeneß
LW11 Bernd Hölzenbein
CF9 Dieter Müller
Substitutions:
MF15 Heinz Flohe Sub on.svg 46'
MF14 Hans Bongartz Sub on.svg 80'
Manager:
Helmut Schön

Post-match

Uli Hoeness (pictured in 1974) missed the decisive penalty for West Germany. Uli hoeness.jpg
Uli Hoeneß (pictured in 1974) missed the decisive penalty for West Germany.

After the match, the sides upheld a pre-match agreement to exchange shirts. [42] All but three of UEFA's team of the tournament had featured in the final, including six Czechoslovakia and two West Germany players. [2] Hoeneß later described how he had approached his penalty: "I was so exhausted, I was taking no chances, and I hit it with full force. I saw the ball climb higher and higher like a rocket. It whizzed into the clouds. At that moment, everything around me went grey." [47] The European press described Panenka's penalty as "the falling leaf": it has since been replicated by players such as Lionel Messi, Andrea Pirlo and Zinedine Zidane, and is often referred to as "a Panenka". [47] [50] David Lacey, writing for The Guardian described Panenka's winning penalty as "a remarkably cool double shuffle ... before scoring with a cheeky little chip." [40] He went on to suggest that while West Germany "had speed, wit and invention", Czechoslovakia were "more direct in their methods, more inclined to launch searching attacks from deep positions". [40] Berliner Zeitung described the final as dramatic and suggested that Czechoslovakia's win was a "sensation". [51] Fellow Berlin newspaper Neues Deutschland also said the match was "dramatic" and described the Czechoslovakia side as a "brilliant team". [52]

Viktor later recalled that he blamed himself for Czechoslovakia conceding the equaliser in the final moments of the match, suggesting that he "wasn't aggressive enough going for the ball", that he had been tired and had lost concentration. [46] Schön had found it difficult to find five Germany players prepared to take part in the penalty shoot-out. [53] Dietz claimed "I'll drop [if I take one]. I'm broken." while Beckenbauer said that he was not sure he could shoot "with this injured shoulder". [46] Schwarzenbeck remarked that he had not taken a penalty kick for nine years, so "why now?" while Maier was unfazed, stating "I'll take one." [46]

In a 2020 interview with Czech Television, the Czechoslovakia defender Jozef Čapkovič noted that despite their side being composed of both Czechs and Slovaks, there was a harmonious atmosphere, "It wasn't ... who was from where, but what we were playing for. We played for Czechoslovakia then. There was absolute peace, cohesion." [54] Panenka agreed, stating that the team "was an excellent bunch, cohesive. The atmosphere was absolutely great ... There was no difference between a Czech and a Slovak " [54] Dobiaš remarked that Czechoslovakia went into the final without "any worries", and were confident following their victory over the Netherlands. [54]

The French newspaper L'Équipe reported that "this final showed a great dialogue between the playful ease of [Czechoslovakia] and the German football machine. Previously hardly known dimensions were reached." [38] Belgrade's Politika noted that "Czechoslovakia and the Federal Republic left nothing to owe the spectators and played a football dignified of the final. [Czechoslovakia] is completely deservedly the new champion. The Germans endured the failure calmly and stoically." [38] In Italy, Corriere dello Sport reported that "The success has rewarded the unquestionably better team. Germany was deadly wounded in the short time span of 18 minutes in the first half. The Germans have lost the European crown they had won in Brussels in 1972, but they have confirmed that they are an absolutely world class team." [38]

In the following international tournament, the 1978 FIFA World Cup, Czechoslovakia failed to progress past their qualifying group, finishing behind Scotland. West Germany automatically qualified as champions of the 1974 FIFA World Cup but were knocked in the second group stage, placing third behind the Netherlands and Italy. [55]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 1976</span> 5th European association football championship

The 1976 UEFA European Football Championship tournament was held in Yugoslavia. This was the fifth UEFA European Championship, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. The final tournament took place between 16 and 20 June 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Czechoslovakia national football team</span> National football team of Czechoslovakia from 1920 to 1992

The Czechoslovakia national football team represented Czechoslovakia in men's international football from 1919 to 1993. The team was controlled by the Czechoslovak Football Association, and the team qualified for eight World Cups and three European Championships. It had two runner-up finishes in World Cups, in 1934 and 1962, and won the European Championship in the 1976 tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonín Panenka</span> Czech footballer

Antonín Panenka is a Czech retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He spent most of his career representing Czechoslovak club Bohemians Prague. Panenka won UEFA Euro 1976 with the national team of Czechoslovakia. In the final against West Germany, he notably scored the winning penalty in the shootout with a softly-chipped ball up the middle of the goal as the goalkeeper dove away; a style of penalty now known as a panenka, named after him. In 1980, he won Czechoslovak Footballer of the Year and his team finished third at Euro 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1977 European Cup final</span> European Cup final (1977)

The 1977 European Cup final was an association football match played between Liverpool of England and Borussia Mönchengladbach of West Germany on 25 May 1977 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The showpiece event was the final match of the 1976–77 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the European Cup. Both teams were appearing in their first European Cup final, although the two sides had previously met in the 1973 UEFA Cup final, which Liverpool won 3–2 on aggregate over two legs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Václav Ježek</span>

Václav Ježek was a Czech football manager. Ježek is best known for being the serial manager at Sparta Prague, one of the Czech Republic's most successful clubs, as well as helming the Czechoslovakia national football team to the 1976 UEFA European Football Championship triumph, the country's sole international title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 2008 final</span> Final game of the UEFA Euro 2008

The UEFA Euro 2008 Final was the final match of Euro 2008, the thirteenth edition of the European Football Championship, UEFA's competition for national football teams. The match was played at Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria, on 29 June 2008, and was contested by Germany and Spain. The sixteen-team tournament consisted of a group stage, from which eight teams qualified for the knockout phase. En route to the final, Germany finished second in Group B, with a defeat to Croatia and wins over Poland and Austria, after which they defeated Portugal and Turkey in the knockouts. Spain finished top of Group D with three wins, against Russia, Sweden and Greece, before defeating Italy on penalties in the quarter-final and a second victory over Russia in the semi-final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 2000 final</span> Final game of the UEFA Euro 2000

The UEFA Euro 2000 final was the final match of Euro 2000, the eleventh European Football Championship, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. The match was played at De Kuip in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on 2 July 2000 and was contested between France and Italy. France were drawn in Group D alongside the Netherlands, Denmark and the Czech Republic. France ended the group stage as runners-up to the Netherlands, and defeated Spain in the quarter-finals before progressing to the final with a victory over Portugal in the semi-final after a golden goal from Zinedine Zidane. Italy were allocated to Group B alongside Turkey, Belgium and Sweden and won the group. In the quarter-final they defeated Romania before a semi-final penalty shoot-out victory over the Netherlands saw them progress to the final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 1996 final</span> Final game of the UEFA Euro 1996

The UEFA Euro 1996 Final was the final match of Euro 1996, the tenth European Football Championship, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. The match was played at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on 30 June 1996 and was contested by the Czech Republic and Germany. Both sides were drawn in UEFA Euro 1996 Group C alongside Italy and Russia. Germany won the group and defeated Croatia in the quarter-finals before progressing to the final with a victory over England in the semi-final after a penalty shoot-out. The Czech Republic finished the group stage as runners-up to Germany. They beat Portugal in the quarter-finals before overcoming France in the semi-finals following a penalty shoot-out.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 1992 final</span> Final game of the UEFA Euro 1992

The UEFA Euro 1992 Final was the final match of Euro 1992, the ninth European Football Championship, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. The match was played at the Nya Ullevi in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 26 June 1992 and was contested by Denmark and Germany. Denmark qualified for the finals ten days before they commenced after Yugoslavia were ejected by UEFA as a result of the breakup of the country. They faced England, Sweden and France in the group stage before a penalty shoot-out victory over the Netherlands in the semi-final saw them progress to their first European Championship final. Germany were placed in UEFA Euro 1984 Group 2 where they played the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Scotland and the Netherlands, before defeating Sweden in the semi-final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 1988 final</span> Final game of the UEFA Euro 1988

The UEFA Euro 1988 Final was the final match of UEFA Euro 1988, the eighth UEFA European Football Championship, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. The match was played at the Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany, on 25 June 1988 and was contested by the Netherlands and the Soviet Union. The Netherlands and the Soviet Union were both drawn in UEFA Euro 1988 Group 2, alongside the Republic of Ireland and England. The Soviet Union finished on top of the group and defeated Italy to qualify for their fourth European Championship final. The Netherlands ended the group stage in second place and beat West Germany in their semi-final to progress to their first European Championship final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 1984 final</span> Final game of the UEFA Euro 1984

The UEFA Euro 1984 Final was the final match of Euro 1984, the seventh European Football Championship, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. The match was played at Parc des Princes in Paris, France, on 27 June 1984 and was contested by France and Spain. France qualified for the finals as hosts of the tournament, and faced Denmark, Belgium and Yugoslavia in the group stage before a victory over Portugal in the semi-final saw them progress to their first European Championship final. Spain ended top of their qualifying group, which included a 12–1 win over Malta, and progressed to UEFA Euro 1984 Group 2. There they played Romania, Portugal and West Germany, before defeating Denmark in the semi-final on penalties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 1980 final</span> Final game of the UEFA Euro 1980

The UEFA Euro 1980 Final was the final match of UEFA Euro 1980, the sixth UEFA European Football Championship, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. The match was played at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, on 22 June 1980 and was contested by Belgium and West Germany. En route to the final, Belgium finished top of UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying Group 2 before qualifying for the final as winners of UEFA Euro 1980 Group 2 which included Italy, England and Spain. West Germany, who had ended the previous European Championship as runners-up, won UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying Group 7 and went on to secure qualification for the final after finishing top of UEFA Euro 1980 Group 1 which included Greece, Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 1972 final</span> European football tournament final match

The UEFA Euro 1972 Final was a football match played at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, on 18 June 1972, to determine the winner of the UEFA Euro 1972 tournament. It was the fourth UEFA European Football Championship final, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. The match was contested by West Germany and two-time tournament finalists, the Soviet Union. En route to the final, West Germany finished top of their qualifying group which included Turkey, Albania and Poland. After beating England over a two-legged tie in the quarter-finals, they progressed to the final after defeating tournament hosts Belgium in the semi-final. The Soviet Union won their qualifying group which included Cyprus and Spain, before beating Northern Ireland in the two-legged quarter-final and Yugoslavia in the single-match semi-final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 1968 final</span> European football tournament final match

The UEFA Euro 1968 final consisted of two football matches at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, on 8 and 10 June 1968, to determine the winner of the UEFA Euro 1968 tournament. It was the third UEFA European Championship final, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. The match was contested by Italy and Yugoslavia. En route to the final, Italy finished top of their qualifying group which included Romania, Cyprus and Switzerland. After beating Bulgaria over a two-legged tie in the quarter-finals, they progressed to the final, winning a coin toss which decided the outcome of the semi-final against the Soviet Union which ended goalless after extra time. Yugoslavia won their qualifying group which included Albania and West Germany, before beating France 6–2 on aggregate in the two-legged quarter-final and England 1–0 in the single-match semi-final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 European Nations' Cup final</span> Association football match

The 1960 European Nations' Cup Final was a football match at the Parc des Princes, Paris, on 10 July 1960, to determine the winner of the 1960 European Nations' Cup. It was the first UEFA European Football Championship final, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. The match was contested by the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. En route to the final, the Soviet Union defeated Hungary over a two-legged tie before receiving a walkover in the quarter-final after Spain withdrew from the tournament. In the semi-final, the Soviet Union won 3–0 against Czechoslovakia. Yugoslavia defeated Bulgaria, Portugal and France, the host nation for the finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 European Nations' Cup final</span> International football match

The 1964 European Nations' Cup Final was a football match at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, on 21 June 1964, to determine the winner of the 1964 European Nations' Cup. It was the second final of what is now called the UEFA European Football Championship, UEFA's quadrennial football competition for national teams. The match was contested by Spain and the previous tournament winners, the Soviet Union. En route to the final, Spain defeated Romania, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over two-legged ties before beating Hungary in the semi-final. The Soviet Union received a bye in the qualifying round before beating Italy, Sweden and Denmark en route to the final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 2012 final</span> Final game of the UEFA Euro 2012

The UEFA Euro 2012 Final was the final match of Euro 2012, the fourteenth edition of the European Football Championship, UEFA's competition for national football teams. The match was played at the Olympic Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine, on 1 July 2012, and was contested by Spain and Italy. The sixteen-team tournament began with a group stage, from which eight teams qualified for the knockout phase. En route to the final, Spain finished top of Group C, with a draw against Italy and wins over Croatia and the Republic of Ireland. Spain then defeated France in the quarter-finals before beating Portugal in the semi-final after a penalty shoot-out. Italy were second in Group C, with draws against Spain and Croatia, and a victory over the Republic of Ireland. In the knockout rounds, Italy defeated England after a penalty shoot-out, then Germany in the semi-final.

In association football, the panenka is a technique used while taking a penalty kick in which the taker, instead of kicking the ball to the left or right of the goalkeeper, gives a light touch underneath the ball, causing it to rise and fall within the centre of the goal, deceiving the goalkeeper who most likely will have committed to a dive away from the centre.

The 1988 Football League Fourth Division play-off Final was an association football match contested by Swansea City and Torquay United over two legs on 25 and 28 May 1988, to determine which club would play the following season in the Third Division. Torquay United had finished in fifth place in the Fourth Division while Swansea City finished sixth. They were joined in the play-offs by fourth-placed Scunthorpe United and Rotherham United, who had finished in 21st place in the division above. Swansea City defeated Rotherham United County in their semi-final, consigning the latter to relegation to the Fourth Division, while Torquay United beat Scunthorpe United in the other.

References

  1. Augustyn, Adam; C. Shepherd, Melinda; Chauhan, Yamini; Levy, Michael; Lotha, Gloria; Tikkanen, Amy (19 November 2020). "European Championship". Encyclopædia Britannica . Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Euro 1976: all you need to know". UEFA. 14 February 2020. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  3. 1 2 Haisma, Marcel; van den Elsen, John (2 October 2009). "European Championship 1976 (Details)". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  4. O'Brien 2021, p. 79.
  5. Glanville 1993, p. 207.
  6. Stokkermans, Karel; Tabeira, Martín (31 January 2007). "European Championship 1972". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  7. Stokkermans, Karel; Henrique Jarreta, Sergio (17 March 2016). "World Cup 1974 Qualifying". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  8. "Germany national football team: record v Czechoslovakia". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  9. "England v Czechoslovakia, 30 October 1974". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  10. "Czechoslovakia v Cyprus, 20 April 1975". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  11. "Czechoslovakia v Portugal, 30 April 1975". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  12. "Czechoslovakia v England, 30 October 1975". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  13. "Portugal v Czechoslovakia, 12 November 1975". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  14. "Cyprus v Czechoslovakia, 23 November 1975". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  15. 1 2 Stokkermans, Karel; Tabeira, Martín (20 June 2013). "European Championship 1976". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  16. "Czechoslovakia v USSR, 24 April 1976". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  17. 1 2 O'Brien 2021, pp. 85, 88.
  18. "USSR v Czechoslovakia, 22 May 1976". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  19. "Czechoslovakia v Netherlands, 16 June 1976". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  20. O'Brien 2021, p. 89.
  21. O'Brien 2021, pp. 90, 93.
  22. O'Brien 2021, pp. 91–93.
  23. "Greece v Germany, 20 November 1974". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  24. "Malta national football team: record v Germany". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  25. 1 2 "Malta v Germany, 22 December 1974". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  26. "Germany v Greece, 11 October 1975". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  27. "Germany v Bulgaria, 19 November 1975". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  28. "Germany v Malta, 28 February 1976". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  29. "Spain v Germany, 24 April 1976". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  30. O'Brien 2021, pp. 84, 87.
  31. "Germany v Spain, 22 May 1976". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  32. O'Brien 2021, pp. 84, 88.
  33. "Yugoslavia v Germany, 17 June 1976". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  34. 1 2 O'Brien 2021, p. 91.
  35. O'Brien 2021, pp. 92–93.
  36. Kier 2018, p. 387.
  37. "Czechoslovakia national football team: record v Germany". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  38. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Roth, Thomas (30 March 2015). Sternstunden: Die 33 größten Spiele der deutschen Fußball-Nationalmannschaft [Great moments: The 33 biggest games of the German national soccer team]. Sportmagazin kicker (in German). Stiebner Verlag GmbH. pp. 76–79. ISBN   978-3-7679-1100-0. OCLC   908249655. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  39. "ITV: London Weekend". The Observer . 20 June 1976. p. 34. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021 via Newspapers.com.
  40. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lacey, David (21 June 1976). "Czechs owe Championship to Viktor". The Guardian . p. 17. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021 via Newspapers.com.
  41. "Hoeneß' shot in the Belgrade night sky". Kicker . 20 June 2012. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  42. 1 2 "Dĕjiny Eura. 1976: Ondrušova penalta ze dvou kroků a potlesk od Císaře" [History of the Euro. 1976: Ondruš's two-step penalty and applause from the Emperor]. Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech). Mafra. 5 May 2020. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  43. "Czechoslovakia v Germany, 20 June 1976". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  44. O'Brien 2021, p. 94.
  45. O'Brien 2021, pp. 94–95.
  46. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 O'Brien 2021, p. 95.
  47. 1 2 3 O'Brien 2021, p. 96.
  48. Kier 2018, pp. 396–399.
  49. 1 2 "European championship 1976 - Historical Football Kits".
  50. Fordham, Josh (20 June 2021). "Antonin Panenka reveals fascinating story behind famous penalty at Euro '76 replicated by Lionel Messi, Andrea Pirlo and Zinedine Zidane". Talksport. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  51. "CSSR-Triumph nach dramatischem Finale" [CSSR triumph after a dramatic finale]. Berliner Zeitung (in German). 21 June 1976. p. 6. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021 via Berlin State Library.
  52. "Glänzende ČSSR-Mannschaft bezwang den Titelverteidiger" [A brilliant ČSSR team beat the defending champion]. Neues Deutschland (in German). 21 June 1976. p. 8. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021 via Berlin State Library.
  53. Joel, Holger; Schütt, Ernst Christian (2008). Chronik des deutschen Fußballs: die Spiele der Nationalmannschaften von 1908 bis heute [Chronicle of German football: the games of the national teams from 1908 to the present day] (in German). wissenmedia Verlag. pp. 192–193. ISBN   978-3-577-16421-4. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  54. 1 2 3 "Vaclav Jezek – ME 1976". Czech Television. 23 July 2020. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  55. Stokkermans, Karel; Henrique Jarreta, Sergio (3 January 2000). "World Cup 1978 Qualifying". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 29 May 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2021.

Bibliography