The History of the European Championship: from 1960 to today

The European Football Championship is one of the most anticipated and watched football events globally. Betano invites you on a journey to EURO, with a trip back in time from the first edition to the grand celebration of European football that we know today.

Early days: 1960 European Nations Cup

The first European Football Championship was held in France in 1960 as the European Nations Cup. The first European Football Championship was held in France in 1960 as the European Nations Cup. Only 4 national teams competed in the finals. This inaugural edition was won by the Soviet Union.

The boom years: the 60s and 70s

As the decades passed, the European Championship began to expand, both in terms of the number of participating teams and in popularity. The 60s and 70s saw some of the most memorable moments in European football history, including the rise of legends such as Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff.

Euro 1964 was held in Spain, who also won the trophy, to the delight of millions of Iberian fans. The 1968 European Championship was held in Italy, where the host team also managed to win the trophy. Euro 1972 was held in Belgium, with West Germany winning the continental title.

Innovations and legendary players

These decades have also brought significant innovations in football, such as the introduction of yellow and red cards, improvements to the rules of the game, sports betting on football matches. The 1976 edition, held in Yugoslavia, was the last four-team final tournament and also the first to feature penalty kicks. Czechoslovakia were the 1976 champions after a spectacular final against West Germany.

The modern era: The 80s and 90s

The 80s and 90s marked a new era for the European Championship, with significant changes to the tournament format and an increase in the number of participating teams. This was the period when the championship began to develop into the grandiose event we know today, with impressive stadiums, worldwide spectators and live football broadcasts on TV.

Euro 1980 was held in Italy and West Germany emerged as champions again, in an 8-team format. The 1984 European Championship was held in France, who also won the trophy on home soil. 1988 was the glory edition for the Netherlands, the dream team that defeated West Germany in the final on home soil.

Sweden hosted Euro 1992, when Denmark surprisingly won as the absolute underdog. The 1996 European Championship, the first 16-team tournament, was held in England and the trophy went to the mighty German team.

Increasing popularity and format changes

During this period, EURO became more than a football tournament: it turned into a cultural phenomenon, uniting nations and celebrating European diversity and talent. Format changes included the introduction of knockout stages and the expansion of the tournament to include more national teams, thus providing greater opportunities for smaller countries to participate on the European stage.

The millennium revolution: the 2000s

Entering the new millennium brought with it new technologies in refereeing and television broadcasting. Euro 2000 was the first edition hosted by two countries: Belgium and the Netherlands, and France won with a Golden Goal scored by David Trezeguet. The 2004 European Championship was held in Portugal and the absolute surprise was Greece, who managed to take the trophy in a dramatic final, beating the home team.

Euro 2008 was held in Austria and Switzerland, and it was the first edition to award the competition's new trophy, bigger and more valuable than the original Henri Delaunay Cup. Spain won after an excellent run. Poland and Ukraine hosted Euro 2012, when Spain managed to defend their continental title. It was the final tournament with the first goal not validated, based on video replays. The age of technology in football was beginning!

Euro 2016: A new start for European football

At the 2016 edition the tournament has expanded to 24 teams. This change allowed more nations to dream of European glory and added a new level of excitement and unpredictability to the competition. France hosted Euro 2016 and Portugal won their first continental title at this edition.

Euro 2020: Championship in the COVID-19 era

The Euro 2020 championship, postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was a historic event in many ways. Hosting the tournament in several host cities across Europe, despite logistical and public health challenges, proved the determination and passion that defines European football.

The Euro 2020 host countries were England, Azerbaijan, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Spain, the Netherlands and Hungary. The champion of this touring edition was Italy and the top scorer of the 2020 finals was Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.

Bet on Euro 2024 with Betano

After dramatic preliminaries, players, coaches, supporters, referees, commentators - everyone is preparing for the 2024 edition of the European Football Championship finals.

Germany is the host country of this edition, and the betting on the Euro 2024 matches is already open, because it's just a few days before the whistle blows for the start of the competition, which will take place from 14 June to 14 July 2024.

Betano presents up to date details on teams, groups, results, stats and predictions for European football. Find out at any time what the odds are on your favorite matches or your favorite players. As Official Global Sponsor of UEFA EURO 2024, Betano brings you the most popular sport, with the widest range of online betting, live streams, information and hot commentary on football's biggest event of the year. The game starts now!