European Championships past winners

1960 -- France

The first final was between two nations that no longer exist, with the Soviet Union defeating Yugoslavia 2-1 at the Parc des Princes. However, the real drama though came in the semifinals, where the host nation lost 5-4 to the Yugoslavs, despite being 4-2 up with 15 minutes remaining, in one of the greatest matches in Euro history.

1964 -- Spain

The host nation prevailed when they defeated holders the Soviet Union 2-1 in the final at Real Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium. Midfielder Jesus Pereda's sixth-minute strike for Spain remains the quickest-ever goal scored in a Euro final.

1968 -- Italy

Again the host nation proved victorious as Italy saw off Yugoslavia 2-0 at Rome's Olympic Stadium. This was the only major European final to ever go to a replay, after the first match, two days earlier, ended in a 1-1 draw.

1972 -- Belgium

Two goals from the great Gerd Muller helped West Germany overpower the Soviet Union 3-0 in the final in Brussels. It was the Soviet Union's third final in four tournaments, but they were outclassed against a German side that went on to lift the World Cup on home soil just two years later.

PAST WINNERS

1960: Soviet Union
1964: Spain
1968: Italy
1972: West Germany
1976: Czechoslovakia
1980: West Germany
1984: France
1988: Netherlands
1992: Denmark
1996: Germany
2000: France
2004: Greece

1976 -- Yugoslavia

Czechoslovakia became the first, and so far only team, to win the title on penalties as they deprived West Germany of a third successive major victory. The holders had fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in Belgrade, but the Czechs held their nerve to win the shoot-out 5-3, sealed with Antonin Panenka's cheekily chipped penalty.

1980 -- Italy

The finals returned to Italy after just a 12-year absence, but there was a touch of familiarity about the winners as West Germany, in their third successive final, defeated surprise finalists Belgium 2-1 to regain the title they had lost to Czechoslovakia.

1984 -- France

A Michel Platini-inspired France side thrilled the nation by claiming their first major success with a 2-0 final victory over Spain, 24 years after they had hosted the inaugural tournament. Platini scored a remarkable nine goals in five matches, a finals record, including one in the classic 3-2 semifinal victory over Portugal.

1988 -- West Germany

The host nation were expected to reach their fourth final in five years, but lost out to a thrilling Netherlands side 2-1 in the semis. The Dutch, led by striking sensation Marco van Basten, then went on to defeat the Soviet Union 2-0 in Munich to take the title and ensure the Soviets are the only nation to have lost three Euro finals.

1992 -- Sweden

A fairy tale tournament in which substitutes Denmark -- only called into the tournament at the last minute because of civil war in Yugoslavia -- beat the might of Germany 2-0 in the final in Gothenburg. The Danes -- who had a week to prepare before their first match against England -- saw off the two previous tournament winners, France and the Dutch, en route to their surprise success.

1996 -- England

The hosts had raised the hopes of a nation by thumping the Netherlands in the group stages, but yet again came up short in a semifinal penalty shoot-out, beaten by Germany -- as they had been six years earlier at the 1990 World Cup. The Germans then claimed their third European title by defeating the Czech Republic 2-1, courtesy of an extra time golden goal by Oliver Bierhoff.

2000 -- Belgium/Netherlands

Again a host nation was to bow out on penalties in the semifinals, with the Dutch totally capitulating to Italy. However, the Italians' luck ran out in the final in Amsterdam when Sylvain Wiltord equalized for France in the final minute before David Trezeguet scored the golden goal to give Les Bleus an unlikely 2-1 victory that added European Championship honors to their World Cup crown won just two years earlier.

2004 -- Portugal

A story to rival Denmark's 1992 victory as Greece, with no pedigree of ever achieving anything of note in major tournaments, stunned host nation Portugal 1-0 in the final in Lisbon. But the win was totally deserved, with the well organized Greeks also beating France and the strongly-fancied Czech Republic along the way, as well as scoring a win over the hosts in the opening game.