The 1996 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly known as Euro 1996, was the 10th edition of the tournament. It took place in England from June 8 to June 30, 1996. This was the first time the tournament featured 16 teams, expanded from the previous format of eight teams.
The tournament featured matches played across eight venues in England: London (Wembley Stadium), Manchester (Old Trafford), Liverpool (Anfield), Birmingham (Villa Park), Nottingham (City Ground), Leeds (Elland Road), Sheffield (Hillsborough Stadium), and Newcastle upon Tyne (St James' Park).
The 16 teams were divided into four groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout stage. The knockout stage consisted of quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final.
The final was held at Wembley Stadium in London on June 30, 1996. The match was contested between Germany and the Czech Republic. The game ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time, with Oliver Bierhoff scoring the equalizer for Germany in the 73rd minute. In the subsequent penalty shootout, Germany emerged as the champions, winning 2-1.
Euro 1996 was notable for several reasons, including its successful organization in England, the expansion of the tournament to 16 teams, and the introduction of the Golden Goal rule, where the first goal scored in extra time would determine the winner. It also marked Germany's third European Championship victory, having previously won in 1972 and 1980.
The tournament showcased the talents of many football stars of the time, including the likes of Alan Shearer (England), Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany), Davor Šuker (Croatia), Pavel Nedvěd (Czech Republic), and many others.
Overall, Euro 1996 is remembered as an exciting tournament that showcased high-quality football and provided memorable moments for both players and fans.
The 1996 UEFA European Championship featured 16 national teams from across Europe. Here are the participating teams:
These teams competed in a series of group stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage of the tournament. The group stage was comprised of four groups: Group A, Group B, Group C, and Group D.
Each group had four teams, and the top two teams from each group advanced to the quarter-finals. From there, the tournament proceeded in a knockout format until the final match between Germany and the Czech Republic.
It's worth noting that the participating teams and their performances may vary in subsequent editions of the tournament.